Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/iii/paper-352/2/d/solution

At order , the preceding equations give
At order , the quadratic term is evaluated on . Solving first the equation, then , then , gives
Thus the apparent shear viscosity is
so positive produces shear thinning. The expansion requires and ; it cannot describe arbitrarily high shear rates even when is numerically small.
Using the normal-stress difference definitions
we find
In the low-rate limit, . A cone-and-plate or parallel-plate rheometer can measure shear stress and normal thrust over a low-rate range; combining and then estimates independently of the viscosity scale.

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