Cyclones - My Assignment
Get Sucked In!
Create your own Cyclone!
Before you start, there are some materials that you will need:
| Quantity | Material |
|---|---|
| 2 | 2-litre bottles (empty). (If the two bottles are the same size, the experiment works much better). |
| 1 roll | Masking tape |
| A few drops | Food colouring |
| 500ml | Water |
| 1 | Clock or a Stopwatch to time your cyclone. |
Instructions:
- With the help of an adult, pierce a hole in the 2 lids so that water can flow through (approximately 5mm -1cm in diameter – depending on the size of your lids).
- Fill one bottle with the water and food colouring.
- Screw the lids tightly on the bottles. Stand the bottle with water up and place the empty bottle over it – neck to neck.
- Tape the two bottles together.
- Flip the bottles over and swirl them in a circle.
- Watch the water fall to the bottom bottle, creating a liquid cyclone.
Observations:
Make a list of observations
- What happened?
- How quickly did the water drain to the bottom bottle?
- What did it look like?
- Write any more interesting observations and findings.
This time, just turn the bottles, without swirling them
- What happened this time?
- How quickly did the water drain?
- What did it look like? Was it different to the first experiment? If so, how? You can use diagrams to illustrate the differences.
Gone with the Wind
This activity can be done individually or in pairs.
The Bureau of Meteorology has a series of questions relating to Cyclones. They begin relatively easily and become more complex.
The answers can also be found on the page.
With a friend, read the questions and take turns in answering them. Will you be gone with the wind, or withstand the blow?
Find the Cyclone
There are many cyclones, tornadoes and hurricanes that occur all over the world. Read about a few of them and select one incident that you would like to focus on.
Either with a partner or on your own, research the disaster:
- Where did this happen?
- Where did the cyclone/hurricane/tornado form?
- What were the damages and severity of the giant whirlwind?
Incorporate creativity in presenting your research, findings and interesting facts to your class.