Lesson 2: Make Your Own Liquid Armour

Non-Newtonian fluids, how to make your own liquid armour or indestructible gloop from the comfort of your home and with every day items.

Equipment

• Corn starch, about ¼ cup or 60cm3
• Water, about ¼ cup of 60cm3
• A bowl for mixing
• Newspaper
• Kitchen roll or something to wipe your hands with

Method

1. This is how you make your own liquid armour. First lay newspaper over the surface you will be working on. A kitchen surface, or outside, is best as it is easier to clear up spills. Avoid carpeted areas!

2. Next, put about ⅔ of the corn starch into the mixing bowl. Add about ⅓ of the water at first and mix together with your fingers.

3. Keep adding small amount of water and mixing with your fingers until: 1) if you pick up a handful of the fluid, it will be quite thick and if you let it fall back into the bowl it will do so but slowly and inconsistently; 2) if you pick up a handful of the fluid and keep moving it between your hands in a ball, it will keep its shape while you apply pressure but as soon as you let go it will become more liquid again.

4. If it flows too slickly and won’t solidify, add a little more corn starch and mix again. If it is too thick and won’t drip, add a little more water and mix again!

5. When you’ve finished experimenting with your non-Newtonian fluid (see suggestions below!), throw it into the bin not down the sink as it can block drains.

You’ve made your own liquid armour … Now, why don’t you try…?

…adding in more cornstarch or more water. Observe how this effects the consistency of your gloop! Has it become more like a liquid or more like a solid?

…with adult supervision, reproducing the egg experiment and testing how protective your gloop is. Pour your gloop into a small bag or plastic wallet, collect it in a corner and press your egg down into it. Try:

• Dropping the bag to the ground from head height
• Asking your supervising adult to drop it from their head height
• Dropping it from an upstairs window (if safe to do so!)
• (Carefully) hitting it with something

…doing some more research on one of the topics Jack introduced during the lesson and making a poster or digital display. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• What are the differences between solids, liquids and gases?
• How does Quicksand work? (and how would you get out if you fell in?!)
• How do sound waves travel and how do we hear them?

…designing a form of protection – a shield, body armour, vehicle or building protection – that uses your gloop, and trying to explain how and why it would work!

Send your work, pics and clips in to us at lawrence@minervatutors.com and we might even show it at the start of next week’s lesson!

Watch LIVE science lessons here

If you’d like to talk to us about more science experiments to try at home or to speak to one of our science tutors please fill out a Contact Form or email hello@minervatutors.com, call +44 (0) 2088193276 or WhatsApp