What is Oobleck?
All items can be classified as solid, liquid or gaseous. Water, milk, oil are liquid. Stone, wood, plastic are solid. Air what we breath are gaseous state. But this oobleck is different. It can be solid or liquid depending on what you do with it.
It’s a substance made from a mix of cornstarch and water. It can feel like a solid when you hold it in a ball, but it becomes liquid when you let your hand go loose. You can slowly dip your hand into it like a liquid, but if you squeeze the oobleck or punch it, it will feel solid. It takes the shape of whatever is holding it.
Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid. Oobleck got its name from a book by Dr. Seuss, called Bartholomew and the Oobleck. In it, the oobleck is a mystery substance that falls from the sky.
Items required:
- Two cups of cornstarch
- One cup of water
- Food colouring (optional)
- A blow to mix.
- A big tray to reduce the mess.
Steps to make oobleck:
- Add 2 cups of cornstrach.
2. Now add one cup of water to it.
3. Mix it. Our oobleck it ready. At this stage if you wish can add some food coloring. (I didn’t add any).
4. Now press lightly, with out pressure and later with some pressure. Look whats happening? can you feel it. With less pressure it act as solid, but on the other hand if you give more pressure your finger sinks, it behaves like liquid. That is the reason we call Oobleck as a non-Newtonian fluid.
5. Try to grab hand full from the blow and squeeze it . Let it ooze through your fingers.
6. Roll some oobleck into ball, it become solid, when you stop moving it, it will melt back and become liquid in your hand.
7. Fun time. Put some marbles or some small toys. You can also make your toy animals to walk on that, and see what is happening. If you are mixing in a big tray, even you too can walk on it.
Important notes:
- Adding food colour is purely optional. Add it at correct stage, so that mix it properly.
- Its 2 portions of corn starch to one portion of water. Can also be adjusted accordingly.
- Oobleck will create lots of mess, so be prepares for cleaning. Better to do in outdoor or near the sink.
- All the toys which your kids are use in oobleck can be easy washed by soaking it in the water some sometimes.
Happylearning 🙂