Viscosity and Poiseuille’s equation

BPT: 101: Mechanics and Relativity

Tutorial - 9

Banaras Hindu University 14/02/2022 Sterlin

Viscosity:
Viscosity:
It is the property of the liquid due to which it opposes the relative motion between its different layers. It is also
called as fluid’s resistance to flow and this resistance is due to internal friction in fluids. Hence viscosity is also
called as liquid friction. Gases and liquids have viscosity.

Viscous force:
The internal frictional force acting on the moving fluids is called viscous force
(frictional force acting between horizontal layers of fluid).

Flow rate:
The flow rate of fluid is the speed at which a fluid flows from one point to another. The slower the fluid’s flow
rate, the greater is its viscosity.
High Viscous fluids: Honey, liquid soap, motor oil etc. have high resistance to flow.
Low Viscous fluids: Water, vinegar, gasoline etc. have low resistance to flow.
𝑣 + 𝑑𝑣
Velocity gradient: The rate of change of velocity across the streamlines is called the velocity gradient. 𝑣 𝑑𝑥
When a liquid flows slowly and steadily over a fixed horizontal surface, i.e.,
when its flow is streamline, its layer in contact with the fixed surface remains
stationary and the velocity of the other layers increases with the distance from
Fixed surface (E.g.: River Bed)
the fixed surface. i.e., there is a regular velocity gradient set up in the liquid.
What causes viscosity in liquids?
Viscosity is not related with the density of fluid but it depends on the
molecular interaction between fluid layers.
In a liquid with very low viscosity, there will be little interaction
between the liquid layers.
In more viscous liquids, there will be strong interaction between the
liquid layers.
As one layer passes over another, energy will be exchanged between the
layers.
Velocity profile of viscous fluid
The origin of viscosity is the net transfer of momentum between layers of flowing in a cylindrical pipe
fluid moving at different velocities in parallel flow by the mechanism of
molecular collisions.
Temperature and its effect on Viscosity:

Liquids
• When heated its viscosity decreases
• When cooled its viscosity increases
Increasing the temperature of liquids would make the molecules to achieve greater thermal energy.
They would be in each other’s near vicinity only for a shorter time so the attractive forces would be
less and the viscosity would decrease.

Gases
• When heated its viscosity increases
• When cooled its viscosity decreases

In a gas, molecules can drift under thermal motion as well as travel in the direction of bulk fluid flow. A
faster molecule entering a slower layer will speed the slower layer up.
 Coefficient of viscosity:
The coefficient of viscosity (η)of a liquid is numerically equal to the opposing force acting tangentially on unit
area of the surface of the liquid per unit velocity gradient.
The viscous force which is developed inside the liquid to oppose the flow of liquid depends on
(i) the area ‘A’ of the surface over which they act and (ii) the velocity gradient (Δv).
viscous force act tangentially against the adjacent fluid
layers in streamline motion. 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏
𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 (− 𝑭) 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒊𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 (𝑭)

If two adjacent layers have velocities 𝒗 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝒗 + 𝒅𝒗 and are separated by 𝒅𝒙, then the viscous force
𝐹 𝛼 𝐴, area of the layers
𝑥 𝑑𝑣
𝑑𝑣
𝐹𝛼 , the velocity gradient 𝑣 + 𝑑𝑣
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝒅𝒗 𝑣
𝑭 = 𝜼𝑨
𝒅𝒙 where η is a constant called the
𝑭 𝒅𝒙 coefficient of viscosity of liquid
η =
𝑨 𝒅𝒗 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠
Unit of coefficient of viscosity is Nm-2s (Deca-poise)
Poiseuille’s equation: Flow of liquid through a horizontal capillary tube
Poiseuille determined the viscosity of the liquid by measuring the volume flow rate of the
liquid

Assumptions made for deriving Poiseuille’s equation:

Poiseuille has made the following assumptions in deriving the formula for volume flow rate of
liquid.

• The flow of liquid through the tube is streamlined (relative velocity of fluid layers remains
constant).

• The tube is horizontal so that the force of gravity does not act on the liquid.

• Pressure difference along the tube remains constant so that the flow is uniform.
Poiseuille’s equation: Flow of liquid through a horizontal capillary tube
𝒍
Suppose a constant pressure difference 𝚫𝑷 (P1 – P2) is P1 P2
maintained between the two ends of the capillary tube of
length 𝒍 and radius 𝒂. Consider the steady flow of a liquid 𝒂 𝑿 + 𝒅𝒙
𝒂
with coefficient of viscosity 𝜼 through the tube. The 𝑿 + 𝒅𝒙
𝒙
velocity of the liquid is maximum along the axis and is zero
at the walls of the tube.
Consider a cylindrical shell of the liquid co-axial with the tube of inner radius 𝒙 and outer radius 𝒙 + 𝒅𝒙. Let the
velocity of the liquid on the inner surface of the shell be 𝒗 and that on the outer surface be 𝒗 − 𝒅𝒗 (𝒅𝒗/𝒅𝒙) is
the velocity gradient.
The driving force on the liquid shell, accelerating it forward F 1 = Pressure difference x Area of cross-section of
the inner cylinder (𝜋𝑥2)
𝐹1 = Δ𝑃𝜋𝑥2 --------------- (1)
𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑣
The viscous force opposing the fluid flow 𝐹2 = −𝜂𝐴 = − 𝜂2𝜋𝑥𝑙 -------------- (2)
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
[A – Surface area]
According to Newton’s law of viscous flow, The driving force (𝐹1) = Viscous force (𝐹2)
𝑑𝑣
Δ𝑃𝜋𝑥2 = − 𝜂2𝜋𝑥𝑙 𝑑𝑥
Δ𝑃 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑣 = − ------------- (3)
2𝜂𝑙
 Δ𝑃 𝑥2
Integrating Eqn. (3), 𝑣=− + 𝐶 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝐶 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
4𝜂𝑙
Δ𝑃 𝑎2
When, 𝑥 = 𝑎 → 𝑣 = 0 the above equation becomes C =
4𝜂𝑙
Δ𝑃
Substituting the value of C, we get 𝑣 = (𝑎2 – 𝑥2)
4𝜂𝑙
This gives the average velocity of the fluid flowing through the cylindrical shell.

Hence, the volume of the liquid that flows out per second through this shell
𝑑𝑉 = (𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝒙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝒅𝒙) × 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤
Δ𝑃 π Δ𝑃
𝑑𝑉 = 2𝜋𝑥 𝑑𝑥 (𝑎2 – 𝑥2) = (𝑎2𝑥 – 𝑥3) 𝑑𝑥
4𝜂𝑙 2𝜂𝑙
The volume of the liquid that flows out per second is obtained by integrating the expression for 𝑑𝑉 between the limits 𝑥 = 0 to
𝑥 = 𝑎.
𝑎 π Δ𝑃 π Δ𝑃 𝑥 2 𝑥 4 a
V= ‫׬‬0 (𝑎2𝑥 – 𝑥3) 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑎2 −
2𝜂𝑙 2𝜂𝑙 2 4 0

π Δ𝑃 𝑎4 π Δ𝑃 𝑎4
𝑉= 2𝜂𝑙 4
= 8𝜂𝑙 Δ𝑃 – Pressure difference
𝑎 – Radius of tube
π Δ𝑃𝑎4 𝑉 – Volume flow rate
𝜂= 𝑙 – Length of the tube
8𝑉𝑙 𝜂 – Coefficient of Viscosity
Problem: 1
A square plate of side 0.1 m moves parallel to another plate with a speed of 0.1ms-1 when both are immersed in
water. If viscosity of water = 0.001 Nm-2s. Find the distance between the plate if the viscous drag is 5 x 10-3 N.

Solution:
Area of plate = (0.1)2 m2 = 0.01 m2
Relative velocity, dv = 0.1 ms-1
Coefficient of viscosity, η = 0.001 Nm-2s
Viscous force, F = 5 x 10-3 N
𝑭 𝒅𝒙
Coefficient of viscosity, η =
𝑨 𝒅𝒗

ηA dv
Distance of separation between two plates, dx = 𝑭

dx = [0.001 Nm-2s x 0.01 m2 x 0.1 ms-1 ]/ (5 x 10-3 N)

dx = 0.0002 m
Problem: 2
A plate of metal 100 cm2 in area rests on a layer of castor oil 2 mm thick whose coefficient of viscosity is 15.5
Nm-2s. Calculate the horizontal force required to move the plate with the speed of 0.03 ms-1.

Solution:

Area of plate, A = 100 x 10-4 m2

Thickness of oil, dx = 2 x 10-3 m
Coefficient of viscosity, η = 15.5 Nm-2s
Velocity, dv = 0.03 ms-1

𝐹 𝑑𝑥
Coefficient of viscosity, η =
𝐴 𝑑𝑣

𝑑𝑣 0.03 ms−1
Therefore Viscous force, F = ηA -2 2
= 15.5 Nm s x 0.01 m x 2 x 10−3 m
𝑑𝑥

F = 2.325 N
Problem: 3
Water flows through a horizontal capillary tube of 1 mm internal diameter and length 70 cm under a pressure
head of 30 cm of water column. Find the rate of flow of water through the tube.η of water is 0.001 Nm-2s.
Solution:

Internal radius of the tube, a = 0.5 x10-3 m

Length of tube, l = 70 x 10-2 m
Height of pressure head, H = 30 x 10-2 m of water
Pressure difference, ΔP = P1-P2 = ρHg = 1000 Kgm-3 x 30 x 10-2 m x 9.8 ms-2
ΔP = 2940 Nm-2
Coefficient of viscosity, η = 0.001 Nm-2s

From Poiseuill’s equation, we have

−
𝟒
𝝅 𝜟𝑷 𝒂 3.14 ×2940 𝑁𝑚 2 × 0.0005 4 𝑚4
Volume flow rate, V = = −
𝟖𝜼𝒍 8×0.001 𝑁𝑚 2𝑠 ×0.7 𝑚
−
10
5.76975 ×10 𝑚3
= = 1.0303 x 10-7 m3s-1
0.0056 𝑠
Problem: 4
Calculate the mass of water flowing in 10 secs through a horizontal capillary tube of radius 1 mm. The tube is
fitted at the bottom of a constant level water tank of a depth of 1 m. Length of the tube is 0.3142 m, η = 0.001
Nm-2s.
Solution:
t = 10 secs
a = 1 x10-2 m = 0.001 m
H = 1 m of water
ΔP = P1-P2 = ρHg = 1000 Kgm-3 x 1 m x 9.8 ms-2 = 9800 Nm-2
l = 0.3142 m
η = 0.001 Nm-2s
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑉′ π Δ𝑃 𝑎4
From Poiseuill’s equation, Volume flow rate = = =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡 8𝜂𝑙
4
𝑡 π Δ𝑃 𝑎
Therefore, volume of liquid (V’) =
8𝜂𝑙
Mass of liquid flowing through the tube = Volume of liquid x density of liquid
− −
4
𝑡 ρ π Δ𝑃 𝑎 10 𝑠 ×1000 𝐾𝑔𝑚 ×3.14 ×9800 𝑁𝑚 2 × 0.001
3 4
𝑚4
Mass, m = = −
8𝜂𝑙 8 ×0.001 𝑁𝑚 2𝑠 ×0.3142 𝑚

Mass of water flowing in 10 secs through the tube = 0.1224 Kg

Problem: 5
A wide vertical tube has a short capillary tube fixed horizontally at its lower end. When it is filled with glycerin,
it takes 45 sec for the level to fall between two fixed marks. When the tube is filled with oil, it takes 67.5 sec for
the level to fall between the same two fixed marks. Calculate the η of the oil. Given density of glycerin = 1200
Kgm-3 density of oil = 800 Kgm-3. η of glycerin = 0.85 Nm-2s.
Solution:
tg = 45 sec to = 67.5 sec
ρg = 1200 Kgm-3 Ρo = 800 Kgm-3
ηg = 0.85 Nm-2s ηo = ?
𝑉 π Δ𝑃𝑔 𝑎4
For glycerin, volume flow rate =
𝑡𝑔 8𝜂𝑔𝑙
𝑉 π Δ𝑃𝑜 𝑎4
For oil, volume flow rate =
𝑡𝑜 8𝜂𝑜𝑙
Since the same tube is used for both oil and glycerin, l and a remains same in both cases.
Similarly the volume between fixed marks V is also same. −
𝑡𝑔 Δ𝑃𝑜 𝜂𝑔 𝐻ρ𝑜 𝑔 𝜂𝑔 ρ𝑜 𝜂𝑔 800 0.85 𝑁𝑚 2𝑠
Therefore, = = = =
𝑡𝑜 Δ𝑃𝑔 𝜂𝑜 𝐻ρ𝑔 𝑔 𝜂𝑜 ρ𝑔 𝜂𝑜 1200 𝜂𝑜
−
800 0.85 𝑁𝑚 2𝑠
𝜂𝑜 =
1200 𝑡𝑔
𝑡𝑜 = 0.6667 x 0.85 Nm-2s x (67.5/45) = 0.85 Nm-2s
Viscosity of oil = 0.85 Nm-2s
Problem: 6
In the Poiseuille experiment the following observations were made. Volume of water collected in 5 minutes is 40 cc,
Pressure head of water = 0.4 m, length of capillary tube = 0.602 m and radius of capillary tube = 0.00052 m. Calculate the
coefficient of viscosity of water.

Solution:

Volume flow rate, V = V’/t = (40 x 10-6 m3 )/(5 x 60 sec) = 0.1333 x10-6 m3s-1
Height of pressure head, H = 0.4 m of water. ΔP= P1-P2 = ρgH = 1000 x 9.8 x 0.4 = 3920 Nm-2
Length of capillary tube, l = 0.602 m
Radius of capillary tube, a = 0.00052 m

From Poiseuille equation ,

−
4
π Δ𝑃𝑎 3.14 ×3920 𝑁𝑚 2 × 0.00052 4 𝑚4
Coefficient of viscosity, 𝜂 = = −
3 1
8𝑉𝑙 8×0.1333 𝑚 𝑠 × 0.602 𝑚

= 1.4 x 10-3 Nm-2s