======Cornstarch Dancing on a Speaker======


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**Alternative titles:** Dancing Oobleck
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Mix cornstarch and water in a bowl, adding small amounts until the mixture has the consistency of honey.  
  - Test the mixture: it should act like a solid when squeezed but flow like a liquid when left alone.  
  - Lay the speaker on its back so the cone faces upward and cover it with thin plastic (trash bag or plastic wrap).  
  - Pour the cornstarch mixture onto the plastic over the speaker cone.  
  - Connect the speaker to a sound system and select a track or tone generator with a steady bassline or low-frequency tone.  
  - Play the sound and gradually increase the volume. Watch the oobleck vibrate and form moving “monsters.”



====Links==== 
Cornstarch And Water On A Speaker (UV) - Andy Elliott Craft & Creations: 
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Corn Starch and Water dancing in a speaker - Ontario Traffic Man: 
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📄 Cornstarch Monsters – Vibrating Cornstarch on a Speaker - Steve Spangler: [[https://stevespangler.com/experiments/cornstarch-monsters/]]\\


====Variations====
  * Test different frequencies to see which produce the most motion.  
  * Change the volume level to observe how intensity affects the movement.  
  * Try different ratios of cornstarch to water to see how mixture thickness affects results.  
  * Use a tone generator app to test exact frequencies (e.g., 20 Hz, 50 Hz, 100 Hz).



====Safety Precautions====
  * Protect the speaker with plastic wrap to prevent liquid damage.  
  * Cover the surrounding area with newspaper or a drip cloth to control mess.  
  * Keep liquids away from electrical connections to avoid short circuits or shocks.  
  * Do not play sounds at excessively high volume.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why do low-frequency sounds make the oobleck move more than high-frequency sounds? (Low frequencies cause larger speaker cone movements, which push the mixture more effectively.)  
  * What happens if you change the ratio of cornstarch to water? (The thickness changes, affecting how the mixture responds to vibration.)  
  * Is oobleck a solid, liquid, or something else? (It is a non-Newtonian fluid—its behavior changes depending on force applied.)  
  * How does this demonstration help us understand sound waves? (It makes vibrations visible by transferring them into motion of a fluid.)