Problem Based Learning

Fluid Mechanics I
MEL III

PROBLEM 03-MELIII

MEASURING VISCOSITY OF DIFFERENT FLUIDS USING BALL DROP METHOD

Roshaan Ashraf Atta Ul Mustafa

2016408 2016095

Ashar Suhail Bilal Ahmad

2016087 2016102

I. ABSTRACT
Viscosity is one of the most significant property of
fluids, which dictate a lot about the fluid behavior when it is
deformed by the action of shear stress. In this experiment we
will determine the viscosity of different fluids by measuring the
amount of time it takes steel balls to travel through given
distances through the liquids and then compare them with the
original values.
quickly near the tube's axis and more slowly near its walls;
therefore some stress (such as a pressure difference between the
two ends of the tube) is needed to overcome the friction
between particle layers to keep the fluid moving. For a given
velocity pattern, the stress required is proportional to the fluid's
viscosity.

II. INTRODUCTION
Fluid mechanics is the study of how fluids react to
forces. It has various applications, it is used to study pollution
dispersion, forest fires, volcano behavior, oceanography etc.
In this experiment we will be dealing with a major property of
fluids, known as Viscosity.
Viscosity is a quantity that expresses the magnitude of
internal friction in a fluid, as measured by the force per unit
area resisting uniform flow, or it is a resistance to gradual Figure 1: Behavior of fluid placed between two plates
deformation by shear stress or tensile stress. Viscosity describes
how a fluid resists forces, or more specifically shear forces. A fluid that has no resistance to shear stress is known
Since fluids are composed of many molecules that are all as an ideal or inviscid fluid. Zero viscosity is observed only at
moving, these molecules exert a shear force on one another. very low temperatures in superfluids. Otherwise, all fluids have
Fluids with low viscosity have a low resistance to shear forces, positive viscosity and are technically said to be viscous or
and therefore the molecules flow quickly and are easy to move viscid. A fluid with a relatively high viscosity, such as pitch,
through such as water, Fluids with high viscosity flow more may appear to be a solid.
slowly and are harder to move through such as honey. For
liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of "thickness" III. CHARACTERISITCS OF FLUIDS
for example, syrup has a higher viscosity than water. Viscosity A fluid is a substance that is continuously deformed
is the property of a fluid which opposes the relative motion when acted upon by shearing stress of any magnitude. Both
between two surfaces of the fluid that are moving at different liquids are gases are termed as fluids. Some characteristics of
velocities. In simple terms, viscosity means friction between fluids are described below:
the molecules of fluid. When the fluid is forced through a tube,
the particles which compose the fluid generally move more

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1- Density
The density of a fluid is its mass per unit volume, rep-
resented by (ρ).

m
ρ=
V
2- Specific Volume
It is the volume per unit mass of a fluid, so it is also
equal to the reciprocal of density.

1 V
v= =
ρ m
3- Specific weight
It is defined as the weight per unit volume of a fluid.
γ= ρg
4- Specific Gravity
It is the ratio of density of a fluid to the density of wa-
ter at some specified conditions.
ρ flows like a fluid hence it is not solid as well.
SG=
ρwater
5. Viscosity
It is basically the resistance to flow for a fluid. It is
also known as absolute viscosity or dynamic viscosity
for Newtonian fluids, Viscosity of a fluid is highly af-
fected by temperature. For the liquids it increases with
the increase in temperature whereas it decreases for
the case of gases. Fluids for which the shearing stress
is directly related to rate of shearing strain are known
as Newtonian fluids, whereas the fluids for which
shearing stress is not directly related with shearing
strain are known as non-Newtonian fluids, hence the
term apparent viscosity is used for these type of fluids.
Viscosity is only mildly dependent on pressure and its
effect is highly neglected.
Figure 3: Variation of shearing stress with rate of shearing
strain for several types of fluids, including common non-
Newtonian fluids.
Bingham is neither a fluid nor a solid, such a material can
withstand a finite non-zero shear stress without motion
therefore it is not a fluid, but when a yield stress is exceeded is
6. Melting Point
It is the constant temperature at which a pure sub-
stance melts (change in state from Solid to Liquid).
For pure water it is 0℃ .
IV. METHODOLOGY
Drag Force: For objects that have basic geometries, for
example, spheres, the drag on the object can be determined
with known equations. In principle, the force F required to drag
a sphere of radius rat velocity v through a fluid of viscosity μ
can be calculated.
F=6 πr μ v
This equation is known as Stokes’ Law and is valid only
for laminar flow, where the flow of the fluid can be treated as
consisting of layers, each layer having a well defined velocity.

Gravitational Force:
A sphere of density ρs falling in a stationary fluid of density
ρl feels a gravitational force given by:
4 3
F= π r g(ρ s−ρl )
3
Combining the above equations, we can find an equation
for terminal velocity of a sphere falling through a fluid:

2 2
v= g r (ρ s −ρl)
9μ

Rearranging for μ, we get:

Figure 2: Viscosity as a function of temperature.

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 2 1. Height of the fluid in cylinder is measured using a
μ= g r 2 (ρs −ρl) ruler.
9v
2. Ball is dropped in the fluid and the time taken for
the ball to reach the bottom is recorded using a
A. Apparatus
stopwatch.
 Ruler
 Stopwatch
height of fluid [m]
v= reach bottom[s ]¿
 Graduated Cylinder timetaken for ball ¿
 Marble Balls
 Fluids
 Weight Scale
 Vernier Caliper V. CALCULATIONS

Mass of Ball 0.007 kg

B. Procedure Mass of Cylinder, mc 0.081 kg
Diameter of Ball, d 0.0178 m
Measuring Density of Spherical Ball: Volume of Ball 2.93E-06 m3
Density of Ball 2391.04 kg/m3
1. Use vernier caliper to measure the diameter of the
marble balls.
2. Different marble balls were measured. Marble A. Fluid 1: Jam Sheeren
balls with uniform diameter were chosen.
3. Four marble balls were chosen and their diameters Mass 0.494 kg
were recorded. Mass of Fluid 0.413 kg
4. Volume of a sphere is given by:
Volume of Fluid 1 3.12E-04 m3
Density of Fluid 1 1322.87 kg/m3
4
V = π r3
3 Attempt No. Time (s) Height (m)
1 4.53 0.300
5. Mass of balls was measured using a digital weight 2 4.56 0.300
balance and recorded. 3 4.30 0.300
6. Density of balls is calculated by: Average 4.46 0.300
Velocity = 0.06721434 m/s
mass of ball[kg]
ρ s= 3
volume of ball [m ]

Measuring Density of Fluid:

B. Fluid 2: Lemon Max Dish Cleaner
1. Graduated measuring cylinder with capacity 200
mL was chosen for this experiment. Mass 0.307 kg
2. Mass of cylinder, m c ,is measured using digital Mass of Fluid 0.226 kg
weight balance. Volume of Fluid 1 2.18E-04 m3
3. Cylinder was filled with fluid and the volume was Density of Fluid 1 1036.70 kg/m3
recorded.
4. Mass of cylinder with fluid,m cf , is measured. Attempt No. Time (s) Height (m)
5. Mass of fluid is calculated by: 1 18.10 0.209
2 19.39 0.209
mf =mcf −mc 3 18.70 0.209
4 18.92 0.209
Average 4.46 0.209
6. Density of fluid is calculated by: Velocity = 0.011130 m/s
mass of fluid [kg]
ρl =
volume of fluid [ m ]
3
C. Fluid 3: Hand Wash
Measuring Terminal Velocity:
Mass 0.266 kg

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 Mass of Fluid 2.66E-01 kg Cleaner
Volume of Fluid 1 1.85E-04 m3 Fluid 3: Hand Wash 0.027408723
Density of Fluid 1 1437.84 kg/m3 Fluid 4: Water 0.038953895

Attempt No. Time (s) Height (m)

1 3.5 0.180
0.045
2 4.2 0.180
3 3.87 0.180 water max wash
0.04
4 3.85 0.180 jam sheeren
Average 3.85 0.180 0.035
Velocity = 0.04669261 m/s
0.03

Drag force (N)

D. Fluid 4: Water 0.025
hand wash
0.02
Mass 0.271 kg
Mass of Fluid 2.71E-01 kg 0.015
Volume of Fluid 1 2.62E-04 m3
Density of Fluid 1 1036.33 kg/m3 0.01

Attempt No. Time (s) Height (m) 0.005

1 0.21 0.25 0
2 0.22 0.25 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00
3 0.23 0.25 viscosity µ
Average 0.22 0.25
Velocity = 1.136363636 m/s
20 18.7775
18
16
14
12
Time (sec)

10
Using, 8
64.46333333333333
2 2 3.855
μ= g r (ρs −ρl) 4
9v
2
0.22
0
Fluids Density µ (kg/m.s) fluid 1 jam fluid 2=max for fluid for fluid 4
(kg/m3) sheeren wash 3=hand =water
h=0.3 h=0.209 wash h=0.18 h=0.25
Fluid 1: Jam Sheeren 1036.66 2.732
Fluid 2: Lemon Max Dish 1036.70 20.91 Distance (m)
Cleaner
Fluid 3: Hand Wash 1437.84 3.51
Fluid 4: Water 1036.33 0.20
VI. COMPARISON

Experimental Actual Error

(kg/ms)
Fluid 1: Jam 2.732 3 0.268
DRAGE FORCE Sheeren
Fluid 2: Lemon Max 20.91 22 1.09
Fluids drag force F(N) Dish Cleaner
Fluid 1: Jam Sheeren 0.030714562 Fluid 3: Hand Wash 3.51 3.7 0.19
Fluid 2: Lemon Max Dish 0.038943303 Fluid 4: Water 0.20 0.001 0.199

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VII. SOURCES OF ERROR
1. Theoretically, time calculation should begin when the
ball reaches its terminal velocity but since this is very
quick and the time difference is negligible, we
assumed the start time to be when the ball is dropped
in the fluid.
2. Human reaction error while measuring time through
stopwatch added to inconsistency as it was difficult to
accurately to stop time when the ball hit the bottom of
cylinder.
3. Balls is not released from the surface of fluid since
there is some non-graduated dead space above the
cylinder. Care was taken to slowly take the ball to the
surface of fluid through a holder.
4. Stokes’ Law is based on the assumption that the sphere
is moving through a fluid of infinite extent. This is not
the case in the experiment as the presence of the
cylinder walls appears to increase the viscosity above
its actual value and you will find that the larger
spheres fall less rapidly than theory predicts.
5. Error in measuring the diameter of marble balls may
also have caused inconsistency in values.
VIII. CONCLUSION
In this experiment, we calculated the viscosity of
different fluids using the ball drop method. It is a relatively
cheap process requiring no heavy instruments or sensors. Fluids
were acquired from local shops and their density was measured
using simple mass balance and measuring cylinder. Marble
balls were dropped in fluids and time and height was noted
giving velocity which was utilized in equation for viscosity to
calculate values. Error was calculated against actual values
found from the web. Most of the errors were found to be less
except in the case of water which is expected as water is a very
non-viscous fluid.
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