BS Physics 3rd semester

Properties of Matter (Phy-606)

Chapter # 2

Viscosity

Lecture #1
Dated 29-05-2020
Contents

• Fluid
• Fluid Mechanics
• Fluid flow
• Critical velocity
• Viscosity
• Coefficient of viscosity
 FLUIDS
The three common phases, or states, of matter are solid, liquid, and
gas.
• A solid maintains a fixed shape and a fixed size; even if a large
force is applied to a solid, it does not readily change its shape or
volume.
• A liquid does not maintain a fixed shape—it takes on the shape of
its container—but like a solid it is not readily compressible, and its
volume can be changed significantly only by a very large force.
• A gas has neither a fixed shape nor a fixed volume—it will expand
to fill its container.

Since liquids and gases do not maintain a fixed shape, they both
have ability to flow; they are thus often referred to collectively
as fluids.

A fluid is a substance that can not withstand shearing stress*.

*Shearing stress is force per unit area that tends to change shape of object
This concept is discussed in previous chapter as well as in college Physics.
 FLUIDS MECHANICS

Fluid Mechanics is branch of Physics which deals with study of

behaviour of fluid (water, air, gas or blood) at rest and in motion.

Fluid mechanics is further categorized as

• Fluid statics/ Hydrostatics
• Fluid dynamics /Hydrodynamics (aerodynamics in case of air)

In fluid statics we study behaviour of fluid in state of rest by taking

into account the density of and pressure in the fluid. As you have
studied Pascal’s Principle and Archimedes' Principle in school Physics.

In fluid dynamics we study behaviour of fluid in state of motion.

 FLUID FLOW
Flow of fluid can be of two types
• Laminar flow
• Turbulent flow
In a Laminar* flow (also known as steady or streamline flow) each particle follows
exactly the same path exactly with same velocity as its predecessors. This path is
called streamline (represented by lines). In laminar flow these paths do not cross each
other and the velocity of the fluid at any point remains constant in time.

Irregular or unsteady flow of fluid is called turbulent flow. Turbulent flow is

characterized by erratic, small, whirlpool-like circles called eddy currents or eddies.

*Word laminar means “in layers”

 FLUID FLOW

The flow is steady or streamlined only as long as the velocity of the fluid does not
exceed a limiting value called critical velocity.

Critical velocity vc is a velocity below which the motion of the fluid is

laminar and above which the motion of fluid becomes turbulent.

When the external pressure causing the flow of fluid is excessive the motion of fluid
takes place with velocity greater then critical velocity the motion becomes turbulent.
This causes eddies and whirl pools in the liquid. This turbulent motion is also called
vortex motion.

For explanation please visit the links below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv0RB71BQ_4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzuzbwJWlYs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmjFdBxbV08
 Critical velocity vc depends upon the following factors
• Viscosity of fluid η
( η is resistance of fluid to flow which we will discuss in next slide)
• density of fluid ρ
• radius r of the tube through which fluid is flowing

vc  
1
vc 

1
vc 
Combining all above
r

vc 
r
 For explanation visit
vc  k https://www.youtube.com/watc
r h?v=Yv0RB71BQ_4
Where k is Reynold’s number we have
Students’ task: Can you give the unit and
significance of Reynold ‘s number!!!
 VISCOSITY

An internal friction among the different molecular layers of

fluid in motion is called viscosity.
OR
The property of a fluid by virtue of which it opposes relative
motion between its different layers is known as viscosity or
internal friction of the liquid.

Please visit the following link to understand the concept of viscosity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_jQ1B9UwpU
 VISCOSITY

• The viscosity hinders neighboring layers of fluid from sliding freely past one
another.
• In liquids, viscosity is due to the electrical cohesive forces between the
molecules.
• In gases, it arises from collisions between the molecules.
• Viscosity represents a nonconservative force, part of a fluid’s kinetic
energy is converted to internal energy when layers of fluid slide past one
another.

To keep viscous fluid moving we have to exert force on it, like heart
pumps blood in arteries.

• 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 is
stationary and the velocity of the layers increases with the distance from
the fixed surface, i.e. ,the greater the distance of a layer from the fixed
surface, the greater its velocity. This is due to resistive force between
adjacent layers called viscosity.
 COEFFICIENT OF VISCOSITY
To represent the viscosity of fluids quantitatively we use coefficient of viscosity
denoted by η or μ.
Consider a viscous fluid between two parallel plates as shown in figure. The top
plate is free to move while the bottom one is stationary. If the top plate is to move
with a velocity v relative to the bottom plate, a force F is required. we may imagine
the fluid to be composed of many thin horizontal layers. When the top plate moves,
the intermediate fluid layers slide over each other. The velocity of each layer is
different, changing uniformly from v at the top plate to zero at the bottom plate.

(a) A force F is applied to the top plate, which is in contact

with a viscous fluid. (b) Because of the force F , the top
plate and the adjacent layer of fluid move with a constant
velocity v.
 COEFFICIENT OF VISCOSITY
As each layer moves, it is subjected to viscous forces from its neighboring layers. The
purpose of the force is to compensate for the effect of these forces, so that any layer
can move with a constant velocity. That is applied force is equal to resistive force
among the layers . Here we can see

Here η is called coefficient of viscosity

 COEFFICIENT OF VISCOSITY

If distance between plates is very small i.e. x0

dv
F  A  
dx
F If A=1 and =1

dv
A
dx
F
Coefficient of viscosity of a fluid is defined as the tangential force per unit area
required to maintain a unit velocity gradient. S.I units for coefficient of viscosity are
Nsm-1 or pascal-second. In CGS system the unit is poise

1poise = 0.1pascal-second

The link of video containing whole derivation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=287YVjeZPYY&list=PLX2gX
-ftPVXVHnqlawAPDHuo3lg9lT6JI&index=24

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02zSM7b9g_w&list=PLX2g
Students’ task:
X-ftPVXVHnqlawAPDHuo3lg9lT6JI&index=25 Give the dimensions of η
 IDEAL FLUID
The motion of real fluid is very complicated. We try to understand motion
of real fluid by adopting the simplified model and use the concept of ideal
fluid.

Ideal fluid is

1. Nonviscous fluid. In a nonviscous fluid, internal friction is ignored. An

object moving through the fluid experiences no viscous force.

2. Incompressible fluid. The density of the fluid is assumed to remain

constant regardless of the pressure in the fluid. Density of
incompressible fluid does not changes.

3. Steady flow. In steady flow, we assume that the velocity of the fluid
at each point remains constant in time.

4. Irrotational flow. Fluid flow is irrotational if the fluid has no angular

momentum about any point. If a small paddle wheel placed anywhere in
the fluid does not rotate about the wheel’s center of mass, the flow is
irrotational. (If the wheel were to rotate, as it would if turbulence
were present, the flow would be rotational.)
End of lecture # 1