Science Fair Projects

The hardest part about designing a science experiment, not only for students in elementary school, but also for practicing scientists, is the realization that a simple, well thought out experiment is nearly always better than a complex, vaguely understood one. 
  
The student (and their parents and teachers) should also realize that many everyday phenomena are still awaiting the careful observer or experimenter to be understood. 

The point is that a twist on an "everyday" experiment can easily amaze your friends, your teachers, and hopefully the judges at the science fair. 

For example, cough on a Petri dish and grow some micro-organisms. 
What experiments could you do with this?

1)  Identify which growths are bacteria, which are yeasts and which are fungi. 
2) Test the effect of different media on the growth of the different types of micro-organisms. 
3) Test the effect of different pH on the growth of the different types of micro-organisms. 
4) Test the effect of different mouthwashes on the growth of the different types of micro-organisms. 
5) Are the organisms grown from furnace filter dust different from those grown from a cough? 

There are many variations of this one experiment. Some questions you could structure into a well designed and testable set of experiments.  Other questions could be too vague or difficult to answer in a straightfowa
As you look through the following list do not expect to find the exact experiment that you will do, but try to find an appealing idea that you can modify into your own unique experiment. After you find something that is interesting, read about it in your library, in an encyclopedia or on the Internet. 

 

Ideas and questions to explore with chemistry experiments:

Can you vary the freezing point of water?
        distilled or tap water, salt water, sugar water, anti-freeze, and so forth.
Can you float an egg in water?
             it has a similar effect or not.
Can you determine which liquid, solid or gas is the most dense?
     There are a number of ways to do this.  
Which metals corrode and which do not?
     Compare the effectiveness of different methods for the protection of metals from corrosion.
Which metals make the highest voltage battery cell?

 

Can you water plants with capillary action?
     What methodology gives the best or longest, attention free, watering result.
     Are different methods better for different plants?
How acidic is your vinegar?

How acidic is the dew?
 Is the acidity of dew different from the acidity of rainwater?
     How do either compare with tap water or distilled water or neutrality?
Compare different methods for growing crystals.
     Can you find a method that will grow really large salt crystals?
 

Ideas to explore with Physics experiments

Compare materials, shapes and colors to determine which makes the best magnifying lens.
Compare different methods for splitting or combining light.
How is the light from the sun different from the light from a florescent tube? an LED?
        Use a spectrascope or prism to split the light beam and make the comparison.
Which materials are attracted to magnets?
Which materials are the best conductors of electricity?
        Young children can make a simple yes or no comparison of what conducts.
        The more experienced can use an ohm meter to compare the resistance of different materials.
Explore which shapes make the best paper airplanes.
        Young children can explore the different paper airplane shapes.
        More experienced students can build a wind tunnel and study the effects more quantitatively.
Compare structure to determine which forms and geometries can support the most weight.
Which bridge structure supports the most weight with the least material (by weight)?
How can you measure temperature?
      Compare the accuracy or range or sensitivity with thermal expansion methods, thermocouple methods,
      electrical resistance and electronic methods.
Does sound travel faster in wood or stone, water or air?
      What is the speed of sound in steel and other media.
 

Ideas to explore in Biology

Can you apply too much fertilizer to a plant?
What is the best temperature for growing plants?
How much light does a plant need to grow?
How does pH effect the growth of plants? Are there differences among plants?
 

Exploring your Neighborhood Environment

How much trash is along your street? the nearest beach? riverbank?
Which buildings in your neighborhood would be damaged by an earthquake? flood? tornado?
How many birds visit your neighborhood? How many species?
How many insects visit your neighborhood? How many species?
How does the level of sound vary throughout the day in your neighborhood?
How does the level of sound vary with distance from a freeway?

 

 

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