Hunting Hurricanes
A hurricane is a strong tropical cyclone, spiral donut-shaped, that measures several hundred miles in diameter and has 74+ mph winds. It goes by many names depending on the location: hurricane (Atlantic Ocean), cyclone (Indian Ocean), or typhoon (Southeast Asia). Hurricanes are born over warm, tropical oceans. The air above the ocean must be cooler than the water temperature, allowing thunderstorms to form. The combination of heat and moisture, along with the right wind conditions, can create these powerful and disruptive vortexes. Use your engineering skills to create mini-hurricane experiments!
Tools:
Glass Dish or Bowl
2 Plastic Drink Bottles (2-liters preferably)
Debris (sand, paper clips, beads)
A paper clip tied to a piece of string
Transparent or Duct tape
Glue or hot glue (optional)
Tornado tube connectors (optional)
Water (preferably hot)
Steps:
Step 1: First let’s get some background information about hurricanes. Read through the FAQ: Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Tropical Cyclones and/or watch this How Hurricanes are formed video by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. With the basics, it is time to build our own miniature hurricanes!
Step 2. To view a mock hurricane from the side, fill one bottle with your water and your debris.
Step 3: Securely fit the bottles together, in an hourglass shape. Turn the second empty bottle upside down and place it on top of the water-filled bottle, and please make sure the mouths align. Then securely seal bottles together with glue and tape to create a watertight seal. If you have the tornado tube, please screw the bottles together.
Step 4: Let the science fun begin! Hold the bottles by the middle sections, lift and quickly turn the bottles over so that the water-filled bottle is on top and set back on the table. Observe the water as it drains into the bottom bottle. Do you see the air bubble up as the water drains?
Step 5: When the top bottle is empty, turn the bottles over again, but this time, swirl the bottles in a circular motion. Be sure to keep the bottles straight up and down, if needed use a table to keep your bottles upright. What happened to the water this time? Do you see a vortex? What happened to the debris in the bottle?
Step 6: To view a mock hurricane from a different angle, pour water into a bowl or baking dish, and begin to stir with a large spoon to create a slower miniature cyclone.
Step 7: Use your paper clip tied to a string and lay the paper clip on the water in different places within your dish. Please be sure to keep hold of the string so you can feel how fast the paper clip is spinning. Where does the paper clip spin fastest – near the center of the bowl or closer to the edge?
To Do or Learn More:
Discover the Current Hurricane Forecast and be prepared with the National Hurricane Preparedness tool, both from National Weather Service.
Eye of the Storm, this book highlights the collaboration of professionals who are involved in cracking the code of hurricanes.
Learn about the hurricane/El Nino connection with PBS!
Read about the Hurricane Hunters! Even though most people try to avoid hurricanes, some brave people actually fly into them – on purpose!
Scholastic’s Hurricane Teacher Activity Guide