What information does an oil viscosity table show?

An oil viscosity table displays the kinematic viscosity of an oil or set of oils across a range of temperatures. It may also display the density and dynamic viscosity of the oil.

Viscosity is a physical property of liquids that equates to its thickness or resistance to mechanical deformation. The dynamic viscosity measures how much force is needed to deform a layer of the fluid, while kinematic viscosity also accounts for how dense the fluid is. Since molecules spread out and move more quickly at higher temperatures, the more an oil is heated, the lower the viscosity becomes. Since oil viscosity is important to engine function, viscosity tables provide this information.