Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Viscosity of Fluid

Viscosity of Fluid

Viscosity measures the resistance a fluid offers to flow and deformation. It results from internal friction between layers of fluid moving relative to one another. Dynamic viscosity, denoted by the Greek letter mu (μ), quantifies the force needed to move one fluid layer over another. For Newtonian fluids like water and air, the relationship between the shearing stress and the rate of shearing strain is linear, meaning their viscosity remains constant regardless of the applied stress.

Viscosity

Viscosity

When water is poured into a glass, it falls freely and quickly, whereas if honey or maple syrup is poured over a pancake, it flows slowly and sticks to the surface of the container. This difference in the flow of different kinds of liquids arises due to the fluid friction between the liquid layers and the liquid and the surrounding material. This property of fluids is called fluid viscosity. In this example, water has a lower viscosity than honey and maple syrup.
The SI unit of viscosity is...

Properties of Enantiomers and Optical Activity

Properties of Enantiomers and Optical Activity

It is essential to understand the difference between chiral and achiral interactions and the implications thereof in optical activity and their applications. Just as our feet, which are chiral, interact uniquely with chiral objects, such as a pair of shoes, but identically with achiral socks, enantiomers of a molecule exhibit different properties only when they interact with other chiral media. An example of a significant implication from this facet is the phenomenon known as optical activity,...

Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity

Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity

Surface Tension
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...

Newtonian Fluid: Problem Solving

Newtonian Fluid: Problem Solving

Newtonian fluids exhibit a constant viscosity, meaning their shear stress and shear strain rate are directly proportional. This property ensures a predictable and stable response to applied forces, maintaining a linear relationship between force and flow. Examples include water, air, and light oils, consistently demonstrating this proportional behavior regardless of external conditions.
A velocity gradient forms within the fluid when a Newtonian fluid is placed between two parallel plates, with...

Dimensionless Groups in Fluid Mechanics

Dimensionless Groups in Fluid Mechanics

Dimensionless groups in fluid mechanics provide simplified ratios that help analyze fluid behavior without relying on specific units. The Reynolds number (Re), which represents the ratio of inertial to viscous forces, distinguishes between laminar and turbulent flows, making it essential in the design of pipelines and aerodynamic surfaces. The Froude number (Fr), the ratio of inertial to gravitational forces, is particularly useful in predicting wave formation and hydraulic jumps in...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Measurement-induced phase transitions in informational active matter.

PNAS nexus·2026

Same author

The fourfold way to rupture in active solids.

Nature materials·2026

Same author

Learning functional groups in complex microbiomes.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Nonreciprocal buckling makes active filaments polyfunctional.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Twisted optical fibres as photonic topological insulators.

Nature photonics·2026

Same author

Bouncing microdroplets on hydrophobic surfaces.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Experimental Measurement of Settling Velocity of Spherical Particles in Unconfined and Confined Surfactant-based Shear Thinning Viscoelastic Fluids

Experimental Measurement of Settling Velocity of Spherical Particles in Unconfined and Confined Surfactant-based Shear Thinning Viscoelastic Fluids

Published on: January 3, 2014

Odd viscosity in chiral active fluids.

Debarghya Banerjee¹, Anton Souslov^1,2, Alexander G Abanov³

¹Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, Niels Bohrweg 2, Leiden, 2333 CA, The Netherlands.

Nature Communications

|November 18, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Chiral active fluids exhibit unique "odd viscosity," a property that generates flow perpendicular to pressure without energy loss. This phenomenon arises from self-spinning particles and has implications for fluid dynamics and shock waves.

More Related Videos

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal

Published on: October 31, 2019

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Experimental Measurement of Settling Velocity of Spherical Particles in Unconfined and Confined Surfactant-based Shear Thinning Viscoelastic Fluids

Experimental Measurement of Settling Velocity of Spherical Particles in Unconfined and Confined Surfactant-based Shear Thinning Viscoelastic Fluids

Published on: January 3, 2014

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal

Published on: October 31, 2019

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

Area of Science:

Soft Matter Physics
Fluid Dynamics
Non-equilibrium Statistical Mechanics

Background:

Chiral active fluids, composed of self-spinning objects, break fundamental symmetries (parity and time-reversal).
These fluids exist in non-equilibrium steady states, leading to unique hydrodynamic behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the emergence and implications of odd viscosity in chiral active fluids.
To explore the behavior of odd viscosity in both compressible and weakly compressible fluids.

Main Methods:

Linearization of non-linear hydrodynamic equations around a non-equilibrium steady state with high spinning speeds.
Analysis of constitutive relations for chiral active media.

Main Results:

Identified odd viscosity as a dissipationless linear-response coefficient in chiral active fluids.
Demonstrated that odd viscosity drives flow perpendicular to applied pressure.
Showcased potential applications in shock propagation experiments.

Conclusions:

Odd viscosity is a key characteristic of chiral active fluids, arising from rotational degrees of freedom.
Odd viscosity can lead to density and pressure anomalies within vortex cores in weakly compressible fluids.