New approach to soft material flow may yield way to new materials, disaster prediction
Monday, August 24, 2020 - 15:30
in Physics & Chemistry
How does toothpaste stay in its tube and not ooze out when we remove the cap? What causes seemingly solid ground to suddenly break free into a landslide? Defining exactly how soft materials flow and seize has eluded researchers for years, but a new study explains this complex motion using relatively simple experiments. The ability to define—and eventually predict—soft material flow will benefit people dealing with everything from spreadable cheese to avalanches.