Why not make your own burpnado tornado in a bottle or jar?
Watching the glitter swirl and settle can also help you to calm you down.
You Will Need:
- A see-through glass jar with a screw on lid, or a plastic bottle with a screw on lid (use a plastic bottle if you are younger)
- Glitter
- Super strong swirling arms!
What To Do:
- Fill up the bottle with water, leaving a small gap at the top.
- Pour in some glitter.
- Tightly screw on the lid. Check that it is definitely shut!
- Swirl the bottle quickly round and round until the water swirls.
- Stop moving the bottle and watch what happens. You might need a few practices, but a glittery burpnado tornado should form inside the bottle!
You can take this experiment further by seeing what difference it makes to use different amounts of water, and different bottle sizes.
What Is Happening?
The burpnado tornado in the bottle is caused by the water spinning towards the centre of the bottle, this is called a ‘vortex’. The same thing happens when your bathwater makes a whirlpool when it empties down the plughole!
Did You Know?
Tornadoes are made in a similar way, when cold and warm air combine and spin.
There’s lots more information about tornados on the Met Office website: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/types-of-weather/tornadoes/how-are-tornadoes-formed