MAPUA UNIVERSITY

EXPERIMENT NO. 1
FALLING SPHERE VISCOMETER

Goco, Mark Ivan P.

2019101439
CE142P-2 / A3
August 23, 2021
Trial t(s) Y(m) VS(m/s) dx*10-3 Dm(mm) K Vt µ v
1 3.44 1 0.291 7.89 93 1.382 0.402 0.505 3.945*10-4
2 4.15 1 0.241 7 93 1.198 0.289 0.553 4.320*10-4
3 4.43 1 0.226 6.32 93 1.176 0.266 0.489 3.820*10-4
4 7 1 0.143 4.74 93 1.128 0.161 0.455 3.555*10-4
5 5.11 1 0.196 6.74 93 1.120 0.220 0.673 5.258*10-4
6 6.53 1 0.153 6.69 93 1.188 0.182 0.801 6.258*10-4
7 8.5 1 0.118 4.15 93 1.110 0.131 0.428 3.344*10-4
8 14.03 1 0.071 3.39 93 1.089 0.077 0.486 3.797*10-4
9 4.08 1 0.245 6.71 93 1.189 0.291 0.504 3.938*10-4
10 6.03 1 0.166 5.88 93 1.162 0.193 0.584 4.563*10-4
11 7.98 1 0.125 5.02 93 1.136 0.142 0.578 4.516*10-4
12 14.08 1 0.071 3.33 93 1.087 0.077 0.469 3.664*10-4

SAMPLE COMPUTATION
From Trial 1
Given: t(s) = 3.44, Y = 1
Vs = Y/t(s)
= 1/3.44
= 0.291 m/s
Given: Dm = 93mm or 0.093, d = 7.89*10-3 or 0.00789
K = 1 + (9d/4Dm) + (9d/4Dm)2
= 1 + [(9*0.00789)/(4*0.093)] + [(9*0.00789)/(4*0.093)]
= 1.382
Vt = VsK
= (0.291)(1.382)
= 0.402 m/s
Given: Ss = 7.26 , SL = 1.28
µ = d2(SS-SL) / 18VsK
= [(0.00789)2(9.81)(7260 - 1280)] / 18(0.402)
= 0.505 Pa-s
v = µ/SL
= 0.505/1280
= 3.945 *10-4 m2/s
OBSERVATION
A steel ball is dropped in a viscometer filled with a liquid and two marks with 1
meter between them is seen from the outside of the viscometer. The velocity of the fall is
solved based on the one-meter distance between the two marks and the time it takes for
the ball to reach the bottom mark starting from the top mark. From these data, other
values can be obtained like the viscosity of the liquid and correction constant (K).

CONCLUSION
Based from the results of the experiment, the velocity of the steel ball while falling
is proportional to the diameter of the steel ball. Meanwhile the time it takes to the ball to
reach the 1st mark to the 2nd mark t(s) is inversely proportional to Vt. Also, the viscosity
is observed to be different from the actual value of viscosity which may be caused by
differences in temperature and properties of properties of liquid wherein the viscosity
varies with the temperature.

RECOMMENDATION
To get more accurate and better results, minimizing possible errors during the
experiment can be helpful. One is when measuring the time of fall of the steel ball in the
liquid using a timer or stopwatch. The timer must be started once it reached the first mark
and stopped once it reached the second one. Also, make sure that the viscometer is
straight so to avoid even the smallest of errors. Double check the measurements like the
diameter of the steel ball and tube containing the liquid. Lastly, double check
computations to make sure that the acquired results are correct.