Have you ever seen a whirling funnel of water going down the drain of your bathtub? That whirlpool is called a water vortex. A vortex is a mass of fluid that moves in a circular motion to form a vacuum in its center. A vortex works with water much the same way a tornado works with air. A vacuum action tends to draw everything around a vortex toward its center. You can make your own water vortex by following these directions.
YOU WILL NEED
two empty one-liter soft drink bottles, rinsed out and with labels removed
rubber or steel washer that has a small hole and is the same width as the tops of the bottles
roll of strong electrical, or duct, tape
water
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 HERE’S HOW
1. Tape the washer to the top of either bottle, as shown. (Make sure the tape doesn’t cover the hole in the washer.)
2. Fill that bottle three-fourths full of water.
3. Place the empty bottle upside down on top of the washer. Tape the bottles securely together.
4. Turn the bottles over so the one on top holds the water. Quickly swirl the bottles in a big circle several times and place the bottom bottle on a flat surface.
5. When you stop, the water should start swirling down in a tornado-shaped funnel. Illustration by David Bamundo |
