Do your kids ever come in the kitchen and find you trying out new science experiments? Well, this is what happened to me when I was making these rainbow twirlers. I was inspired by our Christmas candle holder and wanted to try out the science behind it for St. Patrick’s Day.
So I searched through my trusty Janice Van Cleave books and found this experiment on convection.
Here’s what you need: a candle, 20# paper, and a string
Here’s what you do:
- Cut a 4″ diameter spiral from regular printer paper. (I chose a rainbow pattern to make it festive.)
- Cut a piece of string about 6″ long and attach to the center of the spiral
- Light the candle and hold the spiral over it until it begins to twirl.
What’s the science: When the candle heats the air above it, the air molecules become less dense and rise while the cooler air molecules move in to take it’s place. This movement of air and the transfer of heat is called convection.
The kids (and I) enjoyed watching these rainbow twirlers to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! We hope you do to!
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