Even More Liquids Bounce

A year after scientists first cracked the physics behind mysterious bouncing shampoo, researchers at the University of Texas have demonstrated the same effect using cooking oil. This is notable because the oil does not share the mechanism in shampoo responsible for the bouncing: that of becoming less viscous as it flows. Instead, the oil stream is surrounded by a layer of air, clearly demonstrated in an instructional video provided by the researchers.

The experiment can be easily replicated at home with cooking oil. Fill a glass pie dish with about 1.5 inches of oil and pour a thin stream of the same liquid into it from about 1-2 inches above, while simultaneously moving the stream in a circle. Moving a toothpick or other small rod through the stream can encourage the bounce.

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