Learn

At the center of a tornado is a spinning column of air called a vortex.

Create a real mini-vortex with this cool experiment.

You will need and adult’s help operating the drill.

• 2 two-liter bottles with caps
• Duct tape
• Silicon caulking
• Water
• A drill (and adult help)
• Food coloring (optional, but creates a good effect)
• Plastic confetti (another good effect)

1. First, remove the caps off of both of the pop bottles.
2. Ask an adult to drill a 1/2 inch hole in the center of each cap.
3. Put a drop of silicon glue around the hole, and seal it to the other cap. Allow it to dry. Then, wrap a piece of duct tape around the outside of the two caps to really stick them together.
4. Screw the double lid onto one of the empty bottles. Next, fill the other bottle 3/4 full of water. Add the food coloring and plastic confetti if you so desire.
5. Screw the empty bottle on top of the bottle containing the water. Hold the duct-taped area with one hand, and the bottom bottle with the other hand.
6. Turn the bottles so that the empty one is on the bottom. Now give the bottles a swirl, and you’ll see the vortex appear.

What Happened

As you spin the bottle around, a vortex appears. Gravity is the force pulling the water down through the drain hole. You are watching the speed of the water increaseas it approaches the center of the bottle. Centripetal, or “center-pulling” forces cause the water to move in a spiral.

You will notice that the vortex forms a hole in the water as it drains. This allows the air from the lower bottle to escape into the upper bottle as it is being replaced by the draining water.