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Stirring or impacting oobleck causes it to instantly thicken into a solid-like state. The figure is taken from NIST, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

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Non-Newtonian fluids change viscosity when force is applied

Stirring or impacting oobleck causes it to instantly thicken into a solid-like state

Unlike Newtonian fluids like water that maintain constant viscosity regardless of stress, non-Newtonian fluids change resistance under applied force. Shear-thickening fluids like cornstarch suspended in water lock starch particles together when struck quickly, behaving like a rigid solid. Shear-thinning liquids like ketchup flow more easily when shaken.

Where this comes from

NIST

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Tags: materials, fluids, viscosity

Non-Newtonian fluids change viscosity when force is applied: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Stirring or impacting oobleck causes it to instantly thicken into a solid-like state. The figure is taken from NIST, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a science fact?: Yes. It sits on the Science shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.