What is a Non-Newtonian Fluid?
A non-Newtonian fluid is a fluid whose viscosity is variable based on applied stress. The most commonly known non-Newtonian fluid is cornstarch dissolved in water. Contrast with Newtonian fluids like water, whose behavior can be described exclusively by temperature and pressure, not the forces acting on it from second to second. Non-Newtonian fluids are fascinating substances that can be used to help us understand physics in more detail, in an exciting, hands-on way. If you punch a bucket full of non-Newtonian fluid, the stress introduced by the incoming force causes the atoms in the fluid to rearrange such that it behaves like a solid. Your hand will not go through. However, if you shove your hand into the fluid slowly, it will penetrate successfully. If you pull your hand out abruptly, it will again behave like a solid, and you can literally pull a bucket of the fluid out of its container in this way. However, the effect doesn’t last for long – if stress is not continuously applied,
