The Physics of the Flood
The molasses flood’s destructive power was amplified by the peculiar physical properties of molasses itself. This dense, viscous liquid behaved unpredictably, flowing with surprising speed once released. On a cold day, molasses is sluggish, but the tank’s contents were slightly warmer, reducing its viscosity and allowing it to move rapidly. As it cooled in the open air, the molasses thickened again, trapping anything it touched. This transformation from a fluid wave to a sticky mass made rescue efforts difficult, further compounding the disaster’s impact and illustrating how physics played a critical role in the event’s severity.
