LABORATORIES 141

LAB 5.
MEASURING THE VISCOSITY OF A LIQUID USING
STOKES’S METHOD

Objective: Solidifying the concept of viscosity through

experimentation and determining the viscosity of a given liquid using
Stokes’s law.

I. Apparatus
• A long cylindrical glass tube with engraved scale, accuracy 2 mm
• Hopper oriented the dropping steel balls
• Transparent viscous fluid (lubricant oil)
• Vernier caliper 025 mm, accuracy 0.01 mm
• Chronometer with sensor, accuracy 0.001 sec

II. Basic theory

Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid to a force applied
to it or experienced by a body moving through it. In other words, it
indicates the ‘thickness’ (or stickiness) of a liquid. Thus, water having
low viscosity is “thin”, whereas honey with high viscosity is “thick”.
Cooking oils with intermittent thickness have viscosity value in
between water and honey. By heating the liquid, its thickness gets
reduced or in other words, its viscosity is reduced. This indicates that
viscosity is a function of temperature. Viscosity also varies with
pressure.
When liquid flows over a flat surface, the liquid layer in contact
with fixed surface AB does not move. Upper layers move forward with
increasing velocity. Due to relative motion, a backward dragging force
F acts tangentially to every layer as shown in Figure Lab 5.1.
142 PART 3

Figure Lab 5.1: Relative motion between different layers

Force 𝐹 depends upon the following factors:

- Area (S) of the layer and is directly proportional to it (i.e. 𝐹 ∝ 𝑆);
- Velocity (v) of the layer from fixed surface and its directly
proportional to it (i.e. 𝐹 ∝ 𝑣);
- Distance (x) of the layer from fixed surface and is inversely
1
proportional to it (i.e. 𝐹 ∝ ).
𝑥
𝑆𝑣 𝑆𝑣
Combining: 𝐹 ∝ or 𝐹 = − 𝜂
𝑥 𝑥

where 𝜂 is the constant of proportionality. It is called “coefficient of

viscosity” (negative sign means that force acts in the opposite direction
of velocity).
If 𝑑𝑣 represents a small change in velocity over distance 𝑑𝑥, then
𝑑𝑣
𝐹 = − 𝜂𝑆 (1)
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑣
The term is called velocity gradient (which means the rate of
𝑑𝑥
change of velocity with distance).
To maintain uniform flow of liquid, a force equal to viscous is to
be applied to the liquid. The external force is given by:
𝑑𝑣
𝐹 = − 𝜂𝑆 (2)
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑣
if 𝑆 = 1, = 1, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐹 = 𝜂.
𝑑𝑥
LABORATORIES 143

Hence, coefficient of viscosity may be defined as (or is equal to)

the tangential force required to maintain a unit velocity gradient
between two layers each of unit area.
Stokes’s law was established by an English scientist Sir George
Gabriel Stokes (1819-1903), an Irish-born mathematician, who spent
most of his research effort on describing fluid properties. His most
significant contribution is perhaps the work on the motion of a sphere
through a viscous fluid. This work led to the development of Stokes
Law, a mathematical description of the force required to move a
sphere through a quiescent, viscous fluid at a specific velocity. This
law forms the basis of the laboratory investigations carried out in
course of this work.
Fluid could be determined as a substance that deforms
continuously when subjected to shear stress. The property viscosity of
a fluid relates the shear stress in a fluid to the angular rate of
deformation. There are two main types of fluid flow. If the flow is
smooth, such that neighboring layers of the fluid slide by each other
smoothly, the flow is said to be streamline or laminar flow. In
streamline flow, each particle of the fluid follows a smooth path, called
a streamline, and these paths do not cross one another. Above a certain
speed, the flow becomes turbulent. Turbulent flow is characterized by
small, whirlpool-like circles called eddy currents or eddies.
When laminar fluid flow following the parallel direction to the Ox
axis in a cylinder, orientation velocity v of the molecules in the liquid
layer has decreased to 0 values in the direction Oz (perpendicular to Ox)
from the center O to the wall as shown in Figure Lab 5.2. The difference
in the orientation velocity of the liquid layer is due to the contact surface
between these layers appeared the internal friction so that obstruct their
relative motion.
144 PART 3

Figure Lab 5.2: Laminar fluid flow

The internal friction can be explained according to the kinetic

molecular theory, by the exchange of molecules' momentum between
layers of liquid with different velocity directions. The molecules of the
fast-moving layer A, diffuses into slow-moving layer B, passed down to
the molecular momentum of layer B, which increases the speed of
orientation for layer B. In contrast, the molecules of the slow-moving
layer B, diffuse into fast-moving layer A, dynamic collapse the
momentum of the molecules of layer A, then reduce the velocity of the
layer A.
Experiment shows that the value of internal friction 𝐹𝑚𝑠 between
two liquid layers with velocity is 𝑣 and 𝑣 + 𝑑𝑣, is separated by a
distance 𝑑𝑧 along with the Oz, is proportional to the gradient velocity
𝑑𝑣
following Oz, and is proportional to the surface area Δ𝑆 between the
𝑑𝑧
two layers of fluid move relative to each other:
𝑑𝑣
𝐹𝑚𝑠 = 𝜂 Δ𝑆 Fms =  dv S (3)
𝑑𝑧 dz
The S.I. unit of coefficient of viscosity is a poiseuille (PI) or
decapoise. One poiseuille is the coefficient of viscosity of a liquid if a
force of 1 newton is required to maintain a velocity gradient of one
metre per sec per metre between two layers, each of area one m2. The
unit of 𝜂 is kg/ms.
LABORATORIES 145

Figure Lab 5.3: The forces acting on the sphere

Consider a steel ball (sphere) of radius 𝑟 and density 𝜌 falling

vertically with a velocity 𝑣 in a fluid of density 𝜎 and viscosity 𝜂. The
liquid layer on the ball surface adhesive the ball and move along with
the same velocity 𝑣. Due to the effect of internal friction, fluid layer
will pull other layers lying near it to move along. The experiment was
2𝑟
shown; on the distance from the steel ball surface, the velocity of the
3
liquid layer decreases from 𝑣 to 0 as shown in Figure Lab 5.4.

Figure Lab 5.4: velocity of a sphere ball in the liquid

Meanwhile the gradient velocity with Oz:

𝑑𝑣 𝑣−0 3𝑣
= 2𝑟 = (4)
𝑑𝑧 2𝑟
3
146 PART 3

According to the Eq. 1, internal friction between adhesive liquid

layers on the outer surface of the steel ball (an area S = 4.r 2 with r:
radius of steel ball) and the liquid layer contact with it have value:
𝑑𝑣 3𝑣
𝐹𝑚𝑠 = 𝜂 ∆𝑆 = 𝜂 4𝜋𝑟 2 (5)
𝑑𝑧 2𝑟

Thus, 𝐹𝑚𝑠 = 6𝜋𝑟𝑣.

This formula is called Stokes’s formula. The internal friction 𝐹𝑚𝑠
increase proportional to the velocity 𝑣, and just right for the velocity 𝑣
is not large (as a few m/s with consideration that the ball moving in
liquid infinitely wide).
This law is valid for spherical particles only and the value of
Reynolds number should be less than 1.
𝜌𝑉𝐷
Reynolds number, 𝑅𝑒 = ,
𝜇

where ρ is density of fluid;

𝑉 is the flow velocity relative to the object;
𝐷 is the diameter of the spherical object;
and 𝜇 is the viscosity of the fluid.

The forces acting on the sphere ball are viscous drag force 𝐹𝐷 =
4
6𝜋𝜂𝑟𝑣, gravitational force 𝐹𝐺 = 𝜋𝑟 3 𝜌𝑔, and Buoyant force
3
4 3
(Archimedes law) 𝐹𝐵 = 𝜋𝑟 𝜎𝑔 as shown in Figure Lab 5.3.
3

Figure Lab 5.5: The subsequent motion of the ball in the liquid
LABORATORIES 147

Initially when the ball is dropped as shown in Figure Lab 5-5,

there are two forces acting on the body: the force due to gravity 𝐹𝑔 and
the buoyancy force 𝐹𝐵 . The drag force is zero as the velocity of the ball
is zero. Since the density of the ball is more than the density of the fluid,
the net force will be downwards. Hence the ball will accelerate
downwards. As the ball acquires some velocity, a drag force starts
acting on the fluid upwards. But still, the net downward force would be
greater. As the ball further moves down the velocity of the body
increases and hence drag force will also increase since drag force is
directly proportional to velocity. A moment comes when the net upward
force will be equal to the net downward force. Then the ball moves with
a constant speed as net acceleration on the body is zero. The speed thus
acquired by the body is called terminal velocity.
Solve 𝐹𝐷 + 𝐹𝐵 = 𝐹𝐺 to get terminal velocity formula:
2𝑟 2 (𝜌− 𝜎)𝑔
𝑣𝑇 = . (6)
9𝜌𝜂

The sphere moves downwards if it is denser than fluid; otherwise,

it moves upwards. The terminal velocity is directly proportional to 𝑟 2
and inversely proportional to the viscosity. If a sphere ball is released
from the rest then its velocity varies with time as shown in Figure Lab
5.6.

Figure Lab 5.6: Velocity of a ball in the liquid

Then the viscosity of the liquid is obtained from:

2 (𝜌− 𝜎)𝑔 2
𝜂= 𝑟 (7)
9 𝑣
148 PART 3

The velocity of the sphere is given by the following relation:

𝐿
𝑣= (8)
𝑡

where 𝐿 is the distance at which the uniformly propagating sphere ball

moves for a time 𝑡.
1 (𝜌− 𝜎)𝑔
𝜂= 𝑑2 𝑡 (9)
18 𝐿

The last expression is strictly fulfilled only for a sphere body

propagating in an infinite fluid (i.e. when the volume of the fluid is much
larger than the particle volume). Since the liquid in the vicinity of the
cylinder walls is motionless, and the fluid layer at the interface of the
liquid and the sphere ball propagates with the same velocity as the
sphere ball itself, the velocity gradient increases. As a result, the
velocity 𝑣 of the sphere ball in the cylinder becomes smaller compared
to that of a sphere propagating in an infinite liquid.
Taking into account the influence of the cylinder walls on the
velocity of a sphere ball propagating in a finite liquid, the dynamic
viscosity of the liquid is given by:
1 (𝜌− 𝜎)𝑑2 𝑔𝑡
𝜂= (10)
18 𝐿(1+2.4 𝑑 )
𝐷

where 𝐷 is inner diameter of the cylinder.

If we know 𝜌, 𝜎, 𝑔, 𝐿, 𝐷, the viscosity of the liquid can determine

by measuring the diameter 𝑑 of the sphere ball and moving time 𝑡.

III. Experimental procedure

The viscosity  can determine by the Stokes method using the
device MN-971A as shown in Figure Lab 5-7, which includes a glass
cylinder 2 containing a liquid 3. The cylinder was kept upright on rack
9, two sensors 4 and 5 were position about the middle part of the
cylinder and were connected to a chronometer 8.
LABORATORIES 149

Figure Lab 5.7: The viscosity measurement device

Measure the diameter d of steel balls by micrometer caliper

The principle for reading is:
- read the main scale reading at the edge of the thimble;
- read the thimble scale reading at the horizontal reference line.
𝑑 = 0,5. 𝑘 + 0,01. 𝑚

where 𝑘 is the total line that appears on the main scale; do not count
line “0”, and 𝑚 is the number of lines on the thimble scale.

Figure Lab 5.8: Example of reading from micrometer caliper

150 PART 3

In Figure Lab 5.8, the reading on the main scale is more than 5.5
mm but less than 5.6 mm. The thimble reading is 27 (not 27.5), so the
instrument's length reading is 5.5 + 0.27 = 5.77 mm. In this case, 𝑘 =
11 and 𝑚 = 27.
Use a micrometer caliper, measure diameter 𝑑 05 times and
record it into Table 1.
Measure the moving time 𝑡 of steel balls falling in liquid
(1) Installing and balancing the experimental device.
Turn the screws at the bottom of box 8 to adjust until the glass
cylinder 2 containing the liquid is in the vertical direction. Maintain the
sensors 4 and 5 about 30 cm apart.
Power on the MN-971A device. Press the “K” key on the machine:
LED lights to glow and the digits displayed in the window “TIME” and
“N” on the machine.
(2) Adjusting the sensitivity of the sensors 4 and 5 as follows:
- Turn the knob 6 and 7 counter-clockwise to the left position.
- Adjust the sensitivity of sensor 5 (at the bottom) by turning
knob 7 slowly according to clockwise to the right until the
digits displayed on the window “TIME” start to change status
(from standing turn to jump number or vice versa), stop there,
then return a little to the left (about 1/3- 1/2 of its division).
Repeat several times to find the exact location of the knob
threshold M, in which the counter flip status, to be able to put
it in a position close to the left point M, sensitive enough to the
ball passing sensor 5, the timer must turn over. This location
can be verified by tapping the ball into sensor 5: if the digits
displayed on the window “TIME” change status, sensor 5 has
been adjusted to be sensitive enough to operate.
Perform the same movement for knob 6 to adjust the sensitivity of
sensor 4 (at the top).
Finally, push “RESET” to return the digits displayed on the
windows back to 0, the system is ready to measure. Note that, we can
only adjust the status threshold flip for a sensor when the other sensor
LABORATORIES 151

is located in front of the threshold flip (left point M).

In case the sensors are not available, the chronometer can be used
as a stopwatch with an accuracy of 0.001 sec. Meanwhile, the knobs 6,
7 all turn to the left end.
(3) Measuring the falling time of steel ball:
Slight drop a steel ball through the hopper to fall vertically along
the axis of the glass cylinder containing the liquid. When the ball goes
over the cross-section of the sensor 4 or 5, it would appear electrical
impulse effects start or stop the chronometer. The falling time of a steel
ball over the distance L between the two sensors 4 and 5 will display on
the window “TIME” of the chronometer.
Repeat this experiment 10 times with the same steel ball chosen.
Record the value of each measurement into Table 1. On the left of the
window “TIME” is display window “N” used to track the operation
number of the sensors 4 and 5. Each steel ball passing through the
sensor, digit displays in the window “N” is increased by one.
Note: If the steel ball goes through the sensor and the sensor does
not work (one or both), then we have to adjust the sensitivity again more
carefully.
After each measurement, taking the steel ball out of pipe 11 by
using a small magnet (placed in box 10). Place the magnet on the wall
surface of pipe 11 at the steel ball's position, then move magnets gently
to let the steel ball follow, sliding along pipe 11 up to the mouth of this
pipe. Wait a few minutes for lubricant oil on the steel ball dripping off,
then took it out and placed it on a paper sheet.

IV. Calculation work

Determine the density of the steel ball and the viscosity coefficient
of fluid (lubricant oil). Calculate the relative errors, absolute errors and
conclude the uncertainties of the measurement.

V. Questions
1. Explain the emergence of internal friction, the basic theory, the
expression of internal friction force, and the unit of fluid viscosity
152 PART 3

coefficient.

2. Present Stokes’s method for determining the viscosity of a fluid.

Explain the causes and characteristics of force against the motion of the
steel ball falling in the liquid.
3. How does the speed of the steel ball falling in liquid change?
Why is the falling time of the steel ball made about the end of the glass
cylinder?
4. Under what conditions can we calculate the viscosity of the
fluid by Equation 10?
5. Find the relative error formula of Equation 10.
LABORATORIES 153

REPORT LAB 5:
MEASURING THE VISCOSITY OF A LIQUID USING
STOKES’S METHOD
Class: …….…. / Group: ……Team:………. Lecturer’s comment
Full name:
1) ………………………………………......
2) ………………………………………......
3) ………………………………………......
4) ………………………………………......
5) ………………………………………......

I. Aims/Purposes
.................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................

II. Apparatus, Methods, and Procedure

.................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................

III. Equations
.................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................
154 PART 3

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 depended on
- Diameter of cylinder: the room temperature: 𝜎 = 895 ±
D = 35.00 ±0.02 (mm) 89 (kg/m3)
- Room temperature: * Distance between two sensors:
𝑇℃= 30 ± 1 (℃) L = ....±.... (m)
d (mm) d (mm) t (sec) t (sec)
1
…
10
Average

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
̅
𝜌̅ =
1 3
𝜋𝑑
6
∆𝜌 ∆𝜋 ∆𝑚 ∆𝑑
= + +3
𝜌̅ 𝜋 𝑚
̅ 𝑑̅
Viscosity of liquid:
1 (𝜌 − 𝜎)𝑑 2 𝑔𝑡
𝜂=
18 𝐿 (1 + 2.4 𝑑 )
𝐷
LABORATORIES 155

Δ𝜂 Δ𝜌 + Δσ Δ𝑔 Δ𝑡 Δ𝐿
= + + +
η̅ 𝜌̅ − 𝜎̅ 𝑔 𝑡̅ 𝐿̅
1 Δd ΔD
+ ̅̅̅̅ + 2.4𝑑̅ )
[(2𝐷 + 2.4𝑑̅ ]
̅ + 2.4𝑑̅
𝐷 𝑑̅ 𝐷̅
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

∑𝑛𝑖=1 ∆𝜂𝑖2
𝛥𝜂 = ±√ , 𝑛 = 10
𝑛 (𝑛 − 1)
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 = η̅ ±
(𝑠𝑡 ∆𝜂 ) (kg/ms)