REPORT LAB 5:

MEASURING THE VISCOSITY OF A LIQUID USING STOKE'S METHOD

Class: CC08 / Group: 4 Team: 4 Lecturer’s comment

Full name:
1) Nguyễn Hoàng Trúc
2) Nguyễn Khải Minh
3) Nguyễn Quốc Cường
4) Phan Duy Trí
5) ………………………………………......

I. Aims/Purposes
To learn how to use Stoke’s method to measure the viscosity of liquid.
II. Apparatus, Methods, and Procedure
1. Equipment:
● Glass tubes 95cm high, carved of 2mm / line
● Lubricant with viscosity coefficient
● Technical Balance
● Thermometer
● Steel balls
● Hopper oriented the dropping steel balls
● Small Magnets to get the steel balls out of liquids
● Device to measure the fall time of steel balls
● Two sensors
● Vernier caliper 0-25mm, accuracy 10µ𝑚
2. Methods:
● Using the Stoke formula to know the internal friction 𝐹𝑚𝑠 increase
proportional to the velocity v and just right right for the velocity is not
large ( about some m/s).
● The Stoke method can determine the viscosity coefficient η through the
device MN-971A
3. Procedure
1. Measure the diameter d of steel balls by Micrometer
1.1 Introducing Micrometer
● Micrometer is a measuring instrument with the accurate to 10µ𝑚.
● Its structure includes: a U-shaped bearing body screw 1 and fixed
head.
● Along the screw body 1 a double ruler with carving 0.5 mm apart
division is staggered on both sides of the horizontal standard line: the
top half is integer lines of mm (N = 0, 1, 2 , 3, ... 25 mm) and the lower
is semi-integer lines (N’ = 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 ... mm)
● The round ruler has a cylinder shape, inside it is connecting with the
fang bolt 4 with precise lace, step 0.5mm, screwing to the screw body
through this exact lace system.
● According to the circular meter circumference, dividing it equally into 50
scale marks so that when rotating the round ruler to commute 1 division
from the horizontal reference line, the fang bolt will move a period equal
to:
1
∆ = 0. 5 (𝑚𝑚). 50
= 0. 01 𝑚𝑚

⊗: Accurateness of Micrometer
● Accuracy of lace step, flatness and smoothness of the fang bolt head 4
and the fixed head 2, is the factor of deciding the accuracy of the
Panme.
● To avoid damaging the lace system, another Micrometer is added, a
sliding spindle 5 attached to the tail of the round ruler 3. When the
screw turns out, rolling the round ruler 3, when we turn in, rolling the
sliding spindle 5, until the fang bolt 4 touches the materials that need to
measure, induce the sound crackle.
● A small lever grip 6 for fixing the fang bolt 4, students need to turn this
grip to the right hand side in order to rotate the round ruler 3.
● The test point "0" of the Micrometer should be checked before the
measurement. Turn the spindle 5 carefully until hearing the sound
crackle. Observing the bar "0" on round ruler 3. If the Micrometer has
been adjusted correctly, the bar "0" on the round ruler 3 coincides with
the standard line in screw body 1.
● To measure the diameter d of steel balls, putting up the marble to lays
 on the fixed head 2, and then slowly turn the screw head 5 to fang bolt
4 enters into contact with steel balls until you hear a crackle than
stopped, move the grip 6 to the left side to inhibit the fang bolt 4.
- If the edge of the round ruler is closed to the right size of N of integer
line (above the baseline) of the double ruler, also the standard line is
coincides with m in round ruler, than the diameter of the ball:
d = N + 10.m (µm)
- If the edge of the round ruler is closed to the right size of N of
semi-integer line (under the baseline) of the double ruler, also the
standard line is coincides with m in round ruler, than the diameter of the
ball: d = N’ + 10.m ( µm) = N + 500 + 10.m (µm)
N is the integer line (above range) locating closely to the left of N’
● Or: d = 0,5.k + 0,01.m (k is the total number of line that appear on the
edges of round ruler, do not count line 0)
1.2. Using the Micrometer, perform five times the measurements of
diameter d, recorded in table 1.

2. Measure the time interval ⎮ of steel balls falling in liquids

2.1. Installation and adjustment of balance.

● Drive the screws on the bottom of the box 8 (Figure 3) to adjust so that
the glass tube 2 containing the liquid is vertical. Maintaining the head of
the sensor 4 and 5 along the bottom of the tube about 30 centimeters
apart.
● Plugging the power grab of the physical device MN-971A into a power ~
220V. Press the K key on the machine: LED lights glow and the digits
displayed in the window "TIME" and "N" on the machine.

2.2. Adjusting the sensitivity

● to adjust the sensitivity of sensor 4 and 5 of the time measurement:
- Turning both knobs 6 and 7 counter-clockwise to the end of the left
hand-side.
- adjusting the sensitivity of the sensor 5 by turning slowly the knob
knob 7 follows clockwise to the right hand-side until the digit appears
on the window “TIME” is starting to shift its condition then stop, and
 then return a little to the left
- Students need to repeat several times to find the appropriate
location of the threshold M of the knob 7 where the counter flips the
status to locate it accurately to the left position close to point M,
sensitive enough for the steel ball to go through the sensor 5.
- Checking this location by touching the steel ball slightly into the
surface of the sensor 5: if the digits which appear on the “TIME”
window change its condition, meaning that the sensor 5 has been
adjusted enough to operate
- Performing the same with knob 6 to adjust the sensitivity of sensor 4
- Finally press the “RESET” to move all of the digits on the window
back to “0”, the system is already to measure.
- In case we do not want to use the sensor, using the electronic
−3
stopwatch with the accuracy of time is 10 s, then knobs 6 and 7
have to be turned to the left.
2.3. Measurement falling time of steel balls
● Slightly dropping a steel ball through a hopper to fall vertically along
the axis of the glass tube containing the liquid. When the ball goes
over the cross section of sensors 4 or 5, it would appear an electrical
impulse effects start or stop the timer device. Period of steel balls τ
falling on the distance L between the two sensors 4 and 5 on the
display window “TIME”.
● Performing this experiment 10 times with the same steel ball. Read
and write the value of τ in the display window "TIME" with each
measurement in Table 1.
(To the left of the window "TIME" are displayed "N" to observe the
operation number of the sensors 4 and 5: each steel ball passing
through a sensor, digit displays in the window "N" is increased by one
unit).
Note: If the steel ball goes through the two sensors 4 or 5, that one or
both of these sensors does not work, then we have done from the
beginning movements 2-2 more carefully.
● After each measurement, take steel balls out of the tubing 11 by using
a small magnet (placed in box 10), pressing into the tube magnets 11
at the steel balls position and moving magnets carefully to let the steel
 balls follow, sliding along the body 11 up to the mouth of this pipe.
Waiting for lubricant adhesion on steel balls dripping off, then take it
out and place it on a paper sheet.
2.4. Read and record the following data in the table 1
III. Equations
𝑑𝑣
- The value of internal friction: 𝐹𝑚𝑠 = η 𝑑𝑧
∆𝑆 (kg / m.s).
𝑑𝑣 𝑣−0 3𝑣
- The gradient velocity with Oz: 𝑑𝑧
= 2𝑟 = 2𝑟
3

- Internal friction between adhesive liquid layers and the liquid layers contact
𝑑𝑣 3𝑣 2
with it have value: 𝐹𝑚𝑠 = η 𝑑𝑧
∆𝑆 = η 2𝑟
4π𝑟 or 𝐹𝑚𝑠 = 6π. η. 𝑟. 𝑣
2
- An area: ∆𝑆 = 4π𝑟 , r: radius of steel balls
4 3
- Gravity P vertically from top to bottom: 𝑃 = 𝑚. 𝑔 = 3
π. 𝑟 ρ1. 𝑔.

- Acsimet force FA is vertical direction from the bottom up and has value by
the weight of the liquid being occupied by the steel balls:
4 3
𝐹𝑚𝑠 = 3
π𝑟 . ρ. 𝑔.
With ρ is the bulk density of liquid
- The internal friction Force FC: 𝐹𝑐 = 6. π. η. 𝑟. 𝑣.
With v is the velocity and η is the viscosity coefficient of liquid.
- Under the effect of the forces mentioned above, marble will move with
𝑑𝑣
acceleration: 𝑎 = 𝑑𝑡
following the Newton’s second law:
→
𝑑𝑣 → → →
𝑚 𝑑𝑡
= 𝑃 + 𝐹𝐴 + 𝐹𝑐

The acceleration a makes the velocity v of steel balls gradually increase, on

the other hand when v increases, internal friction increases. When V reaches the
value 𝑣0, the Acsimet force and internal friction will completely eliminate gravity
P, steel balls will reach uniform speed motion
Give the previous equation equal 0 and follow the direction of steel balls motion,
 4 3 4 3
we have: 3
π𝑟 . ρ1. 𝑔 − 3
π𝑟 . ρ2. 𝑔 − 6. π. η. 𝑟. 𝑣0 = 0

2 (ρ1−ρ).𝑟2.𝑔
η= 9
. 𝑣0
𝑣0

- Can be determined by measuring the number of time interval movement ⎮

of steel balls that are falling between two straight baseline 4 and 5 separated
𝐿
by a distance L: 𝑣0 = τ

Substitute 𝑣0 in the last equation with d is the diameter of the steel

ball:
1 (ρ1−ρ).𝑑2.𝑔.τ
η= 18
. 𝐿
- In fact, liquid is not infinitely wide, it is contained in a cylinder with a finite
diameter d. In this case, the viscosity coefficient of the fluid is calculated
1 (ρ1−ρ).𝑑2.𝑔.τ
using the formula: η = 18
. 𝑑
𝐿(1+2,4 𝐷 )

IV. Experimental data

A. Small steel balls
Table 1
- Accuracy of micrometer:
0.01 (mm) - Density of steel ball
- Accuracy of chronometer: ρ= ....±.... (kg/m3)
0.001(sec) - Density of lubricant oil
- Diameter of cylinder: depended on the room
D = 34.82 ±0.02 (mm) temperature: σ = 895 ± 89
- Room temperature: (kg/m3)
𝑇℃= 30 ± 1 (℃) * Distance between two
sensors:
g=9,810 ± 0,005005
L = 300±1 (m)
π=3.14; ∆π=0.005005
d (mm) ⊗d (mm) t (sec) ⊗t (sec)
 1 6.31 0.004 0.978 0.0102
2 6.32 0.006 0.970 0.0022
3 6.31 0.004 0.955 0.0128
4 6.33 0.016 0.957 0.0108
5 6.30 0.014 0.979 0.0112
Average 6.314 0.0088 0.9678 0.00944

B. Big steel balls: Similar table as for small steel balls.

Note: Absolute error of 𝑑, 𝑚, 𝑡, 𝐿 is the total errors induced by
instrumental errors and random errors.
Density of steel ball:
𝑚
ρ= 1 3
6
π𝑑
∆ρ ∆π ∆𝑚 ∆𝑑
ρ
= π
+ 𝑚
+3 𝑑

Viscosity of liquid:
2
1 (ρ− σ)𝑑 𝑔𝑡
η=
(
18 𝐿 1+2.4 𝑑
𝐷 )
Δη Δρ+ Δσ Δ𝑔 Δ𝑡 Δ𝐿 1
⎡⎢(2𝐷 + 2. 4𝑑) Δ𝑑 + 2. 4𝑑 Δ𝐷 ⎤⎥
η
= ρ− σ
+ 𝑔
+ 𝑡
+ 𝐿
+ 𝐷+2.4𝑑
𝑑 𝐷 ⎦
⎣
Results: The viscosity and its uncertainty for the experiment with the small
steel ball and big steel ball.
Extra work: Using t-Student distribution for calculating the uncertainty

𝑛
2
∑ ∆η𝑖
𝑖=1
Δη = ± 𝑛(𝑛−1)
, 𝑛 = 10
The correction with Student coefficient, 𝑠𝑡 for α = 0. 95 and 𝑛 = 10 has to
be done and the final results should be written as η = η ± 𝑠𝑡∆η (kg/ms) ( )
Question
1) The value of internal friction 𝐹𝑚𝑠between two liquid layers with
velocity v and v + dv, differentiating by a distance dz along the Oz, is
𝑑𝑣
rational to the gradient velocity following Oz 𝑑𝑧
, and it is proportional
to the surface area ∆𝑆 according to the experiment.The units of fluid
 viscosity coefficient are pascal seconds (Pas) or newton seconds
2
per square meter (N-s/𝑚 ) and the most commonly used divisor is
millipascal seconds (mPa-s). In addition, the basic unit of viscosity is
poise (P) and the most commonly used divisor is the centipoise (cP).
2) Stokes method determines the Fluid viscosity based on the kinetic
molecular theory, by finding the change of molecules momentum
between layers of liquid with different velocity direction.
-Small steel balls with radius r falling vertically with velocity v of the
liquid, the liquid layer on the surfaces of adhesive beads and move
along with the same velocity v. Because of the effect of internal
friction, the fluid layer will pull other layers lying near it move along.
2𝑟
Experiment illustrates the distance 3
from the outside steel balls
away, the velocity of the liquid layer falls from v to 0. Whilst the
𝑑𝑣 𝑣−0 3𝑣
gradient velocity with Oz: 𝑑𝑧
= 2𝑟 = 2𝑟
3
𝑑𝑣
We also have: 𝐹𝑚𝑠 = η 𝑑𝑧
∆𝑆
From the 2 given equations, we conclude:
𝑑𝑣 3𝑣 2
𝐹𝑚𝑠 = η 𝑑𝑧
∆𝑆 = η 2𝑟
4π𝑟 or 𝐹𝑚𝑠 = 6π. η. 𝑟. 𝑣
And this formula is the Stoke’s method, it said that the internal
friction 𝐹𝑚𝑠 rises rational to the velocity v, and just exactly for the
velocity v is not large (as a few m/s) of steel balls moving in liquid
infinitely wide.
And when the steel ball with mass m drop through the hopper than
falls in the liquid, it will be affected by three forces:
- Gravity P vertically from top to bottom.
- Acsimet force 𝐹𝐴 is vertical diẻction from the bottom up
- The internal friction force 𝐹𝑐 is vertical from the upper bottom.
𝑑𝑦 3𝑣
3) 𝐹𝑚𝑠=η 𝑑𝑧
∆𝑆 = η 2𝑟
4π𝑟 or 𝐹𝑚𝑠 = 6π𝑟η𝑣.

This formula is called Stokes formula, it said that internal friction Fms
increase proportional to the velocity v, and just right for the velocity v
is not large (as a few m / s) of steel balls moving in liquid infinitely
wide.
 4) I think the condition depends on the liquid condition to apply the (9)
and (10) formulas.
5) Equivalent transformation, we have:
𝑑(η) 𝑑(ρ)− 𝑑(σ) 𝑑(𝑑) 𝑑(𝑔) 𝑑(𝑡) 𝑑(𝐿) 2.4𝑑(𝑑) 2.4𝑑𝑥𝑑𝐷
η
= ρ− σ
+2 𝑑
+ 𝑔
+ 𝑡
− 𝐿
− 𝐷+2.4𝑑
+ (𝐷+2.4𝑑)𝐷
𝐷𝑥𝑑(𝑑)−𝑑𝑥𝑑(𝐷)
𝑑(η) 𝑑(ρ)− 𝑑(σ) 𝑑(𝑑) 𝑑(𝑔) 𝑑(𝑡) 𝑑(𝐿) 2.4𝑥 𝐷²
η
= ρ− σ
+2 𝑑
+ 𝑔
+ 𝑡
− 𝐿
− 𝑑
1+2.4 𝐷

Take antiderivative both side of equation (11):

𝑙𝑛(η) = 𝑙𝑛(𝐶) + 𝑙𝑛(ρ − σ) + 2𝑙𝑛(𝑑) + 𝑙𝑛(𝑔) + 𝑙𝑛(𝑡) − 𝑙𝑛(𝐿) − 𝑙𝑛(1 + 2. 4 х
with C is constant
(ρ− σ)𝑑²𝑔𝑡
Then: 𝑙𝑛(η) = 𝑙𝑛(𝐶 х 𝑑 )
𝐿(1+2.4 𝐷 )
(ρ− σ)𝑑²𝑔𝑡
η = 𝐶х 𝑑
𝐿(1+2.4 𝐷 )
1
So we choose 𝐶 𝑏𝑦 18
, we have:
1 (ρ− σ)𝑑²𝑔𝑡
η= 18
х 𝑑
𝐿(1+2.4 𝐷 )

Conclusion: Relative error of the viscosity coefficient can be demonstrated

into formula (11).