How do you make a seismometer?

Answer 1

• cardboard box with the flaps cut off
• plastic cup
• felt tip marker
• string
• cup of small rocks, marbles, or bolts
• clay
• paper
• scissors

Instructions

1. Do you know what a seismometer is? It's a machine that shows earthquakes or other movement. Here's how you make a really simple one that can measure movements that you make in your house.
2. Check with a grown-up before you begin. Cutting a cardboard box can be pretty tricky.
3. First, take a box and open the top. Cut off the flaps and turn the box so the open side faces you.
4. Using scissors, poke two holes next to each other in the center of the top of the box. You may want to ask an adult to help with the scissors.

1. Poke one hole in the center of the bottom of the plastic cup, one hole along the rim of the cup, and another hole exactly opposite that hole.
2. Put the marker through the hole in the center of the bottom of the cup. The writing end should be sticking out of the bottom of the cup.
3. Put some clay around the hole so that the marker won't move.
4. Cut a 45cm piece of string (although if you have a bigger box, you may need a longer piece) and thread it through the two holes along the rim of the cup.

1. Then, thread the string through the holes in the box, so that both ends of the string are equally in the box. Tie the ends on top of the box.
2. Fill the cup 3/4 of the way with something that'll weigh the cup down. You can put anything in the cup to weigh it down-marbles, bolts, rocks, anything heavy will work.
3. Cut a strip of paper that's as long as the box and approximately 5 inches wide.
4. Put one end of the paper under the marker. Take the cap off the marker and make sure that it sticks out of the cup far enough so it touches the paper.
5. Now have someone shake the box right and left while someone pulls the paper forward. If you do this right, you should get a squiggley line on the paper