  In everyday life we encounter many complex fluids, from shear-thinning paint
and toothpaste to shear-thickening starch suspensions. The study of their
properties offers an opportunity for students to relate sophisticated physical
concepts to their everyday experience. Modern rheology uses expensive equipment
impractical for the teaching laboratory. Here we describe a rudimentary
rheometer suitable for student laboratories that can demonstrate and quantify
discontinuous shear thickening, the most dramatic property of complex fluids,
and use it to measure the properties of starch suspensions.
