Summary
Uses oobleck — cornstarch and water — to introduce non-Newtonian fluids: materials that behave like liquids under some conditions and solids under others, defying simple state-of-matter classification.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
- What makes oobleck unusual compared to ordinary liquids?
- What is a non-Newtonian fluid? What property distinguishes it from Newtonian fluids?
- Why does oobleck feel solid when you hit it quickly but flow like a liquid when you touch it slowly?
- Where do non-Newtonian fluids show up in real engineering applications?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: non-Newtonian fluid, viscosity, pressure, state of matter, cornstarch, polymer.
Try it: Mix cornstarch and water (roughly 2:1 ratio) to make oobleck. Poke it fast — solid. Hold it gently — liquid. Roll it into a ball — then stop — liquid again. Record your observations and explain what you think is happening at the particle level.