An Improved Design for a Viscometer Apparatus

A new viscometer was created to provide a cost-effective way for students to accurately and to precisely determine the viscosity of different fluids. The challenge of designing a viscometer is providing enough distance between tube wall and for vertical tube length. This is because the influence of these two parameters have on the sphere as it falls through the fluid. The cylinder wall affects the fall velocity of the sphere while length is required to reach terminal velocity. Due to the significance of viscosity and helping students understand the governing principle, the design must be reliable, accurate, and assist in the understanding of viscosity. The design is compact enabling placement on a lab table. The built-in electronics and LCD screen output the time without the need for a computer or software application. Component and material selection insured the prototype provides accurate and precise results.