Middle School, Physics Science Experiments (Page 20)

Capable Carbon Filters

STEM Activity

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Do you filter your tap water before drinking? Maybe at home you have a water filter on your faucet, in the fridge, or use special pitchers that have a filter unit in them. You have probably heard in commercials that these filters are supposed to make your water cleaner and safer to drink. But have you ever wondered what, exactly, these filters are doing and if the water is really cleaner in the end? Find out about the cleaning power of water filters in this activity; but for results you can… Read more

Collide Head On with this Toy

STEM Activity

Did it ever occur to you that tennis, bowling, Newton’s cradle, and cars bumping into each other all revolve around collisions? It is fascinating how a few rules of physics can predict the outcome of these collisions. You can discover these rules yourself with a fun homemade toy. Do the activity, play with the toys you make and be one step closer to understanding what happens when you shoot a marble into another! Read more

Crashing Sounds

STEM Activity

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Have you ever thought about the sheer number of words that exist in the English language to describe sounds? A noise can be a thud, a clang, a bang, a pop, a crash, a splash, a clatter, a buzz, a tinkle, and many more! You can probably think of an example for each of these—but if you heard the sound, could you say what produced it? Read more

Create a Marshmallow Map of Your Microwave Oven!

STEM Activity

Have you ever bitten into a microwave burrito, and the first bite is scalding hot, whereas the second bite is still frozen? If you’ve experienced this, then you know that microwaves have hot and cold spots, which is why they usually have a rotating tray to ensure that your food is evening cooked. In this activity, you’ll use marshmallows to map out where the hot and cold spots are in your microwave. Get ready to heat things up! Read more

Designing a Speaker for Bass or Treble

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Whether you have already tried the Science Buddies Build a Paper Speaker activity or the Measure the Frequency Response of a Paper Speaker project, or you just like music and are interested in exploring more about the science of sound, then this project is for you. You probably know that sound waves can have different frequencies. If not, you can read more about that in the background section of the Measure the Frequency Response of a Paper Speaker project. The range of human hearing is… Read more

Energetic Two-Ball Bounces

STEM Activity

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How many ball sports can you name? How many of those have several balls at once in the game? Almost none, right? Games that do use several balls at a time most likely use balls of the same mass, volume, and material. Would having two balls of a different mass make a game very difficult? In this activity, you will explore what might happen if you were to add a tennis ball to a basketball game, or a tiny ping pong ball to a tennis game, or any other combination. Ready to be surprised? Try it out! 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

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

Fancy Foams with Shampoo Science

STEM Activity

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Do you like your hair shiny and beautiful? The key to keeping your hair nice and clean is to use a good shampoo. But what exactly makes a good shampoo? You might be surprised to hear that every new shampoo has to pass lots of scientific tests before it is considered good enough to be sold. Many different shampoo recipes are compared to decide which one is the best for the consumer. One of these tests assesses the foaming behavior of the shampoo. You probably trust a shampoo that makes lots of… Read more

Football Punting: Distance vs. Hang-time

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When the punter is trying to hit the "coffin corner" (within the opposing team's 10-yard line), out of bounds, what is the best angle to kick the ball for correct distance and maximum "hang time?" (For more information on the physics involved, see: Gay, 2004, Chapters 4 and 5.) Read more

Middle School, Physics Science Experiments (223 results)

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