Tornado in a Bottle

This classic experiment demonstrates how tornadoes form by swirling water between two connected bottles. Adding food coloring, glitter, or small objects makes the tornado more visible and models debris caught in real tornado winds.

1. Clean two large clear plastic bottles (2-liter bottles work best) and remove the labels.
2. Fill one bottle about three-quarters full of water.
3. Optionally add a few drops of food coloring and glitter or small objects to simulate tornado debris.
4. Connect the two bottles securely using a tornado tube connector or plenty of duct tape.
5. Flip the bottles so the water-filled bottle is on top.
6. Swirl the bottles in a circular motion for about 15–20 seconds.
7. Stop swirling and observe as a funnel cloud forms and water spirals into the bottom bottle.
8. Repeat the process as many times as desired.

Tornado in a Bottle │ Cyclone Tube │ Science Experiment - The Amaze Lab:

How to make a: TORNADO IN A BOTTLE - Questacon:

📄 Tornado in a Bottle Experiment - Playing With Rain: https://playingwithrain.com/tornado-in-a-bottle-experiment/

• Use different sizes of bottles to see if tornado strength changes.
• Try creating a tornado in a jar instead of bottles.
• Compare how glitter versus larger objects (like small toy houses) move inside the tornado.

• Ensure bottles are sealed tightly to avoid leaks, especially if food coloring is used.
• Avoid using objects small enough to pose a choking hazard if children are handling the experiment.
• Perform on a surface that can be cleaned easily in case of spills.

• Why does the water spin into a funnel instead of just falling straight down? (The swirling motion creates a vortex, pulling water into a spiral path.)
• How does the debris in the bottle represent real tornadoes? (It models how tornadoes pick up and toss objects in strong winds.)
• What part of the experiment represents the updraft in a thunderstorm? (The air bubbles rising from the bottom bottle into the top.)
• How does shaking the bottles harder affect the tornado? (It creates a faster, stronger vortex, similar to more powerful wind shear in real tornadoes.)