Calculating viscosity of a liquid with a falling object

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SUMMARY

The viscosity of castor oil can be calculated using the falling object method, where a steel-bearing falls through both glycerol and castor oil. The known viscosity of glycerol is 1.490 Pa·s, and the densities are 1260 kg/m³ for glycerol and 961 kg/m³ for castor oil. The equation derived for calculating the viscosity of castor oil incorporates the time taken for the steel-bearing to fall through both liquids and the density of the liquids. The correct viscosity for castor oil is determined to be approximately 0.988 Pa·s.

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Beyar
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Homework Statement


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A small steel-bearing falls 25.0 cm in glycerol in 23.8 s and the same distance in castor oil in 15.1 s. The densities are for glycerol 1260 kg m−3 , for castor oil 961 kg m−3 , and for steel 7830 kg m−3 . The viscosity for glycerol is 1.490 Pa s. Calculate the viscosity for castor oil. All values are valid for 20 ◦C.

Homework Equations


I guess Viscosity=Density*Velocity where the velocity is equal to Distance/time.

The Attempt at a Solution


Thought I'd put the equation for the distance equal to each other and then rewrite it to get the viscosity of the castor oil, but I get the wrong value. It should be 0,988 Pas. I get the final equation to:
Viscosity of Glycerol= (Density of Castor Oil*Viscosity of Castor*Time the steel bearing fell in the Glycerol)/(Density of Glycerol * time steel bearing fell in Castor oil)

The equation has not regarded the denisty of the steel-bearing though, so that might be the problem but I don't see how I would get around to fit it in.
It is very frustrating.
 
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Beyar said:
The equation has not regarded the denisty of the steel-bearing though
Well then, could it be that the net driving force for falling is a density difference ?
 
Beyar said:
But stokes relation has accounted the radius of the spherical particle, I don't have a radius to utilize.
Call it ##R##, cross your fingers and hope it divides out in the answer :smile:
 

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