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NESA Accredited Teacher
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High school chemistry & physics specialist 30+ years
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The Crazy Scientist in primary schools — 15 years
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International conference presenter on science education
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Creator of the LAB™ Learning System
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Curriculum aligned: NSW Science & Technology K–6 (2024)
A picture is worth a thousand words — check this out and see if you can spot the science hiding in plain sight.
From the LAB
What you will need
Clear jar with lid
Water
Dishwashing liquid
(Optional) Food colouring or glitter
How to do it
Did it work? Share the science! Tag @the_crazy_scientist on Instagram — we love seeing your experiments!
Tornado in a Jar
Designed by Darin Carr (BSc, DipEd)
NESA Accredited Teacher Chemistry & Physics Specialist
Creator of the LAB™ Learning System
Create a spinning tornado in a jar and discover how moving water, speed, and friction work together to form swirling patterns — just like real storms.
7-12 yrs
Easy
10
min
Stage 3
>
Tornado in a Jar
The Crazy Scientist LAB Learning System™
Every experiment follows The Crazy Scientist Lab Learning System™ — a simple way to help kids think like real scientists.
We
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LINK to what they already know,
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ACTIVATE curiosity through hands-on discovery
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BUILD understanding that actually sticks.
Where do clouds come from?
Why don’t we see clouds forming all around us?
What might need to change for a cloud to appear?
Swirl the jar and then stop
Watch what happens inside
👉 Where does the spinning motion stay the longest?
👉 What shape forms in the middle?
👉 Why does the centre look different?
When you swirl the water, it starts spinning
The water near the edges slows down first (friction with the jar)
The water in the middle keeps moving faster
👉 This creates a spinning funnel called a vortex
👉 Think of it like:
Kids running in a circle holding hands
If some slow down, the middle gets pulled inward and tighter
👉 That’s why the water forms a tornado shape
"Want the full teacher guide? The Crazy Scientist Lab includes classroom delivery tips, how to manage the WOW moment, differentiation for Stage 2 & 3, — ready to teach tomorrow."
Think Like a Scientist
Scientists don't just do ONE experiment; they change one part of the experiment (independent variable) and then see how it affects another part of the experiment
(dependent variable)
Change ONE variable and test again.
Does a faster spin make a stronger tornado?
Try water vs syrup — what changes?
🧪 Try it! Change ONE thing and test again. What did you discover?
Want to go deeper? Tap a section below to explore. ▼
The Science Behind It
You didn't just make a tornado — you made one of the most powerful forces in nature happen inside a jar.
When you spin the water, a funnel forms in the middle. Scientists call this a vortex, and it's the exact same thing happening inside real tornadoes and hurricanes. Same force. Way bigger jar.
Did you notice the water right next to the glass was actually moving the slowest? That's friction — the glass steals energy from any water touching it. But head to the centre of that funnel and the water is spinning fastest of all — like an ice skater pulling their arms in tight. The tighter the spin, the faster it goes.
And those soap bubbles? They didn't fly outward — they got pulled into the funnel. That's the vortex grabbing everything nearby and dragging it to the centre. Real tornadoes do the same thing to cars, roofs... and cows.
Did you also notice it slowly disappears on its own? That's friction doing its thing again — the water rubbing against the glass and itself, stealing all the energy until there's nothing left to spin.
The detergent is the sneaky part though — and it changes everything about how the vortex behaves.
Want to know why? And why real tornadoes spin in opposite directions depending on where you are in the world? Find out in The Crazy Scientist Lab!
Extension: G&T Years 5 & 6
Vocabulary
Know a parent or teacher who'd love this? Send it on! 👇
The Crazy Scientist books
These highly visual books combine storytelling and real science, helping students revisit key concepts and stay engaged long after the session.
Designed by a practising NSW classroom teacher (30+ years experience), these books directly support NSW Science & Technology (2024) outcomes and reinforce “Working Scientifically” skills.
Perfect for classroom libraries or home explorations.
For teachers (YouTube)
— Science Before the Bell
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Quick, curriculum-linked science you can teach tomorro
Try Another Crazy Experiment
Keep the science going with these fun experiments
Let's Go!
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Hands-On Science Workshops
Interactive STEM experiences aligned to the NSW syllabus.
