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Why does ketchup become thinner when shaken? Discover the surprising secret of shear thinning!
When we shake ketchup, we always find that its texture seems to become thinner. This is not just a physical change, but also a wonderful demonstration of the rheological properties of matter. The reason behind this is actually closely related to the concept of rheology. Rheology focuses on the flow and deformation behavior of matter, especially non-Newtonian fluids such as ketchup and jam, and how they respond to external stresses.
Rheology is the study of the behavior of fluids at different strain rates, helping us understand why certain substances become more dilute under certain circumstances.
Ketchup is a silica-like substance, which means that its viscosity changes with shear strain. When we shake the bottle, the instantaneous strain applied changes the structure of the ketchup's interior, causing the originally thick state to begin to flow. This behavior is called shear thinning and is the opposite of the constant viscosity characteristic of Newtonian fluids.
Principles of Shear Thinning
Between liquids and solids, rheology explains the flow behavior of many materials. The internal microstructure of highly viscous liquids, such as ketchup, is responsible for their high viscosity. When external forces are applied, these microstructures begin to disintegrate, resulting in a decrease in overall viscosity. According to the definition of rheology, this change in viscosity with the deformation rate is called non-Newtonian fluid behavior.
Non-Newtonian fluids refer to fluids that show different viscosities at different strain rates, which include some daily necessities such as food and cosmetics.
Rheological properties of tomato paste
After experiments, the researchers found that the viscosity of ketchup would drop rapidly when shear stress was applied. In experiments conducted by some experts, ketchup was tested on a rheometer and the results showed that when the applied shear rate increased, the viscosity decreased significantly, which is exactly what we feel when we shake ketchup.
In addition, this type of rheological behavior can also be applied to many other foods, such as yogurt and soy sauce, allowing the food industry to precisely control the texture and flow of these products during the design and production process.
Applications of Rheology
Rheology is not limited to food; it has a wide range of applications in materials science, engineering, geophysics, and biomedicine. For example, when manufacturing plastics and rubber, rheology helps engineers understand the properties of materials to achieve optimal production efficiency and product quality.
In the pharmaceutical industry, rheology is an important quality control tool that helps pharmacists measure the flow properties of liquid drugs to ensure the consistency and high quality of each batch of products.
In biomedicine, the rheological properties of blood flow can help researchers understand the underlying problems of many diseases and develop corresponding diagnostic and treatment plans.
Research prospects of modern rheology
As technology advances, scientists are able to more accurately measure and predict the rheological behavior of various materials. New instruments and techniques allow us to deeply analyze the microstructure and mechanisms behind rheological behavior. These studies not only improve the design of materials, but also change our understanding of many everyday products.
At present, the research boom in rheology continues to ferment, especially in the fields of food science and biomedicine. Many scholars are committed to discovering more secrets about flow properties and applying them to real life. We may be able to expect future progress in these areas to bring more convenience and well-being to human life.
Nowadays, the application and importance of rheology in human life are becoming more and more prominent. What new discoveries will emerge in the future to further change our daily lives?
