OBJECTIVES

1. To determine the specific gravity of sample liquids, and fuels by pycnometer and
hydrometer method.
2. To be able to determine the viscosity of sample fluids (glycerin) using a Falling Sphere
Viscometer

THEORY/HYPOTHESIS:

The properties of common liquids, gases, and vapors have been the subject of lifelong
investigation by many competent experimentalists; hence the required information is usually
available from reference tables and charts.
In the intimate mixing and vaporization of liquid fuel and air for proper combustion, the
volatility, viscosity, density and other properties of the fuel are important. The ASTM has
numerous standards which apply to petroleum products.
Density measurements of a liquid must often be made for identification, classification,
or checking of purity. Viscosity measurement is also a common requirement. With the density
and the viscosity determined at one or more temperatures, other properties of the liquid can
usually be found from published tables or charts.
Density is defined by as the mass per unit volume. Specific gravity of a liquid is defined
as the ratio of the weights of equal volumes of the liquid to that of distilled water at a specified
standard temperature usually 60°F. The density of a liquid is determined by pycnometer or
specific gravity bottle method, hydrostatic weighing, hydrometer, or Westphal balance.
Pycnometers are glass vessels having definite volumes and various shapes. It may be
used for liquids, for semisolids of low melting point or powders or granular solids. The method
of use (ASTM Standards D-1217) is first to weigh the clean and dry empty bottle with stopper
on a sensitive analytical balance (weight Wp). Then fill bottle with freshly boiled distilled water
at 60°F, and weigh (Wpw). Take care to expel all air bubbles, and fill up to and including capillary
tube in stopped. Follow above procedure again for the sample (Wpo).

1
 W po − W p
Specific Gravity =
W pw − W p

In commercial practice the specific gravity of liquids is usually determined by means of

an instrument called a hydrometer. The proper weighted-bulb hydrometer with graduated
stem is allowed to sink into the sample to a level of two smallest scale divisions below that at
which it will float and is then released. The reading on the scale of this instrument, which is the
level of the surface of the liquid, is the specific gravity.
Hydrometers are made with two standard scales. One is the ordinary specific gravity
scale graduated to correspond to the determinations of specific gravity as defined for
determinations with the specific gravity bottle. The other is an arbitrary one known as Baume’s
and is much used by trade’s people. For short, it is often called the “gravity” scale. The oil
industry has adopted the Baume scale specified by the API, but some hydrometers are
graduated according to the Baume scale specified by the National Bureau of Standards.
Equations for converting the readings of either hydrometer to specific gravity are
API scale:
141.5
Sp. gr. at 60 / 60  F =
131.5+ API at 60  F


Bureau of Standards scale:

140
Sp. gr. at 60 / 60  F =
130+ Be at 60  F


In general, viscosity (  ) is the property of a homogeneous fluid which causes it to offer

resistance to motion. In the case of a liquid, viscosity is a measure of relative fluidity at some
definite temperature. This property may be measures in several ways, for example (1) by the
torque required to rotate a cylinder or cup in the liquid, as in the Mac-Michael and Stormer
instruments used for oils and viscous liquids; (2) by the time required for a sphere (usually a
steel ball) to fall through the liquid, as in the Gardner Holdt instrument used for paints and
other highly viscous liquids; or (3) by the time required for the liquid to flow through a capillary
or a short tube as the Saybolt, Engler, and Redwood viscometer used for petroleum oils.

2
 In the falling sphere viscometer, the liquid is placed in a tall transparent cylinder and a
sphere of known weight and diameter is dropped in it. If the sphere is small enough, Stokes’
Law will prevail and the fall velocity of the sphere will be approximately inversely proportional
to the absolute viscosity of the liquid. That is so may be seen by examining the free-body
diagram of such a falling sphere (Figure 1).

FD = 3VD

D 3
FB = 
6

 D3
W =s
6
Figure 1: FBD
The force acting includes the gravity, buoyancy, and drag. Stokes’ law states that if

DV / v  1 , the drag force on a sphere is given by FD = 3VD , where V is the velocity of the
sphere and D is its diameter. When the sphere is dropped in a liquid, it will quickly accelerate to
terminal velocity, at which  Fz = 0 . Then

 D3  D3
W − FB − FD =  s − − 3VD = 0
6 6
Where  s and  represent the specific weight and the sphere and liquid, respectively.

Solving the above equation, we get

D 2 ( s −  )
=
18V
In the preceding development it was assumed that the sphere was dropped into a liquid
of infinite extent. In actuality, the liquid will be contained in a tube and a wall effect will
influence the drag force and hence the fall velocity. It has been found that the wall effect can
be expressed approximately as

3
 2
V 9D  9D 
= 1+ +  = K
Vt 4 Dt  4 Dt 

Where Dt is the tube diameter, and Vt represents the fall velocity in the tube. This

equation is reliable only if D / Dt  13 .

From the data obtained from the performance of the experiment, compute the following
for each run:
1. Kinematic Viscosity
a. Ratio of the sphere and tube diameter
b. The correction factor or wall effect K
c. The observe velocity of fall V

2. Dynamic Viscosity: v =  
3. Plot V versus D/Dt

LIST OF APPARATUS

1. Pycnometer

2. Hydrometer

3. Graduated Cylinder

4
4. Digital balance

5. Falling sphere viscometer

6. Stop watches

7. Thermometer

8. Caliper

5
 9. Steel balls

10. Meter stick

PROCEDURE
1. Pycnometer Method

1. Clean the pycnometer bottle and weigh it on the analytical balance and designate
the weight as Wp.
2. Fill the bottle with freshly boiled distilled water at 60°F, and weigh using W pw as the
designation.
3. Clean the pycnometer, and follow the above procedure again for the samples to be
tested (SAE, Alcohol, Diesel, Gasoline, and Kerosene) call the weight of the sample as
Wpo.
4. Compute the specific gravity using the pycnometer method equation for specific
gravity.

2. Hydrometer Method

1. Clean the hydrometer and the graduated cylinder.

6
 2. Pour the liquid (SAE 10 and SAE 50) to be tested inside the graduated cylinder.
3. Drop slowly the hydrometer inside the graduated cylinder.
4. Read the value in the hydrometer.
The depth of immersion is then read as follows:
If the sample is sufficiently transparent, this point shall be determined by placing the
eye slightly below the level of the liquid and slowly raising it until the surface of the
sample first seen as a distorted ellipse seems to become a straight line cutting the
hydrometer scale. For nontransparent liquids, it will be necessary to read from
above the surface and to estimate as accurately as possible the point to which the
liquid rises on the hydrometer stem.

3. Falling Sphere Viscometer

1. Determine the temperature and specific gravity of the liquid whose viscosity is
desired.
2. Drop cautiously one of the spheres into the viscometer noting whether the sphere is
guided correctly or is off-centered.
3. Determine the time required for the sphere to travel the certain distance.
4. Repeat the procedure for each sphere given.

7
SET-UP OF APPARATUS
1. Pycnometer Method
A pycnometer is a small glass container
used to measure weight of liquids and other
fine solids, maintaining a constant volume.
In this experiment, water and the sample
liquids were weighed in order to determine
the samples’ specific gravity by dividing the
weight of the sample liquid to the weight of
water.

2. Hydrometer Method
In this method, a sample liquid is placed in a
tall cylinder and the specific gravity is
measured using a hydrometer. The
hydrometer floats and the specific gravity is
determined by reading the depth of
immersion.

3. Falling Sphere Viscometer

Spheres of known weight and diameter
were dropped in a cylinder containing a
sample liquid. The height of the cylinder
was known to be 1 m. The time required for
the sphere to travel a certain distance was
recorded. The viscosity can be computed
using the equation derived.

8
FINAL DATA SHEET
RUNNING LOG

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

OBSERVER: DE GUZMAN JR, BENJAMIN F. ME139L SEC_A1_

EXPT. No._1_ TITLE SPECIFIC GRAVITY AND VISCOSITY GROUP NO. _2_

DATE APRIL 30, 2013

A. DETERMINATION OF SPECIFIC GRAVITY

LIQUID TO PYCNOMETER METHOD

% DIFF
BE TESTED TRIAL Wp Wpw Wpo Sp. Gr.
SAE 10 1 20.08 45.47 42.1 0.8673 5.9%
SAE 30 1 20.08 45.47 42.8 0.8948 0.13%
ALCOHOL 1 20.18 45.45 40.54 0.8057 1.97%
DIESEL 1 20.18 45.45 41.38 0.8389 2.28%
GASOLINE 1 15.18 40.63 33.99 0.7341 2.62%
KEROSENE 1 15.18 40.63 35.18 0.7859 4.25%

HYDROMETER
LIQUID TO BE % DIFF
METHOD
TESTED
TRIAL Sp. Gr.
SAE 10 1 0.855 7.32%
SAE 30 1 0.88 1.8%
ALCOHOL 1 0.79 0%
DIESEL 1 0.825 0.61%
GASOLINE 1 0.73 1.38%
KEROSENE 1 0.78 8%

Note: SAE 10 – 0.92, SAE 50 – 0.896, Alcohol – 0.79, Diesel – 0.82 – 0.95, Gasoline – 0.72,
Kerosene – 0.82

9
 B. DETERMINATION OF VISCOSITY BY FALLING VISCOSIMETER

SG of the Glycerin: 1.24 Length: 1 m Dt : 63.38 mm

μ υ
GROUP γ t V D Vt
TRIAL D/Dt K (Pa – (m2/s)
No. (kN/m3) (sec) (m/s) (m) (m/s)
sec) x 10-4
1 1 78.67 4.44 0.23 0.00475 0.075 1.197 0.275 0.301 2.43
1 2 76.27 2.15 0.46 0.00793 0.125 0.125 0.626 0.3578 2.89
2 3 76.366 1.13 0.885 0.01585 0.25 1.879 1.663 0.6307 5.08
2 4 76.460 2.85 0.351 0.00634 0.1 1.276 0.448 0.3746 3.02
3 5 75.9491 1.15 0.8696 0.01425 0.2248 1.7618 1.5320 0.4697 3.79
3 6 76.2193 1.34 0.7463 0.01224 0.1931 1.6233 1.2115 0.4402 3.55

10
GRAPH

Velocity vs. Dsb/Dt

0.3

0.25

0.2
Dsb/Dt

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0.23 0.351 0.46 0.7463 0.8696 0.885
Velocity, V

11
SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS
A. DETERMINATION OF SPECIFIC GRAVITY
PYCNOMETER METHOD
LIQUID SAMPLE: ALCOHOL
W po − W p
Specific Gravity =
W pw − W p
40.54𝑔 − 20.18𝑔
𝑆𝐺 = = 0.8057
45.45𝑔 − 20.18𝑔

𝐴𝑉 − 𝐸𝑉
% 𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 =
𝐴𝑉 + 𝐴𝑉
2
0.8057 − 0.79
= = 1.97%
0.8057 + 0.79
2
HYDROMETER METHOD

LIQUID SAMPLE: ALCOHOL

HYDROMETER READING: 0.79

𝐴𝑉 − 𝐸𝑉
% 𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 =
𝐴𝑉 + 𝐴𝑉
2
0.79 − 0.79
= = 0%
0.79 + 0.79
2
B. DETERMINATION OF VISCOSITY BY FALLING VISCOSIMETER (TRIAL 3)

Mass of ball = 16.23 g

𝜋𝐷 3 𝜋(0.01585)3
Volume of ball = = = 2.08 × 10−6 𝑚3
6 6

𝑊 (16.23⁄1000)×9.81
𝛾 of ball = = = 76.366 𝐾𝑁/𝑚3
𝑉 2.08 × 10−6

𝛾 of glycerin = 𝑆𝐺 × 𝜌𝑤 × 𝑔 = 1.24 × 1000 × 9.81 = 12.16 𝐾𝑁/𝑚3

𝐷 1𝑚
Velocity = = 1.13 𝑠 = 0.885 𝑚/𝑠
𝑡

12
𝐷
= 0.25
𝐷𝑡
9 × 𝐷𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙 9 × 𝐷𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙 2 9 × 0.01585 9 × 0.01585
𝑘 = 1+ +( ) = 1+ −3
+( )2
4 × 𝐷𝑡 4 × 𝐷𝑡 4 × 63.38 × 10 4 × 63.38 × 10−3

𝑘 = 1.879
𝑉𝑂 = 𝑘𝑉𝑡 = 1.879 × 0.885 = 1.663 𝑚/𝑠
2
𝐷𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙 × (𝛾𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙 − 𝛾𝑔𝑙𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛 ) (0.01585)2 (76.366 − 12.16)
𝜇 = =
18𝑉𝑂 18(1.663)
𝜇 = 0.6307 𝑃𝑎 − 𝑠
𝜇 0.6307
𝑣= = = 5.0863 × 10−4 𝑚2 /𝑠
𝜌𝑔𝑙𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛 1.24(1000)

13
TEST DATA ANALYSIS

The first part of the experiment deals with

determining the specific gravities of some fuels
and lubricants such as SAE 10, SAE 30, alcohol,
diesel, gasoline and kerosene by two different
methods: the pycnometer and hydrometer
method. A pycnometer is a glass vessel having
definite volume and shape. It may be used for
Sample Liquids
liquids, for semisolids of low melting point or
powders or granular solids. In our experiment, the group used the pycnometer in order to
measure the specific gravities of the sample liquids. Since water is the basis for determining the
specific gravity, distilled water was used which is more pure than tap water. Based from the
results gathered from the experiment, we found out that gasoline has the smallest specific
gravity (0.7341) followed by kerosene, alcohol and diesel. The last two were lubricants: SAE 10
and SAE 30. A quick observation will draw a conclusion that lubricants have higher densities
than fuels. In this part of the experiment, the deviations from the actual values were less than
6%.
Moreover, the specific gravities of the sample liquids are
all less that one which means that all the liquid samples
mentioned above are lighter than water. All the observations are
governed with the Archimedes’ Principle which states that the
weight of the body displaced by the liquid is equal to the weight
of the fluid displaced by the body. Since the sample liquids are
lighter than water, they float on the surface and do not displace
any water.
Hydrometer method
The second method used to determine the specific
gravities of the sample liquids is the hydrometer method. The method is more direct because
the specific gravity was directly read from the instrument. Few errors can be made since there

14
were fewer procedures to be done. The floating hydrometer was in static equilibrium, the
downward gravitational force acting upon it must exactly balance the upward buoyancy force.
From the Archimedes buoyancy principle, the buoyancy force acting on the hydrometer is equal
to the weight of liquid displaced. The results we gathered from the experiment are also less
than one. Likewise, the gasoline is the lightest of the sample liquids; moreover, the results of
this method are almost the same as the results of the pycnometer method. Errors in this
experiment were below 2%, except for the SAE 10 lubricant.
The second part of the experiment involves the determination of the viscosity of
glycerin by the use of a viscosimeter. In this method, the sphere (steel ball) was allowed to fall
freely into the tube filled with glycerin at a certain distance during a time interval. The falling
ball viscometer is only applicable to measure the viscosity of Newtonian Fluids (the shear stress
is proportional to the shear rate). The method applies Newton’s law of motion under force
balance on a falling sphere ball when it reaches a terminal velocity. In Newton’s law of motion
for a falling ball, there exist buoyancy force, weight force, and drag force, and these three
forces reach a net force of zero. The drag force can be obtained from Stokes’ law, which is valid
in Reynolds numbers less than one. The sample viscosity correlates with the time required by
the ball to drop a specific distance, and the test results are given as dynamic viscosity. In the
experiment, the fluid used was constant. We only vary the diameter of the steel ball used.
Based from the table, steel balls with bigger diameters were faster compared to the ones with
smaller diameters. Smaller steel balls require a lot of time before it can completely travel the
one meter line. The wall effect of bigger steel balls was much larger. Based from the graph
presented, the fall velocity increases as the ball-tube diameter ratio was increased.

15
DISCUSSION
The density of a substance is usually described in two forms -- the mass density (ρ) and
the weight density (D). Still, there is another method of expressing the density of a substance—
specific gravity. The specific gravity of a liquid is a comparison of the density of that liquid with
the density of water, which is 1.00 g/mL (4°C). Specific gravity is a number with no units; the
units of density (g/mL) have cancelled out. This is one of the few measurements in chemistry
written without any units.
Density or specific gravity is a fundamental physical property that can be used in
conjunction with other properties to characterize both the light and heavy fractions of
petroleum and petroleum products. Accurate determination of the density of petroleum
products is also necessary for the conversion of measured volumes to volumes at the standard
temperature of 15°C (60°F). While density is the factor governing the quality of crude
petroleum, it is an uncertain indication of petroleum product quality unless correlated with
other properties.
A number of methods in determining the specific gravity of
liquids have been devised by international institutes such as the
ASTM and API. Two methods are commonly used for determining
the specific gravities of liquids: the pycnometer method and the
hydrometer method. Density determination by pycnometer is a
very precise method. It uses a working liquid with well-known
density, such as water. The pycnometer is a glass flask with a close-
fitting ground glass stopper with a capillary hole through it. This
fine hole releases a spare liquid after closing a top-filled
pycnometer and allows for obtaining a given volume of measured and/or working liquid with a
high accuracy.
The second method is the hydrometer method. According to the ASTM D 1298, the
sample is brought to the prescribed temperature and transferred to a cylinder at approximately
the same temperature. The appropriate hydrometer is lowered into the sample and allowed to
settle. After temperature equilibrium has been reached, the hydrometer scale is read, and the

16
 temperature of the sample is noted. If necessary, the cylinder and its
contents may be placed in a constant temperature bath to avoid
excessive temperature variation during the test.
The hydrometer operates on the buoyancy principle. This
principle, paraphrased, states that when the weight of the volume of
fluid displace is the same as the weight of the object which displace
it, the object will neither sink nor rise, but will float in equilibrium.
The depth to which the hydrometer sinks in a given liquid is a
function of the specific gravity of that liquid.
The density of all substances varies as a function of
temperature. Consider water as an example. Water attains its
maximum density (1 gm/cm3) at +4°C, this will be considered as its reference temperature for
all values of specific gravity, unless otherwise specified. Since the volume of a substance
changes with temperature, but the mass remains fixed, it follows that the density of a
substance also changes with temperature. A given value of specific gravity for a particular
substance, therefore, applies at only one temperature. One further point is that if a substance
is readily compressible (such as a gas or other light liquids), the density will change radically as a
function of pressure. The term specific gravity, therefore,
must include both temperature and pressure specifications
when applied to a gas.
In addition to the determination of other correlated
properties of crude oil, knowledge of specific gravity is
especially important for the petroleum industry. When crude
oil is taken from the ground, refineries separate the crude
into tar, kerosene, gasoline, hydraulic oil and many other
compounds. The knowledge of specific gravities and boiling
points allows refineries to separate these compounds
efficiently. But values of specific gravity vary widely, and the
American Petroleum Institute (API) found it convenient to Refinery Distillation Column

17
create a new unit, the eponymous API gravity. The API gravity is nothing more than the
standard specific gravity used by the oil industry, which compares the density of oil to that of
water through a calculation designed to ensure consistency in measurement. Less dense oil or
“light oil” is preferable to more dense oil as it contains greater quantities of hydrocarbons that
can be converted to gasoline.
Fluid flow plays a very important part in the processing of materials. Most processes are
based on the use of fluids either as raw materials, reagents, or heat transfer media. The
behavior of a fluid in flow is very much related to viscosity. For example, a solid body moving
through a gas has to overcome a certain resistance which depends on the relative velocity
between fluid and solid, the shape of the solid, the density of the gas and its viscosity. The
power required to move a fluid through a conduit is a function of the fluid velocity, the
diameter of the conduit and the fluid density and viscosity.
The existence and nature of viscosity can be demonstrated by suspending two
horizontal, parallel plates in a liquid so that they are separated by a very small distance. Now, if
the upper plate is kept stationary while the lower plate is set to motion, the layer of liquid right
next to this plate will also start to move. With time, the motion of the bottom layer of fluid will
cause the fluid layers higher up to also move.
A number of methods are used to measure the viscosity of
fluids. These are typically based on one of three phenomena—a moving
surface in contact with a fluid, an object moving through a fluid, and
fluid flowing through a resistive component. These phenomena utilize
three major viscometers in the industry, i.e., a rotating viscometer, a
falling-ball viscometer, and a capillary viscometer. The falling ball
viscometer typically measures the viscosity of Newtonian liquids and
gases. The method applies Newton’s law of motion under force balance
on a falling sphere ball when it reaches a terminal velocity. In Newton’s
law of motion for a falling ball, there exist buoyancy force, weight
force, and drag force, and these three forces reach a net force of zero.

18
The drag force can be obtained from Stokes’ law, which is valid in Reynolds numbers less than
1.
The falling ball viscometer is well-suited for measuring the viscosity of a fluid, and the
method has been stated in international standards. The standards describe an inclined-tube
method in which the tube for the falling ball was inclined at 10° to the vertical. Moreover, six
balls were used with different diameters for various dynamic viscosity measurement ranges,
and a suitable ball can be selected when the fall times of the ball are not lower than the
minimum fall times recorded during a testing procedure. The rolling and sliding movement of
the ball through the sample liquid are at times in an inclined cylindrical measuring tube. The
sample viscosity correlates with the time required by the ball to drop a specific distance, and
the test results are given as dynamic viscosity.
Although the falling ball method has been well developed and is stated in the
international standards, it is somewhat inconvenient to operate this type of viscometer. For
example, the viscometer requires six different diameter balls to measure a varying range of
viscosities, and the user must run tests to select a suitable ball. Moreover, it is difficult to
determine where the falling ball arrives at the terminal velocity, i.e., whether the distance
between the beginning record line and the starting fall position is sufficient.
Viscosity is one of the most important properties of a fluid and plays a prominent role in
the petroleum industry. The viscosity of crude oil affects our ability to pump it out of the
ground; the viscosity and volatility of a fuel affects how easy it is to atomize in the fuel injector;
the viscosity of a lubricant affects its ability to protect an engine. It is an important
measurement characteristic in the food, paint, polymer coating and other industries where flow
is a critical product or use characteristic.
Small changes in viscosity can have a dramatic impact on the properties of petroleum
fluids. The criticality of kinematic viscosity measurement prompted the petroleum industry to
develop a precise method, first published in 1937, ASTM D445, Test Method for Kinematic
Viscosity of Transparent and Opaque Liquids. The term “kinematic” simply means that the
measurement is made while fluid is flowing under the force of gravity. It is determined by

19
measuring the time it takes for a volume of fluid to flow under gravity through a calibrated glass
capillary viscometer.
Although it sounds simple, achieving the high accuracy and precision required by the
industry is an extremely formidable task. There are many factors that affect the precision of this
test method.
In economic terms, an error of one percent product viscosity that causes a blend
adjustment can easily result in increasing product cost by a penny per gallon. For a large
lubricant manufacturer, this can amount to $1 million or more in lost revenue per year.

20
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Oil has an API of 24 degrees. What is its specific gravity?

Given:

API = 24 degrees

60 141.5 141.5
𝑆𝑝. 𝑔𝑟 𝑎𝑡 = =
60𝐹 131.5 + 𝐴𝑃𝐼 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹 131.5 + 24

60
𝑆𝑝. 𝑔𝑟 𝑎𝑡 = 0.91
60𝐹

2. An oil has a specific gravity at 60/60F of 0.7839. What is its API gravity?

Given:

Sp.gr at 60/60F = 0.7839

60 141.5
𝑆𝑝. 𝑔𝑟 𝑎𝑡 =
60𝐹 131.5 + 𝐴𝑃𝐼 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹
141.5
0.7839 =
131.5 + 𝐴𝑃𝐼 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹

𝐴𝑃𝐼 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹 = 49 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠

3. Determine the degrees API and Baume of an oil having a specific gravity at 60/60F of
0.7238.

Given:

Sp.gr at 60/60F = 0.7238

API scale:

21
 60 141.5
𝑆𝑝. 𝑔𝑟 𝑎𝑡 =
60𝐹 131.5 + 𝐴𝑃𝐼 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹
141.5
0.7238 =
131.5 + 𝐴𝑃𝐼 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹

𝐴𝑃𝐼 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹 = 64 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠

Baume scale:

60 140
𝑆𝑝. 𝑔𝑟 𝑎𝑡 =
60𝐹 130 + 𝐵𝑒′ 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹
140
0.7238 =
130 + 𝐵𝑒′ 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹

𝐵𝑒 ′ 𝑎𝑡 60𝐹 = 63.42 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠

4. Suggest other simple methods that may be used to measure specific gravity.
➢ Specific Gravity Balance. A specific gravity balance is a device which simplifies the specific
gravity determination of a liquid. The balance has a known plummet suspended from one
end of its beam and a counter weight on the other end. Thus, the balance is, initially, in
equilibrium.
➢ Pressure Devices. Another method of measuring the specific gravity of a test fluid directly is
by use of an instrument like an inverted Y tube. One leg of the Y is in water and the other
leg in a test liquid.
➢ The center of the tube is connected to a vacuum system with a controllable pressure.
5. What is the factor for the conversion from the poises to (a) the pounds-force-second-
foot system, and (b) the slug-mass-foot-second system?

a.

1 𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑒 − 𝑠 (2.54𝑐𝑚)2 (12𝑖𝑛)2 1𝑁 1𝑙𝑏𝑓

𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑒 = ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
𝑐𝑚2 1𝑖𝑛2 1𝑓𝑡 2 1 × 105 𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑒𝑠 4.448𝑁

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1 𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑒 = 2.089 × 10−3 𝑙𝑏𝑓 𝑠/𝑓𝑡 2

b.
𝑔 − 𝑐𝑚
1 𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑒 − 𝑠 1 𝑠 2 2.2045 𝑙𝑏𝑚 1 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔 2.54 𝑐𝑚 12𝑖𝑛
1 𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑒 = ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )( )
𝑐𝑚2 1 𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑒 1000 𝑔 32.174 𝑙𝑏𝑚 1 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ 1 𝑓𝑡

𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔
1 𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑒 = 2.089 × 10−3
𝑓𝑡 − 𝑠

6. According to the PSME code, what are SAE numbers?

SAE number is a code for specifying the viscosity of lubricating oil, established by the
U.S. Society of Automotive Engineers. The numbers for crankcase lubricants range from 5 to 50,
for transmission and axle lubricants they range from 75 to 250; the lower the number, the more
readily the oil flows.

7. According to the PSME code, what is a viscosity index?

Viscosity index (VI) is an arbitrary measure for the change of viscosity with temperature.
It is used to characterize lubricating oil in the automotive industry.

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CONCLUSION
The main purpose of the experiment was to determine the specific gravity of sample
fuels and lubricants by the use of pycnometer method and hydrometer method, and the
viscosity by the use of the falling sphere method. In the first part of the experiment, the specific
gravities of the sample liquids were successfully determined with minimal errors. Some sources
of errors in the first part of the experiment were the improper cleaning of the pycnometer,
since impurities will cause slight changes in the weight; and also the effect of temperature was
neglected. It is important to note that density changes as temperature changes. The same is
true for viscosity.

In the second part of the experiment, the average velocity of the falling sphere where
referred to as the terminal velocity which was incorrect. The terminal velocity occurs at some
point between the beginning and the finish line. Also, the timing of the stopwatch was not
exact. There are some instances that the watch was stopped before the falling cross the finish
mark. These cases contribute largely to the errors in determining the viscosity. Thus, the second
part of the experiment was not as successful as the first.

From the results generated from the experiment, the following conclusions can be
made. There are many methods available to determine the specific gravity or relative density of
liquids. Two of these methods are the pycnometer method and the hydrometer method. This
method makes use ration of the weight of the sample and the weight of the distilled water at a
certain temperature. Another effective and easy method is the use of a hydrometer which does
not require any calculation but merely reads the specific gravity of the sample liquid directly.

From the specific gravities we got experimentally, it turns out that all the motor oils and
fuels used in the experiment have values less than one. This means that all the liquid samples
used in the experiment are lighter than water.

In the second part of the experiment, we determined the viscosity of glycerin by using a
falling sphere viscometer. This instrument is used only for Newtonian Fluids in which the shear
rate or velocity gradient is directly proportional to the shear stress. From the results we

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gathered, we can conclude that as we increase the diameter of the ball, its velocity is getting
bigger. Hence, they are directly proportional. This is due to its weight, drag force, and the
buoyant force acting on it. Also, based from the graph plotted above, the velocity id directly
proportional to the ball-tube radius ratio. The fall velocity of the steel ball is affected by the
Reynolds Number of the fluid and the ball- tube radius ratio. The wall effect is also directly
proportional to the ball diameter with some parameters held constant.

RECOMMENDATION

For future experiments, it will be useful to take note of the temperature. It is important
not to neglect the effect of the samples’ temperature to its density and viscosity. Also, good
cleaning equipment must be used in order to ensure that no other substance will mix with
another substance which may cause errors in reading weights.

REFERENCES

➢ Totten, Vestbrook, and Shah. “Fuels and Lubricants Handbook: Technology, Properties,
Performance, and Testing”. ASTM International
➢ Rand. “Manual on Significance of Tests for Petroleum Products”. ASTM International
➢ Gallova, Density Determination by Pycnometer
➢ K. Stephan and K. Lucas, “Viscosity of Dense Fluids”, Plenum, New York (1979).

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