plasticity! :D

Recently in science class, we experimented with something called plasticity. We basically, simulated how the Earth's mantle moves. We made a mixture of water, corn starch, and food coloring. Adding the food coloring however, was optional. Mixing the water with the corn starch was slightly difficult. Once it was fully mixed, we were dealing with a substance that was half liquid and half solid. Our group mixed a little too much water in, however we were still able to see how this substance was both liquid and solid. When the starchy water was in our hands it was solid and when our fingers spread apart, it would slip through like a liquid. Actually, a drop of the mixture fell onto my shirt. After a a few seconds, the drop solidified. After a while, the water and corn starch actually dried onto my hands. The cleanup for this lab was different than usual. Using water on the tables would only make cleanup more difficult. Undoubtedly, doing this lab was an excellent way to see how the mantle moves.