How long does oobleck keep

All it takes is a little bit of cornstarch, a little bit of water, and the desire to get your hands good and dirty. Not only is oobleck great for sensory play, it is also an amazing way to understand physics. Before we get into how to make oobleck, here is the science behind the fluid. Oobleck is a type of play dough or slime that is made from water and cornstarch. Its name comes from the Dr. Seuss story, Bartholomew and Oobleck.

As simple as this concoction is to make, the results are quite interesting. Unlike water or other Newtonian fluids, the viscosity of oobleck is determined based on the stress against it. Slime, silly putty, and ketchup are other common Non-Newtonian fluids.

Oobleck on the other hand does not have consistent viscosity. If you apply pressure to it, it forms a solid, loosen the pressure and it melt back into a liquid. Because the viscosity changes, it is classified as a non-Newtonian fluid. In chemistry oobleck is what is known as a colloid , a substance in which small particles of one substance are suspended throughout another substance but not chemically bonded.

If fun hands-on chemistry projects sound enticing hop over here to see 50 more…. Oobleck behaves like a solid or a liquid depending on the pressure exerted on it.

Press it together and it feels solid, let is sit in your hand and it drips like a liquid. Oobleck always requires some fine-tuning. Try using strawberry basket! Freezing the oobleck creates a solid. As the oobleck melts, the consistency keeps changing. This will keep your child interested for quite a while. Place the frozen oobleck in a container and place a towel under the container or cover you work area. It could get messy. Your children can build and stack the frozen oobleck shapes.

Thinner pieces melted faster. Our stars lasted longer than the thin hearts. I also froze some blue colored water. Add the ice to cornstarch to create a completely new sensory experience. As the ice melts, oobleck is made. Add toys to this as well. Let your child use her imagination. Is it an arctic wonderland or a gooey swamp?