How to Make Oobleck Slime

Oobleck slime

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Oobleck was the name given to a type of slime in a Dr. Seuss book that was capable of gumming up a whole kingdom. The oobleck that you can make for a science project isn't gummy, but it does have interesting properties of both solids and liquids. It normally behaves like a liquid or jelly, but if you squeeze it in your hand, it will seem like a solid. This is an easy project that takes just 10 to 15 minutes.

Simple Oobleck Ingredients

There's nothing complicated here, which is part of the charm of oobleck. The ingredients are inexpensive and safe.

  • Water
  • Cornstarch
  • Food coloring (optional)

How to Make Oobleck in Your Kitchen

  1. Mix 1 part water with 1.5 to 2 parts cornstarch. You may wish to start with one cup of water and one and a half cups of cornstarch, then work in more cornstarch if you want a more 'solid' oobleck. It will take about 10 minutes of mixing to get a nice homogeneous oobleck.
  2. Mix in a few drops of food coloring if you want colored oobleck.

Tips for Great Oobleck

  1. Oobleck is a type of non-Newtonian fluid called a dilatant. Its viscosity changes according to the condition to which it is exposed.
  2. If you slowly lower your hand into oobleck, it will sink, but it is difficult to quickly remove your hand (without taking all the oobleck and its container with you).
  3. If you squeeze or punch the oobleck, the starch particles will not move out of the way quickly, so the oobleck will feel solid.
  4. Oobleck can be molded in a container, but when the mold is removed, the oobleck will lose its shape.
  5. Feel free to mix in glitter or to substitute glowing water for regular water to make oobleck.
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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How to Make Oobleck Slime." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/easy-recipe-to-make-oobleck-605996. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). How to Make Oobleck Slime. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/easy-recipe-to-make-oobleck-605996 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How to Make Oobleck Slime." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/easy-recipe-to-make-oobleck-605996 (accessed March 19, 2024).