Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 12: Problem 27

What is viscosity? What is the relationship between the intermolecular forces that exist in a liquid and its viscosity?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow, effectively its internal friction. Intermolecular forces, the forces of attraction between molecules in a substance, directly influence viscosity. A liquid with stronger intermolecular forces has a higher viscosity because more energy is needed to overcome the attraction between the molecules and allow the liquid to flow. Conversely, weaker intermolecular forces result in a lower viscosity.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Viscosity

Viscosity is a property of fluids, which encompasses both gases and liquids. It describes the internal friction of a moving fluid, which effectively is a measure of its resistance to flow. A fluid with a high viscosity, for instance honey, flows less easily than a fluid with low viscosity, like water.
02

Understanding Intermolecular Forces

Intermolecular forces are the forces of attraction present among the molecules of a substance. These forces can influence various physical properties of substances including boiling point, melting point, and yes indeed, viscosity.
03

Relationship between Intermolecular Forces and Viscosity

The viscosity of the liquid is directly related to its intermolecular forces. A higher intermolecular force results in an increased viscosity as the liquid will resist flow due to the attraction between its molecules. This is because more energy is needed to overcome these stronger forces. Conversely, weaker intermolecular forces result in a lower viscosity, since less energy is required to make the substance flow.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Steam at \(100^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) causes more serious burns than water at \(100^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). Why?

A pressure cooker is a sealed container that allows steam to escape when it exceeds a predetermined pressure. How does this device reduce the time needed for cooking?

The binary hydrogen compounds of the Group \(4 \mathrm{~A}\) elements are \(\mathrm{CH}_{4}\left(-162^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\right), \mathrm{SiH}_{4}\left(-112^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\right), \mathrm{GeH}_{4}\) \(\left(-88^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\right),\) and \(\mathrm{SnH}_{4}\left(-52^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\right) .\) The temperatures in parentheses are the corresponding boiling points. Explain the increase in boiling points from \(\mathrm{CH}_{4}\) to \(\mathrm{SnH}_{4}\)

Barium metal crystallizes in a body-centered cubic lattice (the Ba atoms are at the lattice points only). The unit cell edge length is \(502 \mathrm{pm},\) and the density of \(\mathrm{Ba}\) is \(3.50 \mathrm{~g} / \mathrm{cm}^{3}\). Using this information, calculate Avogadro's number. (Hint: First calculate the volume occupied by 1 mole of \(\mathrm{Ba}\) atoms in the unit cells. Next calculate the volume occupied by one of the Ba atoms in the unit cell.)

A glass can be filled slightly above the rim with water. Explain why the water does not overflow.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

The Earths Atmosphere

Read Explanation

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation

Inorganic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemistry Branches

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free