Mechanical Engineering Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 8)

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

"What?! Many of my toys are also machines?" That's right—simple machines! Simple machines are everywhere! Under your feet when you climb stairs, in your hand when you use a utensil to eat your dinner, even in your arm when you throw a ball. Come visit this science fair project and explore the six types of simple machines. Find out how many are hiding under the hinged lid (yes, another simple machine) of your toy box! Read more

What's the Best Way to Disable a Drone?

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Drones are small, fast, and maneuverable - this can make them very hard to knock down! Check out this Mark Rober video where he explores both how professional defense companies and some backyard YouTube engineers tackle the problem of knocking drones out of the sky. Can you take this engineering challenge on yourself? What methods can you devise to take down a drone? Which one works the best? Drones can be expensive, and you probably do not want to risk damaging a $1,000 drone for your science… Read more

What’s Your Ideal Walking Speed?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Walking may seem simple, but it is actually a carefully coordinated process involving balance, rhythm, and efficiency. The way we walk—our gait—changes depending on speed. At slower speeds, people tend to take shorter, more careful steps. At faster speeds, stride length usually increases and step frequency (cadence) rises to keep up. Biomechanics researchers study these patterns to understand how speed influences gait mechanics and stability, since walking is one of the most… Read more

Which Simple Machines Do I Use the Most?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When you think of a machine, you probably think of computers or robots. But what if I told you that machines have been around for centuries? Would you believe me? Try this experiment to see which of these simple machines you use around your house. You might even use some of them everyday! Read more

You Nailed It! Hammering Force for Different Types of Wood

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

How much force does it take to drive a nail through different types of wood? In this project you'll build a simple test apparatus to swing a hammer reproducibly so you can find out. Read more

Choosing the Best Gear Ratio for Maximum Bike Speed

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Are you into cycling and speed? Then this is the science fair project for you! In this science fair project, you will determine the best gear ratio for your bike, to get the highest speed after a curve and onto a straightaway. You will learn a lot about applied mechanics and gears, all while having fun riding your bike. Read more

Domino Theory

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever set up a line of dominoes and watched them fall? If you wanted to make your line of dominoes fall faster, do you think you should set the dominoes up with more or less space between them? Set your dominoes up in a straight line, using a ruler to keep the spacing between them constant. Try different spacings at 0.5cm increments. Conduct multiple trials at each spacing, and time how long it takes for a fixed total length of dominoes to fall (e.g., a 1.5 or 3.0 meter length of… Read more

Effect of Temperature on Elasticity of Rubber Bands

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

How much force can a rubber band withstand before breaking? Do rubber bands that stretch longer take more or less force to break? How does the elasticity of a rubber band change with temperature? Use a spring scale to measure the applied force, and a meter stick or ruler to measure the change in length. Recording with a video camera (or possibly two) can help you to capture the values at the moment before the rubber band breaks. You can change the temperature of the rubber bands using… Read more

Feeding Fido & Fluffy: Designing an Automatic Pet Feeder

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

An overnight trip to the beach or a quick two-day vacation can be lots of fun. What do you do to prepare? Pack your clothes, get sunscreen lotion, and borrow a book from the library. But wait! Who is going to feed your dog or cat? It would be irresponsible to let them go hungry. And you can't just leave food out, because it can get stale and start to grow bacteria, which can cause your pet to get sick. Also, it is not a good idea to leave bowls of food out because a pet might overeat, which is… Read more

Fractography: The Way Things Break

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When something goes wrong, do you like to try to figure out why? Engineers do this all the time. They even have a fancy name for it: failure analysis. Understanding how different materials break is an important part of failure analysis. Here's a project with one approach to studying the way things break. Read more

Mechanical Engineering Projects, Lessons, Activities (91 results)

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