Measurement of Viscosity Using Falling Ball Viscometer

Objective
To determine the viscosity of various liquid at atmospheric pressure and temperature.

Experimental setup
The falling sphere (ball) viscometer, stopwatch and hydrometer.

Falling ball Viscometer

Theory
For a free falling sphere without wall effect (for example: sphere fall in a large diameter
graduated cylinder) the force balance yields

FB FD
FB + FD = mg
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mg
 4
ρ liqud .g . π .r 3
FB is the buoyancy force = 3
FD is the drag force on the sphere = 6.π .µ .V .r
Substitute the suitable buoyancy force FB and the Drag force FD yields the following
formula for the dynamic viscosity
2 ( ρ ball − ρ liquid )
µ= ⋅ g ⋅r2
9 V
where V is the speed of ball = Distance of the fall / time taken , m/s
ρ ball density of the ball Kg/m3
ρ liquid density of the liquid

g acceleration of the gravity 9.81 m/s2

r radius of the ball, m
In the present experiment a special device was designed in which a wall effect (friction)
was introduced, by making the diameter of the cylinder small enough, to make the
descent time relatively long for short traveled distance.
In such a senario the viscosity can be calculated by the following formula
µ = K ⋅ ( ρ ball − ρ liquid ) ⋅ t

Where µ is the viscosity in Centipois (cp)

ρ ball is the density of the ball (gr/cm3)

ρ liquid is the density of the liquid (gr/cm3)

t is the time of descent (minutes)

K is a calibration factor
The calibration factor can be obtained by measuring the time of descent for a standard
(known viscosity) liquid and applying the above formula [ K = µ /( ρ ball − ρ liquid ).t ]. In
the present experiment
K = 0.3 for the viscometer model # 16023
K = 3.3 for the viscometer model # 22315

Procedure
Fill the viscometer tube with liquid to be tested (Approximately 5 ml of liquid required to
fill the tube). The liquids to be studied are:
1. A motor car oil SAE 10

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 2. Water

Results
Use the hydrometer to find the density of the oil being tested.
Record the followings:
Ambient temperature……………………………oC
Radius of the ball ¼ inch (6.35 mm)
Steel ball density = 8.02 gr/cm3 (This ball is used with the water)
Glass ball density = 2.53 gr/cm3
Tantalum ball density = 16.6 gr/cm3 (This ball is used with the SAE 10)

Prepare the following table

Liquid Dynamic Viscosity Kinematic viscosity
Motor Car oil SAE 10
Water
• Compare your result with the values of the viscosity available in literature and
standard tables

Appendix of conversion factors

Dynamic Viscosity , µ
SI Units British
N .s kg lb f .s slug
or Pa.s
m2 m.s ft 2
ft.s

gr
1 pois = = 0.1 Pa.s and 1 centipois = pois/100
cm.s
Kinematic Viscosity , υ
m2 ft 2
s s
cm 2 m2
1 stokes = = 1x 10-4 , centistokes = stokes/100
s s

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