Use a falling-ball method to determine the viscosity of a liquid

Core Practical
Experimental Report Summary

Name: Krittiya Sagaekhao (Gift)

Below, please insert the scatter plot of ​Terminal Velocities of the balls (Y-axis), plotted against
Squared Radii ​of all the ​steel ball-bearing balls (not the glass or golf ball). The plot needs to be fitted
with the linear regression (best-fit) line (hopefully not by hand - look up G-classroom for clues...).

INSERT PLOT

Once you’ve determined the slope (hopefully not by hand…), use it in the following equation to
determine the viscosity of dishwashing fluid:
You will need two densities, that of the fluid and that of steel of which the spheres are made. For
the fluid you need to measure the density or assume that it is about 1020 kg/m​3​.

For the steel, calculate the average density of the ball-bearing balls using your measurements.
Estimate the absolute uncertainty of your calculated density. Compare your value of density with
the published value of the density of the steel type used in ball bearings (RyzykFIzyk.com may
provide a link to some resources - look it up).

Below, comment on the range of your values, compare them with published density, comment
intelligently on discrepancies, systematic/random errors, their sources in your measurements etc.
Make a decision which value of density are you going to use for your calculations and justify your
decision.

Chrome steel: 7850 kg/m^3

B​1​:​ 7832.04417 kg/m^3
B​2​:​ 7897.874273 kg/m^3
B​3​:​ 7906.413915 kg/m^3
B​4​:​ 7918.788694 kg/m^3
B​5​:​ 7859.239036 kg/m^3

For this experiment, I will be using the average density of the 5 ball-bearing balls: 7882.872018
kg/m^3. The difference between the measured density and the published density is only 17.95583
kg/m^3. The range of the 5 measured densities is 86.744524 which is about 1.1 % of the average
density. Thus, it can be concluded that the measurement of the ball-bearing ball is fairly accurate.

Using your experimental data and analysis, summarise the your results for all the ​steel balls in the
following table:

Table 1. Steel ball-bearing balls

Ball # Ball Ball Ball Density Ball Terminal Viscosity of Absolute

Diameter Mass / / kg/m^3 Velocity in Fluid / Pa s Uncertainty of
/m kg Fluid / m/s the Viscosity of
Fluid / Pa s (+/-)

B​1 0.01594 0.01638 7724.143329 0.2379869164 B​1​:

3.907050048
B​1 0.01586 0.01636 7832.04417 0.2379869164 B​2​:
 B​2 0.0080 0.00209 7796.105416 0.1065959795 2.207448926
B​3​:
B​2 0.00794 0.00207 7897.874273 0.1065959795 1.638353067
B​4​:
B​3 0.00641 0.00106 7686.58005 0.09139692982 3.023567671
B​5​:
B​3 0.00633 0.00105 7906.413915 0.09139692982
1.38468875
B​4 0.00474 0.00045 8070.099074 0.02817291667
Average:
B​4 0.00477 0.00045 7918.788694 0.02817291667 2.432221692

B​5 0.00301 0.0001 7703.615105 0.02396203595

B​5 0.00299 0.0001 7859.239036 0.02396203595

Calculate the Viscosity of the fluid for the glass ball and the golf ball, using the following equation
(no need for graph and best-fit-line this time):

Table 2. Non-steel balls

Ball # Ball Ball Ball Ball Terminal Viscosity of Absolute

Diameter Mass / Density / Velocity in Fluid / Pa s Uncertainty of
/m kg kg/m^3 Fluid / m/s the Viscosity of
Fluid / Pa s (+/-)

Glass 0.01626 0.00543 2412.345 0.03766290587 5.214385688

918

Golf 0.04266 0.04526 1113.405 0.00179804432 35.30788156

53 3

Imagine that you are a consultant for the Unilevel, the maker of the dishwashing fluid. They hired
you for the obscene amount of money to determine the viscosity of their dishwashing fluid. In the
box below briefly summarise the result of your painstaking experiments and research for them. You
need to clearly and professionally tell them what is the viscosity of their liquid and how sure are you
about it. Be careful, they are not stupid - they already hired another team of scientist to contradict
your findings. They will scrutinize every statement that is not supported by evidence
The viscosity of their dishwashing fluid is about 2.43 Pa/s. This is the average value of the viscosity
between 5 steel ball-bearing balls. Each of the balls were measured 3 times to reduce the rate of
error by a vernier caliper. Then, I measured each of its mass through weighing it on a digital scale.
For each ball, I weighted it 3 times and used the average value for the calculation. The ball's
velocity inside the dishwashing liquid is being measured through setting up 2 different spots of
rubber on the cylinder. We used a camera to track the ball’s journey down the dishwashing
liquid-filled cylinder. Each time the ball passed through the rubber, the time was recorded. The
calculations were done in google sheet to prevent any of the calculations from being computed
differently.

Without accurate technology and resources to conduct the experiment with, this is the most
certain I am with the result.

Additional questions
1. Explain why you would not use light gates to measure the time.

Light gates operate on the basis of transmitting infrared light from one side of the gate to
the other with the receiver. Anything that passes through the gate will be recorded. This
can become complicated when the sensor has to detect an object inside liquid. When
lights pass through the surface of the liquid, refraction occurs, bending the ray of lights.
This can create error when this experiment requires the balls to be dropped into the dish
soap to determine the terminal velocity. With the light gates position outside of the
graduated cylinder, errors are almost guaranteed even before the start of the experiment.

2. Sometimes the balls fall close to the wall. Comment on the effect this will have on the
measurements.

This effect can be described by using Bernoulli's principle. When the ball falls closer to the
wall of the cylinder, the liquid between the ball and the wall moves faster. This reduces
the pressure of the liquid on the wall. With the fluctuation of the flow of the liquid, the
ball would not have terminal velocity as it falls down the cylinder. Its proximity to the wall
affects its speed.

3. Explain, in detail, how have you arrived at your value of uncertainty and comment on your
measurements and experimental procedure knowing that the typical value of viscosity
coefficient of a dishwashing liquid should be in a range of 0.6-1.2 Pa s.