You can make simple weather instruments to predict the weather.
Meteorologists use weather instruments to determine temperature, wind speed and direction, atmospheric (barometric) pressure, humidity and the amount of any rain or snow. They use this information to predict upcoming weather conditions. You can make simple weather instruments from easy-to-find materials to help you learn about the weather. Record your data and compare them to the weather information in the newspaper, on the Internet, or on the radio or TV. Although these weather instruments are simple, they can be surprisingly accurate.
Anenometer
The speed of the wind is measured using an anemometer. To make a simple anemometer, you need 16 inches of thin fishing line, pingpong ball, large plastic protractor, red permanent marker or red nail polish, small self-adhesive spirit level and hot glue gun.
Knot one end of the fishing line. Use a small bit of glue to attach the knotted end to the pingpong ball. Tie the other end of the fishing line around the center of the flat portion of the protractor. Mark the fishing line where it crosses the measurements on the protractor with the red marker or nail polish to make it more visible. Attach the spirit level to the flat portion of the protractor. Use the anemometer in an area where the wind is not blocked by large buildings, trees or bushes. Hold the protractor away from your body with the curved side down. Level the anemometer using the spirit level. Don't touch the fishing line. As the wind blows, it will move the pingpong ball. Determine the speed by reading the angle on the protractor where the fishing line is. Convert the angles to speed using this table: 90 degrees = 0 mph; 80 degrees = 13.2 mph; 70 degrees = 18.9 mph; 60 degrees = 23.8 mph; 50 degrees = 28.8 mph; 40 degrees = 34.2 mph; 30 degrees = 41.3 mph; 20 degrres = 52 mph.
Barometer
Barometers measure the rise or fall of atmospheric pressure. Changes in atmospheric pressure indicate a change in weather. To make a simple barometer, you need a glass jar, rubber band that fits snugly around the mouth of the jar, large balloon, plastic drinking straw, small piece of modeling clay, straight pin, adhesive tape, instant adhesive glue, ruler, fine-tip permanent black marker, scissors and manila folder.
Cut off the open end of the balloon. Stretch the remainder of the balloon over the mouth of the jar. Secure the balloon with the rubber band around the jar's rim to make an airtight seal. Cut the straw to a 6 inch length. Take a piece of clay large enough to plug one end of the straw and roll it into a small ball. Push the straight pin through the center of the clay ball. Push the clay into the end of the straw with the pin facing out. Glue the open end of the straw to the center of the balloon. The pin end of the straw will hang over the edge of the jar. Open the manila folder and mark a scale vertically on the right-hand side with lines 1/2 centimeter apart. At the bottom of the scale, write "Low Pressure." At the top of the scale, write "High Pressure." Stand the folder up on the table and position the jar so the pin end of the straw is close to the scale but does not touch it. High pressure will press down on the balloon and make the straw rise. Low pressure will push up on the balloon and make the straw fall.
Rain Gauge
A rain gauge measures the amount of rainfall or snowfall for a given amount of time. To make a simple rain gauge, you need a straight-sided glass container such as a narrow beaker, ruler, permanent black fine-tip marker, thin wire, wooden dowel (optional) and hammer (optional).
Mark a measuring scale on the glass container using the ruler and marker. Choose an area for the rain gauge outside where it will not be blocked by anything overhead. Attach the rain gauge to a fence post by wrapping the wire around the gauge and the post several times. If using the dowel, hammer it into the ground. Attach the rain gauge to the dowel by wrapping the wire around the dowel and rain gauge several times. After rain or a snowfall, read the amount of precipitation in the gauge. Empty the gauge before using it again.
Wind Vane
Wind vanes indicate the direction the wind is coming from. To make a simple wind vane, you need a disposable aluminum pie pan, wooden ruler, small saw, wooden dowel about the diameter of a broomstick, small wooden bead, a nail, hammer, scissors, instant adhesive glue, magnetic compass and fine-tip permanent black marker.
Cut a large triangle from the base of the aluminum pie pan. Cut the triangle in half parallel to the base of the triangle to make a smaller triangle and a trapezoid. Use the saw to cut a ½-inch vertical slit in the center of each end of the wooden ruler. At the exact center of the ruler, make a hole with the nail. The hole should be wide enough to easily spin the ruler around the nail. Glue the aluminum triangle (arrowhead) into the vertical slit at one end of the ruler, and the trapezoid into the remaining vertical slit. Allow the glue to dry. Thread the nail through the hole in the center of the ruler and through the hole in the wooden bead. Hammer the nail into one end of the dowel, leaving enough room to allow the ruler to move freely. Use the compass to identify and mark the directions (N, S, E, W) on the dowel. Place the wind vane in an area where the wind is not blocked by buildings or large trees. The direction the wind is blowing from will be the direction the arrowhead is pointing.
Tags: degrees degrees, fishing line, make simple, rain gauge, degrees degrees degrees