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Water and Syrup 1

Let's take a look!

Watch the video on YouTube.

What kind of experiment is this?

Experimental procedure and explanation:

  • Let us compare the behavior of “thin” water to “thick” honey or syrup.
  • When you tilt the plastic bottles, you can see a difference in the speed with which they deform.
  • The difference is caused by a property called “viscosity,” which is one of the most important properties of fluids.
  • Viscosity measures the resistance to a quick deformation: the more force needed to cause a quick deformation, the higher the viscosity.
  • This differs from adhesiveness, such as that of natto (fermented soybeans), which causes it to stick to other objects.
  • It requires more force to quickly deform syrup or honey compared to water. This is because they have higher viscosities than water.
[Keywords] viscosity
[Reference] “The Wonders of Flow,” Japan Society of Mechanical Engineering Koudansha Blue Backs, pp. 16-21
“Illustrated Fluid Dynamics Trivia,” by Ryozo Ishiwata, Natsume Publishing, pp. 22-29 and 202-203

Last Update:9.7.2013