Cornflour slimeballs | Physics | The Guardian

Cornflour, water, a wooden spoon, a bowl. Step 1 Pour half a box of cornflour into a bowl. Then gradually pour water over and mix until it looks and feels like custard. Step 2 Run your fingers through the liquid.

Physics

Cornflour slimeballs

Some substances sometimes just can't make up their mind whether they're a liquid or a solid! See what we mean with this messy experiment

What you need

Cornflour, water, a wooden spoon, a bowl.

What you do

Step 1

Pour half a box of cornflour into a bowl. Then gradually pour water over and mix until it looks and feels like custard.

Step 2

Run your fingers through the liquid.

Step 3

Now try and punch the mixture with your fist.

What happens

When you run your fingers through it, it acts like a liquid. But when you punch it, it becomes hard and behaves like a solid. (If it doesn't, try adding some more cornflour.)

How and why

The cornflour particles are suspended in the water, so it flows like a liquid. But when you apply a force to it, the particles lock together, acting like a solid. As soon as the force stops, the slime goes back to being runny.

Kids' experiments: cornflour slimeballs (from the Guardian Science Course, April/May 2008)

Now roll some up and see if you can throw it to your friend before it turns back into slime!

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