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How to Make Pinwheels Spin in the Opposite Direction

A pinwheel is a simple toy comprised of a wheel of plastic or paper curls attached to a stick by means of a pin at its center. Pinwheels are great toys to teach children about air and wind currents, and how air can affect physical objects. When demonstrating the principles of air currents with a pinwheel, first show how the pinwheel spins in one direction when blown on from one direction, and then the other. You can also set the pinwheel up in a windy location to show how natural air currents affect the direction of the spin.

Things You'll Need

Pinwheel

Instructions

- 1
  Hold your pinwheel approximately 6 inches out from your face, directly in front of your mouth.
- 2
  Blow gently on the center pinwheel to see which direction it spins. The direction of the spin depends on a number of factors, including the construction of the pinwheel, the surrounding air currents, and the strength with which you blow on it.
- 3
  Move your mouth slightly to the left or right of the pinwheel and continue blowing. Changing the direction from which the air current originates will change the direction of the spin.
- 4
  Alter the angle from which you are blowing more dramatically if the pinwheel does not immediately change directions. Blow on the pinwheel from a 90 degree angle to make it spin the most dramatically away from the direction of your air flow.

Backyard Toys