Duhok Polytechnic University

Technical College of Engineering

Chemical Engineering Dep

Physics Lab
2nd Stage

Student Name: Hayder Hassan Hussain

Contribution: Mohammed Ibraheem Hussain
Experiment Name: Falling body through a viscous medium

No. of experiment: (7)

Group: (A2)
Date: 21/10/2021

2021 – 2022
Introduction:
Viscosity is an important property of a fluid produced by the resistance
between its own particles layer while flowing. It would not only suggest a vital
effect on the motion characteristics of the fluid but also affects its application
potentials. Therefore, it is a fluid property that provides an indication of liquid
resistance and considers one of the liquid specifications, and an important concept
that is taken into consideration in different fields. This property used as an index in
quality to control applications using oils, paints and other fluids where liquid flows
consider a critical property. A falling ball viscometer is commercially available to
measure the viscosity of fluids and has been used for testing petroleum products,
pharmaceutical drinks, silicate glass and food products. In addition, study of a
falling ball is important in several engineering domains which involve multiphase
flows i.e., sedimentation, improvement of combustion, minimization of erosion by
droplets in large turbines, hydrodynamic chromatography.
Objective:
To show how the body falls with terminal velocity, and to deduce the
coefficient of viscosity of the medium.

Apparatus:

1. A long glass(jar)
2. Steel ball
3. Glycerin
4. Water
5. Stop watch.

Procedure:
1- Measure the diameter of sphere and find the radius.
2- Place two horizontal marks on the tube one near the bottom and the other
about (4-6 cm) from the surface of the liquid.
3- Let the distance between the two marks (h= 8 cm) then drop the ball through
the liquid and record the time between the two marks that the ball pass
through it.
4- Repeat step (3) for (h= 7, 5, 4) cm.
5- Do the previous step for different liquid.
6- Plot the graph between (h) on y-axis and (t) on x-axis, then find the slope
which represent terminal velocity.
7- Finally calculate viscosity of the liquid from equation (5)
Reading:
Table: Type of liquid (Water):

t1 = 0.24 s t2 = 0.32 s
t1+t2 0.24+0.32 h (cm) t (s)
𝑡= = = 0.28 s 34.3 0.28
2 2

Table: Type of liquid (oil):

t1 = 0.83 s t2 = 0.71 s
h (cm) t (s)
t1+t2 0.83+0.71 34 0.77
𝑡= = = 0.77 s
2 2

Error:

In this experiment, there are no errors because two measurements were taken and
divided by two in order to reduce the error rate
Discussion:
Question:
1- Define each of viscosity and terminal velocity?
Viscosity: refers to the thickness of fluid. Viscosity results from the interaction,
or friction, between molecules in a fluid. Similar to friction between moving
solids, viscosity will determine the energy required to make a fluid flow.

Terminal velocity: the limiting uniform velocity attained by a falling body

when the resistance of the air has become equal to the force of gravity

2- Is the viscosity of fluid depends on temperature? Explain.

The viscosity of a liquid changes with temperature in different ways, and it

is influenced by two factors.

3- Why does Water flow faster than Honey?

Honey is more viscous fluid than water. Honey offers more resistant to flow.
Shear stress developed between surfaces of contact of Honey and floor will
be larger than between water and floor.

4- How are viscosity and flow rate related?

Viscosity is inversely proportional to flow rate. For the formulae, Google
"Rheology", the science of flow of fluids and plastics.

5- A tiny sphere of mass (m) and density (ρ)is dropped in a tall jar of glycerine
of density (σ). When the sphere acquires terminal velocity, what is the
magnitude of the viscous force acting on it is?
V= V T , U+F=W , F=W-u=W(1-u/W)
𝜎
F=W(1-V𝜎𝑔/𝑉𝜌𝑔 F=mg (1- )
𝜌