Experiment Instructions

HM 134 Falling Ball Viscometer

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

All rights reserved G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH, Barsbttel , Germany, 01/97

HM 134

Experiment Instructions

Publication no.:917.00000A 134 12

01/97

HM 134

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Table of Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 Description of apparatus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.1

Start-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

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3 Theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.1

Internal friction in flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

3.2

Reynolds number. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3.3

Flow resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3.4

Stokes law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

4 Experiments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.1

4.2

Testing rate of fall of a ball in water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

4.1.1

Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

4.1.2

Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Determining the viscosity of a fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

4.2.1

Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

4.2.2

Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

5 Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.1

Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.1.1

Rate of fall of ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

5.1.2

Viscosity determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

5.2

Symbols and units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

5.3

Standard values for various substances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

5.4

Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

HM 134

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Introduction
The viscometer HM 134 is used to determine
dynamic or kinematic viscosities of fluids. As a
material property, viscosity is extremely important
both for technical applications and in nature, e.g.
in fluid drives or in the body fluids of animals.

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The measurement system consists of a transparent cylinder in which a steel ball is allowed to
drop down through a fluid.
To achieve laminar flows, the cylinder should be
filled with glycerine of the strongest possible concentration or with other fluids of a similar viscosity.
The design of the apparatus is such that it is suitable
both for practical trainee experiments in the fields of
physics or engineering and for demonstration in the
classroom.
The appendix to these instructions contains prepared worksheets which can be put to immediate use
in the course of instruction and thus facilitate evaluation of the experiments performed.
The apparatus is intended for training applications.
Always study the experimentation instructions before use.

1 Introduction

HM 134

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Description of apparatus
The viscometer HM 134 can be used to measure
fluid viscosities (both dynamic and kinematic) or given a specified viscosity - to check the rate at
which the ball falls.

4
5

The apparatus consists of the following components:

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1
2

Baseplate (1) with handles (2) and rubber

feet (3)

Mounting plate (4) with mm scale (5) for

reading drop height

Transparent measuring cylinder (6), volume

approx. 2.6 l

5 steel balls (7) of differing diameter

Magnet with cord (8) for removing balls after

the experiment

Manual stopwatch (not illustrated)

Thanks to its rubber feet and reinforced mounting

plate, the apparatus is extremely stable. Nevertheless, the apparatus should be filled carefully to stop
it overbalancing.
3

2.1

Start-up

The mm scale permits exact reading of the level to

which the ball drops after being thrown in.

The only preparatory work required is to fill the

cylinder with the fluid to be investigated. If the
apparatus is filled with fluids which are not soluble
in water, thorough cleaning is essential after use.
It is advisable to store the apparatus empty.

2 Description of apparatus

HM 134

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Theory

3.1

Internal friction in flows

The motion of fluid particles with internal friction
but without eddying is referred to as laminar flow.
The internal friction is the result of the dynamic
effect between the molecules (dynamic viscosity). This is particularly pronounced with poor molecular mobility, known as high viscosity.

Fluid particles

Path of motion of fluid

particles (streamlines)

The term used to express dynamic viscosity is

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Pas(1Pas = 1

Ns
)
m2

(Pascal s). For engineering applications, viscosity

is normally utilised with respect to density , which
gives the kinematic viscosity
=

(1)

m2
expressed as s .
Fuel oil
Gear oil

Transformer oil
Diesel fuel

Viscosity is a material property (as is e.g. density

or melting point) which is extensively governed by
the temperature of the medium. Viscosity decreases with increasing temperature. By way of example, the relationship between viscosity and
temperature is shown for various oils in the adjacent graph.

Gas oil

One technical application of such temperature-dependence is the use of a load-sensitive fluid coupling for 4WD passenger vehicles.

3 Theory

HM 134
3.2

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Reynolds number
If a medium flows around an object, as is the case
for example when a ball is dropped into a fluid, this
gives rise to either a laminar or a turbulent flow
depending on the Reynolds criterion Re. Re is
dimensionless and is defined, for example, for the
flow around a ball as

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Re =
Laminar
flow
Object in
flow path
Eddying

Turbulent
flow

3 Theory

vd

(2)

where
v - velocity of flow
d - diameter of ball

- kinematic viscosity of medium

Above a critical value of Recrit2300 flow becomes
turbulent, whereas below this level it is laminar.
With laminar flow, the individual streamlines are
not interrupted and flow around the object. In the
case of turbulent flow, the streamlines are interrupted and eddying occurs. This produces considerable frictional resistance.

HM 134
3.3

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Flow resistance
As an object drops through a medium, a frictional
force FR acts on the object due to the viscosity of
the medium. The direction of this force is always
opposed to that of the flow and is calculated as
follows
Object

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FR

Streamlines
v

FR =

2
2 v A cw

(3)

where

- density of medium
v - flow velocity
A - max. cross-section opposing flow
cw - coefficient of resistance (governed by shape
of object)
The coefficient of resistance is dimensionless. For
a ball it is roughly 0.2-0.4; the values for modern
passenger cars are around 0.2-0.3.
Strictly speaking, equation (3) only applies to laminar flows. It can however be used with good approximation if there is only slight eddying.

3.4

Stokes law
The motion of small balls in a relatively viscous
fluid produces a laminar flow at the surface of the
ball (Re<2300). Given this prerequisite, Stokes
law can be used to calculate the frictional force
acting on the ball:
FR = 6 r v

(4)

r - radius of ball
v - rate of fall of ball
(= flow velocity)
Applying equilibrium of forces to the ball yields the
following relationship between the rate of fall and
dynamic viscosity:

3 Theory

HM 134

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

FG = FR + Fa
FR

Shortly after immersion in the fluid, the rate of fall

of the ball is constant and the acceleration compo-

Fa

Ball

(5)

nent Fa becomes zero. The dynamic viscosity can

then be calculated:

FG = FR
g

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FG

(6)

with
4
FG = 3 r3 ( ball ) g

(7)

and (4) yields

1
2
= 9 r2 g ( ball ) v

(8)

- density of ball material

r - radius of ball
v - rate of fall of ball
Considerably better results are obtained by
using glycerine rather than water, as then the
higher-viscosity flow is laminar.

3 Theory

HM 134

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Experiments

4.1

Testing rate of fall of a ball in water

4.1.1

Procedure
8
7

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4.1.2

Pour water into measuring cylinder (6).

Set stopwatch to zero.

Drop ball =5mm (7) into measuring cylinder and start stopwatch.

Measure drop time t for distance s.

Use magnet (8) to remove ball.

Evaluation
Measured variables:
s - distance covered by ball in mm
t - time taken in s (drop time)
In this experiment the Reynolds number is calculated as follows
Re =

vd
water

(1)

with
s
v = t.

(2)

This is a case of turbulent flow. With a ball

diameter of d=5mm the frictional force can be
determined with a high level of accuracy, disregarding the force loss:

FR = 2 v2 A cw .

4 Experiments

(3)

HM 134

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Application of an equilibrium of forces as per Section 3.4 yields the rate of fall v of the ball:
1 dg
v = 2 3 c K .
w
w

(4)

where
d - ball diameter
g - acceleration due to gravity
cw - coefficient of resistance of ball (0.4)

k - density of ball material

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w - density of water
Equation (4) can be checked with the experimentally determined velocity.
With larger ball diameters, the eddying motion due
to the turbulent flow and the influence of the cylinder wall on the flow cause force loss, with the result
that the approach using equation (1) is not valid.

4 Experiments

HM 134

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

4.2

Determining the viscosity of a fluid

4.2.1

Procedure

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The experiment is performed using glycerine, a

fluid with a relatively high viscosity. Glycerine is
non-toxic and water-soluble, making it totally
straightforward to use. Collect up glycerine
again on completion of experiment.

4.2.2

Perform experiment as described under 4.1.1, using 99% glycerine in place of water.

Repeat experiment with balls of differing diameter.

Enter measured values in worksheet provided in appendix.

Evaluation
Measured variables:
s - distance covered by ball in mm
t - time taken in s
The dynamic viscosity of glycerine can be calculated using Stokes law as described in Section 3.4:
2
1
= 9 r2 ( ball ) g
v

(5)

Stokes law is only valid for laminar flow. This can be

checked with the Reynolds number:
Re =

vd
.

(6)

(standard values for 99% glycerine are given in

appendix)
The experiment cannot be performed with water
as this would not produce a laminar flow and the
equations would not be valid.

4 Experiments

HM 134

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Appendix

5.1

Worksheets

5.1.1

Rate of fall of ball

Fluid:______________________

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Ball d
[mm]

Drop time t
[s]

Drop
distance s
[mm]

Rate of fall
v=s/t [mm/s]

Re

Fluid:______________________
Ball d
[mm]

5.1.2

Drop time t
[s]

Drop
distance s
[mm]

Rate of fall
v=s/t [mm/s]

Re

Viscosity determination
Fluid:____________________

Ball d
[mm]

Drop time t
[s]

Drop
distance s
[mm]

Rate of fall
v=s/t [mm/s]

Re

Fluid:____________________
Ball d
[mm]

5 Appendix

Drop time t
[s]

Drop
distance s
[mm]

Rate of fall
v=s/t [mm/s]

Re

10

HM 134
5.2

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Symbols and units

Dynamic viscosity

Ns/m2

Kinematic viscosity

m2/s

Density

g/cm3

Flow velocity

m/s2

Ball diameter

mm

Ball radius

mm

Re

Reynolds number

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Recrit Critical Reynolds number (transition from

2300

laminar to turbulent flow)

5.3

Max. cross-section in direction of

flow
mm2

cw

Coefficient of resistance

Acceleration due to gravity (=9.81 m/s2)m/s2

FR

Frictional force of flow

FG

Force due to weight of ball

Fa

Force due to acceleration

-1

Standard values for various substances

6

Kinematic viscosities in 10
Fluids
Water 0C
Water 20C
Water 100C
Mercury

m2
s at T=20C

Fluids & gases

Aviation lubricant
Glycerine 99%
Carbon dioxide
Air

1.789
1.006
0.294
0.115

892
1200
0.062
16

(from Dubbel, Taschenbuch fr den Maschinenbau)

Density : Water:

water = 1

g
cm3

Glycerine: glycerine 1.25

Steel:

5 Appendix

steel = 7.85

g
cm3

g
cm3

11

HM 134
5.4

Viscosity Coefficient Apparatus

Technical data
Dimensions:
LxWxH 400 x 400 x 2150
Weight:
20

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5 Appendix

mm
kg

Measuring cylinder:
Material:
Capacity:
Diameter
Height

transparent plastic
approx. 2.6
50 x 4
2000

(PMMA)
l
mm,
mm

Material:
two pcs. of each

Steel
5, 10, 15, 20, 30 mm

Balls:

12