science fair project ideas

Greg Bernhardt

This seems to be a fairly common question. Lets make a list of possible topics and projects someone could do for these competitions.

Tom Mattson

See the last post in this thread:

http://www.physicsforums.com/showthr...p?threadid=204

The first website has science project ideas, and the second has a tutorial on how to write a good project report. If anyone finds more like them, you know where to send 'em.

havechanged

In 6th grade, I did one called something like "How effectively do 6th graders wash their hands?" and I used the GlowBug stuff with the black light and so on. I did tests using people in my class. I got 1st at Regionals- I got a medal, and like a $10 savings check or something. It was a lot of fun.

Mattius_

Make a engine that runs on gravity [;)]

Yaqout

Or you can search why different sands of different colors in the same area don't mix together. In other words why do you see in the desert white sand, black sand and red sand side by side. I mean the sand storms don't seem to effect this well-incorporated separation of different sands.

I got this idea when I was doing a science fair project on rocks and minerals. I had many minerals and rocks that I had collected on a family trip to the Sahara, among my collection there were even arrowheads. Well, I thought I had covered the topic completely when, one person came up to me and asked me this very same question. Of course I mute because I never thought of the idea before.

So I thought someone would be interested. Hope, I was helpful. [:D]

Hyperreality

What about Thomas Young's double slit experiment, along with an introduction of wave phenomenal?

thegame

how about Milken's Oil Drop Experiment? [:D] joking

Loren Booda

I always liked sodium bicarb and vinegar.[t)]

Shahil

I know that this project is one that involves quite a bt of work but what about doing a project where you research and actually make an alternate fuel like biodiesel?

tandoorichicken

You could do an environmental project if there is an environmental problem that your area has. For example, if your area suffers frequent droughts or shortages, you could find new ways to acquire water, like condensation.
With these, you sometimes get brownie points for helping your community too.

Loren Booda

Make some chemical and biological tests of your nearby creek or river.

Esperanto

Make your own A-bomb http://my.ohio.voyager.net/~dionisio...wn-h-bomb.html
You'll learn to plan and budget projects?

tandoorichicken

Or build a blimp.
This one requires some planning skizzills. It is also educational in more than just science, also in project planning and time/money management.

Jimmy

An electroscope is an easy project to make and to demonstrate static electricity. A jar w/lid , nylon string, foil and tape is basically all the materials that would needed.

A web search for electroscope will yield plenty of results for various designs. One I saw just used a jar w/lid, paper clip, and two small strips of foil. Couldn't be simpler.

albrock06

I've always wanted to try a little project of my own. It would take a week or so to start it up, but hey, science didn't happen over night. [6)]

I wanted to make a bacteria culture (or a few of them). Maybe grow them in my garage. I'd have to make a little stable box to keep them in. ... find some little petri dishes and whatnot.

Then, using different household objects (not cleaning supplies; that's cheating), I'd try to make my own sanitizer. (I was thinking ... food items. Like onions, vinager, lemon juice. You know ... just normal stuff you'd find in the pantry.)

I'd apply a bit to each culture and see what kills what and how long it takes. My chemistry teacher would love me to pieces.

But still, there are some questions left. Like ... where do you get the bacteria? Dad's mouth when he first wakes up in the morning? Should I grow some nice pretty green mold? :shrugs: Sounds fun, any way you do it. [:)]

recon

What about some ideas for mathematics projects? We seldom hear about those. Right now, I am particularly interested in mathematics that involve computers.