I’ve covered some odd studies in my time, but this might be the strangest: to understand how active polymers affect viscosity, researchers loaded drunk worms into a rheometer. Active polymers Keep reading
Tag: shear-thinning
Viscoelasticity and Liquid Armor
One proposed method for improving bulletproof armor is adding a layer of non-Newtonian fluid that can help absorb and dissipate the kinetic energy of impact. Thus far researchers have focused Keep reading
Swallowing Physics
Swallowing – whether of food, beverage, or medication – is an important process for humans, but it’s one many struggle with, especially as they age. To help study the physics Keep reading
Inside Fondue
Cheese fondue is a complex – and delicious – Swiss delicacy. The perfect fondue requires the right mix of ingredients and preparation to get the rheology – the flow character Keep reading
The Kaye Effect
Allow a stream of shampoo to fall into a pile and you’ll catch a glimpse of the bizarre Kaye effect. A jet of shampoo will briefly rise up before becoming Keep reading
Chocolate Fountain
Amidst your holiday celebrations, you may have encountered a chocolate fountain. In a recent paper, applied mathematicians have laid out the physics behind these delicious decorations, and it turns out Keep reading
The Kaye Effect
Those who have poured viscous liquids like syrup or honey are familiar with how they stack up in a rope-like coil, as shown in the top row of images above. Keep reading
Paint on Speakers
Paint seems to dance and leap when vibrated on a speaker. Propelled upward, the liquid stretches into thin sheets and thicker ligaments until surface tension can no longer hold the Keep reading
4th Birthday: The Kaye Effect
Today’s post continues my retrospective on mind-boggling fluid dynamics in honor of FYFD’s birthday. This video on the Kaye effect was one of the earliest submissions I ever received–if you’re Keep reading
Why Ketchup is Hard to Pour
Oobleck gets a lot of attention for its non-intuitive viscous behaviors, but there are actually many non-Newtonian fluids we experience on a daily basis. Ketchup is an excellent example. Unlike Keep reading