Street Science (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Strange Goo - full transcript
Kevin and his team of experts explore the strange science behind oobleck, a bizarre material that can behave as both a solid and a liquid.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU
MIX CORNSTARCH WITH WATER?
I'D SAY YOU GET OOBLECK. GESUNDHEIT.
Delaney: NO MATTER HOW YOU SLICE IT...
Delaney: OH, IT WORKED.
...OOBLECK ACTS LIKE
A LIQUID AND A SOLID...
[ THUNK ]
...AND A DANCE PARTY.
Man: [ Laughing ] IT'S SO STRANGE!
AND WITH ENOUGH OOBLECK...
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO WORK.
...CAN WE WALK ON WATER?
Delaney: OH, MAN.
MY NAME IS KEVIN DELANEY.
I'VE BEEN SHOWING OFF THE
MAGIC OF SCIENCE FOR YEARS,
EVERYWHERE FROM MUSEUMS
TO LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOWS.
SCIENCE IS ALL AROUND US,
AND I WANT THE WORLD TO SEE IT,
SO I'M COMBINING EVERYDAY ELEMENTS
IN WAYS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND.
[ SCREAMING ]
I'VE GOT A TEAM OF EXPERTS
AND HIGH-TECH CAMERAS
THAT WILL REVEAL THE
SCIENCE THAT SURROUNDS US
IN WAYS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
I'M TAKING SCIENCE TO THE STREETS.
THIS IS "STREET SCIENCE."
Delaney: WE'RE IN A PLACE WHERE
MOST GREAT INVENTIONS START...
THE GARAGE.
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU
MIX CORNSTARCH WITH WATER?
I'D SAY YOU GET OOBLECK. GESUNDHEIT.
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU
MIX CORNSTARCH WITH WATER?
I SAID, "OOBLECK," KEVIN. THAT IS RIGHT.
RIGHT.
MY FAVORITE NON-NEWTONIAN
FLUID BESIDES BLOOD AND KETCHUP...
OOBLECK.
Delaney: A NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID IS ANY FLUID
THAT DOESN'T BEHAVE LIKE WATER.
AND BY ADDING TWO PARTS
CORNSTARCH TO ONE PART
WATER TO MAKE OOBLECK,
WE CREATE JUST THAT.
CORNSTARCH IS USED IN
COOKING AS A THICKENING AGENT,
BUT HERE IT CREATES A
SHEER THICKENING FLUID
OR WHAT IS OFTEN CALLED OOBLECK.
PUT PRESSURE ON IT,
AND IT ACTS LIKE A SOLID.
RELEASE THAT PRESSURE
...NOW IT ACTS LIKE A LIQUID.
WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW IT
REACTS TO DIFFERENT FORCES.
SUSPENSION OF CORNSTARCH AND WATER...
IT BEHAVES SO INTERESTINGLY.
WHEN ALL THOSE CORNSTARCH
MOLECULES ARE SURROUNDED
BY THE WATER, THEY CAN
SLIDE REALLY, REALLY EASILY.
BUT AS SOON AS YOU PUT A LOT FORCE ON THEM,
THEY LOCK TOGETHER, AND
IT ALMOST BECOMES A SOLID.
IT'S VERY, VERY COOL.
I THINK WE SHOULD TEST
THE LIMITS OF THIS OOBLECK.
I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY STRESS IT OUT.
YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY KNOW A GUY
WHO HAS KIND OF AN AWESOME BACKYARD
AND HAS DONE A LOT OF
THIS STUFF IN THE PAST.
OKAY. WANT TO GO CHECK IT OUT?
YES, I DO. LET'S DO IT.
[ WOBBLING ]
[ THUNK ]
WE'RE GETTING HELP FROM
THE BACKYARD SCIENTIST,
KEVIN KOHLER, BEST
KNOWN FOR HIS VIRAL VIDEOS
USING HIS BACKYARD AS HIS LAB.
FROM MELTING CELLPHONES
TO EXPLODING JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.
NICE!
KEVIN'S BACKYARD IS THE PERFECT SPOT
FOR TESTING OUT OOBLECK.
SO THIS IS THE BACKYARD
SCIENTIST'S BACKYARD?
THIS IS INDEED, MAN.
THIS IS KEVIN'S MAD LAIR, BASICALLY.
OH, GOOD.
HE'S ACTUALLY KIND OF FAMOUS
FOR THIS BACKYARD, MAN,
AND THE CRAZY STUFF HE DOES HERE.
LET'S DO SOME DAMAGE... TO CORNSTARCH.
HEY, MAN. WHAT'S UP?
SO WE'RE HERE TO MESS
AROUND WITH SOME OOBLECK.
WHAT DO YOU SAY? LET'S GET STARTED.
SWEET.
Delaney: WE'VE GATHERED
SOME OF KEVIN'S FRIENDS
TO HELP US IN OUR QUEST.
AND THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE
A HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC QUIVER
OF TESTING INSTRUMENTS.
OUR GOAL WITH THESE TOOLS AND WEAPONS
IS TO USE THEM ON OOBLECK
TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF FORCES
AND STRESSORS MAKE
OOBLECK ACT LIKE A LIQUID
AND WHICH ONES MAKE IT ACT LIKE A SOLID.
HEY, EVERYBODY. THANKS
FOR COMING TO PLAY WITH GOO.
SO, TODAY, WE'RE GONNA SUBJECT OOBLECK
TO A LOT OF STRESS.
AND SO WE HAVE SOME
STRESS-INDUCING IMPLEMENTS HERE.
WE HAVE A BOW AND ARROW.
NOW, THESE ARE RAZOR-TIPPED ARROWS.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE FIRE
AN ARROW AT A BALLOON FULL OF OOBLECK?
IT SHOULD GO STRAIGHT THROUGH, RIGHT?
STRAIGHT THROUGH? WE'LL SEE, WE'LL SEE.
WE ALSO HAVE KEVIN'S GOLF-BALL CANNON.
KEVIN, HOW FAST CAN THIS MOVE A GOLF BALL?
LIKE 300 OR 400 FEET PER SECOND.
THAT'S PRETTY FAST.
SO, IS THE CHAIN SAW GOING TO DO
A WHOLE LOT OF DAMAGE TO OOBLECK?
I THINK IT'S GONNA DO A LOT OF DAMAGE.
WE'LL SEE. LET'S HOPE.
AND THEN WE HAVE ALL OF THESE SLICING
AND CUTTING DEVICES OVER HERE.
Dyk: SEEING AS WE HAVE SO
MANY PROJECTILES TODAY,
I BROUGHT MY BAZOOKA ZOOM LENS.
EXCELLENT.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO BE IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION.
THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA
WHEN THERE ARE SWORDS
AND ARROWS AND CHAIN SAWS.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET STARTED.
Delaney: FIRST UP, MASTER SWORDSMAN
AND TRAINER GUY HAGEN IS TAKING ON OOBLECK
USING A JAPANESE SWORD CALLED A KATANA.
THE INCREDIBLY SHARP WEAPON
DATES BACK TO THE 1400s.
WILL THE IMPACT OF ITS RAZOR-SHARP EDGE
CUT THE OOBLECK IN HALF LIKE A SOLID
OR JUST BREAK THE BALLOON
AND CAUSE THE OOBLECK
TO POUR OUT LIKE A LIQUID?
Delaney: OH, IT WORKED!
[ LAUGHTER ]
RIGHT THROUGH IT, NICE. IT'S SO DRIPPY.
WELL, I THINK WE'RE GONNA
HAVE TO LOOK TO THE HIGH-SPEED
TO SEE WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING.
Delaney: DARREN IS SLOWING DOWN TIME
TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN THE KATANA STRIKES THE OOBLECK.
INSIDE THE BALLOON,
THE OOBLECK IS NOT UNDER FORCE
AND THEREFORE IN A LIQUID STATE.
BUT AS THE BLADE MAKES
CONTACT WITH THE OOBLECK,
IT BECOMES A SOLID.
THE BLOW OF THE SWORD CAUSES
THE CORNSTARCH TO COLLECT,
BUT AS THE FORCE DISSIPATES
AND THE OOBLECK FALLS TO THE GROUND,
IT REVERTS BACK TO A LIQUID STATE.
THIS IS THE PROCESS OF SHEER THICKENING.
A HARD FORCE SLAMS MICRO-SIZED PARTICLES
IN THE FLUID TOGETHER,
FORMING LONG, RIGID CHAINS,
WHICH ARE HARD TO BREAK.
NEXT UP, OOBLECK VERSUS CHAIN SAW.
Delaney: OOBLECK VERSUS CHAIN SAW.
All: OH!
[ LAUGHTER ]
WELL, WAS ANYBODY
SURPRISED BY THAT REACTION?
I THOUGHT THAT WOULD
REACT MORE LIKE A LIQUID,
BUT IT JUST SEEMED SOLID THE WHOLE WAY.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF
FORCE. AND THEN THAT BALLOON
DID NOT RESPOND WELL TO THE CHAIN SAW.
Delaney: NON-NEWTONIAN
FLUIDS LIKE OOBLECK ARE NOW
BEING DEVELOPED FOR
USE IN MILITARY BODY ARMOR.
AS THE TEETH OF THE SAW CUTS
INTO AND STRESSES THE OOBLECK,
IT TURNS FROM A LIQUID
TO A PROTECTIVE SOLID
AND PREVENTS THE SAW FROM BREAKING THROUGH.
CUT RIGHT INTO IT. OH, MY GOODNESS.
JUST TORE RIGHT INTO THE MOTOR.
I HOPE THAT WASN'T LIKE
AN HEIRLOOM CHAINSAW.
WELL, IT WAS PASSED DOWN
FROM ONE PAWN SHOP TO ANOTHER.
OH, YEAH.
Delaney: SLICING THE OOBLECK WITH A CHAIN
SAW AND SWORD TRANSFORMED IT INTO A SOLID.
BUT WHAT IF WE ATTACK THE OOBLECK
WITH A SUPER-SLIM ARROW,
SO ALL THE PRESSURE HITS ONE
SMALL POINT ON THE BALLOON?
OOBLECK VERSUS COMPOUND
BOW AND RAZOR-TIPPED ARROWS.
ANY PREDICTIONS?
I THINK IT'S JUST GONNA
GO STRAIGHT THROUGH.
IT'S GONNA ACT LIKE A LIQUID,
AND IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT IT AT ALL.
ANYBODY ELSE?
I THINK IT'S JUST GONNA
TAKE THE ARROW AND STOP IT.
MM.
GRAB IT AND SMASH IT, BREAK IT,
AND THEN THROW IT ON THE GROUND.
I LIKE THAT IDEA. ALL
RIGHT, LET'S FIND OUT.
READY?
THREE, TWO, ONE.
♪♪
All: WHOA.
Delaney: UNLIKE THE BROAD-STROKE
IMPACT OF THE CHAIN SAW,
WHICH WAS STOPPED BY THE SOLID OOBLECK,
THE HIGH SPEED AND EXTREMELY LOW FRICTION
OF THE ARROW ALLOWS IT TO TRAVEL EASILY
THROUGH THE STILL-LIQUID OOBLECK.
THIS TIME, IT WENT RIGHT THROUGH,
AND WE SAW THE BALLOON WAS GONE,
AND THAT OOBLECK KIND OF STAYED TOGETHER.
WE SAW THAT KIND OF PIT IN THE MIDDLE.
THAT WAS A PERFECT SHOT.
Delaney: WHEN THE ARROW
STRIKES THE OOBLECK,
IT PENETRATES CLEANLY
THROUGH THE LIQUID FORM
WITHOUT RESISTANCE BECAUSE THE ARROW POINT
ONLY IMPACTS A TINY AMOUNT OF
SURFACE AREA ON THE OOBLECK.
THE FORCE ISN'T ENOUGH
TO TRANSFORM THE LIQUID
INTO A SOLID AND STOP THE ARROW.
[ LAUGHTER ]
NOW WHAT HAPPENS IF WE BROADEN
THE IMPACT ON THE BALLOON
BY FIRING SOMETHING
BIGGER AT IT, LIKE A GOLF BALL?
THIS GOLF-BALL CANNON IS MADE UP OF PVC
PIPE AND POWERED BY A SMALL PROPANE TANK.
BALLOON IS UP. OOBLECK VERSUS GOLF BALL...
ASTERISK, CANNON.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
OH, NO.
Delaney: KEVIN'S BACKYARD IS
PROVING TO BE A GREAT SPOT
TO SEE THE MAGIC OF
OUR NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID,
OOBLECK, IN ACTION.
WE'RE TESTING TO SEE HOW
THIS MIXTURE OF CORNSTARCH
AND WATER REACTS TO A VARIETY OF FORCES.
SO FAR, WE'VE USED A KATANA, A CHAIN SAW,
AND A BOW AND ARROW.
AND NOW WE'RE SHOOTING A
GOLF BALL OUT OF A CANNON
TO SEE IF A LARGER AREA OF
IMPACT MAKES THE OOBLECK
BEHAVE LIKE A LIQUID OR A SOLID.
OOBLECK VERSUS GOLF
BALL... ASTERISK, CANNON.
THREE... TWO... ONE.
OH, NO.
WELL, THAT WAS A DIRECT MISS.
KEVIN'S CANNON SHOOTS A GOLF BALL
AT 300 TO 400 FEET PER SECOND,
SENDING IT STRAIGHT THROUGH THE BACKSTOP.
FORTUNATELY, IT WAS
CAUGHT BY THE BACKUP FENCE.
OH, NO.
AND IN THE BACKYARD,
THERE'S ALWAYS TIME FOR A DO-OVER.
THREE... TWO... ONE.
NICE. WOW.
IT CAUGHT IT.
THAT WAS AWESOME.
I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA GO
THROUGH, BUT IT CAUGHT IT.
Delaney: DARREN CAN FREEZE TIME
AND STOP THE GOLF BALL IN FLIGHT
TO SEE WHAT REALLY HAPPENS TO THE OOBLECK.
SO, THAT GOLF BALL WAS ALL MIGHT, NO GRACE.
BUT IT WAS REALLY, REALLY
COOL HOW WHEN IT IMPACTED,
IT CREATED VERY SPECIFIC PATTERNS
GOING OUT FROM THE EDGES.
Delaney: BECAUSE THE GOLF
BALL STRIKES THE OOBLECK
WITH A BLUNT FORCE MUCH WIDER
THAN THAT OF THE ARROW TIP,
THE FLUID REACTS TO THE
EXTREME STRESS BY SOLIDIFYING,
BRINGING IT TO A COMPLETE STOP.
SO EVERY ONE WAS A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, RIGHT,
BECAUSE WE HAD DIFFERENT TYPES OF STRESS
BEING PUT ON TO THE OOBLECK,
SO IT REACTED A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENTLY AND SEPARATED DIFFERENTLY.
IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU PUT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FORCE
INTO THIS PARTICULAR NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID,
IT BEHAVES LIKE A SOLID.
Delaney: WE'VE SEEN HOW BLUNT
AND PIERCING FORCES CAN AFFECT OOBLECK.
BUT CAN SOUND WAVES
ALSO MAKE THIS STRANGE COMPOUND CHANGE
FROM A LIQUID TO A SOLID.
I'M MEETING UP WITH SOME STAFF
FROM THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
TO EXPLORE THIS QUESTION.
HOW MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE
PLAYED WITH OOBLECK BEFORE?
I HAVE. EXCELLENT. YOU HAVEN'T?
DID YOU ALL KNOW WHERE THE
TERM "OOBLECK" CAME FROM?
NO. DR. SEUSS.
IT'S ONE OF OUR FAVORITE
NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS.
IT'S A SUSPENSION OF CORNSTARCH AND WATER.
Delaney: OOBLECK IS THE MOST FUN,
BUT THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES
OF NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS
THAT BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY.
UNLIKE OOBLECK, HONEY BECOMES MORE LIQUID
AS MORE STRESS AND
MORE FRICTION IS APPLIED.
CREAM IN ANOTHER TYPE
OF NON-NEWTONIAN LIQUID.
IT BECOMES THICKER THE
LONGER STRESS IS APPLIED.
AND FINALLY, KETCHUP.
KETCHUP'S VISCOSITY DECREASES
WITH INCREASED STRESS.
THAT'S WHY A HARD KNOCK
TO THE BACK OF THE BOTTLE
IS OFTEN NEEDED TO MAKE IT POUR.
SO YOU GOT TO POKE AT IT. POKE AT IT.
JUST POKE AT IT. DON'T GO SLOW.
GO FAST. AH.
THERE YOU GO.
NOW SLOWLY... SLOWLY KIND
OF, LIKE, DIP YOUR FINGER DOWN.
DON'T BE AFRAID. OH, THAT'S SO WEIRD.
THERE YOU GO. THAT'S SO WEIRD.
OH, NO, IT DOESN'T WANT MY FINGER.
NO, NO, EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
AND IT'S JUST CORNSTARCH AND WATER.
Delaney: SO WE'VE PROVEN THAT
OOBLECK IS GOOEY AND GROSS.
SOUND, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS INVISIBLE,
BUT IT'S STILL A PHYSICAL FORCE.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT
IF SOUND WAVES ARE STRONG ENOUGH
TO MAKE OOBLECK CHANGE ITS STATE.
NOW, WE HAVE OUR SPEAKER.
I'M GONNA POUR A LITTLE BIT
OF OOBLECK ONTO THE SPEAKER.
THAT'S PROBABLY ENOUGH.
[ LAUGHTER ]
SO WHEN YOU EXERTED
A LITTLE BIT OF FORCE ONTO THIS,
ALL THOSE CORNSTARCH
MOLECULES KIND OF LOCK TOGETHER.
AND IT BEHAVED A LITTLE BIT
MORE LIKE A SOLID THAN A LIQUID, RIGHT?
A LOT MORE LIKE A SOLID. SO
IF WE SEND A LOT OF PRESSURE
THROUGH IT THROUGH OUR VIBRATIONS HERE,
WE MIGHT GET TO SEE
SOMETHING KIND OF INTERESTING.
WHOA, LOOK AT IT.
[ Laughing ] IT'S SO STRANGE.
♪♪
Delaney: AS THE BASS FROM
THE SUBWOOFER INCREASES,
THE OOBLECK BECOMES AGITATED,
TURNING FROM A LIQUID TO A SOLID.
OH, LOOK AT THAT.
SOUND TRAVELS IN COMPRESSION WAVES.
THE INTERACTION OF THESE WAVES
WITH MATTER IS THE BASIS OF
MANY IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGIES
FROM SONAR TO SONOGRAMS.
HERE, AS THE VOLUME INCREASES,
THESE WAVES BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO CREATE
A NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE OOBLECK,
MAKING IT MOVE FROM THE LIQUID
TO A SOLID STATE.
♪♪
NEXT, I'VE GOT SOMETHING
EVEN BIGGER IN MIND.
WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT
IF A PERSON CAN ACTUALLY
WALK ACROSS A POOL OF OOBLECK.
Delaney: WE'RE HITTING THE
STREETS AND PUTTING OOBLECK
TO THE TEST BY SUBJECTING
IT TO MULTIPLE FORCES.
SO FAR, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CHOP IT...
I HOPE THAT WASN'T LIKE
AN HEIRLOOM CHAIN SAW.
...POKE IT... AH, THAT'S SO STRANGE.
...SHOOT IT... WHOA. NICE.
...AND EVEN MAKE IT DANCE.
Man: NEWTON WOULD BE HORRIFIED.
BUT NOW WE'RE SCALING UP
OUR TEST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS
IF YOU TRY TO RUN AND EVEN RIDE ACROSS IT.
WE'RE CREATING THE BIGGEST OOBLECK POOL
I HAVE EVER SEEN.
THIS REQUIRES A 13-TON CEMENT MIXER,
9 TONS OF OOBLECK, AND A 25-FOOT-LONG POOL.
AND THERE'S NOTHING STRONG TO HOLD ON TO
IF YOU START TO SINK.
YOU COULD SEE IT KIND OF
SPLITTING OPEN AS IT FALLS.
SO THE POOL OF OOBLECK IS
READY FOR HUMAN TESTING.
ENGINEER NICK HOUSEHOLDER
AND DARREN ARE HERE
TO OVERSEE THE OPEN SWIM.
OR IS IT SINK?
THAT'S A BIG POOL OF OOBLECK, MAN.
DUDE, THAT IS A MASSIVE POOL OF OOBLECK.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH IT?
THE REASON I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT TODAY
IS BECAUSE THE OOBLECK ITSELF
IS LIKE A WAY DIFFERENT SUBSTANCE
THAN WE TYPICALLY WORK WITH.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO IT, MAN. LET'S DO IT.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN A PERSON RUNS
THROUGH THIS MUCH OOBLECK?
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, WE
HAVE A LOT OF OOBLECK HERE...
9 TONS, I BELIEVE.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO WORK,
SO I'M GOING TO NEED A HUMAN TEST SUBJECT.
DUSTIN, COME ON. GIVE ME A HAND.
Dustin: ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
WHAT DO YOU NEED? POP YOUR SHOES OFF.
GO AHEAD, GIVE IT A SHOT, MAN.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
GO FOR IT.
♪♪
SUCCESS!
Delaney: SO YOU CAN SEE
THE PRESSURE OF THE FOOT STRIKING
THE SURFACE CAUSES THE LIQUID
TO THICKEN ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE RUNNER.
BUT THE SUBSTANCE WILL
NOT STAY SOLID FOR LONG.
ONCE THE RUNNER STOPS
LIFTING HIS OR HER FEET,
FORCE STOPS BEING
TRANSFERRED TO THE OOBLECK.
AND WHEN THE PARTICLES OF CORNSTARCH
ARE NO LONGER SQUEEZED TOGETHER BY FORCE,
WATER FILLS IN THE GAPS
BETWEEN THE PARTICLES, AND THE OOBLECK
RETURNS TO A MORE LIQUID STATE.
IT SEEMS THE ONLY WAY NOT TO GET STUCK
OR FALL THROUGH THE OOBLECK
IS TO CONTINUE TO APPLY
FORCE TO THE PARTICLES.
BUT WHEN WE KEEP THE ACTION SOFT,
LIKE SLOWLY PUTTING OUR HAND IN IT,
IT FLOWS LIKE A LIQUID.
BUT HIT IT HARD,
AND IT'S SOLID ENOUGH TO RUN ACROSS.
NO, NO, NO, NO. YOU SEE,
YOU SCORED ON YOUR OWN
GOAL. Householder: OH, NO!
I DIDN'T TELL YOU WHICH GOAL WAS WHICH.
YOU TOLD ME THE WRONG WAY, KEVIN.
NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU
WENT WAS THE WRONG WAY, NICK.
OF COURSE.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE REALLY FAST,
PERCUSSIVE MOVEMENTS ACROSS IT,
THEY JUST WALK ACROSS IT WITH EASE.
BUT AS SOON AS YOU KIND
OF SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT,
YOU GET ENVELOPED IN THE STUFF.
Delaney: SO FAR, OUR FOOT-DEEP POOL
OF OOBLECK CAN CARRY THE WEIGHT OF A HUMAN.
BUT WHAT IF WE ADD EVEN MORE FORCE
AND BRING IN A BIKE OR A POGO STICK?
WILL THEY CUT THROUGH OR SINK?
Delaney: OUT HERE ON THE STREETS,
WE BUILT A GIANT POOL
OF NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID.
AND SO FAR, OUR TEST SUBJECTS
HAVE SPUN, CARTWHEELED,
AND EVEN TRIED TO DRIBBLE A SOCCER BALL
ACROSS OUR INCREDIBLY
LARGE POOL OF OOBLECK.
BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN
WHEN WE TRY TO RIDE OVER IT?
NEXT UP, BICYCLES.
ARE WE READY FOR OUR BICYCLE?
YEAH!
YEAH.
YOU AND I AGREE, MY FRIEND.
SO HE'S GOT TO BUILD UP ENOUGH SPEED.
AND HERE WE GO.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
♪♪
Delaney: TO GO FASTER,
HE PEDALS THE BIKE HARD,
WHICH CREATES ENOUGH DOWNWARD FORCE
TO MAKE THE LIQUID BEHAVE LIKE A SOLID.
BUT LET'S SEE IF ENTERING
FROM A STANDSTILL WITH FAR LESS PEDALING
AND SPEED WILL CHANGE
THINGS FOR OUR FEARLESS RIDER.
[ AUDIENCE SHOUTING ]
Man: JUST LET IT GO.
SACRIFICE THE BIKE! YOU
CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU.
COME ON, YOU CAN DO IT. YOU CAN DO IT.
Delaney: SO MUCH FOR THE FANCY FOOTWORK.
OUR BICYCLIST DOESN'T PEDAL HARD,
SO THERE'S NO DOWNWARD
FORCE TO HARDEN THE OOBLECK,
AND THE BIKE SINKS AND GETS STUCK.
Delaney: OH, NO.
NOW, WHAT IF WE DECREASE
THE SURFACE AREA OF THE IMPACT
AND ADD ABOUT 350 POUNDS
OF FORCE WITH A POGO STICK?
WILL THE QUICK IMPACT
OF A NARROW SHAFT SLICE
THROUGH THE LIQUID LIKE THE ARROW DID?
OR WILL IT TRIGGER THE NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID
TO CHANGE INTO A SOLID?
YOU GOT A NICE WIDE
BASE THERE ON THE BOTTOM.
YEAH, I GOT LIKE MAYBE A 2½-INCH
SURFACE AREA BOUNCE PAD HERE.
THIS IS JUST, LIKE, A RUBBER COMPOSITE.
THERE'S ABOUT 60 PSI OF PRESSURE IN HERE,
AND I'M ABOUT 160 POUNDS.
SO TOGETHER IT'S ROUGHLY 300, 350 POUNDS.
THAT'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF
FORCE. THAT SHOULD HOLD YOU.
WE'RE HOPING SO. ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO IT.
ALL RIGHT.
♪♪
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
WHEN YOU SEE THESE POGOS IMPACT THE OOBLECK
IN REAL TIME,
YOU THINK THAT THEY GO ALL
THE WAY DOWN INTO THE OOBLECK.
BUT THEY DON'T.
THE SHAFT ACTUALLY GET STUCK JUST BARELY
BENEATH THE SURFACE
'CAUSE THE OOBLECK HARDENS
AND KEEPS IT FROM GOING TOO DEEP.
YOU SEE, THIS IS WHY SLOW
MOTION IS SO MUCH FUN.
YOU SEE SO MUCH DETAIL ON THINGS
THAT YOU WOULD NEVER
SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE.
OH, MAN, WHAT HAPPENED THERE, NICK.
OH, MY GOSH. SO I HIT
IT WITH WAY MORE FORCE
THAN I THOUGHT WAS GONNA REBOUND ON ME.
AND MY KNEES ACTUALLY BUCKLED
BECAUSE I EXPECTED IT
TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I THINK I COULD HIT IT AGAIN EXPECTING THAT
AND ACTUALLY BOUNCE RIGHT
OFF THE OTHER SIDE, POTENTIALLY.
AWESOME, AWESOME. LET'S DO IT.
OKAY, LET'S DO IT.
Delaney: THAT'S WHY WE
CALL IT AN EXPERIMENT.
NOW ANTICIPATING MORE
FORCE FROM THE OOBLECK,
TWO RIDERS TRY IT THIS TIME.
♪♪
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
SUCCESS.
THE SHAFTS OF THE POGO STICKS
PENETRATE A FEW INCHES
INTO THE DEEP OOBLECK.
BUT AS THE FORCE INCREASES,
THE LIQUID TURNS SOLID
AND PUSHES BACK AGAINST THE POGO STICKS,
SENDING THE RIDERS BACK INTO THE AIR.
Householder: ONCE I ENTERED
THE POOL, I DEFINITELY HAD THAT
"OH [BLEEP]" MOMENT WHERE IT'S I DON'T KNOW
WHETHER I SHOULD LET GO
OR HOLD ON FOR MY DEAR LIFE.
AND THANK GOD, I JUST HELD ON,
AND I WALKED RIGHT THROUGH.
AND IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE RUSH.
ANY TIME YOU CAN TALK
ABOUT SCIENCE WITH PEOPLE
WHO ARE AS MUCH IN LOVE
WITH IT AS WE ARE IS A GOOD DAY.
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU
MIX CORNSTARCH WITH WATER?
I'D SAY YOU GET OOBLECK. GESUNDHEIT.
Delaney: NO MATTER HOW YOU SLICE IT...
Delaney: OH, IT WORKED.
...OOBLECK ACTS LIKE
A LIQUID AND A SOLID...
[ THUNK ]
...AND A DANCE PARTY.
Man: [ Laughing ] IT'S SO STRANGE!
AND WITH ENOUGH OOBLECK...
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO WORK.
...CAN WE WALK ON WATER?
Delaney: OH, MAN.
MY NAME IS KEVIN DELANEY.
I'VE BEEN SHOWING OFF THE
MAGIC OF SCIENCE FOR YEARS,
EVERYWHERE FROM MUSEUMS
TO LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOWS.
SCIENCE IS ALL AROUND US,
AND I WANT THE WORLD TO SEE IT,
SO I'M COMBINING EVERYDAY ELEMENTS
IN WAYS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND.
[ SCREAMING ]
I'VE GOT A TEAM OF EXPERTS
AND HIGH-TECH CAMERAS
THAT WILL REVEAL THE
SCIENCE THAT SURROUNDS US
IN WAYS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
I'M TAKING SCIENCE TO THE STREETS.
THIS IS "STREET SCIENCE."
Delaney: WE'RE IN A PLACE WHERE
MOST GREAT INVENTIONS START...
THE GARAGE.
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU
MIX CORNSTARCH WITH WATER?
I'D SAY YOU GET OOBLECK. GESUNDHEIT.
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU
MIX CORNSTARCH WITH WATER?
I SAID, "OOBLECK," KEVIN. THAT IS RIGHT.
RIGHT.
MY FAVORITE NON-NEWTONIAN
FLUID BESIDES BLOOD AND KETCHUP...
OOBLECK.
Delaney: A NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID IS ANY FLUID
THAT DOESN'T BEHAVE LIKE WATER.
AND BY ADDING TWO PARTS
CORNSTARCH TO ONE PART
WATER TO MAKE OOBLECK,
WE CREATE JUST THAT.
CORNSTARCH IS USED IN
COOKING AS A THICKENING AGENT,
BUT HERE IT CREATES A
SHEER THICKENING FLUID
OR WHAT IS OFTEN CALLED OOBLECK.
PUT PRESSURE ON IT,
AND IT ACTS LIKE A SOLID.
RELEASE THAT PRESSURE
...NOW IT ACTS LIKE A LIQUID.
WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW IT
REACTS TO DIFFERENT FORCES.
SUSPENSION OF CORNSTARCH AND WATER...
IT BEHAVES SO INTERESTINGLY.
WHEN ALL THOSE CORNSTARCH
MOLECULES ARE SURROUNDED
BY THE WATER, THEY CAN
SLIDE REALLY, REALLY EASILY.
BUT AS SOON AS YOU PUT A LOT FORCE ON THEM,
THEY LOCK TOGETHER, AND
IT ALMOST BECOMES A SOLID.
IT'S VERY, VERY COOL.
I THINK WE SHOULD TEST
THE LIMITS OF THIS OOBLECK.
I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY STRESS IT OUT.
YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY KNOW A GUY
WHO HAS KIND OF AN AWESOME BACKYARD
AND HAS DONE A LOT OF
THIS STUFF IN THE PAST.
OKAY. WANT TO GO CHECK IT OUT?
YES, I DO. LET'S DO IT.
[ WOBBLING ]
[ THUNK ]
WE'RE GETTING HELP FROM
THE BACKYARD SCIENTIST,
KEVIN KOHLER, BEST
KNOWN FOR HIS VIRAL VIDEOS
USING HIS BACKYARD AS HIS LAB.
FROM MELTING CELLPHONES
TO EXPLODING JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.
NICE!
KEVIN'S BACKYARD IS THE PERFECT SPOT
FOR TESTING OUT OOBLECK.
SO THIS IS THE BACKYARD
SCIENTIST'S BACKYARD?
THIS IS INDEED, MAN.
THIS IS KEVIN'S MAD LAIR, BASICALLY.
OH, GOOD.
HE'S ACTUALLY KIND OF FAMOUS
FOR THIS BACKYARD, MAN,
AND THE CRAZY STUFF HE DOES HERE.
LET'S DO SOME DAMAGE... TO CORNSTARCH.
HEY, MAN. WHAT'S UP?
SO WE'RE HERE TO MESS
AROUND WITH SOME OOBLECK.
WHAT DO YOU SAY? LET'S GET STARTED.
SWEET.
Delaney: WE'VE GATHERED
SOME OF KEVIN'S FRIENDS
TO HELP US IN OUR QUEST.
AND THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE
A HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC QUIVER
OF TESTING INSTRUMENTS.
OUR GOAL WITH THESE TOOLS AND WEAPONS
IS TO USE THEM ON OOBLECK
TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF FORCES
AND STRESSORS MAKE
OOBLECK ACT LIKE A LIQUID
AND WHICH ONES MAKE IT ACT LIKE A SOLID.
HEY, EVERYBODY. THANKS
FOR COMING TO PLAY WITH GOO.
SO, TODAY, WE'RE GONNA SUBJECT OOBLECK
TO A LOT OF STRESS.
AND SO WE HAVE SOME
STRESS-INDUCING IMPLEMENTS HERE.
WE HAVE A BOW AND ARROW.
NOW, THESE ARE RAZOR-TIPPED ARROWS.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE FIRE
AN ARROW AT A BALLOON FULL OF OOBLECK?
IT SHOULD GO STRAIGHT THROUGH, RIGHT?
STRAIGHT THROUGH? WE'LL SEE, WE'LL SEE.
WE ALSO HAVE KEVIN'S GOLF-BALL CANNON.
KEVIN, HOW FAST CAN THIS MOVE A GOLF BALL?
LIKE 300 OR 400 FEET PER SECOND.
THAT'S PRETTY FAST.
SO, IS THE CHAIN SAW GOING TO DO
A WHOLE LOT OF DAMAGE TO OOBLECK?
I THINK IT'S GONNA DO A LOT OF DAMAGE.
WE'LL SEE. LET'S HOPE.
AND THEN WE HAVE ALL OF THESE SLICING
AND CUTTING DEVICES OVER HERE.
Dyk: SEEING AS WE HAVE SO
MANY PROJECTILES TODAY,
I BROUGHT MY BAZOOKA ZOOM LENS.
EXCELLENT.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO BE IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION.
THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA
WHEN THERE ARE SWORDS
AND ARROWS AND CHAIN SAWS.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET STARTED.
Delaney: FIRST UP, MASTER SWORDSMAN
AND TRAINER GUY HAGEN IS TAKING ON OOBLECK
USING A JAPANESE SWORD CALLED A KATANA.
THE INCREDIBLY SHARP WEAPON
DATES BACK TO THE 1400s.
WILL THE IMPACT OF ITS RAZOR-SHARP EDGE
CUT THE OOBLECK IN HALF LIKE A SOLID
OR JUST BREAK THE BALLOON
AND CAUSE THE OOBLECK
TO POUR OUT LIKE A LIQUID?
Delaney: OH, IT WORKED!
[ LAUGHTER ]
RIGHT THROUGH IT, NICE. IT'S SO DRIPPY.
WELL, I THINK WE'RE GONNA
HAVE TO LOOK TO THE HIGH-SPEED
TO SEE WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING.
Delaney: DARREN IS SLOWING DOWN TIME
TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN THE KATANA STRIKES THE OOBLECK.
INSIDE THE BALLOON,
THE OOBLECK IS NOT UNDER FORCE
AND THEREFORE IN A LIQUID STATE.
BUT AS THE BLADE MAKES
CONTACT WITH THE OOBLECK,
IT BECOMES A SOLID.
THE BLOW OF THE SWORD CAUSES
THE CORNSTARCH TO COLLECT,
BUT AS THE FORCE DISSIPATES
AND THE OOBLECK FALLS TO THE GROUND,
IT REVERTS BACK TO A LIQUID STATE.
THIS IS THE PROCESS OF SHEER THICKENING.
A HARD FORCE SLAMS MICRO-SIZED PARTICLES
IN THE FLUID TOGETHER,
FORMING LONG, RIGID CHAINS,
WHICH ARE HARD TO BREAK.
NEXT UP, OOBLECK VERSUS CHAIN SAW.
Delaney: OOBLECK VERSUS CHAIN SAW.
All: OH!
[ LAUGHTER ]
WELL, WAS ANYBODY
SURPRISED BY THAT REACTION?
I THOUGHT THAT WOULD
REACT MORE LIKE A LIQUID,
BUT IT JUST SEEMED SOLID THE WHOLE WAY.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF
FORCE. AND THEN THAT BALLOON
DID NOT RESPOND WELL TO THE CHAIN SAW.
Delaney: NON-NEWTONIAN
FLUIDS LIKE OOBLECK ARE NOW
BEING DEVELOPED FOR
USE IN MILITARY BODY ARMOR.
AS THE TEETH OF THE SAW CUTS
INTO AND STRESSES THE OOBLECK,
IT TURNS FROM A LIQUID
TO A PROTECTIVE SOLID
AND PREVENTS THE SAW FROM BREAKING THROUGH.
CUT RIGHT INTO IT. OH, MY GOODNESS.
JUST TORE RIGHT INTO THE MOTOR.
I HOPE THAT WASN'T LIKE
AN HEIRLOOM CHAINSAW.
WELL, IT WAS PASSED DOWN
FROM ONE PAWN SHOP TO ANOTHER.
OH, YEAH.
Delaney: SLICING THE OOBLECK WITH A CHAIN
SAW AND SWORD TRANSFORMED IT INTO A SOLID.
BUT WHAT IF WE ATTACK THE OOBLECK
WITH A SUPER-SLIM ARROW,
SO ALL THE PRESSURE HITS ONE
SMALL POINT ON THE BALLOON?
OOBLECK VERSUS COMPOUND
BOW AND RAZOR-TIPPED ARROWS.
ANY PREDICTIONS?
I THINK IT'S JUST GONNA
GO STRAIGHT THROUGH.
IT'S GONNA ACT LIKE A LIQUID,
AND IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT IT AT ALL.
ANYBODY ELSE?
I THINK IT'S JUST GONNA
TAKE THE ARROW AND STOP IT.
MM.
GRAB IT AND SMASH IT, BREAK IT,
AND THEN THROW IT ON THE GROUND.
I LIKE THAT IDEA. ALL
RIGHT, LET'S FIND OUT.
READY?
THREE, TWO, ONE.
♪♪
All: WHOA.
Delaney: UNLIKE THE BROAD-STROKE
IMPACT OF THE CHAIN SAW,
WHICH WAS STOPPED BY THE SOLID OOBLECK,
THE HIGH SPEED AND EXTREMELY LOW FRICTION
OF THE ARROW ALLOWS IT TO TRAVEL EASILY
THROUGH THE STILL-LIQUID OOBLECK.
THIS TIME, IT WENT RIGHT THROUGH,
AND WE SAW THE BALLOON WAS GONE,
AND THAT OOBLECK KIND OF STAYED TOGETHER.
WE SAW THAT KIND OF PIT IN THE MIDDLE.
THAT WAS A PERFECT SHOT.
Delaney: WHEN THE ARROW
STRIKES THE OOBLECK,
IT PENETRATES CLEANLY
THROUGH THE LIQUID FORM
WITHOUT RESISTANCE BECAUSE THE ARROW POINT
ONLY IMPACTS A TINY AMOUNT OF
SURFACE AREA ON THE OOBLECK.
THE FORCE ISN'T ENOUGH
TO TRANSFORM THE LIQUID
INTO A SOLID AND STOP THE ARROW.
[ LAUGHTER ]
NOW WHAT HAPPENS IF WE BROADEN
THE IMPACT ON THE BALLOON
BY FIRING SOMETHING
BIGGER AT IT, LIKE A GOLF BALL?
THIS GOLF-BALL CANNON IS MADE UP OF PVC
PIPE AND POWERED BY A SMALL PROPANE TANK.
BALLOON IS UP. OOBLECK VERSUS GOLF BALL...
ASTERISK, CANNON.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
OH, NO.
Delaney: KEVIN'S BACKYARD IS
PROVING TO BE A GREAT SPOT
TO SEE THE MAGIC OF
OUR NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID,
OOBLECK, IN ACTION.
WE'RE TESTING TO SEE HOW
THIS MIXTURE OF CORNSTARCH
AND WATER REACTS TO A VARIETY OF FORCES.
SO FAR, WE'VE USED A KATANA, A CHAIN SAW,
AND A BOW AND ARROW.
AND NOW WE'RE SHOOTING A
GOLF BALL OUT OF A CANNON
TO SEE IF A LARGER AREA OF
IMPACT MAKES THE OOBLECK
BEHAVE LIKE A LIQUID OR A SOLID.
OOBLECK VERSUS GOLF
BALL... ASTERISK, CANNON.
THREE... TWO... ONE.
OH, NO.
WELL, THAT WAS A DIRECT MISS.
KEVIN'S CANNON SHOOTS A GOLF BALL
AT 300 TO 400 FEET PER SECOND,
SENDING IT STRAIGHT THROUGH THE BACKSTOP.
FORTUNATELY, IT WAS
CAUGHT BY THE BACKUP FENCE.
OH, NO.
AND IN THE BACKYARD,
THERE'S ALWAYS TIME FOR A DO-OVER.
THREE... TWO... ONE.
NICE. WOW.
IT CAUGHT IT.
THAT WAS AWESOME.
I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA GO
THROUGH, BUT IT CAUGHT IT.
Delaney: DARREN CAN FREEZE TIME
AND STOP THE GOLF BALL IN FLIGHT
TO SEE WHAT REALLY HAPPENS TO THE OOBLECK.
SO, THAT GOLF BALL WAS ALL MIGHT, NO GRACE.
BUT IT WAS REALLY, REALLY
COOL HOW WHEN IT IMPACTED,
IT CREATED VERY SPECIFIC PATTERNS
GOING OUT FROM THE EDGES.
Delaney: BECAUSE THE GOLF
BALL STRIKES THE OOBLECK
WITH A BLUNT FORCE MUCH WIDER
THAN THAT OF THE ARROW TIP,
THE FLUID REACTS TO THE
EXTREME STRESS BY SOLIDIFYING,
BRINGING IT TO A COMPLETE STOP.
SO EVERY ONE WAS A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, RIGHT,
BECAUSE WE HAD DIFFERENT TYPES OF STRESS
BEING PUT ON TO THE OOBLECK,
SO IT REACTED A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENTLY AND SEPARATED DIFFERENTLY.
IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU PUT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FORCE
INTO THIS PARTICULAR NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID,
IT BEHAVES LIKE A SOLID.
Delaney: WE'VE SEEN HOW BLUNT
AND PIERCING FORCES CAN AFFECT OOBLECK.
BUT CAN SOUND WAVES
ALSO MAKE THIS STRANGE COMPOUND CHANGE
FROM A LIQUID TO A SOLID.
I'M MEETING UP WITH SOME STAFF
FROM THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
TO EXPLORE THIS QUESTION.
HOW MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE
PLAYED WITH OOBLECK BEFORE?
I HAVE. EXCELLENT. YOU HAVEN'T?
DID YOU ALL KNOW WHERE THE
TERM "OOBLECK" CAME FROM?
NO. DR. SEUSS.
IT'S ONE OF OUR FAVORITE
NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS.
IT'S A SUSPENSION OF CORNSTARCH AND WATER.
Delaney: OOBLECK IS THE MOST FUN,
BUT THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES
OF NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS
THAT BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY.
UNLIKE OOBLECK, HONEY BECOMES MORE LIQUID
AS MORE STRESS AND
MORE FRICTION IS APPLIED.
CREAM IN ANOTHER TYPE
OF NON-NEWTONIAN LIQUID.
IT BECOMES THICKER THE
LONGER STRESS IS APPLIED.
AND FINALLY, KETCHUP.
KETCHUP'S VISCOSITY DECREASES
WITH INCREASED STRESS.
THAT'S WHY A HARD KNOCK
TO THE BACK OF THE BOTTLE
IS OFTEN NEEDED TO MAKE IT POUR.
SO YOU GOT TO POKE AT IT. POKE AT IT.
JUST POKE AT IT. DON'T GO SLOW.
GO FAST. AH.
THERE YOU GO.
NOW SLOWLY... SLOWLY KIND
OF, LIKE, DIP YOUR FINGER DOWN.
DON'T BE AFRAID. OH, THAT'S SO WEIRD.
THERE YOU GO. THAT'S SO WEIRD.
OH, NO, IT DOESN'T WANT MY FINGER.
NO, NO, EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
AND IT'S JUST CORNSTARCH AND WATER.
Delaney: SO WE'VE PROVEN THAT
OOBLECK IS GOOEY AND GROSS.
SOUND, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS INVISIBLE,
BUT IT'S STILL A PHYSICAL FORCE.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT
IF SOUND WAVES ARE STRONG ENOUGH
TO MAKE OOBLECK CHANGE ITS STATE.
NOW, WE HAVE OUR SPEAKER.
I'M GONNA POUR A LITTLE BIT
OF OOBLECK ONTO THE SPEAKER.
THAT'S PROBABLY ENOUGH.
[ LAUGHTER ]
SO WHEN YOU EXERTED
A LITTLE BIT OF FORCE ONTO THIS,
ALL THOSE CORNSTARCH
MOLECULES KIND OF LOCK TOGETHER.
AND IT BEHAVED A LITTLE BIT
MORE LIKE A SOLID THAN A LIQUID, RIGHT?
A LOT MORE LIKE A SOLID. SO
IF WE SEND A LOT OF PRESSURE
THROUGH IT THROUGH OUR VIBRATIONS HERE,
WE MIGHT GET TO SEE
SOMETHING KIND OF INTERESTING.
WHOA, LOOK AT IT.
[ Laughing ] IT'S SO STRANGE.
♪♪
Delaney: AS THE BASS FROM
THE SUBWOOFER INCREASES,
THE OOBLECK BECOMES AGITATED,
TURNING FROM A LIQUID TO A SOLID.
OH, LOOK AT THAT.
SOUND TRAVELS IN COMPRESSION WAVES.
THE INTERACTION OF THESE WAVES
WITH MATTER IS THE BASIS OF
MANY IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGIES
FROM SONAR TO SONOGRAMS.
HERE, AS THE VOLUME INCREASES,
THESE WAVES BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO CREATE
A NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN THE OOBLECK,
MAKING IT MOVE FROM THE LIQUID
TO A SOLID STATE.
♪♪
NEXT, I'VE GOT SOMETHING
EVEN BIGGER IN MIND.
WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT
IF A PERSON CAN ACTUALLY
WALK ACROSS A POOL OF OOBLECK.
Delaney: WE'RE HITTING THE
STREETS AND PUTTING OOBLECK
TO THE TEST BY SUBJECTING
IT TO MULTIPLE FORCES.
SO FAR, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CHOP IT...
I HOPE THAT WASN'T LIKE
AN HEIRLOOM CHAIN SAW.
...POKE IT... AH, THAT'S SO STRANGE.
...SHOOT IT... WHOA. NICE.
...AND EVEN MAKE IT DANCE.
Man: NEWTON WOULD BE HORRIFIED.
BUT NOW WE'RE SCALING UP
OUR TEST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS
IF YOU TRY TO RUN AND EVEN RIDE ACROSS IT.
WE'RE CREATING THE BIGGEST OOBLECK POOL
I HAVE EVER SEEN.
THIS REQUIRES A 13-TON CEMENT MIXER,
9 TONS OF OOBLECK, AND A 25-FOOT-LONG POOL.
AND THERE'S NOTHING STRONG TO HOLD ON TO
IF YOU START TO SINK.
YOU COULD SEE IT KIND OF
SPLITTING OPEN AS IT FALLS.
SO THE POOL OF OOBLECK IS
READY FOR HUMAN TESTING.
ENGINEER NICK HOUSEHOLDER
AND DARREN ARE HERE
TO OVERSEE THE OPEN SWIM.
OR IS IT SINK?
THAT'S A BIG POOL OF OOBLECK, MAN.
DUDE, THAT IS A MASSIVE POOL OF OOBLECK.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH IT?
THE REASON I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT TODAY
IS BECAUSE THE OOBLECK ITSELF
IS LIKE A WAY DIFFERENT SUBSTANCE
THAN WE TYPICALLY WORK WITH.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO IT, MAN. LET'S DO IT.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN A PERSON RUNS
THROUGH THIS MUCH OOBLECK?
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, WE
HAVE A LOT OF OOBLECK HERE...
9 TONS, I BELIEVE.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO WORK,
SO I'M GOING TO NEED A HUMAN TEST SUBJECT.
DUSTIN, COME ON. GIVE ME A HAND.
Dustin: ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
WHAT DO YOU NEED? POP YOUR SHOES OFF.
GO AHEAD, GIVE IT A SHOT, MAN.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
GO FOR IT.
♪♪
SUCCESS!
Delaney: SO YOU CAN SEE
THE PRESSURE OF THE FOOT STRIKING
THE SURFACE CAUSES THE LIQUID
TO THICKEN ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE RUNNER.
BUT THE SUBSTANCE WILL
NOT STAY SOLID FOR LONG.
ONCE THE RUNNER STOPS
LIFTING HIS OR HER FEET,
FORCE STOPS BEING
TRANSFERRED TO THE OOBLECK.
AND WHEN THE PARTICLES OF CORNSTARCH
ARE NO LONGER SQUEEZED TOGETHER BY FORCE,
WATER FILLS IN THE GAPS
BETWEEN THE PARTICLES, AND THE OOBLECK
RETURNS TO A MORE LIQUID STATE.
IT SEEMS THE ONLY WAY NOT TO GET STUCK
OR FALL THROUGH THE OOBLECK
IS TO CONTINUE TO APPLY
FORCE TO THE PARTICLES.
BUT WHEN WE KEEP THE ACTION SOFT,
LIKE SLOWLY PUTTING OUR HAND IN IT,
IT FLOWS LIKE A LIQUID.
BUT HIT IT HARD,
AND IT'S SOLID ENOUGH TO RUN ACROSS.
NO, NO, NO, NO. YOU SEE,
YOU SCORED ON YOUR OWN
GOAL. Householder: OH, NO!
I DIDN'T TELL YOU WHICH GOAL WAS WHICH.
YOU TOLD ME THE WRONG WAY, KEVIN.
NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU
WENT WAS THE WRONG WAY, NICK.
OF COURSE.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE REALLY FAST,
PERCUSSIVE MOVEMENTS ACROSS IT,
THEY JUST WALK ACROSS IT WITH EASE.
BUT AS SOON AS YOU KIND
OF SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT,
YOU GET ENVELOPED IN THE STUFF.
Delaney: SO FAR, OUR FOOT-DEEP POOL
OF OOBLECK CAN CARRY THE WEIGHT OF A HUMAN.
BUT WHAT IF WE ADD EVEN MORE FORCE
AND BRING IN A BIKE OR A POGO STICK?
WILL THEY CUT THROUGH OR SINK?
Delaney: OUT HERE ON THE STREETS,
WE BUILT A GIANT POOL
OF NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID.
AND SO FAR, OUR TEST SUBJECTS
HAVE SPUN, CARTWHEELED,
AND EVEN TRIED TO DRIBBLE A SOCCER BALL
ACROSS OUR INCREDIBLY
LARGE POOL OF OOBLECK.
BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN
WHEN WE TRY TO RIDE OVER IT?
NEXT UP, BICYCLES.
ARE WE READY FOR OUR BICYCLE?
YEAH!
YEAH.
YOU AND I AGREE, MY FRIEND.
SO HE'S GOT TO BUILD UP ENOUGH SPEED.
AND HERE WE GO.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
♪♪
Delaney: TO GO FASTER,
HE PEDALS THE BIKE HARD,
WHICH CREATES ENOUGH DOWNWARD FORCE
TO MAKE THE LIQUID BEHAVE LIKE A SOLID.
BUT LET'S SEE IF ENTERING
FROM A STANDSTILL WITH FAR LESS PEDALING
AND SPEED WILL CHANGE
THINGS FOR OUR FEARLESS RIDER.
[ AUDIENCE SHOUTING ]
Man: JUST LET IT GO.
SACRIFICE THE BIKE! YOU
CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU.
COME ON, YOU CAN DO IT. YOU CAN DO IT.
Delaney: SO MUCH FOR THE FANCY FOOTWORK.
OUR BICYCLIST DOESN'T PEDAL HARD,
SO THERE'S NO DOWNWARD
FORCE TO HARDEN THE OOBLECK,
AND THE BIKE SINKS AND GETS STUCK.
Delaney: OH, NO.
NOW, WHAT IF WE DECREASE
THE SURFACE AREA OF THE IMPACT
AND ADD ABOUT 350 POUNDS
OF FORCE WITH A POGO STICK?
WILL THE QUICK IMPACT
OF A NARROW SHAFT SLICE
THROUGH THE LIQUID LIKE THE ARROW DID?
OR WILL IT TRIGGER THE NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID
TO CHANGE INTO A SOLID?
YOU GOT A NICE WIDE
BASE THERE ON THE BOTTOM.
YEAH, I GOT LIKE MAYBE A 2½-INCH
SURFACE AREA BOUNCE PAD HERE.
THIS IS JUST, LIKE, A RUBBER COMPOSITE.
THERE'S ABOUT 60 PSI OF PRESSURE IN HERE,
AND I'M ABOUT 160 POUNDS.
SO TOGETHER IT'S ROUGHLY 300, 350 POUNDS.
THAT'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF
FORCE. THAT SHOULD HOLD YOU.
WE'RE HOPING SO. ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO IT.
ALL RIGHT.
♪♪
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
WHEN YOU SEE THESE POGOS IMPACT THE OOBLECK
IN REAL TIME,
YOU THINK THAT THEY GO ALL
THE WAY DOWN INTO THE OOBLECK.
BUT THEY DON'T.
THE SHAFT ACTUALLY GET STUCK JUST BARELY
BENEATH THE SURFACE
'CAUSE THE OOBLECK HARDENS
AND KEEPS IT FROM GOING TOO DEEP.
YOU SEE, THIS IS WHY SLOW
MOTION IS SO MUCH FUN.
YOU SEE SO MUCH DETAIL ON THINGS
THAT YOU WOULD NEVER
SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE.
OH, MAN, WHAT HAPPENED THERE, NICK.
OH, MY GOSH. SO I HIT
IT WITH WAY MORE FORCE
THAN I THOUGHT WAS GONNA REBOUND ON ME.
AND MY KNEES ACTUALLY BUCKLED
BECAUSE I EXPECTED IT
TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I THINK I COULD HIT IT AGAIN EXPECTING THAT
AND ACTUALLY BOUNCE RIGHT
OFF THE OTHER SIDE, POTENTIALLY.
AWESOME, AWESOME. LET'S DO IT.
OKAY, LET'S DO IT.
Delaney: THAT'S WHY WE
CALL IT AN EXPERIMENT.
NOW ANTICIPATING MORE
FORCE FROM THE OOBLECK,
TWO RIDERS TRY IT THIS TIME.
♪♪
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
SUCCESS.
THE SHAFTS OF THE POGO STICKS
PENETRATE A FEW INCHES
INTO THE DEEP OOBLECK.
BUT AS THE FORCE INCREASES,
THE LIQUID TURNS SOLID
AND PUSHES BACK AGAINST THE POGO STICKS,
SENDING THE RIDERS BACK INTO THE AIR.
Householder: ONCE I ENTERED
THE POOL, I DEFINITELY HAD THAT
"OH [BLEEP]" MOMENT WHERE IT'S I DON'T KNOW
WHETHER I SHOULD LET GO
OR HOLD ON FOR MY DEAR LIFE.
AND THANK GOD, I JUST HELD ON,
AND I WALKED RIGHT THROUGH.
AND IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE RUSH.
ANY TIME YOU CAN TALK
ABOUT SCIENCE WITH PEOPLE
WHO ARE AS MUCH IN LOVE
WITH IT AS WE ARE IS A GOOD DAY.