Science Fair Projects Guide with Ideas & Experiments

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Features:

*  Written by me, a recent graduate of Berkeley University with a Ph.D. in Molecular & Cellular Biology (Also, Masters in Spanish and Ph.D. in English Literature in 2005)

*  283 pages, Microsoft Word document (can be formatted according to your computer's specifications)

*  An overview and complete walk-you-through of the steps involved in completing a project:

             - Selecting a Topic

             - Researching the Topic

             - Making a scientific plan according to the scientific method

             - Conducting the experiments

             - Analyzing the results

             - Writing the report

             - Making a display

             - Presenting the project

*  169 detailed experiments with thorough background information of concepts and easy-to-understand protocols

*  Illustrated with pictures that teach concepts effectively and accurately and show how to setup experiments

*  All experiments can be done at home, with mostly household items; no expensive purchases necessary

*  A list of 500+ project ideas in various disciplines to assist you in choosing more topics to research

*  Full access to hundreds of ACTUAL science fair projects done by students in the past (full reports included)

*  Sample judging forms and the psychology of what judges look for

*  Experiments at each educational level, from Grades 1 - 9

*  Not just for Science Fair use; use the experiments and activities to spur learning and interest in science.  Check out the "Cool Experiments" Section; what a great way to keep kids (and even older "kids") busy while they are having fun and learning at the same time! If your child is always asking how things work, then this product will answer all of their questions and then some.

 

Payment Details: 

Paypal preferred. Shipping is FREE; it will come to you right away in EMAIL!  Make sure to check out the samples below and bid with confidence! :)

 

 

Full List of Experimental Concepts:

Bouyancy

Mobius Strips

Gyroscopic Inertia

Coanda Effect

Composition of Light Particles

Water Wheel Mechanics

Ice Pressure

Barometric Pressure

Bernoulli's Principle

Atmospheric Pressure

Expansion and Contraction

Vibrational Sound Waves

Tornadoes

Static Electricity

Specific Heat

Entropy

Reflection and Refraction

Humidity and Weather

Doppler Effect

Gravitational Force

Frequencies

Conservation of Energy

Momentum

Kinetic Energy

Optics

Newtonian Fluids

Surface Tension

Hygrometers

Electromagnets

Cohesion

Batteries

Circuits

Chemical Reactions

Freezing Point Depression

Volcano Design

Clouds and Vapor

Charged Particles

Sparks

Light bulbs

Rockets

Density

Submarines

Geometric Structure

Volume of Gas and Temperature

Size of Gas Molecules

Pressure of Gas and Temperature

Combustion

Carbon Dioxide

Solutions

Solubility and Temperature

Salt Crystals

Acids/Bases

Oxygen

Metals

Rate of Chemical Reactions

Surface Area

Latent Heat

Greenhouse Effect

Sublimation

Optics of Human Eyes

Surface Tension

Osmosis

Plant Biology

Cardiobiology

Recycling Newspaper

Animation

A Few of The Cool Experiments:

Making a Pinhole Camera

The Traditional Volcano

Harnessing Peanut Energy

Making a Motor

Steam Powered Boat

Giant Air Cannon

Pizza Box Solar Oven

Homemade Thermometer, Barometers, Hygrometers, and more -meters

Hovercraft

LED's

Making an Electroboard

Your own Morse Code Transmitter

Electronic Wind Detector

Electronic Rain Gauge

Your own Radio Waves, Radio, and Antenna

 

You may have seen "Electronic Project Labs" like the one below.  Not only do these cost money, but they also do not explain the concepts.  In this product, you will get the procedures to make this kind of electroboard, conceptual background information. and various experimental applications. 

 

Exact Samples From Product:

This is just a sample of the various features of the product.  There is much more in the actual product. The following experiment samples are of the intermediate level.  The actual product contains experiments which range from extremely easy for elementary schoolers to advanced for junior highschoolers and up.

 

The Scientific Method

Over many years researchers have developed a method that allows a scientist to have an orderly and acceptable way to prove or disprove their theories. This is what we call the Scientific Method. procedure and conclusions but there will be method and data to discuss.

Here are the Scientific Method Steps for your Science Fair Experiment

Select a Topic
 

Remember a Science Fair Project is an experiment to find an answer to a question, not just showing what you know. Be sure and propose a question or problem that can be formulated in terms of hypothesis that you can test.

State your Purpose
 

What are you trying to discover? Define your variables (parts of your experiment that will change ) that will help you find your answer. You should have control over your variables or your experiment could be flawed.

Do your Research
 

Find out about what you want to experiment with. Read books, magazines, browse the WEB, ask teachers, professors or scientists. You need to learn what is already known about your topic. Keep track of where you got your information from and develop a reference list.

State Your Hypothesis
 

A hypothesis is a question that has been stated so it can be tested by an experiment.

Develop an Experimental Procedure
 

Select only one element to change in each experiment. Don't forget things that can be changed are called variables. Change something that will help you answer your questions and keep the others fixed. You must be able to explain the variable changes and measure it. Then you run the experiment without these changes. This is called the control experiment. This allows measurement of change.

Perform the Experiment and Record Data
 

When you do experiments, record all measurements made. Data can be: amounts of chemicals used, how long something is, etc. Qualitative data is also useful and should be recorded. For example:  it smelled bad, the color changed, it got moldy.

Analysis
 

Put your data into graphs and tables. Are there patterns?  Do statistics if you can. This will help you understand your experiment and produce a conclusion.

Conclusion

Use the analysis of your experimental data and observations, try to answer your original questions. Was the hypothesis correct? Was the hypothesis incorrect? You may have surprised yourself and disproved your hypothesis. This is still good science and valuable information. Your experiment is still valid. Don't be disappointed if you proved your idea incorrect, but be happy that you ran a successful experiment and gained knowledge. This is the mark of a scientist and you will still have a good Science Fair Project!

 Other Sections Not Shown:

Overview

Writing The Research Paper

Making the Display

Judging Forms

Presentations

 

Topic Ideas:

Do different liquids have different boiling and freezing points?

What metals expand the most when heated?

What role does temperature play in dissolving salt in water?

What liquid is the best dissolving agent?

What material is the best insulator?

What is the effect of density of the object on the buoyancy of an object?

What is the effect of different detergent solutions on the surface tension of water?

What is the effect of freezing temperatures on rocks?

To what extent do different soils retain water?

What is the effect of rain on soil covered with different types of foliage?

What is the effect of wind on different mixtures of soil?

What is the effect of temperature on crystal growth?

How does saturation affect crystal growth?

To what extent does depth affect water pressure?

What is the effect of temperature on evaporation of water?

Does age effect human reaction times?

What is the effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water?

Does shoe design effect an athlete's jumping height?

What grass seed grows the fastest?

Can animals see in the dark better than humans?

 Do roots always grow down and stems upward, no matter how you plant the seed?

Do bean plants grow better under artificial or natural light?

What is the best method for sprouting radish seeds?

What plants will produce a color dye?

 

Experiments

These are some of the more simple, classic experiments available. Ask me about the advanced experiments

Lemon Power

 

To check out lemon power, you need:

• a knife

• light bulb

• steel wire and copper wire

• lemons

First, make the lemons very juicy by rolling them back and forth on a table. Cut one lemon in half.
Bare the ends of the wires. Push one end of each wire into a lemon half. Attach the other ends to the bulb holder. The copper wire is A and the steel wire is B. It is important to remember that A and B wires MUST be different metals.

DOES THE BULB LIGHT UP? If not, try again.

Use two lemon halves. Push two more wires into the second lemon half and into the first one so that the the two lemon halves are connected. The first lemon half is still connected to the bulb holder. Make sure that each lemon half has two DIFFERENT wires, like this.

DOES THE BULB LIGHT UP?

If there is no light, keep on connecting up lemon halves with the two kinds of wire until the bulb lights.
How many does it take?

WHY DOES THE BULB LIGHT UP WHEN LEMONS ARE IN CIRCUIT?

A Canadian company called GNB makes special batteries in Ontario. GNB manufactures very large batteries that are used in vehicles like forklift trucks and mine trains. These vehicles are used in factories, warehouses and deep inside mines where people are working. Regular gas engines cannot be used inside with people because their exhaust gases are dangerous. Since vehicles that run on batteries produce no exhaust, they are safe to use instead. Also, battery-run vehicles run silently. That's another good reason to use them indoors.

Some North American companies are exploring the idea of using rechargeable batteries in regular cars and trucks. Soundless electric trucks have been used to deliver milk and groceries in Europe for many years.

One problem with electric trucks has always been that they could not go very far. Their batteries need recharging too often. But a California company has developed a new type of battery. This invention will allow a car to travel about 500 km before it needs charging. That's enough to drive around a city for quite a while.

Large cities like Toronto have real problems with air pollution. Battery cars and trucks have a very big advantage. They have no exhaust, so they cannot pollute the air. In April 1991, Toronto Hydro bought its first electric powered van from a Canadian company. The new van is called the "Quiet Solution To Air Pollution". The Electric Vehicle Association of Canada believes that one day anyone will be able to buy an electric car. When that happens, will you be ready for quiet traffic and smogless cities? Imagine how different future cities could be!

1. Find out what other fruit will work like a battery.

2. See if you can find two other metals that will work in a lemon battery.

3. How long does the lemon battery last?

You have connected up a series of lemon halves in a row. Together, they made enough voltage to light up a small bulb. That must mean that the lemons are working like a battery. They are! Lemon juice is a good conductor. Electrons travel from wire A to wire B through the lemon juice. Wire B gains a negative charge and wire A is left with a positive charge. Then, the electrons travel along the wire to the bulb and back again to make a circuit. Liquid that conducts electrons like the lemon juice does it called an ELECTROLYTE. The two different metal wires are called ELECTRODES. They conduct the electricity in and out of the electrolyte.

CHALLENGE

1. Any high acid fruit like grapefruit could be tried out for electricity.

2. Any two different metals will work. Zinc and copper are a good combination.

3. The life of the battery will depend on the size and acidity of the lemons. When the light goes out, try another bulb just in case.

 

 

Making your Own Barometer, The concept of Atmospheric Pressure:

 

 

 

 Static Electricity:

Static electricity can be a problem whenever the humidity is low. It causes shocks and makes dust stick to surfaces, and it can literally make your hair stand on end. In this experiment, you will see that it also can move things around.

For this experiment you will need:

a nylon comb

a water faucet

Steps:

1) Adjust the faucet to produce a small stream of water. The stream should be about 1.5 millimeters (1/16 inch) in diameter.

2) Run the comb through your hair several times. Slowly bring the teeth of the comb near the stream of water, about 8 to 10 centimeters (3 or 4 inches) below the faucet. When the teeth of the comb are about an inch or less away from the stream, the stream will bend toward the comb.

3) Move the comb closer to the stream. How does the distance between the stream and the comb affect how much the stream bends?

4) Run the comb through your hair several more times. Does the comb bend the stream more now?

5) Change the size of the stream by adjusting the faucet. Does the size of the stream affect how much the stream bends?

6) If you have other combs, you can try these to see if some bend the stream more than others.

 

Static electricity is the accumulation of an electrical charge in an object. The electrical charge develops when two objects are rubbed against one another. When the objects are rubbed together, some electrons (charged components of atoms) jump from one object to the other. The object that loses the electrons becomes positively charged, while the object that they jump to becomes negatively charged. The nature of the objects has a large effect on how many electrons move. This determines how large an electrical charge accumulates in the objects. Hair and nylon are particularly good at acquiring charge when they are rubbed together.

 A charged object attract small particles, such as dust. The charge in the object causes a complementary charge to develop in something close to it. The complementary charge is attracted to the charged object. If the complementary charge forms on something tiny, such as dust particles, these tiny particles move to the charged object. This is why your television screen becomes dusty faster than the television cabinet. When a television operates, electrons fly from the back to the screen. These electrons cause the screen to become charged. The charge on the screen attracts dust.

The comb attracts the stream of water in the same way. The charge on the comb attracts the molecules of water in the stream. Because the molecules in the stream can be moved easily, the stream bends toward the comb.

When you comb your hair with a nylon comb, both the comb and your hair become charged. The comb and your hair acquire opposite charges. Because the individual hairs acquire the same charge, they repel each other. Perhaps you noticed that after running the nylon comb through your hair, the hairs on your head stood on end. This is a result of your hairs repelling each other because they are charged.

Static electricity is more of a problem when humidity is low. When humidity is high, most surfaces are coated with a thin film of water. When objects coated by a film of water are rubbed together, the water prevents electrons from jumping between the objects.
 

Light Scattering, The Age Old Question:  Why is the Sky Blue:

Whenever it's not completely filled with clouds, we can see that the sky is blue. As the sun rises and as it sets, it looks red. These two observations are related, as this experiment will show.

You will need the following materials:

a flashlight

a transparent container with flat parallel sides (a 10-liter [2½-gallon] aquarium is ideal)

250 milliliters (1 cup) of milk

Steps: 

1) Set the container on a table where you can view it from all sides. Fill it ¾ full with water.

2)  Light the flashlight and hold it against the side of the container so its beam shines through the water. Try to see the beam as it shines through the water. You may be able to see some particles of dust floating in the water; they appear white. However, it is rather difficult to see exactly where the beam passes through the water.

3)  Add about 60 milliliters (¼ cup) of milk to the water and stir it. Hold the flashlight to the side of the container, as before. Notice that the beam of light is now easily visible as it passes through the water. Look at the beam both from the side and from the end, where the beam shines out of the container. From the side, the beam appears slightly blue, and on the end, it appears somewhat yellow.

4) Add another ¼ cup of milk to the water and stir it. Now the beam of light looks even more blue from the side and more yellow, perhaps even orange, from the end.

5) Add the rest of the milk to the water and stir the mixture. Now the beam looks even more blue, and from the end, it looks quite orange. Furthermore, the beam seems to spread more now than it did before; it is not quite as narrow.

What causes the beam of light from the flashlight to look blue from the side and orange when viewed head on? Light usually travels in straight lines, unless it encounters the edges of some material. When the beam of a flashlight travels through air, we cannot see the beam from the side because the air is uniform, and the light from the flashlight travels in a straight line. The same is true when the beam travels through water, as in this experiment. The water is uniform, and the beam travels in a straight line. However, if there should be some dust in the air or water, then we can catch a glimpse of the beam where the light is scattered by the edges of the dust particles.

When you added milk to the water, you added many tiny particles to the water. Milk contains many tiny particles of protein and fat suspended in water. These particles scatter the light and make the beam of the flashlight visible from the side. Different colors of light are scattered by different amounts. Blue light is scattered much more than orange or red light. Because we see the scattered light from the side of the beam, and blue light is scattered more, the beam appears blue from the side. Because the orange and red light is scattered less, more orange and red light travels in a straight line from the flashlight. When you look directly into the beam of the flashlight, it looks orange or red.

What does this experiment have to do with blue sky and orange sunsets? The light you see when you look at the sky is sunlight that is scattered by particles of dust in the atmosphere. If there were no scattering, and all of the light travelled straight from the sun to the earth, the sky would look dark as it does at night. The sunlight is scattered by the dust particles in the same way as the light from the flashlight is scattered by particles in milk in this experiment. Looking at the sky is like looking at the flashlight beam from the side: you're looking at scattered light that is blue. When you look at the setting sun, it's like looking directly into the beam from the flashlight: you're seeing the light that isn't scattered, namely orange and red.

What causes the sun to appear deep orange or even red at sunset or sunrise? At sunset or sunrise, the sunlight we observe has traveled a longer path through the atmosphere than the sunlight we see at noon. Therefore, there is more scattering, and nearly all of the light direct from the sun is red.

 

The Concept of Cloud Formation:

 

 

 

Solubility & Temperature:

Does temperature affect the amount of salt that can dissolve in water? 

Materials :

2 teaspoons

2 transparent cups

Hot water

Cold Water

Salt

Steps:

1) Pour equal amounts of cold water into one cup and hot water into the other cup.

2) Pour one teaspoon of salt into each cup at the same time and stir both cups of water with the spoon.

3) Repeat step 2 until salt begins to appear in one of the cups.

4) In which cup does the salt appear first, the one with the cold water or the hot water?

Solubility, like many other things in chemistry, is affected by physical conditions such as temperature. As discovered in this experiment, a higher temperature leads to a higher solubility.

 The process of forming a solution needs energy. This energy is used to break up the solute into smaller particles as illustrated below for salt and water:

Since a higher temperature allows for a higher average kinetic energy, more solute will dissolve since there is more energy available to break up the solute.

 

Osmosis in a Potato:

 

 

  

Surface Tension:

Materials:

Transparent cup

Water

Razor Blade

Steps: 

Fill the cup with water.

Slowly place the razor blade onto the surface of the water so that it doesn't sink. Repeat this step until the razor blade doesn't sink.

Observe the surface of the water around the razor blade.

 Normally, things that have a higher density sink to the bottom. However, in this experiment, something different happened. Even though the razor blade is denser than water, it appears to be floating on the surface of the water. But, it isn't floating. If you take a look at the surface of the water, it appears to be bent inward as if it were elastic. This phenomenon is called surface tension. The surface of a liquids tends to be elastic and allows light objects to be able to remain on the surface. Surface tension can't prevent a rock from not sinking but it can allow a razor blade to remain on the surface.

Surface tension is caused by the fact that the molecules on the surface of the liquid aren't completely surrounded by other molecules of the liquid. Normally, the molecules are completely surrounded by other molecules of the same type. However, the molecules on the surface of the liquid are only partially surrounded by liquid molecules. This allows for an uneven balance of force as illustrated below:

Since the surface molecules are pulled inward, it tends to be harder for foreign objects to "puncture" the surface. This allows surface tension to take place