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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site linus.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!meister
From: meister@linus.UUCP (Phillip W. Servita)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: HELP! Real life physics problem.
Message-ID: <54@linus.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 18-Nov-85 10:43:55 EST
Article-I.D.: linus.54
Posted: Mon Nov 18 10:43:55 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Nov-85 06:36:59 EST
References: <773@charm.UUCP> <2383@flame.warwick.UUCP>
Reply-To: meister@linus.UUCP (Phillip W. Servita)
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Lines: 43
Keywords: egg, brick, cornstarch, vibrator

In article <2383@flame.warwick.UUCP> kay@flame.UUCP (Kay Dekker) writes:
>I don't know if this would work: the theory sounds OK, but I'm not sure I'd
>like to try it...  if anyone wants to do so, please email me the result!
>
>Method:  Fill the shoebox with a stiffish paste of cornstarch and water. Add
>the egg and the brick at opposite ends.  Tie up, and drop.
>
>Cornstarch and water form a rheotropic mixture (ie, flows like a liquid, but
>when placed under compression sets solid until released).  This should tend
>to cushion the egg against any compressive forces by spreading them evenly
>over the surface.  It will also cushion the brick, but who gives a damn about
>bricks? ;-)
>
>This leads on to a question of my own: I posted it to the net about a year
>ago, but there was absolutely no response; possibly it didn't get out (our
>news system was fairly flakey then).  Maybe someone will find it interesting.
>
>Given the properties of a rheotrope, what would happen if a mechanical
>oscillator were placed into it? (for example, a piezo buzzer or a vibrator).
>How does the rheotropism affect the propagation of the compression waves?
>Does the medium fall apart into increasingly-slushy shells?  does the
>oscillator become coated with an ever-thickening layer of gelled cornstarch?
>or what?  Does anyone have a mathematical model for rheotropism?

   This is indeed neat stuff, great for parties. (grab a ball of the stuff, 
toss it around between hands, it stays solid. when someone asks what it 
is, hand it to them. inavriably they will let it sit in their palm, where it
will start dripping all over the place...) We call this stuff "ooblick". 
Anyway, a freind of mine (who will go nameless) put some of this stuff in
a blender and turned it on. Result: blender seized, overheated, burned out.
the ooblick didnt break apart.

                                                    -phil


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