Properties of Common Liquids
Density, viscosity, specific heat and thermal conductivity of ten common liquids at about 20 C.
Liquids differ far more than gases: glycerin is more than a thousand times as viscous as water, and mercury is thirteen times as dense. This table lists ten common liquids at about 20 C with the properties used for pump, pipe and heat transfer calculations, and the kinematic viscosity and specific gravity worked out from them.
The table
| Liquid | Density (kg/m3) | Dynamic viscosity (mPa s) | Kinematic viscosity (mm2/s) | Specific heat (J/kg K) | Thermal conductivity (W/m K) | Specific gravity (water = 1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 998.2 | 1.002 | 1.004 | 4182 | 0.598 | 1 |
| Seawater (3.5 percent salt) | 1025 | 1.08 | 1.054 | 3990 | 0.596 | 1.027 |
| Ethanol | 789 | 1.2 | 1.521 | 2440 | 0.17 | 0.79 |
| Methanol | 791 | 0.59 | 0.746 | 2530 | 0.2 | 0.792 |
| Acetone | 791 | 0.32 | 0.405 | 2150 | 0.16 | 0.792 |
| Ethylene glycol | 1113 | 21 | 18.868 | 2380 | 0.25 | 1.115 |
| Glycerin | 1261 | 1412 | 1119.75 | 2430 | 0.29 | 1.263 |
| Mercury | 13546 | 1.55 | 0.114 | 139.5 | 8.3 | 13.57 |
| Gasoline | 740 | 0.55 | 0.743 | 2200 | 0.15 | 0.741 |
| Diesel fuel | 830 | 3 | 3.614 | 2050 | 0.14 | 0.831 |
Source and notes: Typical values at about 20 C (CRC Handbook, Cengel and Ghajar Appendix, supplier data sheets). Fuels and mixtures vary with grade and composition (gasoline, diesel); viscosity changes strongly with temperature. Calculated: kinematic viscosity = dynamic viscosity / density; specific gravity = density / 998.2.
How to use this table
- Find the liquid.
- Use density for pressure (ρ g h) and mass flow, viscosity for the Reynolds number and pump derating, and specific heat and conductivity for heat transfer.
- Remember that viscosity falls steeply as a liquid warms: check the value at your operating temperature.
Worked example: Reynolds number in a 25 mm pipe at 1 m/s
- Water: Re = V D ÷ ν = 1 × 0.025 ÷ 1.004E-6 = 24 900 (turbulent).
- Ethylene glycol: ν = 18.9 mm²/s, so Re = 1 320 (laminar).
- The same pipe and speed give turbulent flow for water and laminar flow for glycol, which changes the pressure drop completely.
Notes and cautions
- Gasoline and diesel are blends: density and viscosity vary with grade and season.
- The properties of mixtures (glycol and water, brines) depend on the concentration; the supplier’s tables are better.
- Seawater values are for 3.5 percent salinity at 20 C.
Related tools and guides
- Water Properties vs Temperature
- Pipe Flow and Pressure Drop Calculator
- Pump Power and Sizing Calculator
- Fluid Properties and Fluid Statics (guide)
- All reference tables
FAQ
What is the density of water?
About 998 kg/m³ (62.3 lb/ft³) at 20 C; the water properties table gives it from 0 to 100 C.
What is the viscosity of water?
About 1.0 mPa·s (1 centipoise) at 20 C.
How does temperature change viscosity?
Liquid viscosity falls as the temperature rises: water at 80 C is only a third as viscous as at 20 C, and oils change much more.
Sources
- CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics; Cengel and Ghajar, Heat and Mass Transfer, Appendix; supplier safety data sheets for fuels and glycol.
- Typical values at about 20 C (CRC Handbook, Cengel and Ghajar Appendix, supplier data sheets). Fuels and mixtures vary with grade and composition (gasoline, diesel); viscosity changes strongly with temperature. Calculated: kinematic viscosity = dynamic viscosity / density; specific gravity = density / 998.2.