2.2 Weather and Climate
33
Experiment 2.2: Self-experiment for a Tornado
Objectives To create a tornado at home.
Required Materials
Tall drinking glass, table salt, long stirrer, and a bottle of carbonated water.
Procedure
1. Pour the water or soda into a glass until 2/3 full.
2. Use stirrer to stirring the liquid as fast as you can without it spilling over,
and add some salt.
3. Watch the results as carbon dioxide bubbles develop into a tornado.
Conclusions
Tornadoes develop when the moist and warm air combines with the cool
and dry air. They are linked to the storm clouds that have vortexes. As the
surrounding air is sucked in by the vortex, more of the air moves in at high
velocity to fill the void.
(continued)
Experiment 2.3: Measuring wind speed
Required Materials
Stopwatch, paper plate, colored tape, a pencil with eraser, colored tape, four
paper cups, double-sided tape, and thumbtack that has a plastic end.
Procedure
1. Take one of the paper cups and wrap the colored tape on the exterior.
2. Using a pencil, draw a “y” on the plate. Ensure that the center of “y” is
close to the center of the plate.
3. Carefully attach the tape to the side of all the cups. Attach one of the cups
to the plate’s edge. Ensure that the opening faces left.
4. Next, rotate the plate and similarly attach all the remaining cups.
5. Pin the thumbtack in the center of the plate, where “y” is. Pin the eraser
and the plate together then hold the cups and plate to enable them rotate
in the breeze.
6. Locate a website that provides you with the speed of wind in your locality.
Count the number of times that the marked cup rotates in 30 s and jot it
down.
33
Experiment 2.2: Self-experiment for a Tornado
Objectives To create a tornado at home.
Required Materials
Tall drinking glass, table salt, long stirrer, and a bottle of carbonated water.
Procedure
1. Pour the water or soda into a glass until 2/3 full.
2. Use stirrer to stirring the liquid as fast as you can without it spilling over,
and add some salt.
3. Watch the results as carbon dioxide bubbles develop into a tornado.
Conclusions
Tornadoes develop when the moist and warm air combines with the cool
and dry air. They are linked to the storm clouds that have vortexes. As the
surrounding air is sucked in by the vortex, more of the air moves in at high
velocity to fill the void.
(continued)
Experiment 2.3: Measuring wind speed
Required Materials
Stopwatch, paper plate, colored tape, a pencil with eraser, colored tape, four
paper cups, double-sided tape, and thumbtack that has a plastic end.
Procedure
1. Take one of the paper cups and wrap the colored tape on the exterior.
2. Using a pencil, draw a “y” on the plate. Ensure that the center of “y” is
close to the center of the plate.
3. Carefully attach the tape to the side of all the cups. Attach one of the cups
to the plate’s edge. Ensure that the opening faces left.
4. Next, rotate the plate and similarly attach all the remaining cups.
5. Pin the thumbtack in the center of the plate, where “y” is. Pin the eraser
and the plate together then hold the cups and plate to enable them rotate
in the breeze.
6. Locate a website that provides you with the speed of wind in your locality.
Count the number of times that the marked cup rotates in 30 s and jot it
down.