Hooked on Science: Make a spinning milk carton

Using only a few materials, you can make a milk carton spin on its own while suspended in the air.

Materials

* Empty milk carton

* Bucket

* Fishing line

* Nail

* Water

Instructions

STEP 1: Using the nail poke a hole through the top of the milk carton and in the lower left-hand corner of each side of the milk carton.

STEP 2: Cut about 2 feet of fishing line and push the fishing line through the hole in the top of the milk carton. Hang the milk carton over the bucket.

STEP 3: Fill the carton with water and then watch.

Explanation

The water pushing through the holes in the milk carton causes the carton to spin in the opposite direction of the water flow. Gravity causes the water to move through the holes.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website Hooked On Science at hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com