Starch Slime

Add to list Go to activity
Activity link broken? See if it's at the internet archive
Learners mix liquid water with solid cornstarch. They investigate the slime produced, which has properties of both a solid and a liquid. When they press hard on the starch slime with their fingers, the slime acts like a solid. Starch in water is a suspension of solid particles in water. When learners leave the starch slime alone, it flows like a liquid. A great opportunity to discuss states of matter. This activity is currently used in the Nature of Matter Unit in OMSI's Chemistry Lab. Cost estimates are per 100 learners.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$5 - $10 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 4 - 18
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Cornstarch (keep one box on hand)
  • Water
  • One Tablespoon measure
  • One 400-ml beaker
  • One 250-ml plastic squeeze bottle
  • One 10-ml graduated cylinder
  • One small cereal bowl
  • One wooden stirring stick (keep six on hand)
  • One plastic waste container
  • One large funnel

Keywords

Subjects

  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
    • States of Matter
      • Solids
      • Liquids

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking
  • Science Festivals Activity

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation