Viscosity

for students of
Physics

Tom Ramsey
Isaac Newton studied Mentor High School
viscosity Mentor OH 44060
tramsey@ncweb.com
Viscosity: Connecting with Chemistry and Biology

Does air resistance increase as v or v2???

 Air resistance produced by collisions of gas molecules

Air Resistance Increases with Temp

Proportional to v for slow speeds

Proportional to v2 for higher speeds

Because of turbulence

Reynolds number provides dividing line

Visc.smd
 Viscosity/friction in a fluid
Decreases with increasing Temp
Produced by decreasing
intermolecular forces
Non-Newtonian Fluids

Viscosity_liquid.smd

3 oils/5 temp
 Applications
Bernoulli’s equation

Non-newtonian fluids

Pouiselle’s Equation:
Q ~ r4

Alt. Models:fractals,
percolation

Dr. Jean Leonard Marie

Poiseuille Checks his heart
 Introduction
Provides a connection between math,chemistry
Biology and Physics

Provides students a chance to look at

alternate scientific models.

Provides a molecular explanation as an alternate

To the usual continous model
Intended Audience

AP,Honors, Regular Physics

Builds on what students have learned

In other classes
Adjustments/Adaptations

None required-all levels of Physics

can handle
Placement in Curriculum
After kinematics and dynamics

Some concepts such as Pressure were

learned in Chem
 Goals and Objectives
Determine the relationship between
temp and viscosity for both gases and
liquids
Compare different models for viscosity
understand the usefulness of Reynold’s number
As a criterion for distinguishing turbulent and nonturbulent flow.
Give reports on the application of viscosity to other fields such
As Biology, Chemistry and Engineering
 Time Line
Day 1: Air Resistance(Wet Lab) •F α v or F α v2 ????
Coffee Filter Lab •Cedar Point/Six Flags
•Cold Air+Warm Air
Day 2: Macro Micro(Computer) •F α v (Stokes)
Visc.smd •F=∆ P/∆ t * A
η versus m,T
Day 3: Kinetic Karnival Video: Non-NewtonianFluids (Corn Starch,Slime
“Viscosity” etc).
Lab:Marbles in Oil(Wet) η versus T for liquid

Day 4: liquid.smd(Computer) H increases with temp in gas(collisions

increase)but decreases in
liquid( intermolecular forces)

Demo: KMn04 in warm H2O(wet)

Day 5 Bernoulli’s Equation Endless numbers of examples

Continuity Equation From groundhogs, to baseballs to airplane
wings
Day 6 Poiseulle’s Equation /Heart Q ~ r4
Relate the velocity profile of a fluid in a
pipe to Poiseulle’s Equation

Day 7 bernoulli_xtal.smd Airfoil crystal

Using SMD students build a crystal in the
shape of an airfoil
Day 8: Student Reports 5 minute seminar
Examples from other sciences/enginering
 Resources

1 computer per 2/3 students

Smd program with viscosity files
for liquid and gases.

Standard lab equipment(hot plates,

graduates, coffee filters,metersticks
for wet labs)
 Bibliography
Websites:
Transtronics:Viscosity Basics
Fluid Dyanmics Online Textbook
Vicosity of Lava Flows
Wolfram Research(Mathematica) Navier Stokes Equation
Mathematica model of Galileo's Experiment
BU software/curricular material
References:
Physics by Douglas Giancoli 3rd

Schaum’s Outline Series:

Fluid Dynamics

Solving Problems in Fluid

Mechanics
Vol2 by JF Douglas 1967

Life’s Devices by Steven Vogel

Princeton University Press