Segment V1.3: Capillary Tube Viscometer

(Related to Textbook Section 1.6 - Viscosity)

Most devices (called viscometers) used to determine viscosity do not measure it directly, but instead measure some characteristic with a known relationship to viscosity.

The capillary tube viscometer involves the laminar flow of a fixed volume of fluid through a capillary tube. The time required for the fluid to pass through the tube is a measure of the kinematic viscosity of the fluid. As shown with the four tubes, the drain times can vary depending on the viscosity of the fluid and the diameter of the capillary tube.