Oobleck........

Ooh eck! (couldn't help that, sorry.)

Also known as gloop lots of fun!

elegran

But why was she making it anyway...?

No particular reason ana ...she just fancied doing it!!

Oh! Right...and why not?

Custard powder does the same thing. I once won a prize on a science phone in radio program for asking about the odd properties of custard powder.

Does she know that if you put some custard powder into a tin, and close the lid firmly, then shake it up well, stand it on a level surface and retire to a safe distance, it blows the lid off with a very satisfactory explosion?

Put it near a flame and it will bring the ceiling down as well, custard powder (as are many other fine powders) is explosive. best not tell the GC, or they may try it.

If you've not made oobleck it is fascinating.

www.instructables.com/id/Oobleck/

Oooh......exploding custard! There's something a bit Goon-ish about that! Dgd would love to try this experiment, she's a very curious child who loves to know the answers to everything. She can be a bit of a challenge.

Thanks for that link Wobbly.

This short video shows how dust can explode. Factories and lives have been destroyed by dust explosions.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZLRbVw3RnM

Katek buy some Alum powder from a pharmacy or from an Asian food store then google how to make crystals with Alum. I remember doing this at school and your Dgd will enjoy it.

I didn't know about exploding custard powder I'm so going to try this tomorrow!

Check your fire insurance first

Ha ha!...DH suggested putting a lit tea light in the tin before the custard I won't be doing that!

Make sure they ca' canny with the exploding custard. Flour mills were notorious for being destroyed by sudden explosions and fires, caused by the fine dust igniting. There used to be many mills along the Water of Leith, nearly all of them burnt down.

Isn't there a theory that the Great Fire of London was actually started by exploding flour in the bakery?

DeeDa, that's how I believe it started. I think it's due to the high percentage of oxygen available to each particle. Try setting light to some iron filings, they will burn easily, whereas solid iron will only burn if large amounts of oxygen are applied, as in oxy/acetylene cutting or a blast furnace.

Next time your DGD has ketchup on anything you can tell her that it's a shear thinning fluid!

Fluid mechanics aurelia? I will have to go Google!! Dgd will be delighted with another piece of info, but Nanna will need to know what she's talking about for the Q&A session!

My older brother keen to pass on his scientific knowledge gained from his grammar school showed me how custard powder exploded when I was about 10. He also blew bubbles with a rubber hose attached to a gas tap and put a glowing splint into it to make a satisfying bang. We also sprinkled iron filings onto the gas cooker. It was like firework night. I'm horrified now to think what might have happened.
Love oobleck , but we called it gloop!

One of our schoolfriends attempted to make fireworks and succeeded in blowing three of his fingers off.