Eighth Grade Science Experiments (Page 158)

Explore Nanotechnology with Paper: Weekly Science Activity

Blog Post

In this week's spotlight: a materials science activity that gives families a hands-on look at nanotechnology. Materials coming out of nanotechnology research are often lighter and stronger than traditional materials. Nanotechnology scientists are working with matter at the nanoscale, which means they are working with individual atoms and molecules. By altering the structure and arrangement of particles, scientists are creating and discovering new materials that have exciting new… Read more

Explore Perceptrons: A Simple Type of Neural Network

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Have the phrases "machine learning" or "neural network" caught your interest, but you are not really sure how to use them in a science project? This project is a great place to start for beginners. You will learn about a very simple type of neural network—a computer program modeled after the human brain—called a perceptron. The perceptron can make a simple yes/no decision based on several inputs. You can "train" your perceptron to improve its decision-making abilities. Try it and… Read more

Explore Radioactive Decay with Coins

Blog Post

Explore the science of radioactive decay with a safe hands-on family STEM activity. As radioactive materials decay, or break down, they emit radiation that may be harmful. Unfortunately, the amount of time it takes for a radioactive material to decay varies. Scientists talk about the rate of decay in terms of the material's "half-life." Some materials have a very short half-life and others have a very long half-life. In this week's family science activity, students can simulate… Read more

Explore Satellites with Powerful Simulation Software

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

The first man-made satellite, the Sputnik 1, was launched in 1957. As of late 2020, more than 2,600 man-made satellites orbit Earth, with a little over 70% of them in low Earth orbit. If you would like to delve into how satellites and their sensors are configured, or into how their orbits are planned—and do not shy away from a little programming—this project is for you! With the help of FreeFlyer®—powerful software that allows you to simulate satellite orbit and… Read more

Explore the Science Behind Self-Driving Cars

Blog Post

Use these free STEM lessons and activities to help K-12 students think about and experiment with designing and training self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles. Teach About Self-Driving Cars Once thought of as something only in science fiction or the future, technologies that support self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles are in development. While fully autonomous vehicles are not yet mainstream, the number of cars being produced with… Read more

Exploring Bridge Beams with Spaghetti

Blog Post

How do engineers ensure that bridges and other structures can support weight properly so that they don't collapse? In this week's materials science-themed family science activity, families can use uncooked spaghetti noodles to explore the forces that come into play when weight is applied to a beam. What happens when the spaghetti bends in response to weight? If the noodles break, where do they break? Was the breakage the result of compression or tension? Does using more pieces of… Read more

Exploring Surface Tension: Doing Fun Science at Home during School Closures (Activity #18)

Blog Post

Follow along with a Science Buddies parent who is using family STEM activities to keep her kids learning at home during the COVID-19 school shutdown. New posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Today's adventure... exploring surface tension by making wire water striders. A Spill Leads to Exploring Surface Tension What happens when you put a freshly laundered tablecloth on the table? Well, in my house, it immediately triples the chance that someone… Read more

Factors that Affect the Transfer of Force through Saturated Soil

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Soil liquefaction is a phenomenon where soil that is saturated with water suddenly loses its strength and behaves like a liquid. This usually occurs due to sudden, large stresses on the soil — for example, from an earthquake. This can be very dangerous for buildings sitting on top of the soil, as they can suddenly sink into the ground! The embedded video explains soil liquefaction in more detail. Is there a way to prevent soil liquefaction? Do you think adding certain materials to… Read more

Falling Buttered Toast

STEM Activity

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As I was buttering toast on a beautiful Sunday morning, one piece slid off the table and tumbled down. It smacked buttered-side down on the carpet. “Bad luck” flashed through my head—but was it a matter of chance, or was the toast doomed to reach the ground buttered-side down? Time for science to tell us! Take a slice, try it out and learn about the science behind a falling slice of toast! Read more

Falling Objects: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

Blog Post

In this week's spotlight: a pair of physics science projects that encourage families and students to put a classic question to a hands-on test. Does a heavier object fall faster than a lighter one if both are about the same size? What role do gravity and inertia have in explaining what happens when two objects of differing weights are dropped at the same time from the same height? Put it to the test! What Goes Up, Must Come Down: Conduct Galileo's Famous Falling Objects Experiment… Read more

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