A non-Newtonian fluid is a substance that changes viscosity, such as ketchup. Ever notice how ketchup sticks to the bottom of the bottle one minute and comes sliding out the next?
Think of viscosity as the resistance stuff has to being smeared around. Water is “thin” (low viscosity); honey is “thick” (high viscosity). You are about to make a substance that is both (low and high viscosity), depending on what ratio you mix up. Feel free to mix up a larger batch then indicated in the video – we’ve heard from families that have mixed up an entire kiddie pool of this stuff!
Please login or register to read the rest of this content.
Sure, you can use beach sand.
Can you use beach sand for this? My kids always bring home A LOT of sand from the beach that gets trapped in socks and pockets
You are so very welcome!
Super neat stuff!!! Thank you, Mrs. Aurora!
it looks like playdough.
Thanks!! 😀
Well, sand and cornstarch don’t actually mix well with water. The fact that they are rather large particles suspended in the fluid is what makes the fun reactions that we see in both Moon Sand and Oobleck.
The cornstarch and water mixture base of this experiment is a non-Newtonian fluid because it doesn’t behave like a normal fluid would. Applying pressure quickly to this mix results in an increase in viscosity (or thickness), but if you move your hands more slowly through the liquid it allows those larger cornstarch molecules to move out of the way in time for it to react more like a traditional liquid would react.
the only problem about oobleck is it gets EVERYWHERE
what’s inside the sand and cornstarch that allows it to absorb the water?
what makes the sand, corn starch, and colored water come together to make a clay-ish blob?
It’s a non-Newtonion fluid, which is both a solid and/or liquid depending on whether force is being applied or not.
What matter state does cornstarch and water (AKA oobleck) fit into?
Yes, arrowroot or tapioca should both be good substitutes (though our team has not personally tried either in this particular experiment.) Please report back and let us know how it goes!
What substitution can we use for cornstarch? Would arrowroot work? Tapioca?
thats so cool !!! cool and fun !
We added baking soda, dish soap and salt and it was even MORE amazing 🙂
wow this is so cool! 🙂 its homemade play-doh! i’m going to try and make different colors and even mix colors 😀
-Abby Gonzalez, 11
Actually, the sand remains a solid, but it’s suspended in a liquid and protected by the insulating layer of the spray. 🙂
So what exactly are the atoms in the moon sand doing, when going from solid to liquid? My kids loved this!
I got outside sand and made moon sand but it stunk and I threw it outside but the next day it was white and hard. why did this happen.Moira Swick
I have no idea… what DID it do?
I have to ask something, when I was messing with the sand it hit the floor in my garage and didn’t melt or crumble why do you think that happened?
No, but the cornstarch one is a solid when you squeeze it and a liquid when you release!
I did this experiment-it is cool!
Aurora,
In Moon Sand, can you make it be liquid when you squeeze it and solid when you release?
ISAAC, ANGELYN’S son
I am going to do this!
This looks cool!
It’s sand that’s coated with a hydrophobic (water-resistant, like wax) compound. This compound not only keeps water away, but it allows the sand to stick to itself better. Since the sand doesn’t absorb any of the water, when you remove it from the water it’s still dry and it flows freely. The kind you get at the store is ordinary beach sand. Beach sand contains silica, and when you expose the silica to a chemical called trimethylsilanol (CH3)3SiOH, it bonds to the silica and forms (conveniently) water. While you might think this is just a cool magic trick, this stuff was originally developed to trap ocean oil spills, but since it’s expensive to make, they’ve turned to other ways of dealing with oil spills. I think that the earliest waterproof sand recipe was found in “The Boy Mechanic” in 1915 by Popular Mechanics.
This is Judith from the Philippines. I am wondering exactly what is the reason why moon sand behaves like this, you know the scientific explanation, I am confused. Hoping for a quick reply. Thanks Aurora
Hi Pamela,
Welcome to our science family! You’ll want to get oriented by watching this short video on how the site works: https://www.sciencelearningspace2.com/2009/01/welcome-to-the-supercharged-science-family/
The Moon Sand experiment is with the “Solids” Lesson in Unit 3. You’ll find an index when you click the ‘Study Units’ tab at the top: https://www.sciencelearningspace2.com/study-units/ When you click on a unit, you’ll find a complete listing of the lessons and sections covered on the right side. There’s so much on the site so it’s done this way.
Happy experimenting!
Aurora
Hello,
I just joined the group and stumbled upon a comment about moon sand which lead me to this site. However, I can find nothing that tells me what unit it is a part of. What am I missing?
In addition, when I look at the main page with all the units listed, there is no listing of the details: topics, experiments, etc. Where can I find these?
Is there an index as well?
Thank you.
We discovered that this experiment is fun to do outside on a warm, sunny day. The kids are having fun on the sand pile mixing up their moon sand.
Err.. okay , just DON’T EAT ANYTHING you make in science! 🙂
blue sand muffins… eh their muffins nom nom nom… these are weird tasting muffins… thank you, this is cool!
Cameron 13
Try it! 🙂 And let me know what you find out… remember, you’re a scientist!
cool thanks auroua! i was also wandering does milk work? i havent tried the experament but i want soome differnet ways to do it.
rose 12
Flour can work, but cornstarch works better as it has 8X the thickening power over flour.
do you have to use corn sttarch? is there anything else to make this experament very cool?
her daughter rosie. 12
Try again? It works over here…
the video isn’t working, can you please get it working again?
Thank you
The moon sand looks so easy!
The Moon sand experiment looks so easy to make!! 🙂
Yes – that works too! 🙂
Oh, I forgot I used areo root instead of cornstarch, it worked perfectly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can you keep the sand in the fridge? Just wondering, I love the sand its so cool!
Raena 🙂
Must be cheaper to do this experiment and make your own moon sand than to by it at the store.
The non-Newtonian fluid (just cornstarch and water) experiment was so very cool! Maybe even more cool than the moon sand! The kids and I just kept marveling how it would turn from a solid to a liquid right there in your hand. Who knew that there was more to cornstarch than just making gravy?? 🙂
We have made something kind of like this but it did not have the sand.
Holly Thomson:)
Really nice how the sand can be liquid and solid! 🙂 My brother made it so hard that when you spilled it you spilled you could not get it off.
sevy keble
🙂