STRONGWOMEN SCIENCE

JUGGLING
CUSTARD
Non-Newtonian fluids Circus performers juggle lots of
different shapes such as clubs,
balls and rings. These are all solid
But can you juggle so they can catch them easily.
a liquid?
The molecules in a liquid are loosely When a non-Newtonian fluid is put under
packed, so they can slide past each other. pressure, sometimes called stress, the
But in a solid, they’re tightly packed molecules lock together and immediately
together so cannot move. That’s why solids form a temporary solid. When the pressure
feel hard when you touch them, but fluids is removed, they are able to flow and
run through your fingers. turn back in to a liquid again.

Scientist Isaac Newton (1642-1727)

wrote laws on how liquids behave. But a
So how can you
few liquids behave differently – including juggle custard?
custard! Custard is a liquid that doesn’t
Squeeze some custard really tightly in your
obey these laws. It’s a rebel liquid, or a
hand and all the molecules will snuggle up
non-Newtonian fluid.
together, forming a temporary solid.
That’s your juggling ball.

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 How to make custard juggling balls
What you need: Measuring jug full of water
Large
spoon
Lots of
custard powder Old clothes
(If you don’t have custard, Large plastic and coverings
cornflour will do.) bowl (so you don’t get too messy)

1 Put some cold water in the large bowl. Tip: Keep a note of how
much custard powder
2 Little by little, add the custard powder
and how much water
and stir with the spoon until you have
a thick liquid. you use to make the
perfect mix so you
3 Scoop some of the custard in your know for next
hand – it will trickle through your time you make it.
fingers. Quickly squeeze the custard
and it will become hard. If you
stop putting pressure on it, it will Ta da!
immediately turn back into liquid. You now have
4 Add custard powder or cornflour your juggling balls
little by little until you get the mixture and you can start juggling.
just right. If it gets too thick, just add
more water. If it’s too liquid, put in Keep your eyes peeled and you’ll see
more powder. the balls turn back to liquid mid-air.
When they hit your hand as you catch
5 Keep experimenting until it’s liquid
them, they turn solid again.
enough to flow through your fingers
but thick enough to turn into a solid Be careful – if the custard balls fall to
ball when you squeeze it. the ground they’ll make a big liquid splat,
so cover the floor if you can.
Note: You have to make the custard
yourself. Ready-made custard in a tin You can test the
or packet won’t work. Cooked non-Newtonian properties
custard won’t work either. of custard in lots of different
fun ways. Try making a fist and
punching the custard in the bowl.

p g o i n g ! Your hand will bounce off the

k e e get it right
hard surface and the custard
won’t splash. The pressure
on’t yo u of your punch has made
You w e . The more you’ll
m er
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