Bingham plastic

Okay kiddo, so imagine you have some jello in your hand. Normally, you can squeeze and shape it like you would want. But what if the jello was thick and sticky like honey, it would not be easy to shape it, right? Bingham plastic is like that thick, sticky jello.

Bingham plastic is a material that behaves like a solid until a certain amount of force or stress is applied to it. Once that force is exceeded, the material starts to flow like a liquid. Think of it like a ketchup bottle. Initially, the ketchup doesn't flow out of the bottle and behaves like a solid. However, as you apply a force by squeezing the bottle, the ketchup starts to flow.

Now, there are some materials like toothpaste or mayonnaise that are both Bingham plastic and thixotropic. Thixotropic is a fancier way of saying that when they are left for a while without any force, they become thicker or more solid-like again. These materials are often used in manufacturing processes such as drilling mud, paints, and even some cooking and beauty products like creams and gels.

So, in short, Bingham plastic is a material that can behave like a solid until a certain force is applied, and then it starts to flow like a liquid. It's like thick honey or toothpaste, and it's used in many different industries.