4D Music – ExperiMental Music

Viscoelasticity

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Viscoelasticity-Best-Of.mp3

Viscoelasticity-Best-Of.mp4
Viscoelasticity.mp3
Viscoelasticity.mp4
Viscoelasticity-intro.mp3

[Intro]

Hello (Gel, Oh!)

[Verse 1]

Transition
(From a disordered solution)
The solution
(Re-ordered reconstitution)

[Bridge]

Increased density
Seen between…

[Chorus]

A solid and liquid
(Viscoelasticity)
Packing efficiency
(Viscoelasticity)

[Verse 2]

Cross-linked
(Semi-solid network)
Molecular wink
(Helices gone berserk)

[Bridge]

Increased density
Seen between…

[Chorus]

A solid and liquid
(Viscoelasticity)
Packing efficiency
(Viscoelasticity)

[Outro]

Viscoelasticity
Increased density
(Viscoelasticity)
The propensity
(Seen between)
Solid (and liquid)
(Viscoelasticity)
The propensity
(Seen between)
Solid (and liquid)
(Viscoelasticity)

ABOUT THE SCIENCE

The Physics of Gelation and Density

  1. Molecular Dissolution (Sol State): When gelatin powder (made of collagen proteins) is added to hot water, the protein molecules uncoil into random chains and dissolve, forming a viscous liquid solution (a “sol”).
  2. Network Formation (Gel State): As the solution cools, the protein chains lose kinetic energy and begin to re-associate. Specific segments of the protein chains refold into their original collagen-like triple-helix structures. These triple helices act as physical cross-links, connecting different protein strands and forming a vast, tangled, three-dimensional network (a “jungle gym” structure) that spans the entire container.
  3. Water Entrapment: This protein matrix traps the water molecules within its structure. The water is caught in the mesh and is no longer free to flow as a liquid, although it remains in a liquid state.
  4. Increased Density: The resulting gel has a slightly higher density than the hot sol or pure water.
    • This density increase is due to the packing efficiency of the molecules. The structured, ordered formation of the triple helices and the tight binding of water molecules (hydrate water) within the protein network result in a more compact arrangement than the freely moving random coils in the hot solution.
    • The overall density of the gel is very close to that of water, but it is a colloid, a semi-rigid structure suspended in liquid, with properties between a solid and a liquid (viscoelasticity).
    • The density of solid gelatin itself is higher (around 1.3-1.4 g/cm³) than water (1.0 g/cm³). When this denser material forms a structured network throughout the water, it slightly increases the overall density of the mixture. The addition of other components like sugar and flavorings also contributes to the final density. 

      • In essence, the “increased density” is a minor consequence of the more significant physical change: the transition from a disordered liquid solution to an ordered, cross-linked, semi-solid gel network that immobilizes the water.

      From the album “Dense“

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