Middle School, Pure Mathematics Science Experiments (Page 2)

Bet You Can't Hit Me! The Science of Catapult Statistics

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you have ever tried to hit a target (such as a trash can) with a wad of paper, you know that aim is everything. But it is not always easy to get it right every time! Missing is not that big a deal with a wad of paper, but what if you were in an invading army in the Middle Ages, using a catapult to hurl huge stones and knock down castle walls? For a successful invasion, it would be important to know exactly how far, and how reliably, a catapult could launch a projectile. In this project you… Read more

Half-Life with Coins

STEM Activity

1

2

3

4

5

20 reviews

You may have read about nuclear disasters at sites like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima in the news or in a history lesson. Disasters like these can take years or even decades to clean up, and make it unsafe for humans to live nearby for even longer. Why does the contamination last so long? In this (perfectly safe!) activity, you will learn about radioactive decay using coins. Read more

How Do Baseball Stadium Dimensions Affect Batting Statistics?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered how playing in a certain stadium affects how well the athletes perform? Major League Baseball (MLB) is played in ballparks that have their own individual quirks when it comes to the exact layout of the field. How an individual ballpark affects player performance, which is known as ballpark effects, is heavily investigated in the field of baseball. To name just a few parks and their different traits, Fenway Park (the long-time home ballpark for the Boston Red Sox in… Read more

The Birthday Paradox

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This project shows how mathematical probability sometimes contradicts our intuition. Despite the fact that there are 365 days in a year, if you survey a random group of just 23 people there is a 50:50 chance that two of them will have the same birthday. Don't believe it? Try this project and see for yourself. Read more

What Are the Chances?

STEM Activity

1

2

3

4

5

43 reviews

Have you ever heard anyone say the chance of something happening is "50-50"? What does that actually mean? This phrase has something to do with probability. Probability tells you how likely it is that an event will occur. This means that for certain events you can actually calculate how likely it is that they will happen. In this activity, you will do these calculations and then test if your calculations hold true for reality! Read more

Devising an Algorithm for Solving Rubik's Cube

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you're the kind of person who has taken apart your Rubik's cube in order to grease the inside parts so it will move more smoothly, this could be a great project for you. We'll show you three sets of move sequences that accomplish specific rearrangements of the cube. Can you devise a way to solve the cube using only these three move sequences? Read more

Dice Probabilities

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You're playing Monopoly with a friend, and you've already got Park Place and you really, really want to get Boardwalk. If you're on Pacific Avenue, what are the chances you'll reach your goal? Here's an easy project that will show you how to find out. Read more

Exploring Fractals

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Although fractal images can be intriguingly complex, fractals are more than just pretty pictures. In this project, you'll explore the mathematical properties of the famous Mandelbrot (illustration on the Background tab) and Julia sets. You'll learn about how these images are generated, and about the relationship between the Mandelbrot set and the Julia sets. Read more

Gigantic, Invisible Triangles: Measuring Height (or Altitude) with an Inclinometer

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you've ever wondered how tall that bridge is, or how high your kite was, then this could be a good project for you. You'll learn how you can use the mathematics of right triangles to measure the height of an object with two measurements that you can make on the ground. Read more

Juice Box Geometry

STEM Activity

1

2

3

4

5

1 review

Juice boxes sure are convenient—just poke a straw in and sip away! But have you ever noticed that some juice boxes don't seem to have as much juice as others, even when they have a lot of packaging? You might be amazed how much thought goes into designing a juice box. Each manufacturer has carefully calculated how big each side of the box needs to be to hold a certain amount of juice inside and how altering the box's dimensions affects its overall appearance and… Read more

Middle School, Pure Mathematics Science Experiments (55 results)

Explore Our Science Videos