speaker, amplifier, frequency generator, cornstarch, & water
Cymatics : The phenomenon of shapes and patterns formed in various mediums reacting to auditory stimuli
Oobleck : a fluid made from corn starch and water that temporarily thickens or solidifies when a force is applied
I met cymatics & oobleck years ago and made a lab video about it. The static patterns produced by standing waves were intriguing, but the chaotic, tendril-like animations made possible by using non-newtonian fluid were mesmerizing, triggering a bit of that soft fascination.
That original 4-inch speaker was surprisingly effective, but it was time to increase the scale. After experimenting with a variety of drivers, I settled on a beefy, 15-inch high-powered, car subwoofer attached to a commercial serving platter.
The two dimensional videos below don’t do justice to all the writhing and reaching melting milk gangs. In-person, the effect can be a bit startling – like a puddle suddenly morphing into an agitated, opaque amoeba.
VIDEO
Learned: This setup was only able to animate the center & edges of the dish likely due to limited platter depth / fluid capacity. The next iteration will use a deeper dish – and a big ass tarp for my floors.
