1

American University of Sharjah Instructor: Riyad Temam

School of Engineering Office: EB2 - 048
Civil Engineering Department Tel: 065154003
P. O. Box 26666 e-mail: rtemam@aus.edu
Sharjah, UAE
Lab 1
1 Physical Properties of Fluids
1.1 Introduction
Every fluid has certain characteristics by which its physical condition can be described. In fluid
mechanics, the object of interest lies on the physical nature of fluids as related to flow
characterization and forces within or around the boundaries of a fluid mass. The most important
parameters required by engineers such as velocity and acceleration of flow, mass flow rate, stress,
the forces of action and reaction on fluid while in motion or at rest, the internal resistance forces,
the momentum and energy transformations all depend on the fluids physical properties.
Therefore it is very important to understand and know how to determine different physical
properties of fluids that set them apart from others.
Furthermore, fluids which have similar physical properties would exhibit similar engineering
properties regardless of their chemical composition. This makes the study and classification of
fluids easier and eliminates the necessity of elaborate chemical analysis.
1.2 Purpose
o To determine the density of different fluids using standard methods
o To teach students how to measure surface tension
o To determine the viscosity of fluids using standard techniques
o To explain to students the common errors associated with the experiment.
1.3 Theory
Here are some of the most important physical properties of fluid in the study of fluid mechanics.

Mass Density and specific gravity
Mass density (or simply density) is defined as the mass per unit volume. The Greek letter (rho)
is used as a symbol for mass density. The SI unit for density is kg/m
3
. Mathematically, density is
defined as
V
m
volume
mass
= =
The density or liquids varies with temperature (due to expansion) and to a lesser amount with
pressure (due to compressibility). As an example the density of pure air free water under a
pressure of 1 atmosphere is tabulated in kg/ m
3
below,









2



Table 1.1 Density of water in kg/m
3
at standard atmospheric pressure

The specific gravity or relative density or any other substance may be defined as the ratio of the
density or the substance at a specified temperature to the density of water at its maximum density
at 4C. The relative densities or common liquids are tabulated below,

Table 1.2 Specific gravity of common fluids
Fluid Temperature (
o
C) Sp. Gravity
alcohol 20C 0.79
benzine 0C 0.9
blood 37C 1.04
castor oi1 20
o
C 0.95
linseed oil 20C 0.95
mereury 0C 13.6
methylated spirits 20C 0.8
milk 20C 1.03
olive oil 10C 0.918
paraffin 20C 0.8
petrol 20C 0.8
sea water 0C 1.03
turpentine 20C 0.85
white spirit 20C 0.85

Surface tension
Surface tension is the property of a liquid which gives it the appearance of having an elastic skin
at its surface or separation from a gas or other liquid. The tension is an effect of the forces of
attraction existing between the molecules of a liquid. It is measured by the force per unit length
(N/m) acting on the surface at right angles to an element of any line drawn in the surface. The
symbol for surface tension is the Greek letter o (sigma). Mathematically the surface tension force
is given by,
Temperature
(
o
C)
0 2 4 6 8
0 999.87 999.97 1000.00 999.97 999.88
10 999.73 999.53 999.27 998.97 998.62
20 998.23 997.80 997.33 996.81 996.26
30 995.68 995.06 994.40 993.72 993.00
40 992.25 991.47 990.7 989.8 989.0
50 988.10 987.2 986.2 985.3 984.3
60 983.2 982.2 981.1 980.1 978.9
70 977.80 976.7 975.5 974.3 973.1
80 971.80 970.6 969.2 968.0 966.7
90 965.3 964.0 962.6 961.2 959.8
100 958.4
3
L F
s
o =
Where L is the length over which the surface tension acts.

Viscosity
Viscosity of a fluid is a property that describes its ability to resist tangential deformation (shear
stress). The intermolecular attractions and their structures is important factor that determines the
viscosity of liquids. Whereas in gases the momentum exchange between molecules seems to be
more important than the molecular attractions. Any factor that affects the molecular attractions or
the momentum exchange between particles will also affect the viscosity. Therefore the viscosity
of fluids is heavily dependant on temperature. In liquids, increase in temperature loosens
intermolecular bonds and therefore leads to decrease in viscosity. In gases, the increase in
temperature increases momentum exchange and thus increases the viscosity.
For a group of fluids called Newtonian fluids, it was found out that the shear stress is directly
proportional to the rate of shear strain. The proportionality constant, , is termed Dynamic
viscosity. The SI unit for dynamic viscosity is Ns/m
2
. Mathematically,
dy
d
dy
d v v
t =
Where dv/dy is the rate of shear strain (velocity gradient) measured from the contact surface

The physical quantity that describes the viscosity of a fluid as a ratio of the dynamic viscosity to
the fluid density is known as kinematic viscosity the symbol of which is v (greek letter nu). The
SI unit for kinematic viscosity is m
2
/s

v = =
density fluid
viscosity dynamic

1.4 Equipments
1. Density: electronic balance, specific gravity bottle complete with a capillarity stopper
2. Surface tension: Beam balance, microscope slide
3. Viscosity: U-tube viscometer, Falling sphere viscometer, stop watch
1.5 Experimental procedures
Denstiy
o Ensure that the bottle is clean and dry before commencing the investigation.
o Weigh the empty bottle complete wit h stopper and capillary as accurately as possible on the
electronic Balance.
o Next fill the bottle with the sample to be investigated.
Note :- No great error is introduced in the measurements using the relative density bottle over a
temperature range of 5 - 35C. This can be verified using a volumetric coefficient of expansion
for the bottle material of 9 x 10
-6
per K.
o Dry the outside of the filled bottle and allow the specimen to stand for 1 hour in an
unstoppered bottle in order that any dissolved air in the sample may be expelled.
o Replace the stopper, ensuring that the capillary is filled by the displaced fluid.
o Carefully wipe off any displaced liquid from the outside of the bottle and stopper ensuring
that the capillary remains filled to the top.
o Weigh the bottle and sample once again on the Electronic Balance.
o The density of the liquid can then be calculated by dividing the weight of the liquid by the
volume of 50 ml.

Surface tension
4
o Make sure that the balance beam is working properly, and that the microscope slide is clean
and dry
o Measure the length and thickness of the microscope slide
o Hang the microscope slide from the end of the balance beam and make note of the position of
the indicator on the beam balance
o Bring the edge of the microscope slide in contact with the water surface and note the new
position of the indicator
o Remove the microscope slide and add small weights until the pointer is brought back to its
position at the previous step.
o The surface tension is calculated as the weight divided by the circumferential length of the
slide.

Viscosity
Capillarity viscometer (u-tube viscometer)
The capillary viscometer provided, is in accordance: with BS 188 - Methods for determination of
the Viscosity of liquids and the reader is referred to this British Standard for a definitive
description of the apparatus and the figure of the U Tube Viscometer, for an illustration of the
apparatus. Basically, the principle of the equipment is to allow a sample of liquid to flow through
a known length of capillary tube and from the time taken a value for the kinematic viscosity of
the liquid can be determined. Variations in ambient temperature can effect the temperature of the
fluid flowing through the capillary and hence the time taken. The viscometer can be maintained,
therefore at a reasonably constant temperature, by suspending it from a carrier bridge in a
cylinder of water, the temperature of which is measured by an accompanying mercury in glass.
This particular viscometer is used for liquids having a range of kinematic viscosity of between 1.0
to 10 centistokes (mm
2
/s). It is suitable for measuring low-viscosity fluids such as water. The
kinematic viscosity is calculated using the formula,
Ct = u in mm
2
/s
where, C = viscometer constant
t = mean flow time between the marks on the stem of the viscometer
o The dry clean viscometer is filled through tube L with a slight excess of the sample, using a
pipette.
o Mount the viscometer using the holder, taking particular care that the capillary tube is set
vertically.
o Apply suction so that the liquid is about 5mm above the timing mark E.
o Release the suction and record the time taken for the bottom of the meniscus to pass from top
edge of mark E to the top edge of mark F.
o Repeat the measurement of flow time until two successive readings agree with in 0.2%.
5

Figure 1-1 U-tube viscometer

Falling sphere viscometer
The viscometer consists of a glass, graduated fall tube of diameter 40mm, complete with sphere
release tube, and two sizes of steel ball. The principle of operation is to time the fall of steel ball
through the test liquid. The standard dimensions of the balls provided are 1/16 inch and 3/32 inch.
Their density is 7.785 g/ml, giving masses of 0.0163 gms and 0.055gms respectively. The
nominal range of kinematic viscosity of liquids that can be tested is 1000 to 37500 for the 1/16
inch diameter balls and 2500 to 85000 centistokes for the 3/32 inch diameter balls.
o Fill the 40mm diameter tube to at least 3mm above the topmost mark with the filtered sample.
It is essential that the sample used is free of bubbles, and care should be taken to avoid their
formation.
o Check that the tube is vertical.
o Clean the sphere, moisten the surface with a little sample and with tweezers introduce them
individually into the delivery tube.
o Determine the time required for the sphere to fall through a suitable distance using a stop
watch. Normally the sphere is timed from the 175mm mark to the 25mm mark, but the time
from the 200 mm mark to the 0mm mark may also be measured. If the fall is very slow, the
timing can be done between the 175mm mark and the 100 mm mark.
o Obtain two successive readings agreeing within 0.5%. Poor readability may be attributed to a
contaminated sample, unstable temperature conditions or heterogeneity of the sample.
The kinematic viscosity (v) can be calculated in mm
2
/s from either,
6
F *
) ( g d
l
l s

v
v 18
2

=

Where d is the diameter of the sphere (mm)

s
is the density of the sphere (g/cm
3
)

l
is the density of the liquid (g/cm
3
)
v is the fall velocity (mm/s)
g is the local acceleration due to gravity (9810 mm/s
2
)
F is the Faxen factor which is a correction for the effect of wall of tube on the motion
of the sphere
The Faxen factor can be calculated from the diameter d of the sphere and the diameter D of the
fall tube as,
5 5 3 3
9 0 09 2 104 2 1 D / d . D / d . D / d . F + =
For practical purposed the last term may be neglected.

Figure 1-2 Falling sphere viscometer

References: Fluid Mechanics Lab hand out by Aqeel Ahmed, AUS.
Instruction Manual, Fluid Properties, Cussons Technology
Engineering Fluid Mechanics, 8
th
ed, Crowe et.al
Fluid Mechanics, 5
th
ed, Munson et.al

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Data / Calculation sheet
1. Density
Sample 1 Sample 2
Mass of empty bottle + stopper (g)
Mass of bottle+ liquid + stopper (g)
Mass of liquid (g)
Volume of sample (ml)
Density of sample (kg/m
3
)
Specific weight of sample (N/m
3
)
Specific gravity of sample

2. Surface Tension
Length (mm) 88.3
Thickness (mm) 4.0
Mass equivalent to surface tension force (mg)
Surface tension force (N)
Surface tension -o (N/m)

3. U-tube viscometer
Trial 1 Trial 2
Liquid Water Water
Time (s)
Viscometer constant (C)
Kinematic viscosity (mm
2
/s)
Dynamic viscosity (Ns/m
2
)

4. Falling sphere viscometer
Trial 1
Diameter of sphere (mm) 5.98
Density of sphere (g/cm
3
) 0.9228
Density of fluid (g/ml) 0.826
Fall distance (mm) 200
Time (s)
Fall velocity (mm/s)
Faxen factor -F
Kinematic viscosity (mm
2
/s)
Dynamic viscosity (N.s/m
2
)



8
Experiment outputs
Your report should include the followings
Introduction
Objective
Theory
Experiment set up
Results
Sample calculations
Discussion of results
o Compare the density of water determined from the experiment with the values given in table
1.1. Discuss whether the value obtained is reasonable. If not, discuss the possible sources of
errors.
o Comment on the value of the surface tension of water. Mention possible sources of errors.
o Compare the accuracy of the two methods used for determination of viscosity. Discuss any
possible sources of errors.
Conclusions and recommendations