dickflüssigen

Dickflüssigen is the inflected form of the German adjective dickflüssig, meaning viscous or thick. It describes liquids that flow slowly because they exert a relatively high internal resistance to deformation. The term is used in everyday language as well as in scientific and technical contexts to characterize fluids whose viscosity is noticeably higher than that of water or other low-viscosity liquids.

Viscosity, the property behind the descriptor dickflüssig, is measured in units such as pascal-seconds (Pa·s) or millipascal-seconds (mPa·s). Typical examples range from very low-viscosity liquids (water, light oils) to highly viscous substances (honey, syrups, gels). Some thick liquids are Newtonian, with a constant viscosity regardless of shear rate, while others are non-Newtonian, showing viscosity that depends on how hard or fast they are stirred or pumped.

Temperature and composition strongly influence viscosity. Increasing temperature generally lowers viscosity, making a thick liquid flow more easily, whereas higher concentrations of solutes or polymers increase it. Pressure can also affect viscosity in certain substances.

Common usage areas include food science (syrups, sauces), cosmetics and personal care (creams, gels), medicine (viscous mucus or medicinal gels), and industrial chemistry (lubricants, polymer solutions). While dickflüssig describes a qualitative property, precise work often relies on quantitative viscosity measurements or specific classifications (for example, semi-solid, gel-like, or highly viscous fluids) to ensure clarity in analysis and application. See also viscosity, viscous, zähflüssig, and non-Newtonian fluids.