Persuasive Essay Sample: Oobleck Is a Liquid
Is oobleck a liquid like water; or a solid like Play-doh? What state of matter is oobleck? Based on the evidence collected in this essay, oobleck is a liquid. Oobleck is made from cornstarch and water. When no force is being applied to oobleck it acts like a liquid. When one applies a force to the strange liquid then it seemingly turns into a solid. Based on the evidence shown in the book, “Bartholomew and the Oobleck” by Dr. Seuss, the lab done in class, and the article, “What’s the Matter” compiled and adapted by Jessica Kurtz, it is clear to see that oobleck is a liquid.
When reading the book, “Bartholomew and the Oobleck” by Dr. Seuss, you can see that the book describes oobleck as a liquid. On page 21 the text states, “It was dripping through the ceilings. It was rolling down the chimneys.” If oobleck was solid then it would have a definite shape therefore not allowing it to flow through the ceilings and drip down chimneys. A liquid does not have a definite shape allowing it to flow freely. In the book the oobleck is flowing freely, therefore, it's being described as a liquid.
When reading the article “What’s the Matter” by Jessica Kurtz, you can see that oobleck fits the description of a liquid. On page 1 the text reads, “In a liquid, the particles are more loosely packed with weaker attractive forces than in a solid and are able to flow around each other, giving the liquid an indefinite shape. Therefore, the liquid will conform to the shape of its container.” The oobleck seen in the lab and described in the book both fit this description. After seeing the lab results and reading the book it is obvious that oobleck is a liquid because it fits the scientific definition of a liquid by conforming to the shape of its container.
After reviewing the lab that the class did one can see that the oobleck doesn’t have a definite shape, thus further proving that oobleck is a liquid. On question 6A., the scientist writes “It flows out of your hand with no shape.” The scientist tested if one poked a hole in the oobleck, if the oobleck would maintain that hole or if it would fill it. As one can see, the scientist wrote that the oobleck did not maintain its shape. On question 6E., the scientist writes, “[The oobleck] flows and doesn’t have a definite shape.” After reviewing the lab one can conclude that oobleck is a liquid.
After reviewing all of the points of why oobleck is a liquid, one can easily verify that it is true. The book described oobleck to be a liquid, the article shows that oobleck fits the description of a liquid, and lastly, in the lab, the scientist states that the oobleck flows freely and doesn’t have a definite volume. Some people would say that oobleck is solid, but all the evidence in this article proves that theory wrong. One can punch a hole in a solid but you can not punch a hole in a liquid. One can not punch a hole in oobleck. There is no question that oobleck is a liquid.
