Looking Back:
On January 27, 2016 in class we conducted an experiment to learn about the three phases of matter by making oobleck, a cornstarch and water mixture. First we put cornstarch in a tray, then added small amounts of water. At first my group and I added too much water, which made the experiment extremely liquid like. Once we added more cornstarch, it made the mixture more like a puddy.
It was really cool to see how the oobleck would change from solid to liquid. My group and I thought it was interesting how when you crushed the mixture, it would become dry and solid instead of the liquid it was when it was in the tray. We played around with it and tested out how it would react to different things, like rolling oobleck in a ball. Some groups put food dye in their's, which looked really cool. One group put two different colors in and mixed them which also ended up looking cool.
Looking Beyond:
This experiment made me wonder about why cornstarch and water acted different from when you move it to letting it stay still. My group and I thought that it might be when our hands are touching it, the dryness from our skin absorbs the water. Later though I realized that it couldn't be that because when we put the mixture into balloons to make stress balls, it reacted the same way when I would move it around or let it sit still. From this experiment, I have started to want to look up more about why when you put water and cornstarch how the molecules react. I think that oobleck reacts as a solid because when you press it together, the molecules don't room to move, so they become a solid. Then when you stop moving it, it has space for the molecules to slide around each other.
By doing this experiment, I have wanted to research more about why the molecules in the two ingredients we used, react the way that they do. It's made me curious about whether there is an actual scientific explanation or if there's a way to find an explanation for it.
Looking Inward:
I think that we got desirable results in our group. One way I contributed to our results by was making sure we documented the experience by taking many photos. This experiment also made me notice more that learning kinetically really helps me take information in better. I can use this information for future experiments and in some of my other classes as well, like math.
Looking Outward:
I worked with Sophie, Monique and Zoe. Our group worked really well because we have all worked on a project together and know how each other works. We all seemed to work equal amounts as each other and put in the same amount of effort. All of us worked together to get the result that we desired. I think that overall my group performed really well.
Take Away:
l learned that cornstarch and water make a really cool mixture when they're put together. Also, I learned how important it is to play when learning science because it actually really does help learn things easier.
On January 27, 2016 in class we conducted an experiment to learn about the three phases of matter by making oobleck, a cornstarch and water mixture. First we put cornstarch in a tray, then added small amounts of water. At first my group and I added too much water, which made the experiment extremely liquid like. Once we added more cornstarch, it made the mixture more like a puddy.
It was really cool to see how the oobleck would change from solid to liquid. My group and I thought it was interesting how when you crushed the mixture, it would become dry and solid instead of the liquid it was when it was in the tray. We played around with it and tested out how it would react to different things, like rolling oobleck in a ball. Some groups put food dye in their's, which looked really cool. One group put two different colors in and mixed them which also ended up looking cool.
Looking Beyond:
This experiment made me wonder about why cornstarch and water acted different from when you move it to letting it stay still. My group and I thought that it might be when our hands are touching it, the dryness from our skin absorbs the water. Later though I realized that it couldn't be that because when we put the mixture into balloons to make stress balls, it reacted the same way when I would move it around or let it sit still. From this experiment, I have started to want to look up more about why when you put water and cornstarch how the molecules react. I think that oobleck reacts as a solid because when you press it together, the molecules don't room to move, so they become a solid. Then when you stop moving it, it has space for the molecules to slide around each other.
By doing this experiment, I have wanted to research more about why the molecules in the two ingredients we used, react the way that they do. It's made me curious about whether there is an actual scientific explanation or if there's a way to find an explanation for it.
Looking Inward:
I think that we got desirable results in our group. One way I contributed to our results by was making sure we documented the experience by taking many photos. This experiment also made me notice more that learning kinetically really helps me take information in better. I can use this information for future experiments and in some of my other classes as well, like math.
Looking Outward:
I worked with Sophie, Monique and Zoe. Our group worked really well because we have all worked on a project together and know how each other works. We all seemed to work equal amounts as each other and put in the same amount of effort. All of us worked together to get the result that we desired. I think that overall my group performed really well.
Take Away:
l learned that cornstarch and water make a really cool mixture when they're put together. Also, I learned how important it is to play when learning science because it actually really does help learn things easier.