Science is at its best when it is demonstrated in front of you. Anyone who saw our screaming Jelly Babies experiment at our open day will know the fun you can have experimenting.

 I’m guessing anyone who lives near Bournville College will never have seen a tornado and is unlikely to ever see one. With the mastery of science we can bring tropical weather to shores of Birmingham.

Things You'll Need:

• 2x 2 litre clear plastic soda bottles
• water
• 1 inch metal washer
• Duct tape (or "Tornado Tube Connector")
• Food colouring (optional)
• Glitter (optional)

Step 1

Gather 2 clear plastic 2 liter soda bottles for every tornado you wish to create. Though coloured plastic bottles will work as well, the full tornado effect is much more visible in clear bottles.

Step 2

Remove the labels and thoroughly wash all the bottles. At this time you will also want to remove any plastic rings that remain on the neck of the bottles.

Step 3

Purchase a tornado tube connector at a teacher supply or science store, or, if you wish to spare the expense, you can use duct tape and a 1 inch metal washer to connect the bottles together. The only advantage to using a connector is that the experiment is less likely to develop a leak.

Step 4     

Place one of the bottles on a flat surface and fill it approximately 2/3 full of water. For a more tornado-like effect or just to add some flair, you can add a drop of food colouring to the water and add glitter to simulate dirt and debris.

Step 5

Put the washer over the opening of the bottle. Then turn the second bottle upside down and line it up on top of the washer. If you are using a tornado tube connector, merely twist it onto the top of the first bottle and attach the second bottle to the other side.

Step 6

Have another person hold the bottles steadily in place as you wrap the bottle necks and washers tightly with duct tape. You will need to fasten it tightly enough that the bottles stand straight up together -- they shouldn't be able to separate or tilt in any way. The duct tape should also be secure enough that when you turn the tornado experiment over (the top bottle now on the bottom) there is no water leakage.

Step 7

Place the tube so that the water is in the top bottle and rotate the top in a swift, circular motion. As the water pours through the washer to get to the bottom bottle, it will form a vortex that clearly represents a tornado. This vortex makes it easier for the water to flow quickly into the bottom bottle, by displacing the air that competes for the space.