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Keep the kids amazed with non-Newtonian fluid

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Throw a rock into a liquid and it tends to splash everywhere! But we had some fun this weekend with what the clever people call non-Newtonian fluid.

Basically it's a liquid that does not follow Newton's Law of Viscosity (which defines the relationship between the shear stress and shear rate of a fluid subjected to a mechanical stress).

So when you hit this liquid it does not splash everywhere, in fact when you apply pressure to it, it's turns solid and when you remove that pressure it reverts back to a liquid form. So much fun!

Take a look at the video below to see how much fun my 3-year-old had with it:

As you heard my husband say "it's just cornflour and water!".

How to make it

  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water
  • A few drops of food colouring (optional)

1. Measure out 1 cup of cornstarch with a measuring cup and pour it into a bowl.

2. Measure out about 1/2 cup of water and add it to the corn starch.

3. Mix the substance slowly with a fork or spoon, making sure the substance is thickening.

4. Once you're done stirring, grab the liquid with your fingers and roll it around in your fingers. The mixture should stay solid between your fingers as you're rolling it, and turn back into a liquid as soon as you let go of it.

Do you have any other easy science experiments you can do with your kids at home? Send them to us at chatback@parent24.com and we could publish them.

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