Elementary School, Physics Science Experiments (Page 18)

The Buoyancy of Balloons

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Balloons are a festive addition to many celebrations. You've probably noticed, though, that over a short period of time, helium-filled latex balloons start to lose their buoyancy. So when you're planning your next party, how soon can you buy the balloons in advance before they start deflating? In this science fair project, you will use a simple scale to measure the lift supplied by a set of balloons, and determine the rate of lift decay. Read more

The Physics of Simulation vs Reality

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Science Buddies has many projects where you build something with moving parts or do an experiment with the physics of moving objects. Here are just a few examples, but this is not an exhaustive list! You can search our site to find many more. Ball launcher (Figure 1) Marble roller coaster (Figure 2) Rube Goldberg machine (Figure 3) Build A Wall Marble Run (Figure 4) Figure 1. A catapult-style ball launcher. … Read more

Use Surface Tension to Make Your Pepper Dance

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You are probably used to seeing things float, be it a boat on the water, or a rubber duck in your bathtub. But did you ever wonder how the same water that you drink, splash, and dive into – how can that support the weight of giant boats? In this activity we’ll learn about surface tension and how it helps us keep afloat! Read more

VOILa! Experimenting with Light Refraction

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If you pour water into a clear glass, what color is it? It’s clear, right? But what happens if you try to look through it to see the world on the other side of the glass? It looks a little distorted, maybe a little fuzzier and uneven. If water is clear, why can’t we see through it clearly? The answer has to do with how light moves through water, glass, and other transparent materials. Just like when you try to run in a swimming pool, when light tries to move through water or glass,… Read more

What is the Cheapest Way to Launch Payloads into Space?

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

A mass driver is a proposed device that could launch payloads into space using a long tube lined with electromagnets (Figure 1). Some scientists argue that such a launch system would offer long-term cost savings over the use of chemical rockets. Scientists have proposed theoretical electromagnetic launcher designs as far back as the 1970s (O'Neill 1979). More recently, some have proposed the use of railguns originally developed for the U.S. Navy (McNab and McGlasson 2022). Other types of… Read more

A Simple Machine to Make Potato Holes

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If you want a cool project that you can show to your friends, this activity is for you! Take a potato and a straw—maybe a pencil as well—and challenge your friends to drill holes into the potato with the least amount of effort. Chances are, they will not find a method that gets the job done with ease. The best method—the method that requires the least effort from you—will surprise them all! Experiment, investigate and have fun! Can you find a reliable way to get the job… Read more

An Infinite Number of Reflections? Really?

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Can you imagine a bouncy ball bouncing back and forth between two walls, infinitely? Wouldn’t that be amazing? What if, instead of a ball, light was bouncing between two mirror walls; would it bounce back and forth forever? Imagine each light bounce added one reflection of you in the mirror; would it look like there were an infinite number of “you’s” in there? Can we create an infinite number of reflections? Try this activity and be amazed by the many… Read more

Baking Soda Weight Loss

STEM Activity

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Baking soda is not only great for cooking; it is also a useful chemical for science projects. You have probably heard about and maybe even used the baking soda/vinegar reaction to make volcanos erupt, shoot bottle rockets up in the air, or to detect acids and bases. However, there are many more chemical reactions that you can explore with the help of baking soda. One of them is called a decomposition reaction, which makes baking soda lose weight! Want to find out how it works? Then try this… Read more

Balancing Act

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What makes an object balanced? Look around you—most of the objects in the room are probably balanced and not on the verge of tipping over. If someone hands you an object and asks you to put it down, you probably know, without thinking about it too much, how to place it so it won't fall over. But what's the science behind how an object balances? Why do certain objects only balance on some sides and not others? Try this project to find out! Read more

Be Seen In the Dark

STEM Activity

Being outside in the evening can be relaxing as well as exciting and fun, but it could also be dangerous. Did you know that in 2014, on average, 13 pedestrians died on American roads every day and three out of every four pedestrian fatalities happened in poor light conditions, such as dusk, dawn, or at night? When considering these worrisome numbers, do you think the types of clothes worn could make a difference in how visible pedestrians are to drivers? If so, what should you wear: bright… Read more

Elementary School, Physics Science Experiments (223 results)

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