DIY Wind Meter
A simple anemometer
Equipment
◊ Stick or broom handle.
◊ 5x10cm pieces of thin string or cotton
◊ Tissue paper, writing paper
◊ Cooking foil, thin card, thick card
Method
1. Cut approximately equal sized strips of tissue, paper, foil, thin and thick card, and made a hole near one end.
2. Using the string, tie each strip to the stick, with as much space as possible between them.
3. Take your wind meter outside and hold it as high as you can. Which strips are moved by the wind? You could try and find the windiest place – do the buildings and trees around you shelter you from the wind, or funnel it?
Related Experiments
Why not have a go at making a DIY anemometer, which will give you an idea of how fast the wind really is. Alternatively, if you have access to a bought anemometer, you could try calibrating your wind meter – what wind speed do you need to have before each strip gets blown around?
