Slime Time!
There are many types of cooking and crafting materials that you can use to make slimy and gooey materials
Materials
Cornstarch
Water
Bowl or container
Safety
Be careful not to throw this down the drain; it can clog the drain.
Try it!
The science behind the activity:
Slime and plastic are made of polymer, which are small parts that chemically connect as a long chain. When the polymer is a liquid, the chains of molecules stretch out and it flows like a liquid. But if you putt pressure on the polymer it will push air out between the molecules making it seem like a solid when you press on it. Plastics are made of polymers and depending on the types of molecules that are used some plastics are harder than others while some are more flexible.
Other ideas:
Materials
Cornstarch
Water
Bowl or container
Safety
Be careful not to throw this down the drain; it can clog the drain.
Try it!
- You can use the recipe below or just explore by:
- Fill a bowl with cornstarch
- Slowly add water to the bowl (probably not more than 1 ½ cups) and have someone mix the materials.*
- Mix until the mixture turns into a paste.
- You could even add food coloring to make it your favorite color.
- Touch it and try to move it. What does it feel like? Can you pick it up.
- Fill a bowl with cornstarch
The science behind the activity:
Slime and plastic are made of polymer, which are small parts that chemically connect as a long chain. When the polymer is a liquid, the chains of molecules stretch out and it flows like a liquid. But if you putt pressure on the polymer it will push air out between the molecules making it seem like a solid when you press on it. Plastics are made of polymers and depending on the types of molecules that are used some plastics are harder than others while some are more flexible.
Other ideas:
- Can you figure out a way to transfer your gooey slime to another container? How can you pick it up?
- What happens if you squeeze it?
- Can you pull it apart?
- If you add extra cornstarch how does can you change the way the slime behaves? Does it become more like a liquid or a solid? Test it out- how does it behave now? Can you make it bouncy?
- For other types of slimy materials you can try at home take a look at this book. Resource: Shar Levine and Leslie Johnston’s The Incredible Secret Formula Book. (2001). Troll Communications, LLC: Washington.