dilatancy
/daɪˈleɪtənsi/
noun
- The property of a material (such as sand or cornstarch) that becomes thicker or more solid when it is stirred, pressed, or shaken.
- When you walk quickly on wet sand, the dilatancy of the sand makes the ground feel firm under your feet.
- Engineers study the dilatancy of sand to predict how it will behave during an earthquake.
- The dilatancy of the cornstarch mixture made it feel solid when you punch it but liquid when you let it sit.
- The expansion or increase in volume of a material when it is deformed or sheared.
- The dilatancy of the clay caused the ground to swell as the heavy building pressed down on it.
- Geologists measured the dilatancy of the rock layers to understand how they shift during a landslide.
- The dilatancy of the rubber band was noticeable as it stretched and became slightly thicker.