A word for "neither solid nor liquid?"
February 24, 2006 10:09 AM Subscribe
Is there a specific word for matter that is neither liquid nor solid (toothpaste, mayonnaise, ketchup, etc.)?
I vividly recall hearing such a term in an educational video as a child. It could have been as simple a word as "gelatinous," but I have convinced myself that there's a more specific and more perfect term, and despite searching for it every now and again, I've never been able to pinpoint the mystery word.
Does it exist? Could it be something specific to foodstuffs (and is it embarrassingly obvious)? Or am I just enlivening my youthful memories?
I vividly recall hearing such a term in an educational video as a child. It could have been as simple a word as "gelatinous," but I have convinced myself that there's a more specific and more perfect term, and despite searching for it every now and again, I've never been able to pinpoint the mystery word.
Does it exist? Could it be something specific to foodstuffs (and is it embarrassingly obvious)? Or am I just enlivening my youthful memories?
Response by poster: Fifteen years of intermittent curiosity settled in 90 seconds. Thanks.
posted by werty at 10:12 AM on February 24, 2006
posted by werty at 10:12 AM on February 24, 2006
Strangely enough, there's a thread on freezing Jell-O that might give you some answers.
posted by bcwinters at 10:13 AM on February 24, 2006
posted by bcwinters at 10:13 AM on February 24, 2006
Response by poster: That's what reminded/inspired me, actually.
posted by werty at 10:14 AM on February 24, 2006
posted by werty at 10:14 AM on February 24, 2006
I think colloid might be more accurate..thixotropic seems to apply to gels that act like solids unless you shake them, in which case they'll flow like a liquid.
http://www.answers.com/topic/thixotropic
posted by sdis at 10:20 AM on February 24, 2006
http://www.answers.com/topic/thixotropic
posted by sdis at 10:20 AM on February 24, 2006
Colloid was my choice, too.
You don't often hear thixiotropic bandied about as a description of things like ketchup and mayo.
Emulsion may also be appropriate, given the examples.
posted by briank at 10:22 AM on February 24, 2006
You don't often hear thixiotropic bandied about as a description of things like ketchup and mayo.
Emulsion may also be appropriate, given the examples.
posted by briank at 10:22 AM on February 24, 2006
Response by poster: (Note that my "best answer" reflects the word I was searching to find, thixotropic. This whole thread is useful though.)
posted by werty at 10:33 AM on February 24, 2006
posted by werty at 10:33 AM on February 24, 2006
I've heard glass referred to as a "superfluid" -- it still flows, but it takes a century or more for noticable oozing motion.
The cornstarch-and-water mixture (flows around your fingers, but will crack into shards if hit with a hammer) was described to me as a "suspension," but I think "colloid" is the technical term. "colloid (n): a mixture with properties between those of a solution and fine suspension" so maybe "suspension" is correct after all.
posted by Mozai at 11:08 AM on February 24, 2006
The cornstarch-and-water mixture (flows around your fingers, but will crack into shards if hit with a hammer) was described to me as a "suspension," but I think "colloid" is the technical term. "colloid (n): a mixture with properties between those of a solution and fine suspension" so maybe "suspension" is correct after all.
posted by Mozai at 11:08 AM on February 24, 2006
I wouldn't call cornstarch and water a colloid, because you only have to wait about 30 seconds for most of the cornstarch to settle into a nice pellet on the bottom. Milk is a colloid.
posted by rxrfrx at 11:12 AM on February 24, 2006
posted by rxrfrx at 11:12 AM on February 24, 2006
A colloid is somewhere in between a heterogenous mixture (think sand in water) and a homogenous mixture[solution] like salt in water. Generally mixtures can be mechanically separated and solutions cannot.
Eight different types of colloid.
Mayonaise is an emulsion.
Whipped cream is a foam.
Toothpaste and cheese are gels.
posted by atrazine at 11:18 AM on February 24, 2006
Eight different types of colloid.
Mayonaise is an emulsion.
Whipped cream is a foam.
Toothpaste and cheese are gels.
posted by atrazine at 11:18 AM on February 24, 2006
For another example, see oobleck, brought to us by Dr. Seuss .
posted by leapingsheep at 11:37 AM on February 24, 2006
posted by leapingsheep at 11:37 AM on February 24, 2006
Cornstarch/water is frequently called oobleck, after the Seuss substance. I can't find it, but there is this awesome video of what happens when it is vibrated - columns grow up out of the surface and then recede like something out of Lem's Solaris. Anyone remember this one?
posted by mzurer at 11:42 AM on February 24, 2006
posted by mzurer at 11:42 AM on February 24, 2006
I've heard glass referred to as a "superfluid" -- it still flows, but it takes a century or more for noticable oozing motion.Lots of people have heard this. It explains why old glass is wavy, right? Thing is, it's not true.
posted by MrMoonPie at 11:46 AM on February 24, 2006
How about "thiquid"?
posted by johnsmith415 at 11:50 AM on February 24, 2006
posted by johnsmith415 at 11:50 AM on February 24, 2006
Kwantsar, that video is way cool. Now I need to figure out how to replicate that at home.
posted by MrMoonPie at 11:52 AM on February 24, 2006
posted by MrMoonPie at 11:52 AM on February 24, 2006
Best answer: Atrazine has the best general answer so far. Mixed states, where there are multiple "phases" or distinct materials, are called colloids in general. As the Wikipedia article points out, there are eight general types.
There are, however, other intermediate states. Materials at their triple point are neither solid liquid no gas, by have properties of all three. Glasses have properties of both solids (rigidity) and liquids (no long-range order, no first-order phase transition), and arguably neither.
Finally note that thixotropic is a description, like red or blue, not a state of matter. It's a special kind of non-Newtonian behaviour of a fluid---in other words, it's a fluid whose viscosity, ability to flow, changes with applied pressure. A thixotropic liquid will flow more easily under pressure. The opposite is a fluid which thickens under stress. Some lubircants are designed to do this, for example.
Pure liquids (molten plastics), emulsions (water in oil), sols (paints), and gels can all be thixotropic.
posted by bonehead at 12:53 PM on February 24, 2006
There are, however, other intermediate states. Materials at their triple point are neither solid liquid no gas, by have properties of all three. Glasses have properties of both solids (rigidity) and liquids (no long-range order, no first-order phase transition), and arguably neither.
Finally note that thixotropic is a description, like red or blue, not a state of matter. It's a special kind of non-Newtonian behaviour of a fluid---in other words, it's a fluid whose viscosity, ability to flow, changes with applied pressure. A thixotropic liquid will flow more easily under pressure. The opposite is a fluid which thickens under stress. Some lubircants are designed to do this, for example.
Pure liquids (molten plastics), emulsions (water in oil), sols (paints), and gels can all be thixotropic.
posted by bonehead at 12:53 PM on February 24, 2006
I've heard the cornstarch and water mixture called a 'non-Newtonian fluid'.
posted by Wild_Eep at 12:54 PM on February 24, 2006
posted by Wild_Eep at 12:54 PM on February 24, 2006
Goop, dude. Goop.
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:55 PM on February 24, 2006
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:55 PM on February 24, 2006
Non-Newtonian fluids, if I recall my fluid-mechanics class correctly, cease to move when force is removed. Toothpaste is the quintessential example.
posted by joeclark at 4:56 PM on February 24, 2006
posted by joeclark at 4:56 PM on February 24, 2006
No, a non-Newtonian fluid is one whose viscosity changes with applied pressure. Newtonian fluids, like water, don't get more or less easier to pour if you push on them.
posted by bonehead at 5:05 PM on February 24, 2006
posted by bonehead at 5:05 PM on February 24, 2006
How about a 'suspension'.... that's what they call children's medicine these days.
posted by Wild_Eep at 10:24 PM on August 22, 2006
posted by Wild_Eep at 10:24 PM on August 22, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hortense at 10:10 AM on February 24, 2006