Hooked on Science: Quickly empty bottle of water

Learn how to quickly get cold water out of the bottle.

Materials

* Water

* Two identical empty plastic bottles

* Sink

Instructions

STEP 1: Completely fill each bottle with water.

STEP 2: Find a friend and race to determine which of you can empty the bottle of water the fastest into the sink.

Explanation

If you hold the bottle upside down, the water will slowly pour out as pockets of air replace the water. If you swirl the bottle to create a vortex, air constantly enters the bottle, while water constantly drains out. This method allows you to empty the bottle of water the fastest each time.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindseyhookedonscience.com.