shear thickening

Shear thickening occurs when a fluid's viscosity increases as the force or stress applied to it increases. In other words, the fluid becomes thicker or more resistant to flow under rapid or strong movement. For example, some liquid mixtures, like cornstarch in water, act more solid-like when stirred quickly. This happens because the particles in the fluid quickly jam together under stress, creating a temporary, thicker state. Shear thickening is important in applications like protective gear, where sudden impacts make the material harden temporarily to absorb energy.