Oobleck

By Noy Nebel, Ayesha Hafeez, and Kaitlin Grogan

What is Oobleck?

The name "oobleck" comes from the book "Bartholomew and the Oobleck" by Dr. Seuss. In the story, a king wishes for a new type of weather because he is bored with the usual rain, fog, snow, and sun. His wish is granted and oobleck comes raining down from the sky. It's not quite a solid, but it's not quite a liquid either. If you would like to hear the story, click this link. In this experiment, you can make your own oobleck!

Supplies

1 Cup Water
1 1/2 Cups of Corn Starch
Food Coloring (optional)
Measuring Cup
Large Bowl
Spoon

Procedure

With a parent's permission and supervision, gather the supplies listed above
Measure 1 cup of water using the measuring cup.
Add food coloring if desired. Mix until blended.
Measure 1 1/2 cups of corn starch and pour into a large bowl.
Pour the water into the bowl
Using a spoon, mix thoroughly
See how the mixture reacts when you are gentle versus when you are rough
Have fun!

*Safety consideration* Oobleck is non-toxic, but parents should encourage their children to wash their hands and clean up after using it.

My Movie 3.mov

How it Works

When the cornstarch is mixed with the water, the grains become suspended in the liquid. When one applies force, the cornstarch particles are mashed together, trapping the water molecules in between them, creating a semi-solid material.

Works Cited

CrashCourseKids. (2016, February 24). Oobleck and Non-Newtonian Fluids: Crash Course Kids #46.1 [Video] YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnd-2jetT1w

Harmon, K. (2011, May 2). It's a Solid... It's a Liquid... It's Oobleck! Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/oobleck-bring-science-home/

Time2Read2Us. (2021, February 22). Bartholomew and the Ooblek | March Dr. Seuss Day Read Aloud for Kids! [Video] YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd4jl_hLbfg

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