First Grade, Aerodynamics & Hydrodynamics Science Experiments (Page 5)

How Sailboats Stay Upright

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever seen a tall sailboat and wondered how they don't flip over when it's windy? Try this project and learn about the physics behind how sailboats stay upright. Read more

Aerodynamics and Bridge Design

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Research the famous collapse of the Tacoma Narrows suspension bridge. What lessons were learned about the potentially damaging effects of wind on bridges? What structures stabilize a bridge against wind forces? Build models and use a wind tunnel to test your hypothesis. Read more

Buoyancy of Floating Cylinders

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This science project presents an interesting puzzle. A disk of wood will float face-up; that is, with its circular cross-section parallel to the surface of the water. A long log of wood, however, floats on its side with the circular cross-section perpendicular to the surface of the water. If you think about it, disks and logs are both cylinders. Is there some intermediate length of cylinder that floats with the circular cross-section at a tilted angle? Try this experiment to find out! Read more

Efficient Propeller Design

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

How does a helicopter generate enough lift to fly? How does a speedboat get moving fast enough to pull someone on water skis? Here's a project on designing propellers to do the job. Read more

Find Out Why the Ocean is in Motion!

STEM Activity

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You probably know that water never stays still. But did you know that there is something called the global “ocean conveyor belt” that moves massive amounts of water from one ocean to another? These water currents are essential for mixing and transporting nutrients and oxygen, and play a critical role in our climate. This is because they move warm and cold water over very long distances, which affects the temperature of the landmasses that border the ocean. The Gulf Stream, for… Read more

How Does the Number of Parachutes Affect Terminal Velocity?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered how astronauts land safely back on Earth? Many spaceships use a small crew capsule with multiple large parachutes to bring the astronauts down to a gentle landing either on the ground or in the ocean. What happens if one or more of the parachutes fails to deploy? Can the astronauts still land safely? Find out as you explore the physics of falling with parachutes in this project. Read more

How Low Can It Go? Design a Kite that Flies Best in Low Winds

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Flying kites is an excellent way to learn about aerodynamic forces. In this science fair project, you will build and test a variety of kite designs to see which flies best in low wind speeds. You will use an inexpensive anemometer to accurately measure the wind speed. Since you will be choosing which kites to build and test, the experimental procedure provides a general outline for the experiments, but there is a lot of opportunity for you to be creative with your kite designs. This is a DIY… Read more

Making It Shipshape: Hull Design and Hydrodynamics

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Sailboats, tugboats, barges, ocean liners, submarines are all different boats with different shapes. How does the shape of a boat's hull affect how easily it moves through the water? This project shows you how you can investigate this question using a homemade water trough and model boat hulls. Read more

Milk Does Your Body and a Boat Good—Design Your Own Milk Carton Boat

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Who'd have thought that drinking milk can lead to a pretty cool boat? Boat design is an important and active area of engineering. In this science fair project, you will design and build different kinds of model boats out of milk cartons. Examples of the types of designs you might test include a raft, a catamaran, and a V-shaped hull. Once the model boats are built, you will test key features, such as stability, maneuverability, and their ability to glide. Read more

Modifying a Car for Better Aerodynamics

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever seen those cool wind tunnel pictures of cars with streams of smoke blowing over them? You do not need access to a wind tunnel to do a car aerodynamics science project! In this project you will use cheap, readily available materials—tape and yarn—to visualize airflow over a car. You will examine how you can affect the airflow over the car by making changes, like adding or removing accessories or making body modifications out of cardboard and duct tape. Maybe you can… Read more

First Grade, Aerodynamics & Hydrodynamics Science Experiments (76 results)

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