CH116L: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (LABORATORY)

1ST Quarter SY 2019-2020

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY (CH116L)

Measurement of Viscosity of Liquids by Capillary Flow Method

Experiment no. 3

Submitted to: Prof. Medarlo de Jesus

Submitted by: Manglo, John Andrae B.

Experiment 01│ Group No. 7│ 08/27/19 1 of 6

 CH116L: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (LABORATORY)
1ST Quarter SY 2019-2020

ABSTRACT
The experiment is about the determination of the viscosity of a number of normal saturated
alcohols by means of an Ostwald viscometer. It studies the effects of salt concentration on the
viscosities of aqueous solutions and of temperature on the viscosity of water. The reagents used
are distilled water, ethanol, ethylene glycol, 1-butanol, NaCl, and chromic acid. Several materials
are used I the determination of viscosity such as Ostwald-Fenske viscometer, constant
temperature bath, stopwatch, 10-mL pipettes, and 250-mL beakers. The viscosity of pure liquids
is determined with the use of the Ostwald viscometer. The constant A of the viscometer is
determined using water which has known density and viscosity. With this constant, other
viscosities are computed. The experiment studies some factors affecting the viscosity of fluids.
Salt concentrations increase the viscosities of aqueous solutions. Viscosity of liquids is greatly
affected by the temperature. Viscosity is inversely proportional to temperature. As the
temperature of a fluid increases the viscosity of that fluid decreases. When the liquid is heated,
the cohesive forces between the molecules reduce thus the forces of attraction between them
reduce, which eventually reduces the viscosity of the liquids.

Introduction

The objective of the experiment is to difference in velocity between two

determine the viscosity of a number of layers (m/s), dx is the difference in
normal saturated alcohols by means of position normal to the flow between
an Ostwald viscometer. It also studies two fluid layers (m), and A is the area
the effects of salt concentration on the of contact (m2). The ratio F/A is termed
viscosities of aqueous solutions and of the viscous shear stress (𝜏).
temperature on the viscosity of water. Introducing of a proportionality
Viscosity is a measure of the constant makes equation 1 to:
resistance of a fluid which is being
deformed by either shear stress or 𝝉
tensile stress. In everyday terms, 𝒅𝒖
viscosity is thickness or internal = 𝝁 𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝟐
𝒅𝒙
friction.
When two layers of fluids move past where μ is the dynamic viscosity or
one another with a certain relative simply the viscosity of fluid (kg/m-s).
velocity, both layers experience a force
which tends to oppose their relative Newton's law of viscosity (equation 2),
motions. The area of the plane of is a constitutive equation. It is not a
contact between the layers and the fundamental law of nature but an
velocity gradient normal to it affect the approximation that holds in some
magnitude of the force. The effect is materials and fails in others. Non-
expressed as: Newtonian fluids exhibit a more
𝑭 complicated relationship between
𝑨 shear stress and velocity gradient than
𝒅𝒖 simple linearity. Thus there exist a
∝ 𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝟏
𝒅𝒙 number of forms of viscosity:

where u is the velocity (m/s), du is the

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 CH116L: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (LABORATORY)
1ST Quarter SY 2019-2020

1. Newtonian: fluids, such as water through the capillary is measured.

and most gases which have a There is a constant pressure drop
constant viscosity. across the capillary. Ostwald
2. Shear thickening: viscosity viscometers must be calibrated with a
increases with the rate of shear. known material.
3. Shear thinning: viscosity decreases
with the rate of shear. Shear The Ostwald-Fenske method makes use of
thinning liquids are very commonly, the Hagen-Poiseuille equation for the
but misleadingly, described as determination of liquid viscosities by
thixotropic. measuring the time of flow of a given volume
4. Thixotropic: materials which liquid through a vertical capillary tube under
become less viscous over time the influence of gravity. For a virtually
when shaken, agitated, or incompressible fluid, this flow is governed by
otherwise stressed. the Poiseuille’s law in the form
5. Rheopectic: materials which
become more viscous over time 𝒅𝑽 𝝅𝒓𝟒 ∆𝑷
when shaken, agitated, or = 𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝟑
𝒅𝒕 𝟖𝝁𝑳
otherwise stressed.
6. A Bingham plastic is a material that where dV/dt is the rate of liquid flow through
behaves as a solid at low stresses a cylindrical tube of radius r and length L, and
but flows as a viscous fluid at high ΔP is the pressure difference between two
stresses. ends of the tube.
7. A magnetorheological fluid is a type
of "smart fluid" which, when
subjected to a magnetic field,
greatly increases its apparent
viscosity, to the point of becoming
a viscoelastic solid. When ΔP is constant, equation 3 becomes
There are several experimental 𝒕
methods for the determination of the 𝝁 = 𝝅𝒓𝟒 ∆𝑷 𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝟒
𝟖𝑽𝑳
viscosity of fluids such as flow through
the capillary tubes, fall of solid spheres where t is the time required for the upper
through fluids, torque or viscous drag meniscus of the liquid in the left arm of the
on a rotating disk or cylinder immersed viscometer to fall from the upper to the lower
in the fluid, and flow of fluids through fiducial mark.
an aperture in a plate. The experiment
used the Ostwald viscometer which is Equation 4 can be reduced having ΔP is
based on the principles of flow through equal to ρgh:
capillary tubes.
𝒕
U-tube viscometers are known as 𝝁 = 𝝅𝒓𝟒 𝝆𝒈𝒉 = 𝑨𝝆𝒕 𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝟓
𝟖𝑽𝑳
glass capillary viscometers or Ostwald
viscometers (see Figure 2), named where A is a constant for a given viscometer
after Wilhelm Ostwald. Ostwald which can be determined through calibration
viscometers measure the viscosity of a with a liquid of known viscosity and density.
fluid with a known density. It uses a
small-diameter tube (capillary). The
fluid’s time of flow of a specific volume
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 CH116L: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (LABORATORY)
1ST Quarter SY 2019-2020

Objectives
The following are the objectives of the experiment:
 To determine the viscosity of a number of normal saturated alcohols by means of an Ostwald
viscometer.

Methodologies

Materials a larger diameter, the rubber bulb is used to

The reagents used in the experiment are push the liquid sample to the capillary arm.
distilled water, ethanol, ethylene glycol, 1- The pushing of the liquid sample is
butanol, NaCl (table salt), and chromic acid. continued until the sample fills the feed bulb
The following equipment and glassware are and the meniscus which is above the upper
used namely Ostwald-Fenske viscometer, fiducial mark.
constant temperature bath, stopwatch, 10-
mL pipettes, and 250-mL beakers. After the pushing of the sample, the liquid is
released and is allowed to flow by its own
Methods weight. The time required for the upper
The experiment is about the determination meniscus of the liquid in the feed bulb in
of the viscosity of a number of normal order for it to pass two calibration marks is
saturated alcohols by means of Ostwald recorded.
viscometer. It also tends to determine the
effect of salt concentration on viscosities of The same procedure is done with the other
aqueous solutions and of temperature on liquid samples (saturated alcohol samples).
viscosity of water.
Also, the viscosities of aqueous solutions
First, the Ostwald viscometer is needed to are determined. This part will determine the
be set up. The apparatus is cleaned with effect of salt concentration on the viscosities
chromic acid and rinsed with distilled water. of aqueous solutions. Three salt solutions
Before starting the measurements of the are prepared with different concentrations.
viscosities, the viscometer has been Same procedure is done to each sample for
calibrated. the use of the viscometer.

The viscometer is filled with 10 mL of liquid The last part of the experiment determines
sample in the water bath set at a preferred the effect of temperature on the viscosity of
temperature. The sample must first reach water. Same procedure is done with the use
thermal equilibrium before starting the of the viscometer but each water sample
measurement of viscosity. has different temperature. The temperature
is increased by 5°C from the room
temperature until three water samples are
done.
Using one end of the viscometer which has

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 CH116L: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (LABORATORY)
1ST Quarter SY 2019-2020

Data Entries:

Table 1. Viscosity of Pure Liquids

Flow time through Calculated Literature value

Sample
Ostwald viscometer, s viscosity of viscosity
Water 15 .85 cp .85 cp
Ethanol 22 .99 cp .95 cp
Ethylene glycol 223 14.14 cp 15 cp
1-Butanol 53 2.44 cp 2.3 cp

Room Temperature: 32°C

Table 2. Effect of Salt Concentration on Viscosities of Aqueous Solutions

NaCl Flow time through Calculated

concentration Ostwald viscometer, s viscosity
0 15 .85 cp
0.20 M 16 .91 cp
0.50 M 17 .96 cp
1.00 M 18 1.02 cp

Table 3. Temperature Effects on Viscosity of Water

Flow time through Calculated

Temperature
Ostwald viscometer, s viscosity
Room temp. (29°C) 14 .85 cp
Room temp. + 5°C 12 .72 cp
Room temp. + 10°C 11 .66 cp
Room temp. + 15°C 10 .60 cp

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 CH116L: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (LABORATORY)
1ST Quarter SY 2019-2020

Calculation:

1. Computation for k(constant):

𝜂 = 𝑘𝜌𝑡
o 𝑘𝑔
Water at 30 C: 𝜌 = 995.65 𝑚3
𝑘𝑔
𝜂 9.81𝑥10−4 𝑚𝑠
𝑘= =
𝜌𝑡 𝑘𝑔
(995.65 ) (14.38𝑠)
𝑚3
𝑚2
𝐴 = 6.8518𝑥10−8 2
𝑠
2. Calculated viscosity for Ethanol:
𝜂 = 𝑘𝜌𝑡
𝑘𝑔
ethanol at 30oC: 𝜌 = 780.97 𝑚3
𝑚2 𝑘𝑔
𝜂 = (6.8518𝑥10−8
2
) (780.97 3 ) (20.11𝑠)
𝑠 𝑚
𝑘𝑔
𝜂 = 1.08𝑥10−3
𝑚𝑠
3. Viscosity of NaCl aqueous solution at 0.2M concentration
−8
𝑚2 𝑘𝑔
𝜂 = 𝑘𝜌𝑡 = (6.8518𝑥10 2
) (995.65 3 ) (12.66𝑠)
𝑠 𝑚
𝑘𝑔
𝜂 = 8.64𝑥10−4
𝑚𝑠
4. Viscosity of water at 40oC
𝑚2 𝑘𝑔
𝜂 = 𝑘𝜌𝑡 = (6.8518𝑥10−8 2 ) (995.65 3 ) (11.06𝑠)
𝑠 𝑚
𝑘𝑔
𝜂 = 7.545𝑥10−4
𝑚𝑠

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 CH116L: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (LABORATORY)
1ST Quarter SY 2019-2020

Analysis and Discussion

Viscosity of Pure Liquids value of viscosity have small percentage of
error. One possible cause of error is the
Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a recording of time. It is very difficult to start
fluid which is being deformed by either shear and stop the timer on how the sample liquid
stress or tensile stress. In everyday terms would pass the markers. Another source of
(and for fluids only), viscosity is thickness or error is the temperature. The viscosity of a
internal friction. fluid is greatly affected by the temperature.
The effects of temperature to the viscosity
The experiment made use of the Ostwald will be discussed on the later part of the
viscometer which is based on the principles discussion.
of flow through capillary tubes. It used three
different pure liquids namely ethanol, Effect of Salt Concentration on
ethylene glycol and 1-butanol. Viscosities of Aqueous Solutions

To determine the viscosity of each liquid, this The experiment tried to investigate the effect
equation is used: of salt concentration on viscosities of
𝜇 = 𝐴𝜌𝑡 aqueous solutions. To do so, three different
where μ is the viscosity, ρ is the density of concentrations (0.20 M, 0.50 M and 1.00 M)
the liquid, t is the time required for the upper of salt solutions are prepared.
meniscus of the liquid in the left arm of the
viscometer to fall from the upper to the lower The viscosity of pure water serves as the
fiducial mark, and A is a constant for a given basis for the study of the effect of salt
viscometer which can be determined through concentration since the salt solutions use
calibration with a liquid of known viscosity water as the solvent.
and density.
When the first concentration is tested in the
The constant A is determined using water Ostwald viscometer, the time it takes for the
with viscosity of 9.8 x 10 -4 kg/m-s and solution to pass the upper and lower marks
density of 1000 kg/m3. Using the equation increases compared to the time of pure
above, the constant A can be determined. water. With this, the viscosity of water
The time required by the water to fall from increases when salt is added.
the upper and lower fiducial mark is 15
seconds. Thus, the constant A is computed As the salt concentration of the solutions
as 5.7 x 10 -8 m2. increases, the time it takes for the solution to
pass the marks increases based on the
The computed A is used to determine the results of the second and third solutions.
viscosity of the other three samples of This means that salt increases the viscosity
alcohol. Table 1 shows the results of the of water.
determination of viscosity of pure liquids.
Temperature Effects on Viscosity of
On the three alcohols, ethanol has the Water
shortest time while ethylene glycol has the
longest time. The densities of ethanol, In the discussion of the viscosity of pure
ethylene glycol and 1-butanol are 790 kg/m3, liquids, temperature is a factor that affects
1113.2 kg/m3, and 810 kg/m3 respectively. viscosity. In the experiment, the viscosity of
Using these values, the viscosities of the water at different temperatures is
liquids are computed and determined. determined.
The computed viscosity and the literature
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 CH116L: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (LABORATORY)
1ST Quarter SY 2019-2020

From the room temperature, the water of that fluid decreases.

temperature is increased by 5°C in every
trial. This part studied the relationship of In the liquids, the cohesive forces between
viscosity and temperature. the molecules predominates the molecular
momentum transfer between the molecules
At room temperature, the time taken by the mainly because the molecules are closely
water to pass the upper and lower fiducial packed. It is this reason that liquids have
marks of the viscometer is 15seconds. When lesser volume than gases. The cohesive
the temperature is increased by 5°C, the forces are in maximum in solids so the
time taken by the water to pass the marks is molecules are even more closely packed in
12 seconds only. As the temperature keeps them. When the liquid is heated the cohesive
on increasing the time taken by the water to forces between the molecules reduce thus
pass the marks becomes shorter. the forces of attraction between them
This means that viscosity is inversely reduce, which eventually reduces the
proportional to temperature. As the viscosity of the liquids.
temperature of a fluid increases the viscosity

Conclusion

The experiment was done using the Ostwald-Fenske viscometer and the room temperature was
determined. The results were tabulated and analyzed. It showed that stronger bonds in the
molecules, as seen in its structure, make a liquid more viscous. Also, as the temperature is
increased, the viscosity decreases. This makes the two properties indirectly proportional. The
relationship of the viscosity and the solute concentration, on the other hand, is directly
proportional. This, therefore, showed that viscosity of liquids is affected by many properties. In
determining the viscosity of the liquid, one must know how to properly handle the apparatus to
be used. The use of Ostwald viscometer should be known because improper handling of the
said apparatus might cause it to break. The viscosity of a liquid, when Ostwald viscometer is
used, is determined by the time it took for the liquid to flow from the upper mark to the lower
mark in the bulb. Also, the viscosity of liquids is affected by many factors. The intermolecular
forces of attraction, for example, makes the viscosity of the liquid higher when strong forces in
the molecules are present, causing it not to broken easily. The concentration of solute also
affects the viscosity. As the solute concentration increases, it makes it harder for the molecules
to be broken, making it more viscous. The increase on temperature, however, makes the bonds
untangled and therefore would make the liquid flow easily. Generally, the viscosity of a liquid
depends on how tangled the molecules and the bonds present are. The bonds should be broken
so that the liquid will flow easily and will then make it less viscous.

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