Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Dynamic viscosity
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Viscosity quantifies a fluid’s resistance to deformation. Two related but distinct properties appear in problems: dynamic viscosity (mu) and kinematic viscosity (nu). Distinguishing their units avoids errors in Reynolds number, head-loss predictions, and pump sizing calculations.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
From tau = mu * (du/dy), shear stress tau has units N/m^2 and du/dy has units 1/s. Therefore mu must have units (N/m^2) / (1/s) = N·s/m^2. The same unit is called pascal-second (Pa·s). Kinematic viscosity is a ratio of mu to rho and carries m^2/s, not N·s/m^2.
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