Oobleck

A liquid that exhibits properties of both a solid and a liquid; does it exist on Earth? “Science Guy” Jason Lindsey with Hooked on Science says it does, and all you need are a few supplies from around the house to create your own batch. Make sure an adult supervises with this, and all experiments.

Supplies

11⁄4 cup of corn starch

3⁄4 cups of water

1 sturdy stirring spoon

Green food coloring

1 mixing bowl

  Instructions

STEP 1: Add green food coloring to the water.

STEP 2: Slowly add the corn starch to the water.

STEP 3: Adjust the amount of cornstarch to reach the desired consistency. Add more corn starch to achieve a thicker mixture. Use your hands to feel the substance.

Explanation

Oobleck is considered a non-Newtonian fluid, which means it can exhibit properties of both a solid and a liquid. This is due to the nature of corn starch, which is a natural polymer — a chemical compound made by linking smaller molecules in a long, repeating chain. Go to hookedonscience.org for more experiments that might get you “Hooked on Science.”