Learn the Science Behind Oobleck Slime
Have you ever tried making oobleck slime before? Do you know what it is? Well, Oobleck is a non-newtonian fluid and people have been going crazy about it. All you have to do is mix cornstarch and water and you will have a component that acts like a solid as well as a liquid. Now you must be wondering how that is possible.
Oobleck Slime
Well, we are going to provide you with the details right here. Not just that but we will also tell you the process by which you can make oobleck at home. It just takes two ingredients and you are all set. The recipe is simple and you can do it with the kids to make it even more fun and interesting. So, read on ahead to know more about Oobleck liquid.
Learn How To Make Slime With Cornstarch
Oobleck is one of the most interesting components that you will ever see for sure. This is one of those things that can act like a solid as well as a liquid. If you are wondering how that can be done, you need to know about non-Newtonian things in the first place. Oobleck is non-Newtonian which means it doesn’t really act the way it looks. Oobleck is basically a mixture of corn flour and water. These are the ingredients that you are most likely to find in the kitchen cupboard and hence it is pretty easy to make. You can also turn things a bit more and make them interesting by adding some colour to the mixture in the first place.
When we are talking about the oobleck recipe, it is pretty simple for sure and a perfect activity for the kids to try out. There are no harmful chemicals or materials involved in the oobleck experiment and so your kids are going to have a lot of fun with this. But before that, let us first talk about what oobleck is in the first place.
So, What Exactly is Oobleck?
Oobleck is something that cannot be classified as a liquid or a solid. It is a non-Newtonian fluid. At times, you will see that the oobleck is like a solid and at other times, it is a liquid. However, the fluid doesn’t retain the properties for a very long time so it is difficult to demonstrate the actual shape and matter of oobleck. If you want to make oobleck at home, it will be a great science experiment for sure.
You can start by making some oobleck and transferring it into a container. You will see that it looks like a liquid. Now take a spoon and apply some pressure to the oobleck very quickly. You will see that is now solid and the spoon is not immersed in the oobleck. This is due to the fact that the viscosity of the oobleck is increased to the presence of certain particles there.
You will notice that the oobleck is hard when you hit it with a spoon. However, when you release the pressure and just try to dip the spoon into the oobleck very slowly, you will see that the spoon easily goes inside without any difficulty and the oobleck is really like a liquid at that time. When you are moving the spoon slowly, the particles get some time to move away, making way for the spoon.
Children will get to learn how oobleck is able to change its form and matter with the change in pressure. So, how exactly does pressure tend to change oobleck into something else? Well, it is the same as how temperature has an effect on water. With the increase in temperature, ice turns to water and water turns to vapour. Just like that, with an increase in pressure, oobleck turns solid and when the pressure is released, it will behave like a liquid.
If you want to learn how to make oobleck at home, you will have to know the ingredients first. Then you need to learn the process. This is exactly what we are going to talk about. So keep on reading.
Oobleck Ingredients and Process: How to Make Oobleck?
Here are the only things that you are going to need in order to create the perfect oobleck slime at your home without any trouble.
2 cups of cornstarch or cornflour (you need to make sure that you are using the white cornflour in order to have the desired effect)
1 cup of water
Food colouring (optional)
Here are the Steps That You Need to Follow in Order to Make Oobleck at Home:
Take 2 cups of cornstarch and then mix it up with 1 cup of water in a mixing bowl. You need to keep mixing until you see the consistency that you want.
Add some colour to the mixture if you want to make it look colourful and attractive.
In case the mixture is too watery and not the right consistency, you will have to add more cornstarch. If the mixture gets too watery, it will not form a solid when you pull the oobleck out.
Also, you will have to make sure that the oobleck is dripping like some liquid. If not, then you will have to add more water. Keep on doing that until you reach the right level.
How Long Can the Oobleck Last?
Now that you have learned how to make the oobleck, we are pretty sure that you would want to try some new experiments with it. For that, you will have to know how long the oobleck slime actually lasts in the first place. Well, the oobleck actually lasts for an entire day. If you keep the oobleck for more than a day, it will start to go bad and will not be able to retain the properties that it has. In order to dispose of the oobleck, all you have to do is let it dry properly by keeping it aside overnight. Then you can smash the oobleck with a spoon and throw it away easily. In case you want to wash the oobleck off, you can use some water to do that.
Conclusion: Is The Oobleck Experiment Fun?
This is a very fun activity for kids and they can also learn a lot about the oobleck fluid. Do you want to know how to make oobleck without cornstarch? Well, you can use potato starch in the place of cornstarch and you are all set.
