Finding the Viscosity of Pitch

ColdChrist writes "The University of Queensland has a page about a 72-year-old experiment on the fluidity of pitch. There's a webcam where you can try to become the first person ever to see a drop of the pitch fall; eight drops have fallen since 1930 and the ninth is now forming. The experiment 'demonstrates the fluidity and high viscosity of pitch, a derivative of tar once used for waterproofing boats. At room temperature pitch feels solid - even brittle - and can easily be shattered with a blow from a hammer', but it does flow, as the pictures demonstrate." I know this is going to bring up glass comparisons, so we'll head those off: glass is not a fluid.

Comments

Fluidity of pitch

[SkulkCU]

but it does flow

Oh, so it's like glass then.

What?

Re:Glass DOES flow (Re:The Fluidity of Glass)

[anjrober]

did you read the god damn article? mod this person down...please....he can't even preview "(and we not when installed)."