Viscosity Handout

Units:
Absolute viscosity, :

SI:

English:
Kinematic viscosity, :

SI:
English:

1 Ns/m2 = 1 kg/(ms) or
1 P (or Poise) = 1 g/(cms) = 0.1 kg/(ms) or
1 cP = 10-3 Ns/m2
1 lbfs/ft2 = 1 slug/(fts) = 4.78 x 104 cP
1 St (or Stoke) = 1 cm2/s = 10-4 m2/s or
1 cSt = 10-6 m2/s
1 ft2/s = 9.26 x 104 cSt

Table 1. Absolute (or dynamic) viscosity at 20C or 68F:

Water
Air
Engine Oil
-3
2
-5
2
1.00 Ns/m2
1.01 x 10 Ns/m
1.81 x 10 Ns/m
1.01 cP
0.0181 cP
1,000 cP
-5
2
-7
2
2.10 x 10 lbfs/ft
3.79 x 10 lbfs/ft
2.09 x 10-2 lbfs/ft2
Table 2. Kinematic viscosity at 20C or 68F:
Water
Air
Engine Oil
-6
2
-5
2
1.01 x 10 m /s
1.50 x 10 m /s
1.12 x 10-3 m2/s
1.01 cSt
15.0 cSt
1,120 cSt
1.08 x 10-5 ft2/s
1.62 x 10-4 ft2/s
1.21 x 10-2 ft2/s
Effect of Temperature on Viscosity
1 E-02

Viscoscity (Ns/m2)

Water
Air
1 E-03

1 E-04

1 E-05
0

20

40

60

Temperature (C)

80

100