Hooked on Science: Leprechaun snot

Materials

• 1/4 cup clear glue
• 1/4 cup borax
• Warm water
• Green food coloring

Instructions

• STEP 1: Dissolve 1/4 cup borax into 1 quart warm water. Is the solution a solid or a liquid and why? Describe the solution by using its observable properties.
• STEP 2: Add a few drops of green food coloring to the 1/4 cup of clear glue and mix.
• STEP 3: Mix the glue and borax solution together until it looks like leprechaun snot. Is the leprechaun snot a solid or a liquid, and why? Describe the substance by using its observable properties. Does mixing the ingredients together result in a new substance? Explain why or why not.

Explanation

The borax links the glue's molecules together, creating leprechaun snot. Leprechaun snot is a slime, which is a non-Newtonian fluid. A non-Newtonian fluid exhibits properties of both a liquid and a solid, depending on how much force is applied.