VORTEX BLASTER  more experiments

Materials:

5 gallon bucket

large trash bag or shower curtain

elastic or stretchy cord

smoke (optional)

Directions:  Cut a hole in the center bottom of the bucket, about 3 inches in diameter.  Stretch your trash bag over the opposite end and secure in place with stretchy cord.  Be sure to pull the trash bag tight so that you can thump on it like a drum.  Voila -- vortex blaster!  Aim the end with the small hole at your target and thump the stretched trash bag on the opposite end.  What happens?  Can make your friend's hair fly up?  Can you knock a paper cup over?  What happens when you change your distance from the target, or how hard you thump on the end?

If you happen to have a fogger machine left over from Halloween, you can turn your vortex blaster into a smoke ring blaster!  Just fill your bucket with smoke, aim and thump gently.  A smoke ring will pop out!

Science:  A vortex forms when air comes rushing out of the small opening cut into the bucket.  As it moves out of the hole, the air at the center is moving faster than the air around the edges -- this creates the vortex.  When you add the smoke, you can actually see the vortex!

Extension:  You can make both smaller and larger blasters out of other household materials.  Instead of a bucket, try using a soup can or an oatmeal canister.  Or try using a giant plastic trashcan!