Self-pouring
Question: Recently I saw a demonstration of an amazing liquid that could pour
itself out of a jar. All you had to do was tip the jar slightly so it began to
run out. It then continued until it was all gone, even though the jar was
straightened. What was the liquid and how on Earth does it do this?
Answer: This is an example of non-Newtonian rheology called the open siphon
effect. It can be demonstrated by using a dilute solution of a suitable
long-chain polymer. A typical example is polyethylene oxide which is soluble in
water and…
