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Oobleck



Oobleck is a fictional form of green precipitation invented by children's author Dr. Seuss in the book Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Oobleck was called down from the sky by a king bored with ordinary rain and snow. Oobleck proved so sticky that it gummed up the whole kingdom, which would have perished had not a page boy named Bartholomew Cubbins (previously renowned for his prolifically reproducing hats) saved the day.

Non-Newtonian fluid

The word has since been used to describe a substance that is used as a science aid to teach children about liquids and solids. This oobleck is created from cornstarch or potato flour (approximately 1 part water to 1.5–2 parts cornstarch/potato flour). Though initially it acts like a viscous liquid, applying pressure quickly will make it appear to be a solid for a short time. The oobleck also behaves unlike conventional solids or liquid when thrown in the air, molded, heated, or vibrated. Substances that become more viscous when agitated or compressed are a subset of non-Newtonian fluids called dilatants. Note that oobleck contains no preservatives and is therefore perishable.

Glurch

The related Glurch is the nickname given to a polymer substance created in many middle school science courses. It consists of starch, glue and food coloring. It is used to show the process of polymerization.

 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Oobleck". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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