For B.Sc.

(Physics & Chemistry)

Poiseuille’s Equation for Flow of a Liquid through a Capillary

Tube.

By
Mr. G. K. Sahu
Assistant Professor,
CENTURION UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT,
ODISHA
 Poiseuille’s Equation
Poiseuille found the viscosity of a liquid by measuring
the volume of the liquid through a capillary tube of
length ‘l’ and radius ‘a’ when the liquid is flowing
under constant pressure P.
The following assumptions are made:
1. The flow of liquid is parallel to the axis of the tube
and it is stream line.
2. The liquid flow is steady i.e. no acceleration of the
flow exists.
3. The velocity of the liquid layer in contact with the
walls is zero and increases regularly and
continuously towards the inner side, being
maximum along the axis of the tube.
Theory:
Let AB be a capillary tube of length ‘l’ and radius ‘a’.
Consider a cylindrical layer of the liquid co axial with
the tube of inner radius 𝑟 and outer radius 𝑟 + 𝑑𝑟.
Now the velocity of the liquid at a distance 𝑟 from the
axis is 𝑣 and at a distance 𝑟 + 𝑑𝑟 is 𝑣 − 𝑑𝑣.
 𝑑𝑣
So, the velocity gradient=−
𝑑𝑟
Surface area of the cylinder, A=2𝜋𝑟𝑙
According to Newton’s law viscosity, the viscous F
between two layer is given by
𝐹 = −𝜂𝐴𝑑𝑣/𝑑𝑟 = −𝜂 × 2𝜋𝑟𝑙 × 𝑑𝑣/𝑑𝑟 … . (1)
Where 𝜂= coefficient of viscosity,
Now, the forward push due to the difference of pressure P
on two sides of the tube of radius r is
𝐹 = 𝑃 × 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝑃 × 𝜋𝑟 2 ……………(2)
For steady flow,
dv
𝑃× 𝜋𝑟 2 = −η2πrl ×
dr
p
Or, dv = − r dr
2ηl

Integrating both sides,

𝑣 𝑟
p
𝑑𝑣 = − r dr
0 𝑎 2ηl
𝑃
or, 𝑣= 𝑎2 − 𝑟 2
4𝜂𝑙
Now cross sectional area of the cylinder of radius r and
thickness dr =2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟 and the volume of the liquid
flowing through this area/sec is given by
𝑑𝑉 = 𝑣 ∙ 2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟
So, the volume of the liquid flowing through the whole
tube/sec is given by
𝑎 𝑎
𝑃
𝑑𝑉 = 𝑣 ∙ 2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟 = 𝑎2 − 𝑟 2 ∙ 2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟
0 0 4𝜂𝑙
𝜋𝑃 𝑎 2
= 𝑎 𝑟 − 𝑟 3 𝑑𝑟
2𝜂𝑙 0
 𝑎
𝜋𝑃 𝑎2 𝑟 2 𝑟 4
= −
2𝜂𝑙 2 4 0

𝜋𝑃 𝑎4 𝑎4 𝜋𝑃 𝑎4 𝜋𝑃𝑎4
= − = =
2𝜂𝑙 2 4 2𝜂𝑙 4 8𝜂𝑙
Or,
𝜋𝑃𝑎4
𝜂=
8𝑉𝑙
So, if P, a, l and V are known, 𝜂 can be calculated.
 Reference
Mechanics by D. S. Mathur, S. Chand, chp-15.14