Tornado in a Bottle (Science Project) – August

Elyse Prestopnik, Reporter

WARNING: Make sure to do the following project with a parent for extra precaution.

 

To Make a Tornado in a Bottle, you will need:

  • Two identical plastic bottles
  • Water
  • Duct tape
  • Small toys – glitter, beads, buttons, etc. (OPTIONAL)
  • Food Coloring (OPTIONAL)
  • Tornado Tube (OPTIONAL)

 

Instructions:

  1. Fill one bottle almost to the top with water.
  2. Add a few drops of food coloring to the water (OPTIONAL)
  3. Duct tape the empty bottle to the full bottle, opening to opening. 
  4. Flip the bottle over (so the bottle with water is on top), and watch what happens!
  5. Rotate the bottle so that the water is once again in the top bottle, then rotate it in a tight clockwise motion. As you rotate the bottles, a tornado should start to form in the lower bottle. 
  6. Flip them over and try again!
  7. Repeat as many times as you would like! Feel free to add any variations. Here are some fun ones:
    1. Rotate in a different direction.
    2. Add dish soap!
    3. Add items (the glitter, beads, buttons, etc.)

 

Cites:

https://www.engineeringemily.com/tornado-in-a-bottle-steam-experiment-for-kids/

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/H4a6e07437a144437ab8fbe5b31d1bfe4M.jpg