Hooked on Science: Oobleck both solid and liquid

Does a liquid that exhibits properties of both a solid and a liquid exist on Earth? It does, and all you need are a few materials from around the house to create your own batch.

Materials

* 1 1/4 cups of cornstarch

* 3/4 cup of water

* Sturdy stirring spoon

* Green food coloring

* Mixing bowl

Instructions

STEP 1: Add green food coloring to the water.

STEP 2: Slowly add the cornstarch to the water.

STEP 3: Adjust the amount of cornstarch to reach the desired consistency. Add more cornstarch to achieve a thicker mixture.

Explanation

Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid, which means it can exhibit properties of both a solid and a liquid. This is due to the nature of cornstarch, which is a natural polymer.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindseyhookedonscience.com.