Dynamic viscosity is also termed "absolute viscosity" and is the tangential force per unit

area required to move one horizontal plane with respect to the other at unit velocity when
maintained a unit distance apart by the fluid.

 Dynamic, Absolute and Kinematic Viscosity

Note that the conversion from Absolute (Dynamic) Viscosity to Kinematic Viskosity depends
on fluid density. The conversions below are for fluid with density like water - or specific
gravity like one.

Absolute Viscosity Kinematic Viscosity

Saybolt Seconds Universal

(SSU)1)
centiStokes
centiPoise poise stokes
(10-6 m2/s,
(10-3 N s/m2, cP) (10-1 N s/m2, P) (10-4 m2/s , S)
mm2/s, cSt)
at 100 oF at 210oF
(37.8 oC) (98.9 oC)

12) 0.01 1 0.01

2 0.02 2 0.02 32.6 32.8

4 0.04 4 0.04 39.2 39.5

7 0.07 7 0.07 48.8 49.1

10 0.1 10 0.1 58.8 59.2

15 0.15 15 0.15 77.4 77.9

20 0.2 20 0.2 97.8 98.5

25 0.24 25 0.24 119.4 120.2

30 0.3 30 0.3 141.5 142.5

40 0.4 40 0.4 186.8 188.0

50 0.5 50 0.5 233 234

60 0.6 60 0.6 279 280

70 0.7 70 0.7 325 327

 Absolute Viscosity Kinematic Viscosity

Saybolt Seconds Universal

(SSU)1)
centiStokes
centiPoise poise stokes
(10-6 m2/s,
(10-3 N s/m2, cP) (10 N s/m2, P)
-1
(10-4 m2/s , S)
mm2/s, cSt)
at 100 oF at 210oF
(37.8 oC) (98.9 oC)

80 0.8 80 0.8 371 373

90 0.9 90 0.9 417 420

100 1 100 1 463 467

120 1.2 120 1.2 556 560

140 1.4 140 1.4 649

160 1.6 160 1.6 741

180 1.8 180 1.8 834

200 2 200 2 927

220 2.2 220 2.2 1019

240 2.4 240 2.4 1112

260 2.6 260 2.6 1204

280 2.8 280 2.8 1297

300 3 300 3 1390

320 3.2 320 3.2 1482

340 3.4 340 3.4 1575

360 3.6 360 3.6 1668

380 3.8 380 3.8 1760

 Absolute Viscosity Kinematic Viscosity

Saybolt Seconds Universal

(SSU)1)
centiStokes
centiPoise poise stokes
(10-6 m2/s,
(10-3 N s/m2, cP) (10 N s/m2, P)
-1
(10-4 m2/s , S)
mm2/s, cSt)
at 100 oF at 210oF
(37.8 oC) (98.9 oC)

400 4 400 4 1853

420 4.2 420 4.2 1946

440 4.4 440 4.4 2038

460 4.6 460 4.6 2131

480 4.8 480 4.8 2224

500 5 500 5 2316

550 5.5 550 5.5

600 6 600 6

700 7 700 7

800 8 800 8

900 9 900 9

1000 10 1000 10

1100 11 1100 11

1200 12 1200 12

1300 13 1300 13

1400 14 1400 14

1500 15 1500 15
 Absolute Viscosity Kinematic Viscosity

Saybolt Seconds Universal

(SSU)1)
centiStokes
centiPoise poise stokes
(10-6 m2/s,
(10-3 N s/m2, cP) (10 N s/m2, P)
-1
(10-4 m2/s , S)
mm2/s, cSt)
at 100 oF at 210oF
(37.8 oC) (98.9 oC)

1600 16 1600 16

1700 17 1700 17

1800 18 1800 18

1900 19 1900 19

2000 20 2000 20

2100 21 2100 21

2200 22 2200 22

2300 23 2300 23

2400 24 2400 24

2500 25 2500 25

3000 30 3000 30

3500 35 3500 35

4000 40 4000 40

4500 45 4500 45

5000 50 5000 50

5500 55 5500 55
 Absolute Viscosity Kinematic Viscosity

Saybolt Seconds Universal

(SSU)1)
centiStokes
centiPoise poise stokes
(10-6 m2/s,
(10-3 N s/m2, cP) (10 N s/m2, P)
-1
(10-4 m2/s , S)
mm2/s, cSt)
at 100 oF at 210oF
(37.8 oC) (98.9 oC)

6000 60 6000 60

6500 65 6500 65

7000 70 7000 70

7500 75 7500 75

8000 80 8000 80

8500 85 8500 85

9000 90 9000 90

9500 95 9500 95

15000 150 15000 150

20000 200 20000 200

30000 300 30000 300

40000 400 40000 400

50000 500 50000 500

60000 600 60000 600

70000 700 70000 700

80000 800 80000 800

 Absolute Viscosity Kinematic Viscosity

Saybolt Seconds Universal

(SSU)1)
centiStokes
centiPoise poise stokes
(10-6 m2/s,
(10-3 N s/m2, cP) (10 N s/m2, P)
-1
(10-4 m2/s , S)
mm2/s, cSt)
at 100 oF at 210oF
(37.8 oC) (98.9 oC)

90000 900 90000 900

100000 1000 100000 1000

125000 1250 125000 1250

150000 1500 150000 1500

175000 1750 175000 1750

200000 2000 200000 2000

1)
The Saybolt Universal SUS viscosity equivalent (SSU or SUS) to a given kinematic
viscosity varies with the temperature at which the determination is made. Check ASTM D
2161 "Standard Practice for Conversion of Kinematic Viscosity to Saybolt Universal Viscosity
or to Saybolt Furol Viscosity"

2)
Water at 68.4oF (20.2oC) has an absolute viscosity of one - 1 - centiPoise.

Note! Viscosity conversions are based on fluids with specific gravity of one.

Saybolt Universal Viscosity at temperatures other than 100 or 210oF

At temperatures other than 100 or 210°F, convert kinematic viscosity to Saybolt Universal
viscosity with

Ut = U100°F (1 + 0.000061 (t - 100)) (1)

where

Ut = Saybolt Universal viscosity at temperature t (°F)

U100°F = Saybolt Universal viscosity at 100°F in Saybolt Universal seconds equivalent to

kinematic viscosity in centiStokes at temperature t (°F)