Viscosity of Common Alkanes
Viscosity refers to a fluid's resistance to flow, and it is influenced by the molecular structure of the substances involved. The following table provides a curated list of dynamic viscosity values for different alkanes under 1 atmospheric (atm) pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
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| Temperature | State | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Methane (CH4) | 25 | Gas | 11.1 |
| Ethane (C2H6) | 25 | Gas | 9.4 |
| Propane (C3H8) | 25 | Gas | 8.2 |
| Butane (C4H10) | 25 | Gas | 7.5 |
| Pentane (C5H12) | 20 | Liquid | 224 |
| Hexane (C6H14) | 20 | Liquid | 306 |
| Heptane (C7H16) | 20 | Liquid | 409 |
| Octane (C8H18) | 20 | Liquid | 542 |
| Nonane (C9H20) | 25 | Liquid | 669 |
| Decane (C10H22) | 20 | Liquid | 930 |
| Undecane (C11H24) | 25 | Liquid | 1098 |
| Dodecane (C12H26) | 25 | Liquid | 1390 |
| Tridecane (C13H28) | 25 | Liquid | 1724 |
| Tetradecane (C14H30) | 25 | Liquid | 2130 |
| Pentadecane (C15H32) | 25 | Liquid | 2558 |
| Hexadecane (C16H34) | 20 | Liquid | 3474 |
| Heptadecane (C17H36) | 25 | Liquid | 3607 |
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 3) Yaws, Carl L. The Yaws Handbook of Physical Properties for Hydrocarbons and Chemicals. Netherlands: Elsevier Science, 2015. 4) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).