Jello - Solid or not?

I was just in a deep discussion about jello and whether it was a solid or a liquid ... this conversation lasted over two hours.

What would you say - solid or liquid?

jello is its own form of matter. I've had this discussion far too many times, and i think this is the best answer.

I'm inclined to believe it's a solid, as it can hold its own shape, like so:



But the thought of it being its own form of matter is way cooler.

It's neither a particle nor a wave... it's both.

liquid

Professor google says it's a colloid.

Both. I had a second grade class where there were a series of experiments conducted to see which property it held. In the end, the teacher told us it was both, which was actually vaguely annoying to me.

when i make jello it never gets to the solid stage. i always eat it before it sets.

mmm jello...

Yup. A solid suspended in a liquid is a type of colloid. Jello molecules liquify in hot water, but they re-solidify when the water cools. The thing is, they don't come out of the water. Basically, they organize themselves around the water molecules. The water is liquid, the jello molecules are best described as a solid, and the combination is called a colloid.

Phases of matter are a bit more complicated when there are several components in the system.

[Edited on Feb 15, 2005 by threejane]

is this like some sort of philsophical question? like the tree falling question or the onoe hand clappig question?

im going to go on a limb here....you and the other person were stoned when this conversation took place, yes?

in any case, the answer has already been given. colloid.

in 10th grade, my girlfriend said i was a colloid. i seemed solid until we danced, when i became all fluid-like. wait...is that geeh?

i wish we were talking about non-Utonian fluids. they're my favorite.

jello is a liquid.

Well ... SOMEONE was looking through the pics on my profile. LOL

Good guess.

A Jellovicle.

I don't trust the way it moves...