credit: The Exploratorium; image source; larger version

Indoor Tornado

This vortex is produced in an interactive exhibit at the Exploratorium. To learn about the pressure inside a vortex, see Bernoulli's Principle.

(This feature was updated on August 13, 2016.)

Login to Comment on this Item

Vortex

Try the Exploratorium activity Vortex to make a model of a tornado.

Advanced Search

Browse Physics To Go by Topic.

Photo by Eric Nguyen; image source; larger image

Tornado and Rainbow Over Kansas

Storm chaser Eric Nguyen captured this image in Kansas in June of 2004.  To learn more about this image and about tornadoes, visit APOD: Tornado and Rainbow Over Kansas.

Hunt for the Supertwister

Visit NOVA's Hunt for the Supertwister to find out:

• why the US has so many tornadoes,
• how to track a tornado, and
• how much damage an F5 tornado, packing 250-300 mph winds, can do.