Activity

Walking on custard

In this activity, students watch the Brainiac video Jon Tickle walks on custard on YouTube to learn more about non-Newtonian fluids at work. The activity includes a number of strategies to deepen student interaction with video content.

Oobleck

A cornflour and water mixture – is a non-Newtonian fluid.

Rights: The University of Waikato

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

  • discuss the differences between Newtonian fluids (‘normal liquids’) and non-Newtonian fluids

  • explain the scientific meanings of stress and strain as they relate to fluids

  • discuss how non-Newtonian fluids change their viscosity or flow behaviour under stress

  • explain why Jon Tickle is able to walk on custard but not on water.

Download the Word file (see link below) for:

  • background information for teachers

  • teacher instructions

  • student instructions.

Published: 12 April 2010,Updated: 15 February 2018