Middle School Science Experiments (Page 142)

Which Wing Design Creates the Greatest Lift?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever flown in an airplane, or looked up at one flying in the sky, and wondered how such a massive machine can stay in the air? Airplanes can stay in the air because their wings, also referred to as airfoils, generate lift. Engineers use devices called wind tunnels to experiment and test different wing shapes when they design new airplanes. Wind tunnels let engineers make careful measurements of the air flow around the wing, and measure the amount of lift it generates. If you can get… Read more

Whirly Bird Aerodynamics

Blog Post

How does a helicopter stay in the air? In this week's aerodynamics-themed family science activity, students can learn more about helicopters by making and testing simple miniature paper helicopters or whirly birds. Paper whirly birds don't have any mechanical parts, but their structure helps kids better understand how the blades on a helicopter function. What do principles of lift and drag have to do with the spinning of a helicopter's blades? What happens if you add… Read more

Why Are Teens Stressed?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What causes the most stress for teenagers? Is it school? family relationships? peer pressure? worries about the future? Design a survey to find out what contributes to teens' stress levels. Possible variations include: How do teenagers deal with stress? Are today's teens more or less stressed than their parents were as teenagers? Were the sources of stress the same for your parent's generation or different? (Idea from De Biasi, 2003) Read more

Why Do Birds Fly in a V-formation?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered why geese fly in a V-formation? In this science fair project, you will build a wind tunnel to test how the formation of birds in flight actually affects their flight efficiency. Read more

Why Do Flying Rings Go So Much Further Than Frisbees?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you've played catch with both Aerobie flying rings and Frisbees, you know that the rings fly much further than the Frisbees with the same throwing effort. Why is that? Investigate the aerodynamics of flying rings and flying disks and find out! Read more

Why Video Game Characters Look Better Today

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When you picture video games, you probably picture realistic three-dimensional figures, a lot of color, and a lot of detail, right? Those descriptions do not really describe video games from the early 1980's. So why do video games today look better than video games from the 80's? One major change between then and now is the number of pixels, or dots on the screen, used to represent video game objects. When Nintendo® first introduced the Super Mario Bros game for the Nintendo Entertainment… Read more

Why Winglets?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever noticed how some jet planes have small, vertical projections as the tips of the wings? They're called winglets. What are they there for? Read more

Why Won't it Mix? Discover the Brazil Nut Effect

STEM Activity

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10 reviews

Have you ever noticed that the dried fruits or nuts in your breakfast cereal are not evenly spread out inside the box, or that in a container of mixed nuts Brazil nuts gather at the top? This phenomenon is commonly called the "Brazil nut effect," and the science behind it is surprisingly complex and far-reaching. This phenomenon can be a nuisance when you want to fill silos, bags, or bins with different types of materials. It can also be used to our advantage: an avalanche airbag uses the… Read more

Wild Winds: Detecting Turbulence Around Structures

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Watch out! Eddies and vortexes are powerful regions of air and water flow that you have to watch out for in some surprising places. Try out this science fair project to discover why they can be dangerous, as well as where and how to find them. Read more

Willy Wonka Science and Make-Believe STEM

Blog Post

Inspire students to explore science and engineering with activities that bridge the world of make believe and STEM. Fans of Roald Dahl and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory can put on their own Willy Wonka inventor hats with these activities and experiments. Everlasting Fun with Willy Wonka Science For readers of all ages, Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory wraps up the whimsy and excitement of science and engineering like an oversized,… Read more

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