International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Chemistry Practice Exam

What does the term viscosity describe?

1. How easily a fluid flows

2. The boiling point of a fluid

3. The temperature at which a fluid ignites

4. The density of a fluid

The correct answer is: How easily a fluid flows

Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. It describes how easily a fluid can move and how thick or thin it is. A fluid with high viscosity, such as honey, flows slowly, while a fluid with low viscosity, like water, flows more freely. This characteristic is important in various fields, including chemistry and engineering, as it affects how fluids behave in different situations, such as in pipelines or when mixing substances. Understanding viscosity helps in applications such as predicting how substances will mix, how they will behave under different temperature conditions, and understanding properties of fluids in natural and industrial processes.