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Physics Project Ideas

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Showing 1 - 5 of 35 Project Ideas
Circus-Trick Science: How to Balance Anything
Circus-Trick Science: How to Balance Anything
Difficulty
Time Required Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites None
Material Availability Readily available
Cost Very Low (under $20)
Safety No issues

Ever wonder why it is harder to keep your balance with a heavy backpack on? Or why it is difficult to make a toddler's sippy cup tip over? Maybe you are the kind of person who wonders about circus balancing acts and would like to learn how to ride a bike on a rope. Or perhaps you want to know how to make your toy car less prone to toppling over when racing through a sharp curve. In this science project you can learn about balance using… Read more
Give It a Lift with a Lever
Give It a Lift with a Lever
Difficulty
Time Required Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites None
Material Availability Readily available
Cost Very Low (under $20)
Safety No issues

Did you know that you can lift an object that's heavier than you are? Just use a lever! In this science project you'll build a tabletop lever and measure how much effort it takes to lift an object using it. Read more
The James Webb Space Telescope's Amazing Multiple Mirrors and Sunshield
The James Webb Space Telescope's Amazing Multiple Mirrors and Sunshield
Difficulty
Time Required Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites None
Material Availability Most of the materials are available in hardware or craft stores.
Cost Average ($50 - $100)
Safety Adult supervision is required. Use caution when using the box cutter, heat lamp, and laser pointer.

Can you imagine designing and building a space telescope the size of a tennis court? Believe it or not, that is someone's job! Engineers are hard at work on the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST. This telescope has the potential to enable astronomers to see light from when the Universe was first formed. No one knows what amazing discoveries this might lead to. However, to make the telescope work properly, engineers have to overcome a lot… Read more
Bouncing Balls: Measure the Rebound Rating *
Bouncing Balls: Measure the Rebound Rating
Difficulty
Time Required Short (2-5 days)

The rebound rating is the ratio of bounce height to drop height. Do background research on the physics of "elastic" and "inelastic" collisions. Lots of possible variations: explore how the rebound rating varies for different balls, different surfaces, different temperatures, punctured vs. not. (See: Gardner, 2000, Chapter 4; or, Goodstein, 1999, pp. 9–12, 21, 28–31.) Read more
Build a Gauss Rifle!
Build a Gauss Rifle!
Difficulty
Time Required Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites None
Material Availability In order to do this science project, you will need neodymium magnets and steel ball bearings. See the Materials and Equipment list for details. You will also need a calculator or computer with the square root function.
Cost Average ($50 - $100)
Safety A Gauss rifle can produce high velocity projectiles. Do not aim the gun at anyone or anything; do not put your hand in front of the projectile. Operate the Gauss rifle safely. Be sure to read the important safety notes at the beginning of the Experimental Procedure before you begin. Scissors or other metal objects may be attracted to the magnets; use caution when using metal objects near the magnets.

What can you do with magnets and ball bearings that makes a lot of noise? Why, build a magnetic rifle, called a Gauss rifle, of course! Now, this rifle is not a weapon, but a way for you to learn a lot more about physics concepts, like momentum. In this physics science project, you will investigate how far a ball bearing launched by a Gauss rifle will fly, depending on how many magnetic acceleration stages are in the rifle and the ball bearing's… Read more
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