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Arkansas Waterways

Tick Tock Water Clock

Picture of a Water Clock Thousands of years ago, the Chinese and the Egyptians used flowing water to measure time. Today, we have modern technology to help us keep track of each day.

You can construct an "ancient" time piece right in your own home!

You will need:

  • A long ruler and permanent marker
  • 2 identical yogurt cartons or disposable coffee cups
  • Masking tape
  • A small nail
  • Modeling clay

Here's How To Do It!

Use the nail to make a small hole in the middle of the bottom of one of the containers. Draw several lines inside of one of the containers 1/4 inch apart.

Fix the containers to the ruler using sticky tape. Put the container marked with the scale at the bottom. Stand the ruler upright by fixing the end in modeling clay.

Cover the hole in the top container with your finger and fill it with water. Then take away your finger and time (with your watch) about how long it takes for the water to reach each of the levels in the bottom container. Can you make a clock that time periods of one minute accurately?