Oobleck is one of those things you just have to see (and touch) to understand. Sometimes it acts like a solid, sometimes it acts like a liquid. It all depends on how much pressure you put on it. This stuff is best experimented with outside (or at your neighbors house … ) because it can get really messy really fast.
What you need:
- Cornstarch
- Pitcher of water
- Aluminum pie pans
- Measuring cups
- Wooden spoon
- Newspaper for covering tables
What to do:
- Place 1.5cups of cornstarch in a pie pan.
- Add 1 cup of water and stir well.
- Add more water or cornstarch until you get a mixture which “tears” when you quickly scrape your finger through it and then “melts” back together again.
Squeeze it! … Smoosh it! … Scoop it! … Pinch it!
What’s the Science?
Oobleck is a material that is also known as a dilatant. A dilatant is a material that gets thicker with an increase of pressure. Oobleck is a liquid until pressure is applied to it and then it solidifies. It seems to defy Newton’s Third Law of Motion that states that every action will have an equal and opposite reaction. Here is a great way to test this … take two pie pans, fill one with water and one with oobleck, take both outside and slap them with an open hand. The water will splash while the oobleck stays put on the bottom of the pan. Water is a Newtonian fluid because it obeys Newton’s Laws of Motion. Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid because it defies Newton’s Third Law of Motion.
Storage and Safety Guidelines:
Store Oobleck in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about one week of use. When you are through with it, discard in a trash container. Do not wash down the drain because it will clog it for sure!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
hello
i <3 oobleck
soo….
hi
January 31st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
hey i did this in 1st grade, it was asweome!!!! i cont wait to do it again!!!!!
February 5th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
did this at school with other recipe. can’t wait to do it at home! YEEHAH!!!!!!
February 20th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
this stuff is awesome
February 20th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
this stuff is totally cool it is so exotic but fun at the same time!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 25th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Oobleck is an amazing creation that kids every love. I myself am 15 and still love to play with oobleck =P
March 5th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
can’t wait to make this stuff but i have to go to a b-ball game.
March 8th, 2009 at 10:27 am
hey i ♥ doing this its the best thing to do with kids i did this in kindergarden on dr. seuss day!!!!! :]]
March 8th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I guess Newton wasn’t that smart.
March 10th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
This stuff is great especially with my pre-kindergarteners. They just don’t understand how it works! We did it after reading the story.
March 24th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
HEYY EVERYONE OOBLECK IS AWESOME I MADE IT THIS YEAR IN 6TH GRADE AND I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 26th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
i did this in class today i cant wait to mak it!
March 27th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
My friend Amanda made oobleck for a science fair and I sat next to her its so cool
April 16th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Oobleck is an awesome way to teach chemistry at the child’s level! I love Science!!!
April 24th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Oobleck is the bomb it’s my 2009 science project
May 7th, 2009 at 3:18 am
I did in the first grade now I am in fifth and want to do it for a science project!! haha
May 7th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
i love this stuff i just made sum right know