Experiment: Tornado in a bottle

1.

Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation
Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University
Institute of Physics
Direction 28.03.01 “Nanotechnology and microsystem engineering”
Profile: Synthesis and diagnostics of nanomaterials, components of micro - and nano-electronic equipment
Experiment: Tornado in a bottle
Completed:
Verevkin Artem
Vasilievich
Kazan – 2025

2.

Tornado in a bottle
Objective:
Demonstrate that during free fall, an
object’s apparent weight becomes zero.
Materials:
• Two empty soda bottles, washed and with
the labels removed (1- or 2-literbottles work
well), with one cap (The other cap can be
discarded)
• Drill or other means of making a hole in
the bottle lid
• Strong tape, such as duct tape or electrical
tape
• Water
Steps:
1. Have an adult make a small hole (about
0.25 inches or 7 mm) near the center of
the soda bottle cap
2. Using the duct or electrical tape, secure
the cap upside-down onto the bottle so
that the threads are exposed

3.

Tornado in a bottle
Steps:
3. Fill the other bottle 2/3 full of water and Connect the other bottle assembly to the top
of the bottle with water in it and invert them
4. Start swirling the bottle assembly. Caution: Do not shake! As the rotational speed
increases, a water vortex will form in the upper bottle and water will start flowing
smoothly into the lower bottle

4.

The Science Behind It
Explanation:
The swirling water is creating a water vortex. The vortex is a funnel shape with
a hollow center, just like a tornado. As such, the air from the bottle below can
now pass unrestricted through the center of the vortex and into the bottle above.
Key Concepts:
1. Centripetal Force – The inward force that
causes the water to spiral toward the center,
creating the vortex.
2. Bernoulli’s Principle (partially applies) –
Faster-moving fluid (inside the vortex) has
lower pressure.

5.

Why This Matters
✔ Inspiring Engineering Solutions Optimizing fluid systems (For
example: drainage, fuel tanks)
✔ Modeling Real-World Tornadoes (Funnel dynamics: Shows how
rotation + updrafts create a stable vortex)
Real-World Link:
• Gas Giants’ Storms: Jupiter’s Great Red Spot and Neptune’s dark
spots are massive, long-lived vortices.
• Vortex Dynamics: Helps illustrate how pressure differences and
angular momentum shape spinning storms.

6.

Reference
Additional Resource (Online):
• Tornado in a Bottle NASA from https://www.nasa.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2020/04/tornado_in_a_bottle.pdf
• Tornado in a bottle University of Michigan | CS Mott Children's Hospital from
https://www.mottchildren.org/posts/camp-little-victors/tornado-bottle

7.

Thank you!