Thames & Kosmos Ooze Labs Quicksand Oozebleck User manual

AGES
6+
WARNING. Not suitable for
children under 3 years.
Choking hazard —
small parts may
be swallowed or
inhaled. Keep the
packaging and
instructions as they
contain important
information.
Make
an oozy
substance
that acts
like both a
liquid and
a solid!
WARNING — THIS
SET CONTAINS CHEMICALS
THAT MAY BE HARMFUL IF
MISUSED. READ CAUTIONS
ON INDIVIDUAL CONTAINERS
CAREFULLY. NOT TO BE
USED BY CHILDREN EXCEPT
UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION.
© 2020 Thames & Kosmos, LLC., 89 Ship St., Providence, RI, 02903 USA Manufacturer: © Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. KG, Pzerstr. 5-7, 70184 Stuttgart, Germany [phone]; www.kosmos.de ® Thames & Kosmos is a registered trademark of Thames & Kosmos, LLC. Protected by law. All rights reserved. Right to technical alterations reserved. Customer Service: 1-800-587-2872; www.thamesandkosmos.com Customer Service UK: 01580 212000; www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk
Ooze Labs: Quicksand Oozebleck No. 575010 KIN 1618277 Made in Taiwan
575010-02-270120Master_1618277

SAFETY INFORMATION
1ST EDITION 2020
© 2020 THAMES & KOSMOS, LLC, 89 SHIP ST.,
PROVIDENCE, RI, 02903, USA
1-800-587-2872 WWW.THAMESANDKOSMOS.COM
© 2020 FRANCKH-KOSMOS VERLAGS-GMBH & CO. KG,
PFIZERSTR. 5-7, 70184 STUTTGART, GERMANY
[phone] WWW.KOSMOS.DE
® THAMES & KOSMOS IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF
THAMES & KOSMOS, LLC.
PROTECTED BY LAW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WE RESERVE
THE RIGHT TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES.
PRINTED IN TAIWAN
THIS WORK, INCLUDING ALL ITS PARTS, IS COPYRIGHT
PROTECTED. ANY USE OUTSIDE THE SPECIFIC LIMITS OF
THE COPYRIGHT LAW WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE
PUBLISHER IS PROHIBITED AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW. THIS
APPLIES SPECIFICALLY TO REPRODUCTIONS, TRANSLATIONS,
MICROFILMING, AND STORAGE AND PROCESSING IN
ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS AND NETWORKS. WE DO NOT
GUARANTEE THAT ALL MATERIAL IN THIS WORK IS FREE
FROM COPYRIGHT OR OTHER PROTECTION.
ILLUSTRATIONS/PHOTOS: THAMES & KOSMOS, LLC; STARCH
DIAGRAM: © ZERBOR - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
WARNING!
Not suitable for children under 3 years. Choking
hazard — small parts may be swallowed or
inhaled. Keep packaging and instructions, as
they contain important information.
Instructions for handling the chemicals
Corn starch powder, 9.5-10.5 g (0.33-0.37 oz.)
each
Dye powder, 1-1.1 g (0.03-0.04 oz.)
Do not ingest. Avoid breathing dust. Only
perform experiments that are described in this
instruction manual. Do not get in eyes, into the
mouth or on clothing. Wash hands thoroughly
after handling.
In case of eye contact: Wash out eye with
plenty of water, holding eye open if necessary.
If swallowed: Wash out mouth with water,
drink some fresh water. Do not induce
vomiting. In case of doubt, seek medical advice
without delay. Take the oozebleck or powder
and its packet / this manual with you. Store
locked up. Keep out of reach of small children
and animals.
Use the materials carefully, as they may stick
to or stain fabric, wood, carpet, or other
materials. Clean with water. Dispose of the
empty bags and other remainders in the trash.
Dispose of the oozebleck and unused dye
powder in the household trash.

1. SETTING UP THE OOZE TUBE
CONTENTS
Test tube, lid, 2 corn starch packets
(10 g each), dye packet (1 g), cardboard
strip, stirring stick
YOU WILL ALSO NEED
Permanent marker, shallow bowl or pan,
water, scissors, paper towels, spoon
HERE’S HOW
1. Use the cardboard strip and lid to
make a test tube holder as shown.
Place the test tube into the holder.
2. Fill the test tube with 10 ml of water.
To measure this, use the test tube
guide printed on the panel to the
right to make marks on the test tube
at the 5-ml and 10-ml lines.
3. Open the dye packet with scissors.
Do not use your teeth.
1
2
3

2. MIXING THE DYE
4. Sprinkle a small amount
of the dye into the tube.
5. Screw the lid onto the
tube and shake to mix the
dye and water together.
6. Open one packet of starch
using a pair of scissors.
Do not use your teeth. 10 ml
5 ml
TEST TUBE
FILLING GUIDE
A note about the amount
of water needed: The
oozebleck mixture requires
just the right amount of
water, which can be
different depending on the
humidity and the accuracy
of the measured amounts of
water and starch. For this
reason, the instructions tell
you to add the water in two
steps, so that you don’t add
too much.
CAUTION! This is a highly
concentrated dye powder.
Be careful not to get it on
your clothes or any other
sensitive surfaces.
CAUTION! Be
careful not to get
the powder in your
mouth or eyes!
4
5
6

3. MIXING THE OOZEBLECK
7. Pour all of the starch from the
packet into a shallow bowl or pan.
8. Pour the 10 ml of colored water
from the test tube onto the starch
in the bowl.
9. Mix the starch and water together.
It is best (and the most fun) to mix
the material with your hands, but
you can also use the stirring stick
or a spoon if you don’t want to get
your hands messy. Your oozebleck
should be very runny at this point.
10. Open the second packet of starch,
pour it into the bowl, and mix.
Use a spoon if the mixture is too
stiff to stir with the stirring stick.
7
8
9
10
Note: If you mix it with your hands, it is normal to notice
some temporary discoloration of your skin from the dye.

4. MAKING THE PERFECT OOZE
11. Now, you should have very stiff,
lumpy oozebleck. Observe how
it behaves when you press on it
with the stirring stick, or when you
squeeze it in your hand. How does
it behave when you don’t apply any
force to it?
12. Now, let’s balance the amount of
water and starch to get the perfect
oozebleck! To do this, fill the test
tube to the 5-ml line, pour about
half of this over the oozebleck, and
mix it together. If the oozebleck is
still not runny enough, add the rest
of the water and mix. The goal is to
end up with a smooth mixture that
is solid when you press on it and
runny when you leave it alone.
11
12
Disposal: Dispose of
the oozebleck and
unused dye powder in
the household trash.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
You mixed starch, water,
and dye to make a mud-like
material commonly known as
oobleck. The name oobleck
comes from the Dr. Seuss book
Bartholomew and the Oobleck,
a fictional story in which a boy
must save his kingdom from a
slimy substance called oobleck.
Oobleck is a “non-Newtonian” fluid suspension that stiffens
when pressure is applied to it and softens and flows when no
pressure is applied. Sir Isaac Newton was a famous scientist who
came up with a law about the behavior of fluids. Non-Newtonian
fluids are fluids that don’t follow Newton’s law of viscosity,
which is a measure of how a fluid flows and resists deformation.
Most fluids get less viscous when force is applied to them, but
oobleck gets more viscous, because the starch molecules in it
get all tangled up and trap water molecules between them when
they are pushed together under force.
Chemical diagram of
starch molecules

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND ADULTS
Dear Parents,
With this kit, you will be helping your child experiment with a fun, safe material
commonly referred to as oobleck. Our name for it is oozebleck. It is a fascinating material
because in some situations it behaves as a liquid and in others as a solid. Another
material that behaves like this is quicksand! It is a great hands-on lesson in the different
states of matter.
Please read these instructions together with your child, follow them and keep
them for reference. Only carry out the experiments listed in the instructions. Do not
allow the starch, dye powder, and the finished oozebleck to come into contact with the
eyes or mouth. Please remind your child to wash his or her hands thoroughly after the
experiments and after handling the materials. This set is for use only by children over 6
years. For use under adult supervision. Therefore, store it out of reach of children under
6 years old and animals. This includes the starch, dye powder, finished oozebleck, and
other materials in the set.
Look for a good place to do the experiments. The area surrounding the experiment
should be kept clear of any obstructions and away from the storage of food. Use a
solid table with a top that can easily be cleaned. The working area should be cleaned
up immediately after carrying out the activity. Also clean all equipment after use and
thoroughly wash your hands. The starch powder should be used up (completely) during
the course of the experiment. Open the packets of starch and dye with scissors — never
with your teeth. While experimenting, please be careful not to create dust of the
powder. Do not eat or drink in the experimental area and while doing the experiments.
The oozebleck may cause stains that can’t be washed out of clothing. Therefore, wear
suitable clothes that can get stained and keep the materials away from tablecloths,
curtains, and carpets. Store the finished oozebleck in the test tube to prevent it from
drying out and getting stuck to anything. Dispose of the oozebleck and unused dye
powder in the household trash.