Some liquids like water have a low viscosity where other liquids like honey have a high viscosity. Viscosity will be affected by the temperature. At higher temperatures the viscosity decreases as the molecules take on more kinetic energy allowing them to move past each other faster. Surface Tension of Liquids Surface tension is the force at the surface of a liquid due to adhesive forces of the liquid molecules for the walls of the container and the attractive forces of the molecules of liquid for each other. When the adhesive forces of the molecules for the walls of the container are greater than the attractive forces between the liquid molecules, then the surface of a liquid confined to a narrow diameter container will curve downward forming a concave surface called a meniscus.
Most important examples are water solutions.
The water adheres to the surface of the container greater than the water molecules are attracted to each other. We do not see this downward curvature when the surface area is great, but if the liquid is confined to a small diameter tube such as a graduated cylinder, pipette, burette, or volumetric flask then the surface tension is great enough to noticeably distort the surface. In such cases when we are trying to read the liquid surface level such as measuring a liquid in a graduated cylinder, then one should make the reading at eye level and the lowest curvature of the meniscus should be read. When the adhesive forces against the walls of the container are less than the intermolecular forces, then the surface of a confined liquid will bulge upward slightly forming a convexed surface. Again, such a surface should be read at eye level and the topmost part of the surface should be read.