Technological Institute of the Philippines-Quezon City

College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department

Laboratory Experiment No. 4

(Fluid Mechanics)

Fluid Viscosity Determination

Group No.
Group Members

Submitted by:
_____________________________

Submitted to:

Instructor

March 7, 2023

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY PLEDGE

I swear on my honor that I did not use any inappropriate aid, nor give such to others, in accomplishing
this coursework. I understand that cheating and/or plagiarism is a major offense, as stated in TIP
Memorandum No. P-04, s. 2017-2018, and that I will be sanctioned appropriately once I have committed
such acts.
 Activity 4: Fluid Viscosity Determination

1. Student Outcomes (SOs) Addressed by the Activity

SO d, Design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze, and interpret data, and
synthesize 
          information to provide valid conclusions for investigating complex problems.
SO i, Function effectively as an individual and as a member or leader in diverse teams and in 
   multidisciplinary setting.

2. Activity’s Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):

At the end of the activity the students shall be able to:
1. Discuss the concept of fluid viscosity.
2. Identify the settling time of spheres in a quiescent fluid.
3. Solve the viscosity of a fluid using Stokes’ law and the terminal velocity of a sphere in this fluid.

3. Objective/s of the Activity

The activity aims to determine the viscosity of fluid using Stokes’ law.

4. Principle of the Activity

Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. It describes the internal friction of a
moving fluid. A fluid with large viscosity resists motion because its molecular makeup gives it a lot of
internal friction. A fluid with low viscosity flows easily because its molecular makeup results in very little
friction when it is in motion.

Falling Ball Viscometers

         The falling ball viscometer is based on Stokes’ Law, and is what we will use in this
laboratory investigation. This type of viscometer consists of a circular cylinder containing the fluid and a
smooth ball. The ball is placed in the fluid and the time that it takes to fall the length of the cylinder is
recorded. This time is then utilized to solve for the viscosity out of the velocity relationship that we
derived using Stokes’ Law and summation of forces. As the ball is dropped into the fluid it accelerates
as a result of the gravitational field until the ball reaches terminal velocity. Terminal velocity occurs
when the viscous and buoyancy forces equal the weight of the ball. At this point the velocity of the ball
is maximum, or terminal. To simplify our approach, we will allow the ball to reach terminal velocity prior
to making the time measurements. The forces acting on a sphere, for example, that are falling at
terminal velocity through the liquid are:

    Weight – Buoyancy – Drag = 0

eq. 4.1

eq. 4.2

Where D is the sphere diameter and V is the terminal velocity. Once the viscosity of
the liquid is found, the above ratio should be calculated to be certain that the mathematical model gives
an accurate description of a sphere falling through the liquid.
5. Resources / Instruments Required:

 Graduated cylinder
 Scale
 Stopwatch
 Test Fluids (oil, water, diesel)
 Several Small Spheres with Weight and Diameter to be measured

6. Procedures:
Equipment Measurements

1. Weigh each sphere on an electronic scientific scale and record on a sheet of paper the mass of
each sphere (in kilograms). Measure each sphere for diameter then divide that by two to equal
the radius. Record each radius value on the paper.
2. Calculate the volume of each sphere using the formula A=4πr3/3, where "v" represents
volume and "r" represents the sphere's radius.
3. Determine the density of each sphere by dividing the mass found in Step 1 by the volume found
in Step 2. Record the density of each sphere.
4. Place an empty beaker on the scale and record its weight. Remove the beaker and fill it with 10
ml of the liquid. Subtract the weight of the empty beaker from the weight of the full beaker and
divide the answer by 10 to calculate the density of 1 ml of that liquid.

Determine Viscosity

5. Prepare your workstation with a graduated cylinder, the spheres, liquids, paper, stopwatch and
tape. Carefully pour liquid into a graduated cylinder until it is nearly full. Leave about a half inch
of space between the liquid and the top of the cylinder.
6. Mark off a spot, using the tape, about 2 cm below the liquid's surface and another about half an
inch from the bottom of the cylinder. These marks will help determine the distance of the
sphere's fall. Use either the top or the bottom of the tape as a guide, but remain consistent.
Measure the exact distance between the tape marks and record it.
7. Hold the sphere on the surface of the liquid. Simultaneously start the stopwatch and drop the
sphere. Stop the watch when the sphere reaches the second tape mark. Record the data.
Repeat the drop using the other spheres and record their data. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 with
the other liquid.
8. Calculate the velocity of the spheres by dividing the distance between the tape marks by the
time it took for the sphere to reach the second mark.
9. Calculate the viscosity of the fluid using eq. 4.1
 7. Laboratory Report:
 
Group No.:                                                                                   Section:
Date Performed: March 2, 2023                                                         Date Submitted: March 7, 2023
Group Members: