Science Projects | Science Buddies Blog (Page 32)

July 11, 2014 8:00 AM

Visual illusions and other optical puzzles are fun for families to share and explore. With hands-on science projects and activities, students can create and test their own visual illusions. For more advanced exploration, a new electronics science project guides students in creating a mesmerizing infinity mirror that invites viewers to gaze into a seemingly infinite tunnel lit by a series of lights. Image: Wikipedia. How many triangles appear in the image above? The correct answer… Read more

Marinade Science: Weekly Science Activity

July 10, 2014 9:00 AM

In this week's spotlight: a food sciences family science experiment that investigates the way different ingredients make a difference in how well a marinade sticks to food. In this science activity, students simulate the process of soaking a food in a marinade by doing a controlled study with tofu, food dye, and four different ingredients that might be found in a marinade recipe. Setting up a set of standards for what the tofu looks like when soaked in different levels of dye concentration… Read more

Making a Game of City Planning: Students Explore Civil Engineering

July 9, 2014 9:00 AM

Many popular video games involve aspects of city planning. Whether nurturing a small village or populating and running a sprawling city, kids can experiment with city planning on a variety of levels, from ensuring available resources to strategically positioning city protection. A fun SimCity science project from Science Buddies helps turn in-game city planning into a science experiment, one students can also use to enter the annual Future City competition. Above: A "suburbs" image from a… Read more

Bike Science: The Physics Behind Cycling

July 6, 2014 8:00 AM

As this year's Tour de France rolls into view, students can take an inside look at the science involved in successful road racing. What do gears and tires have to do with who wins the premiere race—or how long it takes to ride to the corner store? Find out with hands-on sports science projects that help tie science to the sports kids love to do and watch. This is pedal-power science that requires you to hop on a bike and put mechanical engineering in action! Above: map of this year's… Read more

Girls, Boys, Video Gaming, and Summer Survey Science

July 2, 2014 9:00 AM

What variables make a game popular with players, and do boys and girls choose different types of games? Design a survey-based science project this summer and do some statistical analysis of the data you gather. Your results might be eye opening and informative in terms of game design, the gaming industry, and what works and what doesn't depending on the audience. There are only three girls, as far as I know, in the clan in one of my current favorite games. With a staggering more than… Read more

Nick and Tesla Explore Robotics

July 1, 2014 12:00 PM

The science-savvy twins return in book two of the Nick and Tesla series. As their summer of intrigue and engineering continues, they find themselves in the middle of a small-town mystery and a bunch of robots. Along the way, they make their own—and you can, too! Fun with Robotics Engineering Like many beginning robotics engineers, Nick and Tesla build their own robots using toothbrush heads. Follow along as they design their bots, try out the DIY build from the book, and continue… Read more

Powering a Raft with Surface Tension: Weekly Science Activity

June 26, 2014 8:00 AM

In this week's spotlight: a physics family science experiment that investigates the dynamics of surface tension. Surface tension may keep your soda from spilling over the cup when you fill it a bit too full, but can surface tension also be used to propel something? In this science activity, students build a small, lightweight raft and experiment to see how surface tension—and some dish soap—can help move it across the surface of water. Build a Bathtub Toy Raft Powered by… Read more

Password Games: Understanding and Testing Online Passwords

June 24, 2014 5:08 AM

Computer bugs and vulnerabilities like the Heartbleed bug provide frightening reminders of how important it is to set strong passwords online. Students can learn more about password practices and experiment with testing passwords by using and improving a password-guessing program written in Python. How many possible passwords could be created from the lock above? How long would it take to crack a password on this lock? When you move to online passwords, you may have many more possible options… Read more

3D Modeling Layer by Layer: A Glue It Together Introduction to 3D Printing

June 16, 2014 8:00 AM

3D printing has opened a cool new frontier of custom manufacturing that brings freedom to individuals interested in design, invention, or just in need of a rare or unusual part. With a hands-on modeling and design project using Autodesk 123D Make, students can design and assemble a layered 3D model for a better understanding of how 3D printing and additive manufacturing works. 3D printing is all the buzz. From replacement parts for household objects or toys that are broken to one-of-a-kind… Read more

Families and Fingerprints: Weekly Science Activity

June 12, 2014 10:00 AM

Experiment to find out if fingerprint patterns are inherited or not! In this week's spotlight: a genetics and genomics family science experiment for Father's Day. Fingerprints are unique, but do family members share fingerprint characteristics? Are there patterns of inheritance that come into play when it comes to fingerprints? Put the question to the test with a visual examination of fingerprints among siblings and between different family… Read more

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