Cornflour and water is an example of a non - Newtonian fluid. This means the way it moves doesn't just depend on temperature, it also depends on the force applied to it, or the speed of something moving through it.
The first thing that we are going to do is pour some cornflour into the bowl. We are now going to slowly add water to the cornflour in the bowl and mix the mixture very slowly until you have your slimy cornflower mixture
If you try running your fingers through it you will see that you have a liquid, but if you try and hit it or stir it quickly it becomes solid, you could even try walking on it if you make a large amount and see what happens.
The reason this works is that cornflour contains lots of starch. When this mixes with water it is able to move between the water particles and become a liquid but if a rapid force is applied the starch particles lock together and it becomes solid.
The video tutorial for this activity is available on the Surrey Libraries Facebook Page or the Surrey Libraries YouTube Channel
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