Science
What is Viscosity?
Viscosity is a measure of how much a fluid resists flowing — basically, how 'thick' it is. Honey has high viscosity and pours slowly; water has low viscosity and flows easily. It depends on the fluid and changes with temperature.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains viscosity.
Key things to understand
- 1It measures a fluid's resistance to flowing.
- 2High viscosity = thick and slow (honey); low = thin and fast (water).
- 3It comes from internal friction between fluid layers.
- 4Heating usually lowers a liquid's viscosity.
Frequently asked questions
- What is viscosity?
- A measure of how much a fluid resists flowing — how thick or thin it is.
- Why is honey more viscous than water?
- Its molecules cling together more strongly, creating more internal friction and slower flow.
- Does temperature affect viscosity?
- Yes — heating usually makes liquids less viscous (thinner) and flow more easily.