A slurry is a mixture of denser solids suspended in liquid, usually water. The most common use of slurry is as a means of transporting solids or separating minerals, the liquid being a carrier that is pumped on a device such as a centrifugal pump. The size of solid particles may vary from 1 micrometre up to hundreds of millimetres.
The particles may settle below a certain transport velocity and the mixture can behave like a Newtonian or non-Newtonian fluid. Depending on the mixture, the slurry may be abrasive and/or corrosive.
A slurry composed of glass beads in silicone oil flowing down an inclined plane
Potato starch slurry
A non-Newtonian fluid is a fluid that does not follow Newton's law of viscosity, that is, it has variable viscosity dependent on stress. In particular, the viscosity of non-Newtonian fluids can change when subjected to force. Ketchup, for example, becomes runnier when shaken and is thus a non-Newtonian fluid. Many salt solutions and molten polymers are non-Newtonian fluids, as are many commonly found substances such as custard, toothpaste, starch suspensions, corn starch, paint, blood, melted butter, and shampoo.
Paint is a non-newtonian fluid. A flat surface covered with white paint is oriented vertically (before taking the picture the flat surface was horizontal, placed on a table). The fluid starts dripping down the surface but, because of its non-newtonian nature, it is subjected to stress due to the gravitational acceleration. Therefore, instead of slipping along the surface, it forms very large and very dense droplets with limited dripping.
Demonstration of a non-Newtonian fluid at Universum in Mexico City
Oobleck on a subwoofer. Applying force to oobleck, by sound waves in this case, makes the non-Newtonian fluid thicken.
Slime flows under low stresses but breaks under higher stresses
