Precise measurement of liquid viscosity and surface tension with an improved oscillating drop method

An improved oscillating drop method was developed to measure the surface tension and viscosity of a liquid without any external forces under microgravity conditions. The combination of a drop levitation system, a laser backlight system, and a line sensor enables the properties to be measured precisely. The surface tension value from 68.9+/-4.3 mN/m to 71.8+/-4.5 mN/m and the viscosity value of 0.92x10(-3) Pa s were obtained at 23.5 degreesC for pure water. These values agreed quite well with the reported value.