answersLogoWhite

0

What is viscosity?

This question is often best answered by example. Imagine a Styrofoam cup with a hole in the bottom. If I then pour honey into the cup I will find that the cup drains very slowly. That is because honey's viscosity is large compared to other liquids' viscosity. If I fill the same cup with water, for example, the cup will drain much more quickly.

Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. It describes the internal friction of a moving fluid. A fluid with large viscosity resists motion because its molecular makeup gives it a lot of internal friction. A fluid with low viscosity flows easily because its molecular makeup results in very little friction when it is in motion.

Gases also have viscosity, although it is a little harder to notice it in ordinary circumstances.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What mainly determines the viscosity of a magma?

Viscosity is the measure of a liquids resistance to flow. In the case of magma, the hotter it is, the lower the viscosity.


What determines the explosiveness of an eruption?

viscosity of magma build up of gases


What determines how fast a liquid moves through a solid?

Viscosity of the liquid


What determines the severity of volcanic eruptions?

The size of the magma chamber and the viscosity of the magma.


How is the thickness or a thinness of a fluid measured in?

The thickness or thinness of a fluid is measured by its viscosity. Viscosity is the property that determines a fluid's resistance to flow, with thicker fluids having higher viscosity and thinner fluids having lower viscosity. Viscosity is typically measured in units such as centipoise (cP) or Pascal-seconds (Pa·s).


What determines the viscosity of magama?

temperature, silica content, and the amount of dissolved gases determine the viscosity of magma. For instance, if the magma is cold, has a high amount of silica and has lots of dissolved gases in it the viscosity will be very high.


What is the term for the thickness of a liquid?

The term for the thickness of a liquid is viscosity. This property determines how easily the liquid flows and is influenced by factors such as temperature and composition. A high viscosity liquid is more resistant to flowing, while a low viscosity liquid flows more easily.


A fluid resistance to flow?

Viscosity is the fluid property that measures its resistance to flow. It determines how easily a fluid can deform and flow. Fluids with high viscosity, like honey, flow more slowly than fluids with low viscosity, like water.


What can refer to the tHickness of a fluid and how fast it flow?

The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its thickness or resistance to flow. It determines how fast a fluid can flow, with higher viscosity fluids flowing more slowly than lower viscosity fluids.


How is blood viscosity measured and what factors can affect it?

Blood viscosity is measured by a test called a viscometer, which determines how easily blood flows. Factors that can affect blood viscosity include temperature, hematocrit levels, and the presence of certain proteins or diseases.


What mineral determines magma viscosity?

A magma's viscosity is directly related to its degree of silica content.


What term is defined as the resistance of gas or liquid to flow?

Viscosity is the term defined as the resistance of gas or liquid to flow. It describes the internal friction of a moving fluid and determines how easily it flows.