Reprinted with permission from SuperScience Red magazine, October 1993.

Some storms bring a lot of rain. How much? Try this.

You Need:

Clear jar with straight sides (A jelly jar works well)
Ruler
2 rocks
Crayon

1. Before a rainstorm, put the jar outside. Put it in an open place, away from trees or buildings.

2. Put the rocks against the jar. (Put them so the wind can't blow the jar over.)

3. Make a Guess:

How much rain will fall during the storm?

Make a mark on the jar to show how much.

4. After the storm, check to see how close your guess was.

5. Now hold the ruler against the jar, as shown. How much rain fell? (How many inches, or was it part of an inch?)

Think About It:

How much rain will fall during the next storm? Empty the jar and put it back in the same place. Then wait to catch the next rainstorm!

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