Tornado in a Bottle

Tornadoes can whip up winds so large they can carry cars! But did you know you could also but a tornado (or a tornado-like spiral) in a small bottle of water? Here's how:

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Materials

• Small bottle

• Water

• Dish soap

• Vinegar

• Spoons

• Color dye

• Glitter (optional)

Instructions

1. Fill an empty bottle with water, leaving 1 inch of space from the top

2. For colored water, add 2 drops of food coloring. Shake the bottle a little to mix the food coloring

3. Measure and add one big squirt of dish soap

4. Measure and add one spoon full of vinegar

5. Add in any glitter

6. Cap the bottle tightly, and swirl it around to see a tornado form!

Science Behind It

By spinning the bottle, you are creating a vortex. The centripetal force spins the dish soap in the water, causing a funnel to form. Even though this tornado in a bottle may seem harmless, real tornadoes can do extensive damage, with wind speeds up to 300 miles per hour! Tornadoes are formed in a similar way, when hot air meets cool air, and the difference in pressure creates a vortex.