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Creating Wind Anemometer

Materials and Equipment

• 5 three ounce paper cups (Dixie Cups)
• 2 soda straws
• pin
• paper punch
• scissors
• stapler
• sharp pencil with an eraser
• a fan with at least three different speeds (high, medium, and low)
• ruler (optional)

Procedures:

Experimental Procedure

1. Take four of the paper cups and use the paper punch to punch one hole in the side of each cup, about a half inch below the rim.
2. Take one of the four cups and push a soda straw through the hole. Fold the end of the straw and staple it to the side of the cup across from the hole. Repeat this procedure for another one-hole cup and the second straw.
3. Take the fifth cup and punch four equally spaced holes in the side of the cup, about a quarter inch below the rim. Then punch a hole in the center of the bottom of the cup.
4. Slide one cup and straw assembly through two opposite holes in the cup with four holes. Push another one-hole cup onto the end of the straw just pushed through the four-hole cup.
5. Bend the straw and staple it to the one-hole cup, making certain that the cup faces the opposite direction from the first cup. Repeat this procedure using the other cup and straw assembly and the remaining one-hole cup.
6. Align the four cups so that their open ends face in the same direction either clockwise or counter-clockwise around the center cup.
7. Carefully push the straight pin through the two straws where they intersect.
8. Push the eraser end of the pencil through the bottom hole in the center cup. Carefully push the pin into the end of the pencil eraser as far as it will go. You may need an adult to help you push the pin in.
9. Now your anemometer is ready for use! It should look like Figure 1: