Cornstarch Quicksand: Can You Escape Its Grasp?

Medium

Imagine being stuck in quicksand. What’s the best way to escape? Learn about quicksand by mixing cornstarch and water to create it, then test how you can keep your hands from sinking into it.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the hands will sink in quicksand made of cornstarch and water.

Method & Materials

You will mix cornstarch and water to create quicksand, then place your hands on top to see if they sink. Next, you will test if it is easier to move your hand slow or fast, and if it is easier to pull your hand out relaxed or in a fist. Finally, you will punch the quicksand to see if it splatters or stays put.

You will need cornstarch, water, a spoon, and a plastic mixing bowl.

Results

In the experiment, they found that hands sank slightly in the quicksand. Moving hands slowly made it easier to move and relaxing the hand made it easier to pull out. When punched, the quicksand stayed put. Quicksand creates a vacuum pressure that makes movement difficult.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it allows you to make your own quicksand and explore how it works. You can learn about the properties of non-Newtonian fluids and how they differ from regular fluids.

Also Consider

To vary the experiment, you could try adding more or less water to the cornstarch mixture to see if it affects how much the hands sink. You could also try using different types of starch, like potato starch or tapioca starch, to see if they create different types of quicksand.