Viscosity

/vɪˈskɒsɪti/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A measure of a fluid's resistance to flow or deformation; specifically, the thickness or stickiness of a liquid.

The viscosity of honey is higher than that of water, making it flow more slowly.

The quality of being viscous; the state or condition of being thick and sticky.

In engineering, the viscosity of lubricants is crucial for ensuring efficient machinery operation.

In physics, viscosity is a property that quantifies the internal friction in a fluid.

The viscosity of the oil affects how it circulates in the engine under different temperatures.

A physical property that describes resistance to shear or tensile flow.

The shear viscosity of the material was tested to ensure it met the required specifications.

From Latin 'viscositas' meaning 'sticky'.

high viscosity

A fluid that flows slowly due to its thickness.

low viscosity

A fluid that flows easily and quickly.

viscosity index

A measure of how much a fluid's viscosity changes with temperature.

fluid

A substance that can flow and take the shape of its container.

shear

The application of force that causes one layer of a material to slide over another.

Gooeyness

That syrup has a lot of gooeyness, really high viscosity.

Stickiness factor

Watch out for the stickiness factor in that paint; its viscosity is off the charts!