Vortex Tornado Tube – Plastic Bottle Connector

The Vortex Tornado Tube is a simple and engaging science accessory designed to connect two compatible plastic soft drink bottles, allowing students to create and observe a swirling water vortex.

When one bottle is filled with water and the connected bottles are rotated, the water forms a visible vortex as it flows into the lower bottle. This provides an easy hands-on demonstration of fluid motion and gives students the opportunity to investigate concepts including vortices, gravity, rotational motion, air movement and fluid flow.

The Vortex Tornado Tube is suitable for classroom demonstrations, student experiments and STEM activities. Students can investigate how different spinning techniques affect vortex formation, compare vortex-assisted water transfer with normal pouring, or experiment with liquids of different viscosities.

Educational Applications

The Vortex Tornado Tube can be used to investigate:

• Vortex formation
• Fluid flow
• Rotational motion
• Gravity
• Air displacement
• Water transfer rates
• Effects of viscosity
• Variables and fair testing
• Observation, measurement and data recording

Suggested Activities

Students can compare the time taken for water to move between bottles with and without a vortex, investigate how the speed of rotation changes vortex formation, or compare the behaviour of water with other safe liquids of different viscosities.