Ublach, Not Oobleck

Ms. Carmody noted that the term "ublach" closely resembles the quasi-scientific term "oobleck."

Oobleck is a mixture of 1 part water to 1.5-2 parts cornstarch, and the play stuff of elementary and middle schools everywhere. It's fun to play with because it's a non-Newtonian fluid. Non-Newtonian fluids don't act like typical solids, liquids, or gases. For example, oobleck normally behaves like a liquid, but when it's stressed (e.g., squeezed between your fingers), it behaves like a solid.

A foreign TV show filled a small swimming pool full of oobleck, and filmed people running across the pool. If the participants move quickly, the oobleck acts like a solid and people can run across the pool. If they take too much time getting across, however, the oobleck acts like a liquid. What do you think happens to these unlucky participants? See for yourself who makes it across the gauntlet.

Also, check out what happens when people put oobleck on top of a powerful speaker and blow air at it. The strange patterns are a result of the sound waves moving through the fluid.

Oobleck is a particular type of non-Newtonian fluid, known as a dilatant or shear-thickening fluid (STF). These fluids have many applications. For example, scientists are trying to use dilatants or STFs to make body armor. Normally, the body armor is gel-like, but when a bullet strikes the armor, it instantly becomes bullet proof.

If you're interested in oobleck, make a batch of it yourself at home (don't worry, it's fun and easy to make...just be sure to clean up the mess). If you want to learn more about strange and fun materials, read this article in the New Scientist (disclaimer: this article is intended for advanced students). Let me know how it goes.