Viscosity
Definition
Viscosity refers to how resistant a fluid is to flow or deformation. It measures the internal friction within fluids and determines their ability to resist shear forces.
Analogy
Imagine stirring a thick milkshake with a spoon. The resistance you feel while stirring is similar to the viscosity of the fluid. A high-viscosity fluid, like honey, would be harder to stir compared to a low-viscosity fluid, like water.
Related terms
Newtonian Fluid: A type of fluid that follows Newton's law of viscosity, where the shear stress is directly proportional to the rate of deformation.
Laminar Flow: Smooth flow pattern where layers of fluid move parallel to each other without mixing or crossing paths.
Shear Stress: The force per unit area that acts parallel to a surface and causes one layer of a fluid to slide past another layer.
"Viscosity" appears in:
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