How to make a tea light turbine

Watch your turbine spin using the power of a single flame

1 Cut a circle

Taking your scissors and foil, carefully cut out an even circle, filling the width of the foil.

4 Adjust the spiral

Hold the foil spiral’s centre at the top of the skewer and cut the bottom so its length is roughly the same length as the skewer.

7 Power the turbine

Place a tea light next to the plasticine and carefully light it up with a lighter or match. Watch to see how quickly the foil begins to move. If it doesn’t, loosen the top slightly.

2 Spiral out

Starting at the edge of the circle, cut the foil into a spiral. Keep the scissors about two-and-ahalf centimetres from the outside edge as you cut around towards the middle.

5 Pinch the top

Place the centre of the spiral over the pointed end of the skewer and pinch the foil so that it clings onto the top.

8 Turbine in motion

Observe the turbine as it turns around the skewer and glistens in the candlelight, pushed into motion by the flame’s rising heat in a process called convection.

3 Make the stand

Stick a small handful of plasticine onto a flat surface and place your skewer vertically into it with the pointed end facing upwards – this will form the base for your spiral.

6 Final adjustments

Wrap the spiral around the skewer and re-cut its length so that the end hangs about five centimetres above the table.