Go Back
Print

How Hurricanes Form

Students will see how hot and cold air behaves differently in this activity. Hot and cold air is key to understanding how hurricanes form.

Equipment

  • 1 1 cup measuring cup
  • 2 glass containers mason jars work well (the dollar store has these)
  • Red and blue food coloring
  • 1 Drinking straw
  • 1 Flashlight
  • 1 bowl of ice water

Instructions

  • Cut the straw to a 5" length, set aside
    hurricane information - how a hurricane forms activity
  • Measure 1 cup of cold tap water and put it into one of the jars. Place it into the bowl of ice to cool it further. Set aside for about 15 minutes.
    hurricane information - how a hurricane forms activity
  • Place 1 cup of water into the microwave and heat for 3 minutes or until it boils. Then, pour this into one of the jars and immediately cover to help retain the heat.
    hurricane information - how a hurricane forms activity
  • Place 1 cup of water into the microwave and heat for 3 minutes or until it boils.
  • Gather the jar of cold water, the jar of hot water, the blue food coloring, and the red food coloring.
    hurricane information - how a hurricane forms activity
  • Next, you'll add red food coloring to the hot water and blue food coloring to the cold water. However, have your children do this methodically, so they see how the food coloring behaves in cold water vs. hot water. Add one drop of blue food coloring into the cold water, and watch what happens. Next, add one drop of red food coloring to the hot water. If you can, do the drops simultaneously, so your students can see how the food coloring moves through cold water versus hot water. (An explanation of what is happening is listed below.)
  • Now, quickly set up this next step. Now, you will have 1 cup of cold water colored blue, 1 cup of hot water colored red, and 1 cup of clear hot water.
  • Turn on the flashlight and place it behind the clear cup of water so it shines through the cup and you can see the red and blue water as you begin to drop the colored water into the hot water.
  •  Next, you will drop 1 drop of the blue water into the 1 cup of clear, hot water. To do this, place the straw in the cold water and place your finger over the top of the straw. Difference in air pressure between the inside and outside of the straw will cause some of the blue water to rise into the straw.
  • Keeping your finger over the top of the straw, move the straw 1/8” down into the clear water. Slowly move your finger so 1 drop of the blue water goes into the clear water. Watch the drop of blue? Where did it go? Notice how it moves through the hot water to the bottom.
  • Then, do the same procedure with the red water into the clear water.  What happens to the red water when it is dropped into the clear, hot water?
     

Notes