Factors affecting viscosity of a liquid

1. Factors Affecting Viscosity of a Liquid Presented by: http://www.premiumessays.net /

2. Introduction It is the measure of stickiness of a fluid. Refers to molecular friction caused by pushing of molecules past one another . Water always has a low viscosity. Other liquids such as shampoo or syrup have high viscosity. www.premiumessays.net

3. Factors Affecting Viscosity of a Liquid Several factors affect viscosity of a liquid. Flow conditions are among the factors . The two main flow conditions of a liquid are laminar and turbulent. Laminar flow is when the liquid moves in the thin imaginary layers. Happens without changing of molecules from one layer to the other. www.premiumessays.net

4. This flow is usually orderly. Turbulent flow does not have a recognizable structure. Layers cannot be observed. Fluid develops cortices. When tested under this flow condition, liquid depicts higher viscosity. Shear rate is another factor that influences liquid viscosity. www.premiumessays.net

5. Liquids that have internal flow that does not depend on external forces That is the shear rate that act on the fluid. They are ideally viscous. Such fluids are called Newtonian fluids. www.premiumessays.net

6. Newtonian liquids They are ideally not viscous. Viscosity of the non-Newtonian liquids changes with shear rate. Apparent viscosity of such liquids is specified. Some of them show shear-thinning behavior. Their viscosity decrease with increasing shear rate . Others have viscosity that increases with an increase in shear rate. www.premiumessays.net

7. Temperature Factor Temperature has dominating influence in liquids viscosity. Most have low viscosity when temperatures are high . Decreased temperature causes increased liquid viscosity. Viscosity and temperature have an inversely relationship in liquids. Temperature changes affects the viscosity of a liquid. www.premiumessays.net

8. Pressure Pressure also affects viscosity of most liquids. Compressing liquids at medium or low pressures is almost impossible . This makes pressure not a intense factor to viscosity of liquids. Changing pressure from about 0.1 to 30MPa can cause a similar viscosity change. This is with a change in temperature of approximately 1 degree centigrade. www.premiumessays.net

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