Why do cornstarch and water do that thing?

#078

It's one of life's most head-scratchy questions, and one of the most popular chemistry mysteries for youtubers. So let's get to the bottom of this crazy, shape-shifting substance, and finally find out why cornstarch and water do that thing!

How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!

References from this episode

1. https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/getting-tomato-sauce-out-of-the-bottle-minus-the-mess
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/rheology
3. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/2016-2017/february-2017/no-hit-wonder-d3o.html
4. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ef502171d
5. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c01760
6. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed082p445
7. http://helix.northwestern.edu/blog/2009/08/walking-water-er-oobleck-science-chicago-finale
8. https://www.pnas.org/content/116/42/20828.short?rss=
9. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/oobleck-bring-science-home/
10. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-quicksand/#:~:text=Quicksand%20is%20a%20mixture%20of,filled%20with%20air%20or%20water.
11. https://www.nature.com/news/2005/050926/full/news050926-9.html
12. https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/microscopy-reveals-why-ketchup-squirts/3002513.article
13. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/2016-2017/february-2017/no-hit-wonder-d3o.html
14. https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/issues/2016-2017/February%202017/chemmatters-feb2017-d3o.pdf

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
Email us at [email protected]
And check out our chill, simple little website at https://chemforyourlife.transistor.fm/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
• Elizabeth P
• Sarah Moar
• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• Nelly Silva
• Venus Rebholz
• Lyn Stubblefield
• Jacob Taber
• Brian Kimball
• Emerson Woodhall
• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
• Chris Skupien
• Chelsea B
• Bri McAllister
• Avishai Barnoy
• Hunter Reardon