Consider two jars, one containing water and the other some honey. If they fall, water spills faster, whereas honey flows slowly and sticks to the surface. The observed difference is due to fluid friction between the liquid layers or between the liquid and the surrounding material. This property is called fluid viscosity. The viscosity of the fluid influences whether a flow is laminar or turbulent. The higher the viscosity, the more likely the fluid will flow in sheets, and the flow will be laminar. Consider a fluid, whose viscosity is to be measured, placed between two parallel plates. The bottom plate is stationary, while the top plate moves with a constant velocity and drags a layer of fluid beneath it. This dragging force magnitude is directly proportional to the laminar flow velocity, plate area, and the coefficient of viscosity, while inversely proportional to the distance between the plates. Hence, the greater the viscosity, the greater is the force required to move the plate.