How to Build a Chinese Water Clock
- 1). Create a small hole in the bottom of each cup using the point of a thumbtack.
- 2). Orient the cardboard strip so it is running lenth-wise up and down. Attach the five plastic cups to the rectangular strip of heavy cardboard. Press the thumbtacks about midway into the side of each cup to hold it in place. Make sure they are in a vertical straight line with the first cup's opening at the top of the cardboard and the second cup under it with its opening below the first cup's bottom. Water will flow from the first cup, through the small hole in the bottom to the next one and so on.
- 3). Tape the small strip of paper to the jar. The paper will help you to measure five-minute intervals on the glass jar, according to the Public Broadcasting Service website.
- 4). Pour some water into the top cup for a test run. Make sure that the water drips smoothly through each cup. If it doesn't, you can make the small pinprick hole in teh bottom of each cup a little larger. Empty the water.
- 5). Fill the top cup with water and be prepared to time the water level.
- 6). Mark the water level on the glass jar at five-minute intervals. Use a clock with an alarm or a kitchen timer to do this. Once the water has dripped totally through the cups and into the glass jar, you will be able to determine how much time you can measure using your own Chinese water clock.