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Liquid Viscosity Lookup

Find viscosity values for pump selection and fluid handling. Values in mPa·s (= cP).

Viscosity Scale — What Does It Feel Like?

1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000+
mPa·s (= cP)
💧
Water
~1 mPa·s
Flows instantly
🥛
Milk
~3 mPa·s
Pours easily
🫒
Olive Oil
~80 mPa·s
Slow pour
🍯
Honey
~2,000 mPa·s
Thick, sticky
🧴
Toothpaste
~100,000 mPa·s
Won't flow alone

Viscosity Unit Converter

1 Pa·s = 1000 mPa·s = 10 Poise = 1000 cP

Viscosity of common liquids at 20 °C

Viscosity of common liquids at 20 °CMilk 2, Transformer Oil 30, Glycol 40, Sodium hydroxide 50 % 45, Soybean Oil 60, Dipropylene Glycol 107, Hydraulic Oil HLP 46 120, Rapeseed Oil 160, Latex Emulsion 200, Hydraulic Oil HLP 100 300, Motor Oil SAE 15W40 390, Machine Oil, Heavy 600, Gear Oil SAE 90 700, Glycerin 100 % 1,490, Mayonnaise 2,000, Gear Oil SAE 140 2,700, Shampoo 3,000, Cocoa Mass 4,000, Hand Cream 8,000, Molasses 80 °Bx 10,000, Polymer Solution 20,000, Molasses 85 °Bx 100,000 mPa·s.1101001,00010k100kMilk: 2 mPa·sMilk2Transformer Oil: 30 mPa·sTransformer Oil30Glycol: 40 mPa·sGlycol40Sodium hydroxide 50 %: 45 mPa·sSodium hydroxide 50 %45Soybean Oil: 60 mPa·sSoybean Oil60Dipropylene Glycol: 107 mPa·sDipropylene Glycol107Hydraulic Oil HLP 46: 120 mPa·sHydraulic Oil HLP 46120Rapeseed Oil: 160 mPa·sRapeseed Oil160Latex Emulsion: 200 mPa·sLatex Emulsion200Hydraulic Oil HLP 100: 300 mPa·sHydraulic Oil HLP 100300Motor Oil SAE 15W40: 390 mPa·sMotor Oil SAE 15W40390Machine Oil, Heavy: 600 mPa·sMachine Oil, Heavy600Gear Oil SAE 90: 700 mPa·sGear Oil SAE 90700Glycerin 100 %: 1,490 mPa·sGlycerin 100 %1,490Mayonnaise: 2,000 mPa·sMayonnaise2,000Gear Oil SAE 140: 2,700 mPa·sGear Oil SAE 1402,700Shampoo: 3,000 mPa·sShampoo3,000Cocoa Mass: 4,000 mPa·sCocoa Mass4,000Hand Cream: 8,000 mPa·sHand Cream8,000Molasses 80 °Bx: 10,000 mPa·sMolasses 80 °Bx10,000Polymer Solution: 20,000 mPa·sPolymer Solution20,000Molasses 85 °Bx: 100,000 mPa·sMolasses 85 °Bx100,000
Dynamic viscosity in mPa·s on a logarithmic scale: each gridline is ten times the one before it. Values from the viscosity list of Bürkle GmbH; the full list is in the table below.
Substance Temp Viscosity
Alkyd Resins
Alkydharze
20°C500-3.000 mPas
Applesauce
Apfelmus
20°C1500
Baby Food
Babynahrung
40°C1400
Cottonseed Oil
Baumwollöl
20°C60
Bee Honey
Bienenhonig
40°C2000
Brewer's Yeast
Bierhefe
20°C370
Gravy
Bratensauce
80°C110
Butter
40°C30000
Butterfat
Butterfett
40°C45
Sour Cream
Butterrahm, sauer
20°C550
Dipropylene Glycol
Dipropylenglycol
20°C107
Printing Inks
Druckfarben
40°C550-2.200 mPas
Peanut Oil
Erdnussöl
40°C40
Liquid Egg
Flüssigei
45°C150
Liquid Soap
Flüssigseife
60°C85
Liquid Wax
Flüssigwachs
90°C500
Fruit Mash
Fruchtmaische
20°C600
Fruit Juice
Fruchtsaft
20°C50
Fruit Juice Concentrate
Fruchtsaftkonzentrat
20°C2500
Gelatin
Gelatine
45°C1200
Vegetable Soup
Gemüsesuppe
20°C430
Gear Oil SAE 140
Getriebeöl SAE 140
20°C2700
Gear Oil SAE 90
Getriebeöl SAE 90
20°C700
Glucose
Glukose
25-30°C4.300-6.800 mPas
Glycol
Glykol
20°C40
Glycerin 100%
Glyzerin 100%
20°C1490
Glycerin 100%
Glyzerin 100%
10°C4500
Glycerin 100%
Glyzerin 100%
0°C12100
Hand Cream
Handcreme
20°C8000
Resin Solution
Harzlösung
20°C7100
Hydraulic Oil HLP 100
Hydrauliköl HLP 100
20°C300
Hydraulic Oil HLP 46
Hydrauliköl HLP 46
20°C120
Hydraulic Oil HLP 68
Hydrauliköl HLP 68
20°C195
Yogurt
Joghurt
40°C150
Cocoa Butter
Kakaobutter
60°C50
Cocoa Mass
Kakaomasse
20°C4000
Potassium Hydroxide
Kaliumhydroxid
20°C67
Bone Oil
Knochenöl
20°C300
Coconut Oil
Kokosöl
20°C60
Condensed Milk
Kondensmilch
40°C80
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Kondensmilch, gezuckert
20°C6100
Jam/Preserve
Konfitüre
20°C8500
Lacquers (25% Pigments)
Lacke (25% Pigmente)
20°C3000
Latex Emulsion
Latexemulsion
20°C200
Cod Liver Oil
Lebertran
40°C35
Linseed Oil
Leinsamenöl
40°C30
Liqueurs
Liköre
20°C10-100 mPas
Corn Oil
Maisöl
60°C30
Malt Extract
Malzextrakt
20°C9500
Machine Oil, Light
Maschinenöl, leicht
20°C150
Machine Oil, Heavy
Maschinenöl, schwer
20°C600
Mayonnaise
20°C2000
Molasses 80°Bx
Melasse 80°Bx
20°C10000
Molasses 83°Bx
Melasse 83°Bx
20°C50000
Molasses 85°Bx
Melasse 85°Bx
20°C100000
Milk
Milch
20°C2
Whey
Molke
40°C800-1.500 mPas
Motor Oil SAE 10
Motoröl SAE 10
20°C50
Motor Oil SAE 15
Motoröl SAE 15
20°C130
Motor Oil SAE 15W40
Motoröl SAE 15W40
20°C390
Motor Oil SAE 15W40
Motoröl SAE 15W40
-15°C3000
Motor Oil SAE 5
Motoröl SAE 5
20°C30
Motor Oil SAE 50
Motoröl SAE 50
20°C750
Sodium Hydroxide 50%
Natronlauge 50%
20°C45
Olive Oil
Olivenöl
40°C40
Oleic Acid
Ölsäure
20°C40
Palm Oil
Palmöl
40°C45
Paraffin Emulsion
Paraffineemulsion
20°C3000
Pectin
40°C300
Polyester Resin
Polyesterharz
30°C3000
Polymer Solution
Polymerlösung
20°C20000
Polyol (A-Component)
Polyol (A-Komponente)
10°C85000
Polyol, Unpigmented
Polyol, unpigmentiert
20°C500-5.000 mPas
Pudding
40°C1000
Cream (30-50% Fat)
Rahm (30-50% Fettgehalt)
20°C15-115 mPas
Rapeseed Oil
Rapsöl
20°C160
Cleaning Emulsion
Reinigungsemulsion
70°C2420
Castor Oil
Risziunusöl
20°C1.000-1.500 mPas
Salad Dressing
Salatdressing
20°C1.300-2.600 mPas
Mousse
Schaumspeise
40°C1500
Processed Cheese
Schmelzkäse
60°C30000
Lubricating Oil
Schmieröl
20°C60-200 mPas
Chocolate Sauce
Schokoladensauce
50°C280
Pork Fat
Schweinefett
40°C65
Shampoo
20°C3000
Soybean Oil
Sojaöl
20°C60
Soybean Oil, Treated
Sojaöl, behandelt
20°C600-800 mPas
Starch Solution, 25°Bé
Stärkelösung, 25°Bé
20°C300
Tomato Ketchup
Tomatenketchup
30°C1000
Tomato Paste
Tomatenmark
20°C195
Transformer Oil
Transformatorenöl
20°C30
Transformer Oil
Transformatorenöl
10°C75
Turbine Oil
Turbinenöl
20°C200-1.100 mPas
Vitamin Oil
Vitaminöl
10°C4500
Whale Oil
Walöl
20°C100
Water-based Lacquer
Wasserlack
20°C900
Toothpaste
Zahnpasta
40°C70000
Sugar Solution 65°Bx
Zuckerlösung 65°Bx
20°C120
Sugar Solution 70°Bx
Zuckerlösung 70°Bx
20°C400

Note: 1 mPa·s = 1 cP (centipoise). Viscosity varies with temperature — higher temps = lower viscosity. Values are approximate and may vary based on grade and composition.

Why Viscosity Matters

Viscosity is critical for selecting the right pump type and sizing. High-viscosity liquids require positive displacement pumps (gear, lobe, progressive cavity), while low-viscosity liquids work well with centrifugal pumps.

Pump Selection Guidelines

  • < 100 mPa·s: Centrifugal pumps work well
  • 100-1000 mPa·s: Consider gear or lobe pumps
  • > 1000 mPa·s: Progressive cavity or peristaltic pumps recommended
  • > 10000 mPa·s: Heated lines and specialized pumps needed