Cornstarch and water is a wonderfully fun fluid with unique properties. It is a non-Newtonian fluid. Simply mix cornstarch into 1 cup of warm water until the solution behaves like a solid when force is applied. To test this, punch the mixture with one hand. If the solution acts like a solid, it is ready.
The purpose of this demo was to introduce the students to something different and fun. The physics is beyond their level, but that was not the purpose of presenting this fluid to them. We wanted to show the students that the physics of fluids can get complex. And cornstarch and water is just so much fun - every student LOVED playing with it.
To Main Page