What is viscosity?

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.

JN

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

What is resistivity in S.I. units?


If you have 1.33g of oxygen (Mr = 32) in a container of volume 1000cm^3 at atmospheric pressure (101.3*10^3 Pa), what is the temperature of the gas in Celsius? R=8.314


What is the equivalence principle of General Relativity and what does it mean?


Convection, conduction and radiation in space