Oobleck Pool at X^4Day!

From: "Rev. Magdalen" <magdalen@home.com>

What could be more fun than slamming each other around on tarps covered with water and paint? BATHING IN OOBLECK, OF COURSE! Whether you just want to squirm around in something gooey and slippery or you want to induce bizarre visions through sensory contact with the cosmic oneness that is oobleck, your prayers will be answered this July!

What is "oobleck" you ask? You probably saw it last either at a hippie party, or in your high school science class. It is a substance that oozes like a liquid, but reacts like a solid when struck. There are many versions and many names for this thing of which I speak.

Which version should we use? Will it be safe? To answer these questions, I used an online "ask a scientist" website for advice. Here is my question and the scientist's reply (see if you think we should invite him to come to X^4Day!):

[Note: names removed to protect the innocent]

At 10:53 AM 1/18/01 -0800, Rev Magdalen wrote: ----------------------------------------------- Name: Rev. Mary Magdalen Age: 24 Gender: female Topic Area: Physics Subject: Non-Newtonian Fluid Recipe - nontoxic version needed

Dear Scientist,

I am an organizer of events for the SubGenius Foundation, Inc, a "fan club" for fans of _The Book of the SubGenius_. In July we sponsor an event where our members come from all over the world to enjoy zany hijinks and lots of fun. This year, we'd like to fill an inflatable wading pool with a substance popularly known as "oobleck", a substance often used in science demonstrations because it oozes like a fluid but reacts like a solid when struck.

I have always made oobleck with just corn starch and water, but others say that adding Borax and glue makes it more rubbery and longer lasting. Of course, for the purposes of lying down in a pool of it, we can't use Borax or glue in the mixture. Can you tell me what else I might add to prolong the gooiness and rubberiness of a pool full of oobleck without hurting anyone if it gets in their eyes or mouths? -----------------------------------------------

Presumably you and your friends are going to take a shower after you do this, so what's the problem? White glue and everything else in the mix is water soluble and these things will wash off relatively easily.

I'm not sure if adding borax and glue will make it longer lasting. I found this page that makes it sound like the two mixtures work on their own: http://student.biology.arizona.edu/sciconn/oobleck/oobleck.html So maybe you can make two wading pools one with each compound.

Borax is actually not that toxic to humans, and I suspect if your club members have no open sores and if you don't languish in the borax solution too long, or drink mass quantities of it, or inhale it while you are mixing it in, and have a shower afterwards, you will be fine. http://www.exoticbird.com/gillian/boric.html

This toxicology book online has a lot about the toxicity of Borax beginning here: http://www.nap.edu/books/0309070473/html/149.html and it doesn't seem too bad unless you really eat a lot of it day after day.

In making the borax/water/glue compound, the borax acts as a catalyst and so is not needed in large quantities. I suspect a very small amount (teaspoons perhaps) will be all you need. Experiment on a small scale and see how little borax you need to initiate the polymerization.

I would suggest you experiment with these recipes (all of which are available online under names like guk, slime, ooblek, etc.), and do a bit more research on the toxicity of borax, then have fun. And remember to shower afterwards.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor nor a toxicologist, and I assume no responsibility whatsoever for your use of borax or any other chemicals or compounds at your party. Have fun.

From: Modemac <modemac@modemac.com>

Is this the stuff that used to be sold to kids as a novelty item in the 80s as "Slime," and in he 90s as "Gak?" If so, then COUNT ME IN. I suppose there's no chance of us being able to fill the hot tub with this stuff...

The photo opportunities ALONE make it worth it!

-- First Online Church of "Bob" http://www.modemac.com/

From: Lilith von Fraumench <lilith@ZubJenius.com>

In article <94950t$gql@news-central.tiac.net>, Modemac <modemac@modemac.com> wrote:

No, that's that weird artificial slimy stuff. Oobleck is typically cornstarch and water, although some may mix other ingredients in. You know, it's a thick fluid when you apply a little force to it--like pouring it, laying down in it, etc.--but turns solid when much more force is applied--like trying to get up in a hurry.

Princess Wei taught Stang that Oobleck is a metaphor for slack. And it's FUN--when you all abandoned Brushwood after Sunday last year, I played with oobleck for HOURS. And it was great. A wading pool full will be EXCELLENT.

The Prophet Lilith oobleck advocate

-- =====Her Ladyship Rev Dkr St Popess Lilith von Fraumench, Esquire=====
===Prophet===Corrective Phrenologist===Supreme Commandrix==?vivor===
==SSUCC 4739 University Way NE #1302 Seattle WA 98105 (877)?1-9354==
====Web: ssucc.ragnarokr.com = foolspress.com = mp3.com/foolspress====

From: CmarkB <c-bee1@staff.uiuc.edu>

Slime is polyvinyl alcohol (expensive) with a few pinches of borax, so it's on the same wavelength but a different tune.

I have a friend who makes it in her kitchen. A few pinches of borax while stirring over mild heat, and BOOM, it's slime. Gels instantly, fun to watch. If you get bored with pulling it, yank sharply and it BREAKS!

From: "Rev. Magdalen" <magdalen@home.com>

Yes, this scientist man seemed to indicate that you can make such a thing using white glue and borax. Anyone that wants to try out a special recipe is free to bring a wading pool and the ingredients and give it a shot. I'm sure there will be many people eager to test these slimes in many ways throughout the festival.

From: iDRMRSR <alex.i.thymia@depression.org>

oobleck

Ok, I'm just thinkin out loud here, but, I saw this movie Caligula (with Mal Macdowell) where a lady had six or seven servents jack off into a jar for her bath.

I got to thinking about how this could turn into some kind of XXXX day event, one which has the potential of selling a lot of videos in the after-rupsture.

Kind of like hjuman oobleck, no?

If you disagree, you can always kill me.

[*] -----

From: prostata@bronze.coil.com (Rev. Prostata Cantata)

Just about any liquid (like water) will act like this if struck fast enough. The trick is to figgure out about what speed you want to be hitting it at and design the mixture arround that.

HA! I can see it now...as soon as you put that tub out some subgenius with a huge oozing pustule will sit his pimply ass right down in the middle of it, drink a big gulp full of it, sit there for an hour and a half and wear the resulting goop overnight. The next day we'll find his skin floating in the hot-tub and a neatly skinned corpse floating in the pool.

I'm all for it!

(teaspoons perhaps) will be all you need. Experiment on a small scale and see how little borax you need to initiate the polymerization.

he's right, I don't think it'll take enough to be a problem, but you'll want to experiment on your own to find a mixture with the right ammount of oozyness and elasticity.

From: "illuminatrix" <dhazel@friend.ly.fnordnet>

http://freeweb.pdq.net/headstrong/slime.htm

pretty good description of options and recipes...

rev i

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Original file name: Oobleck Pool at X^4Day! - converted on Sunday, 11 March 2001, 14:51