1
EXPERIMENT 6: VISCOSITY
I. Objectives
General Objective:
The goal of the experiment was to determine the
absolute viscosity of a sugar solution in different
concentrations using an Ostwald viscometer
Specific Objectives:
1. To measure the time it took each
concentration to travel from a one point in the
upper bulb section of the viscometer to another
2. To identify the effect of varying the
concentration of the solution to the viscosity of a
liquid.
II. Theory
Viscosity is the property of a fluid which gives
rise to forces that resist the relative movement of
adjacent layers in the fluid. The viscous forces
arise from forces existing between molecules in
the fluid and are similar in character to the shear
stress of solids (Geankoplis, 2003).
The Ostwald viscometer is a U-tube with two
reservoir bulbs separated by a capillary as
shown in Figure 1. The liquid is added to the
viscometer, pulled into the upper reservoir by
suction, and then allowed to drain by gravity
back into the lower reservoir. The time that it
takes for the liquid to pass between two marks is
used to determine the absolute viscosity (Ujvári
& Vesztergom, 2014).
Figure 1. Ostwald Viscometer Diagram
Source:http://phys.chem.elte.hu/turi/PhysChem/Viscosity_
Ostwald.pdf
The Ostwald viscometer is based on Hagen-
Poiseuille law given by (Ujvári & Vesztergom,
2014):
𝜋𝑟 4 𝑝𝑡
𝜂= (eq. 1)
8𝑣𝑙
Where:
η = viscosity coefficient
t =time of flow of liquid
V= volume of the liquid
P= hydrostatic pressure
L = distance travelled by the liquid
during time t.
In an Ostwald viscometer the measured distance
the liquid travels, radius and volume of liquid
will always be constant. The hydrostatic
pressure is proportional to the density of the
fluid being measured. For finding the viscosity
of liquids, it is important to calibrate the
viscometer using a reference liquid. Water is
commonly used. Hence, the relationship of the
reference liquid and the liquid being measured
is given by (Johnson, et al., 1975):
𝑛𝑤 𝜌𝑙 𝑡𝑙
𝑛𝑙 = (eq. 2)
𝜌𝑤 𝑡𝑤
Where:
𝜂𝑙 = absolute viscosity of liquid
𝜂𝑤 = absolute viscosity of water
𝑝𝑙 = density of liquid
𝑝𝑤 = density of water
𝑡𝑙 = time of flow of liquid
𝑡𝑤 = time of flow of water
Basically, parameters including temperature and
concentration of the solution affects viscosity. As
indicated previously, these viscous forces occur
between molecules. Hence, such freer
interaction is expected to minimize the
resistance to flow of fluids (Howard, 1991).
When the solid concentration increases,
viscosity also increases due to the increase in
hydrogen bonding with hydroxyl groups and
the distortion in the velocity pattern of the
liquid by hydrated molecules of solute (Togrul,
Arslan, 2003).
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III. Materials and Methods Three trials for each concentration were done
and the average time was calculatated. The same
A. Materials: procedure was repeated using 10%, 20%, 30%,
The materials used in the experiment were the and 40% sugar solution making sure that the
Ostwald viscometer, iron stand and clamp to viscometer was rinsed with distilled water and
hold the viscometer, thermometer, aspirator, emptied before placing a different solution.
stopwatch, 100-mL graduated cylinder, sugar
solutions of different concentrations, and IV. Results and Discussions
beakers to hold the solution.
Initially, the density of each sugar solution was
B. Method: determined. Results show that density increases
The set-up was assembled by clamping the as concentration increases. The average
viscometer upright in an iron stand using an temperature for each weight per weight (w/w)
iron clamp. Then, sugar solutions with varying concentration were also calculated and used to
concentrations (w/w) were prepared by adding determine the absolute viscosity of each solution
a certain amount of sugar to a volume of water using eq. 2. The equation also utilized the
(refer to Table 1). The temperature of the water properties of pure water, which served as the
used as standard solution was noted. reference liquid (see sample calculations).
Obtained results were presented in Table 2.
Table 1. Preparation of Sugar Solutions
Concentration Mass of Sugar Volume of Table 2. Calculated values of the average time,
(w/w) (g) Water (mL) density and absolute viscosity of sugar
10% 5 45 solutions at 28℃
20% 10 40 % Solution Absolute
Density
30% 15 35 Concentration Tave (s) Viscosity
(g/mL)
(w/w) (mPa･s)
40% 20 30
Pure Water 89.94 0.9963 0.8354
A volume of water, which served as the control
solution (0% concentration), was added through 10% 118.84 1.0351 1.1467
the left tube of the viscometer up to a point C 20% 154.75 1.0770 1.5537
(See Figure 2). The liquid was then suctioned up 30% 255.81 1.1224 2.6766
to a point above A with the help of an aspirator. 40% 429.41 1.1717 4.6905
The aspirator was released and the liquid was
allowed to flow under the influence of gravity. Based on the results in Table 2, it could be
The time it took for the liquid to flow from A to inferred that the average time for the fluid to
B was recorded. travel along a vertical path increases as
concentration increases. Consequently, values
for absolute viscosity increases at the
corresponding higher concentration.

The observed trend is consistent to the

mentioned theory which highlights the effect of
an increased amount of solute in the molecular
interaction affecting the resistance to flow. Due
to the increased amount of viscous forces
between molecules, longer time was taken by
the fluid with higher concentration while
traversing a vertical distance.
Figure 2. Actual Set-Up of an Ostwald Viscometer
 3

Viscosity at the same concentration of sugar V. Conclusion

solution values from the study of Telis and
Telis-Romero titled “Viscosity of Aqueous
Carbohydrate Solutions at Different
Temperature and Concentrations” were used to
verify the obtained viscosities (see Table 3).
Table 3. Absolute viscosities of sucrose
solution at 28℃ (Telis, et.al, 2007)
Based on the results of the experiment, the
viscosity of the sugar solution is a function of
the sugar solution’s density where the density is
proportional to the concentration of sugar. At
constant temperature, where the Newtonian
properties of water is constant, an increase in the
concentration of the sugar solution will increase
both the density and the viscosity of the sugar
solution.

VI. References

Geankoplis, C. J., Hersel, A. A., & Lepek, D. H.

(2018). Transport processes and
separation process principles.
Howard, D. W. (1991). A look at viscometry.
Food Technology, 45, 82–84.
In this case, data presented in Table 3 served as Johnson J.F., Martin J.R., Porter R.S. (1975)
a basis, hence, assumed to be the theoretical Determination of Viscosity of Food
values for the validation of the experimental Systems. In: Rha C. (eds) Theory,
results. By interpolation, the theoretical values Determination and Control of Physical
were determined and presented in Table 4. Properties of Food Materials. Series in
Food Material Science, vol 1. Springer,
Table 4. Percent difference of the calculated Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-
and theoretical absolute viscosities 94-010-1731-2_4
Jones, Grinnell, and Samuel K. Talley. “The
Theoretical Calculated %
Sugar Viscosity of Aqueous Solutions as a
Absolute Absolute Difference
Conc. Function of the Concentration.” Journal
Viscosity Viscosity
(w/w) (mPa·s)
(mPa·s) of the American Chemical Society, vol. 55,
no. 2, 1933, pp. 624–642.,
10% 1.058 1.1467 8.384 %
doi:10.1021/ja01329a024.
20% 1.595 1.5537 2.589 % Southard, M. (2018). Perry's Chemical Engineers'
Handbook, 9th Edition (9th ed.). McGraw-
30% 2.476 2.6766 8.102 % Hill Education.
Telis, V., Telis-Romero, J., Mazzotti, H., &
40% 4.759 4.6905 1.439 %
Gabas, A. (2007). Viscosity of Aqueous
Carbohydrate Solutions at Different
The comparison of the values yields an Temperatures and Concentrations.
acceptable percent difference. Hence, the International Journal of Food Properties,
experimental results were verified to be 10(1), 188. doi:
accurate. The maintained temperature of the 10.1080/10942910600673636
solutions, which was aimed in the experiment Togrul, H., Arslan, N. (2003). Flow properties of
was a primary contributing factor to the sugar beet pulp cellulose and intrinsic
acquired results since the experimental viscosity–molecular weight relationship.
conditions require constant temperature. Carbohydrate Polymers. Retrieved from:
 4

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a Table 5. Raw Data

rticle/pii/S0144861703001462 Solution Trial Time (s)
Ujvári, M.Z & Vesztergom, S., (2014).
1 89.47
Determination of viscosity with
0% 2 90.59
Ostwald viscometer. Retrieved from
3 89.77
http://phys.chem.elte.hu/turi/SysPhysC
hem/Materials/Viscosity_Ostwald.pdf 1 119.19
10 % 2 119.24
VII. Appendices 3 118.08
1 155.62
Sample Calculations: (for 10% concentration)
From Perry’s Chemical Engineering Handbook 6th 20% 2 151.84
Ed: 3 156.78
Water at 28°C: 1 254.22
Density = 0.9963 g/mL
Viscosity = 0.8354 mPa·s 30% 2 256.26
Table Sugar: 3 256.94
Density = 1.59 g/mL 1 427.33

Average Time for point A to point B: 40% 2 428.90

∑3𝑖=1 𝑇 89.47𝑠 + 90.59𝑠 + 89.77𝑠 3 432.00
𝑇𝑎𝑣𝑒 = = = 𝟖𝟗. 𝟗𝟒 𝒔
3 3

Calculation for Density:

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (𝑔)
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (𝑚𝐿)
=
𝑔
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑟 (𝑔) +(𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 (𝑚𝐿) 𝑥 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 ( ))
𝑚𝐿
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑟 (𝑔)
𝑔 + 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 (𝑚𝐿)
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑟 (𝑚𝐿))
𝑔
5𝑔+((45𝑚𝐿)(0.9963 )) 𝒈
𝑚𝐿
= 5𝑔 = 𝟏. 𝟎𝟑𝟓𝟏
𝑔 +45 𝑚𝐿 𝒎𝑳
1.59𝑚𝐿

Absolute Viscosity: TEAM BEIGE

𝜂𝑤 𝜌 𝑡𝑙 𝜂𝑤 𝜌 𝑡𝑙
𝑙 𝑙
𝜂𝑙 = = Member Contribution Signature
𝜌𝑤 𝑡𝑤 𝜌𝑤 𝑡𝑤
𝑔 Albelar R&D, Conclusion
(0.8354 𝑚𝑃𝑎 · 𝑠) (1.0351 ) (118.84𝑠)
𝑚𝐿 Babar Theory
= 𝑔
(0.9963 ) (89.94𝑠) Batallones Theory, R&D
𝑚𝐿
= 𝟏. 𝟏𝟒𝟔𝟕 𝒎𝑷𝒂 · 𝒔 Suaboksan Objective, M&M,
Appendices
Percent Difference:
Date
|𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 − 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙| March 29, 2019
% 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓 = 𝑥10 Performed:
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙
|1.058 − 1.1467| Date
= 𝑥100% April 5, 2019
1.058 Submitted:
= 𝟖. 𝟑𝟖𝟒 %