How to Make a Cup Anemometer
Anemometers are used by scientists to calculate wind speed. These measurements are then used to predict weather patterns. Most weather centers have anemometers, which they use as one of their primary types of prediction tools. Though professional-gauge anemometers can be complicated to operate and fairly expensive, it's easy to make a simple cup anemometer at home from household materials to use in science experiments.
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Things You'll Need
- 5 small paper cups
- Hole punch
- Scissors
- Marker
- Sharpened pencil
- 2 non-bending drinking straws
- Pushpin
- Stapler
Instructions
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1
Line up the paper cups on a flat surface. Use the hole punch to punch one hole in the side of each of the first four cups, about 1/2 inch from the top. In the fifth cup, punch four holes about 1/4 inch from the top, equally spaced around the rim of the cup.
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2
Trim the lipped rim off of the first four cups. This will make the cups lighter and allow them to spin more easily. Use a marker to draw an X on the bottom of one of the four cups.
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3
Push the sharpened pencil, point first, through the center of the bottom of the fifth cup. The eraser should be inside the cup, with the sharpened point extended underneath.
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4
Feed the straws through the four holes at the top of the fifth cup so that they cross in the center. Push the pushpin through the intersection of the straws. Slide the pencil up inside the cup until the eraser is touching the point of the pushpin. Push the pin into the eraser, securing the straws to the pencil.
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5
Slide the remaining cups onto the ends of the straws, pushing the straw through the hole in the side. Fold the end of the straw over and staple it to the side opposite the side with the hole. The cups should be on their sides, and the open ends should all point in the same direction.
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6
Take the anemometer outside and hold it in front of you. Watch the anemometer spin, counting the number of spins by keeping track of the cup with the X on the bottom. Faster wind speeds will cause the anemometer to make more revolutions per minute; slower speeds will cause it to make fewer revolutions per minute.
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