An Archimedes Screw, a type of pump, is named after the great inventor and mathematician Archimedes, who lived in Ancient Greece. His work is so important it is still used today!
We still use this simple machine to move liquids and solid particles. As the screw rotates, fluids move up it.
Here are some instructions so you can make your own simple version!
You could even use this idea to suck up cereal and milk for a fancy inventor’s breakfast!
Check out the fact pages to learn more about Archimedes and his screw! Archimedes is so awesome you can also learn about more of his discoveries in the Boat fact pages! Eureka!
Make sure you do this somewhere that can get a bit wet!
Difficulty Level:
What you need:
- A length of plastic pipe, or cardboard tube about 60cm (2ft) long.
(You can tape together two shorter tubes, such as poster tubes or Pringles tubes, or even one if you want)
Hint: Plastic means it won’t get soggy and can be reused many times. - Clear plastic flexible tubing about 2 cm (¾ inch) outer diameter (width of circle).
It does not matter if it is a little wider or narrower.
Hint: You can find this in hardware stores. - A large basin/bowl of water
- Another large bowl
- Food colouring (optional)
- Waterproof tape such as duct tape
- Scissors
Method:
- Using waterproof tape, secure your plastic tubing around your big tube at the bottom, making sure 1-2cm hangs over the edge.
- Wrap the flexible tubing around the pipe, leaving about 2-3 cm between intervals, until you reach the end of the PVC pipe. Secure it with waterproof tape.
- At the end, leave over 1cm hanging off the PVC pipe, cutting off the excess with the scissors.
- Add food colouring to your bowl of water.
- Insert the end of the screw into the lower bowl.
- Place the other bowl on a raised surface, or have someone hold it just below the top of your screw. Make sure the water will fall into it if the screw is turned.
- Turn the screw around in the right direction so the flexible plastic tubing can scoop up liquid. Tip: Make sure you don’t hold the screw too steep or water will not travel up the tube.
- Keep turning the screw and you should be able to see the water travel all the way up the tube and spurt into the upper bowl!
Further Investigation
Try adding small bits to the water to see if they travel up too, e.g. eco-friendly glitter, or even cereal!
Could you make a smaller version to suck up milk and cereal from a bowl?
Can you add a handle to your screw at the top to help you turn it?
Investigate whether the following make any difference to the rate at which the water comes out the top of the screw:
The length of the screw
The diameter of the tubing
The number of turns of the tubing
The angle at which the screw is placed in the water
The rate at which the screw is turned
Some other links you might like to check out…
https://frugalfun4boys.com/simple-machines-lesson-lift-water-archimedes-screw/
