When I think about the perfect smoothie or milkshake, I think of a thick frozen river right on the verge of flowing. I love being able to use a spoon or a straw to enjoy my milkshake. Every morning, I make a smoothie before leaving the house.
At first glance, it’s not clear how a blender works. How could the short blades manage to turn a bunch of frozen fruit into a smooth liquid? The sharp blades spin quickly in order to start the process. The blades cut and stir. In order for a mixture to blend, it needs to flow. People will add more water to their mixture in order to make sure that it can flow. When a blender’s blades move through fluids, they create an incredible number of bubbles.
We might not think of bubbles as an ideal way to cut things. However, when bubbles pop because of the fluid pressure, they send a shockwave through the liquid. The faster the blender blades spin, the more bubbles they create. One reason why the blades of blenders are so small compared to the rest of the blender volume is to prevent these shockwaves from damaging the blades. Did you know that the most powerful blenders use bulletproof glass to make the blender jar? The blade tips of these blenders travel at over 270 miles per hour.
The blender was first invented in Wisconsin following the creation of variable speed motors. The first blender patent was awarded in 1924.
Everyday Curiosity is a weekly magazine for kids aged 8-14 that explores math, science, and engineering. Each issue asks one big question and has three related hands-on projects to go deeper into the math, science, and engineering behind everyday observations. The projects use supplies that are already in the house or could be found easily at a grocery store, general department store, or (in rare cases) a hardware store.
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