Student Research Pages - Answers to Spike's Activities

Answers to Spike's ActivitiesCover_Weather_Watch

Spike math

 

Read these weather instruments and record the data they show. Then, circle which system of measurement each one uses.

 

Instrument Data System of Measurement
Thermometer 80 degrees Fahrenheit Customary
Thermometer 20 degrees Celsius Metric
Barometer 30 inches Customary
Rain Gauge 55 ml Metric

 

 

Wild Science

Create Your Own Tornado!

When you created your tornado, did you ask yourself these questions? Well, we’ve got some answers for you!

  • In which direction does your vortex move?
  • Did you notice that your vortex moved counter-clockwise? That’s because of something called the Coriolis Effect. Since Texas is located in the Northern Hemisphere, above the equator, your vortex will most likely move counterclockwise because of the way the earth turns. If you lived below the equator your vortex would turn clockwise.
  • What would make it go faster? Slower? Your vortex (tornado) went faster if you gave your bottle a twist. That makes the vortex skinnier, helping the force of gravity pull it out of the hole.
  • To make your vortex slower you would have wanted to leave the bottle completely alone so that you did not create any movement that would have helped gravity help the vortex.
  • How is it different in the middle than at the edges? Did you notice how your vortex was tighter in the middle than at the edges? That’s because more pressure gets put on the water in the middle.

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