1. Physical Pharmacy VISCOSITYBy
Abdul-Wahhab Khedr
Demonstrator of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy

2. 1 Poise = 100 centipoise (cps)
Definition:
Viscosity (ƞ): is the resistance of a fluid to flow.
A fluid with high viscosity flows slowly while a fluid with low viscosity flows quickly.
Units of Viscosity:
1 Poise = 100 centipoise (cps)

3. Determination of Viscosity of liquids
Using Ostwald Viscometer (Capillary-type viscometer):
- It is U-shaped glass apparatus with a wide arm and a narrow one with a capillary tube in the narrow part.
- There are two marks; above and below the bulb in the narrow part.
- In this method the viscosity of a liquid (ƞ1) can be determined in relation to another liquid of known viscosity (ƞ2).

4. Determination of Viscosity of liquids
Theory:
The viscosity of the liquid under test (ƞ1) can be found by measuring the time (t1) required for this liquid to pass between the two marks as it flows by gravity through the vertical capillary tube.
This time is compared with the time (t2) required for a liquid of known viscosity (ƞ2) [usually water] to pass between the two marks.
If the two liquids have the same or close densities, they can be neglected.

5. Procedure:
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(1) Pour water into the wide arm
(2) Suck water from the narrow arm till rise to the upper mark
(4) Record the time taken by water to move from the upper to the lower mark
(5) Repeat the last step twice again and find t2 & t3
Then calculate Mean time (t)
(6) Repeat the previous steps for the liquid to be measured and fill the table of results
(3) Close the tip of narrow arm with your finger and invert the viscometer to empty the wide one
t1= 10 sec

6. Results Sample Ƞ (cps) Mean t t3 t2 t1 1 Water Sample 1 Sample 2