Science Buddies Blog (Page 68)

Crash Testing Calculators: Product Engineering and the Road to Improved Durability

July 25, 2014 8:00 AM

Finding ways to improve a product often means breaking it first and then brainstorming ways to make the product better so that it will last longer. Students can experiment with the engineering design process—and the ways in which engineers design and test new solutions—by trying to improve the durability of a simple handheld device. Making a calculator ironclad might make it harder to break, but would a customer like the new-and-improved version? Above: A device may show… Read more

Melting Ice: Weekly Science Activity

July 24, 2014 9:00 AM

In this week's spotlight: a chemistry family science experiment that explores how different substances may lower the freezing point of ice. By adding sand, sugar, and salt (separately) to ice, students observe how long it takes the ice to melt. Do any of these substances make the ice melt more quickly than it does by itself? In this family science activity, you can find out—and find out why. Follow this experiment up with the Science Buddies activity on making homemade ice cream for a… Read more

Drinking Up Water Science During a Drought

July 22, 2014 12:00 PM

For families living in drought conditions, careful monitoring of water usage is especially important. With hands-on science and engineering projects, students can investigate water-saving strategies and science and engineering related to water conservation. Above: The effect of drought can be seen in the above photo of Folsom Lake. Image: California Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey. Remember "Ring around the rosie" and "Rain, rain, go away"? Familiar with the "jinx… Read more

From Parking Space to Parklet: Civil Engineering and City Planning

July 18, 2014 12:00 PM

Civil engineers work on all kinds of construction projects that help shape communities and cities and help solve problems and challenges in those areas. Sometimes, those challenges involve reconfiguring existing space in unexpected new ways, like turning parking places into parklets. These little green pockets of social space provide interesting challenges and opportunities for engineers, designers, and planners. With software from Autodesk and a fun Digital STEAM Workshop challenge, students… Read more

Pharmacist: A Science Career in Patient Health Care

July 15, 2014 8:00 AM

As the number of medications, both over-the-counter and prescribed, continues to rise, pharmacists play an increasingly powerful role in helping ensure patient wellbeing, safety, and quality of life. Is the medication you were prescribed safe for you? Beyond an apple a day, feeling better may require advice from a pharmacist! Whether you need an antibiotic to help fight an infection, powerful cough syrup, insulin, or another doctor-ordered medication, when it is time to pick up your… Read more

Seeing Is (Not Always) Believing!

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

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