Ideas for Experiments
 
Armuchee Elementary Science Fair Science Experiment Ideas This list has lots of good ideas for questions to investigate in your science project. It is OK to use one of these questions. It is also fine to come up with another investigation by using your imagination to find related questions to these or other ideas you get from other sources. Try filling in the blanks in these questions with your own ideas: What is the effect of ____________ on _______________? detergent germination of seeds temperature the volume of air How/to what extent does the __________________ affect ________________? humidity growth of fungi color of a material its absorption of heat Which/what __________________ (verb) __________________? foods do gerbils prefer detergent makes the most bubbles Watch Out! Lots of projects that you will find in books and on web sites are great models or demonstrations, but are not experiments. As you can see from the evaluation sheet in your packet, our science fair is meant to be about real science. That means conducting an experiment. It would be impossible to make better than a “C” on a model or demonstration project that has no real scientific experiment. Botany (Plant Science) 1. Will vitamins affect the growth of plants? 2. How fast do roots grow? 3. How does the (amount of water, amount of light, type of soil) affect plant growth? 4. Does cow manure work better than chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth? 5. Under what color light do plants grow best? 6. Do living plants give off moisture? 7. How does rotating a growing seedling affect its growth? 8. When do weeds interfere with plant growth? 9. Do plants grow as well in lamplight as in sunlight? 10. Do plants grow better under incandescent or fluorescent light? 11. Will vitamins affect the growth of plants? 12. Does chlorine in water affect plant growth? Zoology (Animal Science) 1. Can mice distinguish color? 2. How do mealworms respond to light? 3. How do earthworms react to light and darkness? 4. What colors attract insects at night? 5. Does temperature affect the flash rate of fireflies? 6. What is the effect of temperature on the activity of (pick an insect or other animal)? 7. Can a mouse learn a maze? 8. How do predator calls affect the behavior of birds? 9. Which color of birdfeeder attracts more birds? 10. How do electromagnetic fields affect populations of brine shrimp? 11. What effect does (salinity, light, or temperature) have on the hatch rate of brine shrimp eggs? 12. How does caffeine affect goldfish? 13. Do dogs have a preferred paw? 14. Which animal has a cleaner mouth? Human/Behavioral Science 1. Do family members tend to have similar fingerprint patterns? 2. Do all fourth-graders have the same normal body temperatures? 3. Do children tend to have the same eye color as one of their parents? 4. Are fourth graders more likely to be right-eyed or left-eyed? 5. What percentage of fourth graders can curl their tongues? 6. Is the ability to curl one’s tongue hereditary? 7. How accurately can fourth graders estimate temperature by touch? 8. Does cell phone use affect driving ability in a video game simulation? 9. How reliable are eyewitness reports? 10. Do students prefer meat or vegetables for lunch? 11. Is there a relationship between eating breakfast and school performance? 12. Is there a difference in short-term memory between boys and girls? 13. Who has better balance -- boys or girls? 14. Are the students in our school carrying too much weight in their backpacks? 15. Do you lose weight during a game of soccer? 16. Do right-handed people tend to be right-eyed? 17. Are most people right-legged or left-legged? 18. Are most people right-eared or left-eared? 19. Does humidity really affect your hair? 20. Does smoking affect taste? 21. Which form of exercise usually raises heart rate the most? Earth Science 1. How accurate are 7-day weather forecasts? 2. From which direction does the wind blow most frequently? 3. Is salt water more, or less dense than fresh water? 4. Is rainwater absorbed equally by different types of soil? 5. Does the moon “rise” every night at the same time and from the same direction? 6. Can air power be used to generate electricity? 7. How does humidity affect static electricity? 8. Does air have power? 9. Can you roast marshmallows using the sun? 10. On which side of a house would you put a windmill? 11. Is there more wind at higher altitudes? 12. Does atmospheric pressure increase or decrease the formation of clouds? Physical Science 1. Which fabrics are most resistant to burning? 2 Is the activation of yeast affected by water temperature? 3. Do all objects fall at the same speed? 4. What materials provide the best heat insulation? 5. On what kind of surface will a ball roll fastest? 6. Which makes the strongest joint, screws or nails? 7. How does the weight of a pendulum affect its swing? 8. How does the length of its string affect a pendulum’s swing? 9. Which paper airplane design produces the longest flights? 10. Does increasing the number of blades on a windmill generate more electricity? 11. Does a fan really cool the air? 12. What types of metal are susceptible to corrosion? 13. Will a flashlight be brighter with three batteries than with two? 14. In winter will your feet be warmer with one thick pair of socks or two thin pairs? 15. Does mass affect the distance a ball is thrown from a trebuchet? 16. Which sunscreen works best? 17. What recipe makes the longest lasting liquid bubble? 18. Does the placement of weight affect the speed of a Soapbox Derby car? 19. Which arch design will hold the most weight? 20. Does the size of the ball affect the height of its bounce? 21. Does temperature affect the force of a magnet? Consumer Science 1. Which disposable diaper holds the most water? 2. Which detergent breaks up oil best? 3. How does the absorption rate of various paper towels differ? 4. Which brand of popcorn pops most completely? 5. Which chewing gum holds its flavor longest? 6. Which detergent makes the most bubbles? 7. How clean are the tops of soda cans? 8. Which vitamin tablet will disintegrate or dissolve most quickly? 9. Which brand of battery really keeps going and going and going? 10. Which is a better insulator, a foam cup or a paper one? 11. Which cola is a better cleaning agent? 12. Which cola do most people prefer? Environmental Science 1. How much junk mail comes to the average home? 2. How does plant diversity found in one square meter of my backyard compare to one square meter of woodland? 3. How does acid rain affect algae (or bacteria)? 4. Does fertilizer in water lower dissolved oxygen levels? 5. What effect do different salts have on lawn grass growth? 6. What is the lead content of drinking water at home and at school? 7 How effective is washing and heating for removing pesticides on fruits and vegetables? 8. How does the concentration of salt in water affect seed germination? 9. How do common household chemicals affect the effectiveness of sewage treatment? 10. How do various fabrics compare as barriers against ultraviolet radiation? 11. Does pollution affect oxygen production in aquatic plants? 12. What effect does rainfall have on water quality indicators? 13. Which better conserves water, tub baths or showers? 14. What is the least healthy surface in the (classroom, kitchen, fourth grade hall. etc.)? 15. How does slope affect the erosion rate of different kinds of soil? 16. Does indoor or outdoor air have more particles of pollution? 17. Does a high wattage incandescent light bulb produce more heat than a low wattage bulb? 18. Does an incandescent light bulb produce more heat than a fluorescent bulb? 19. Does natural plastic decompose more quickly than oil-based plastic? 21. Can you distill clean water from muddy water? 23. Do natural fibers decompose more quickly than man-made fibers? 24. Can you produce a gas from decaying garbage? 25. What large mammals live in our woods?
Monday, December 24, 2007