MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Science Corner with Meteorologist Caroline Carithers showing you how to make your own anemometer to measure wind speed!
Needed Supplies: Five 3 oz Dixie cups, two straws, hole punch, pencil with eraser, pin (push pin or sewing pin)
Steps (watch video for visual):
- Punch 4 holes just beneath rim of one of the cups an equal distance apart. Also punch a hole in bottom of this cup as well
- Put one straw through two opposite holes in this same cup, then put other straw through other two opposite holes in same cup (this will form a cross pattern)
- Punch two holes next to each other in other four cups about one inch apart
- Thread each end of straw through the two holes in each cup
- Make sure all cups are going the same way!
- Stick pencil (eraser up) through hole in bottom of center cup until it hits where the straws cross
- Put pin through straws and into eraser (not too close together, or it won’t spin!)
Explanation: An anemometer shows you how fast the wind is blowing. The faster the cups spin on your anemometer, the faster the wind is blowing (much like a windmill)!
Check out the video to see the experiment!
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