Down to Earth Natural Events Cyclones Learning Activities Activity 3: Experiment With

Cyclone investigation

In this activity we are going to build a mini-cyclone to find out how cyclones are formed.
Remember!When you carry out this investigation make sure you have an adult with you.

To complete this activity

Read through the whole activity sheet carefully before you begin.
Explore your current knowledge of cyclones.
Carry out your investigation by following the instructions below.
Record your findings as you go.

Remember!Include this sheet and your record page in your portfolio.

Exploring

Respond to the following three questions.

What do you already know about cyclones?

What are some of the things you wonder about cyclones?

How do cyclones happen?

Remember! There are three things to think about in a science experiment:
planning
conducting
processing and evaluating.

Planning

In this experiment we are trying to find out how long it takes to empty a cool drink bottle that is filled with water.

You will need:

this worksheet

an empty one-litre cool drink bottle (plastic)

water

insulation tape (duct tape)

liquid soap or food colouring (optional)

large tub (or a sink or basin), you may get wet!

stopwatch or timer.

What will happen?

What do you think will happen? Record your prediction in the box below.

Prediction:

Conducting

Now it is time to carry out the experiment and record your findings. There are two parts to the experiment.

Steps to follow

Part one

Put the plug in the sink so water can be saved and reused.
Fill the cool drink bottle with water.
Tip it upside down and without squeezing the sides have someone time how long it takes to empty. Do this several times. Observe what happens each time.
Record your times and observations below.

Emptying the bottle / First attempt / Second attempt / Third attempt
How long does it take to empty the bottle?
Findings
Did you see bubbles? Draw or write about what you saw when the water was emptying out of the bottle.
Discuss with someone why you think this happens.

Part two

Fill the bottle with water again. Hold the top so no water escapes and tip it upside down. Now swirl it round and round in the same direction. Hold it over the sink and take you hand away. What happens?
Do this several times and record your results below.

Emptying the bottle after swirling it / First attempt / Second attempt / Third attempt
How long does it take to empty the bottle?
Findings
Draw or write about what you saw when the water was emptying out of the bottle after swirling it.
What has this got to do with cyclones?
Draw some diagrams to help your explanation.

Just for fun!

Try the experiment again adding a small amount of liquid soap or food colouring to the water.