Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I am trying to do a project on the diffrences of lunch from home,lunch at school,and going out for lunch and their impact on the students body fat (%) .I was wondering if you knew any simple basic method to mesure a students body fat mass .

Thank You Very Much!

The easiest way to do this would be to use the body mass index measurement. It uses your height and weight to calculate what your body mass index should be. Here is a calculator for children and teens
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/

Here are some links that will help
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index

Hope this helps

Adam

i knew that i could do BMI but i thought that this meothod is not really reliable because a student could just be big like he doesnt have to be eating alot of fat .Do you know anyother way ?


Thank you very much!

Hi,

Adam has given you the correct information for calculating BMI, but if you are interested in studying the effect of lunches that students eat, you won't be able to correlate that to BMI because there are many other variables that could contribute to BMI other than lunch. For a science project, you should limit your experiment to something that you can actually measure, hopefully with only one independent variable. Here is a suggestion that might work:

1. You could make a questionnaire and ask students to write down what they eat for lunch, or you could observe what students are eating for lunch and record the results.
2. You could then estimate the quantity of fat in the various lunches using standard nutritional tables.
3. You can compare results to the recommended dietary levels for the gender and age levels you included in your experimental group.
4. You can make conclusions about what type of lunch has the optimum amount of fat in it.

Would this work for you?

Donna Hardy

Thank You very much, but i think my project should be more scientific than just a survey i would like to do things with my hands than to just to look at the nutritional values.dp you have any other ideas i could do for a science fair project?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME!

Hi,

If you would like a project a little more involved, maybe it would be a good idea to go back through our ideas lilst or use the topics wizard. https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... deas.shtml

I think this one might be of interest to you: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... A&from=TSW

Hi,

Sunmoonstars has given you some good advice. Did you check out the projects on food science? Most of those projects involve an experiment that you could do and involve lots of interesting chemistry. The best science fair projects usually ask a question that can be answered with a well controlled experiments. I can't think of a single experiment that would show the relationship between lunches and BMI, so it would probably be a good idea to change topics. When is your project due? What else are you interested in?

Donna Hardy

HI!

I agree i think i should let this idea go ... i asked my science teacher about it and she said that it is for the best if I try to find a difrent project.My teacher didn't give us very much time only about a week of notice.I am completly lost .... but I was searching an science fair project online and i found one that might work : Does Processed Food Produce more Gas? The person who did the project used a test tube and then said to heat it up so im not sure maybe i need to use my schools lab.... do you think that this is a suitable project ???


Thank you

Hi,

Was this a project on the science buddies website? Please let me know where you found the project, and I'll help you adapt it to an original, prize-winning project. Working with food, heat, and test tubes will be much better and will give you a clearly defined project. Just let me know what you found.

Donna Hardy

HI

I found this idea from Google not on the science buddies project i found 2 projects so far related to this topoic:

http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2005/Projects/J0504.pdf

http://www.all-science-fair-projects.co ... e89cd.html


I hope this works!!

Thanks alot!

Hi,

This project is based on the production of carbon dioxide when vinegar is mixed with baking soda. The experiment calls for adding the same amount of vinegar and baking soda to each sample. I would expect all samples to produce the same amount of carbon dioxide. I am having a hard time understanding the point of this experiment. It's more like a demonstration rather than an experiment.

I suppose you could add baking soda to each sample and measure the volume of carbon dioxide released from the natural acid present in the food samples. This would at least measure the amount of acid in each sample and you would have an independent and dependent variable. It would satisfy the requirements of a science fair project.

When is your science project due? Do you want to create a prize winning project? Why don't you continue looking through the science buddies website project guide and find a topic you would be interested in? You want to look for a question that you can answer by doing an experiment.

Donna Hardy

Hi

Do you think this is not a very good project? Since the teacher had told our class that we are going to do a science fair this year i've been really stressed trying to find a good project.Yes i do want a prize winning project but its really hard to find a good project that i could do. My teacher wants a project idea for tomorrow , i didnt leave everything i think my teacher didnt give us enough time to find a good project she only gave us about a week. Do you think i shouldn't do this project ? I did look at the ideas from this website but i didnt find something that stood out i will try looking again.What do you think i should do? I need your help!!!

thank you

Hi,

Considering the conclusion shown in the first link you gave, I think this could be a good experiment. As Donna said, make sure you know your dependent and independent variables when you form your question.

See here for more information on variables: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... bles.shtml

I would suggest using fresh, canned and frozen vegtables of the same type (peas, for example).

While it is important for your experiment to be designed well and thought through, it is also important for you to enjoy it and learn from it. Don't stress out! If you like this project, we can help you with it. Let me know exactly what you plan to do (what vegtables to use, what you will measure, etc), if you need more assitance as you work through it.

Tonya

Hi,

Yes, unfortunately, that is what I was trying to say. This is not a good science project. It's a good demonstration of a chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar to form carbon dioxide, but that is all. Normally, I would try to suggest a way to adapt an idea and turn it into a good project, but I can't think of a way to do it with this project.

Unfortunately, I can't pick a project for you; you are the only one who can do that. However, if you will let me know what science subjects are of interest to you and how much time you have to complete the project, I can probably make some suggestions. All of the topics on the science buddies website are based on basic scientific principles, so if you can pick a topic from the project list, you will be able to adapt it and do an excellent project. Are you interested in chemistry, physics, or biology? Do you have time to grow plants? Would you be able to obtain agar and Petri dishes for a microbiology experiment? Are you good constructing things? Are you interested in electricity? Are you interested in alternative forms of energy or recycling? Are you good at math?

To meet your deadline for tomorrow, you might consider submitting 2-3 of the top project ideas that you can find from the science buddies website and tell your teacher you are working with a science buddies advisor and you are sure you will have a final topic selected by Monday. Your teacher is not trying to be unreasonable with her request, but she knows you can't start on a project unless you have selected it. Hopefully, she will realize that you have been diligently working on the assignment. I'm sure that the most important deadline is the due date for the project, because that's when the projects will be judged, so that's what you will have to focus on once you have selected a topic. Please let me know more about your scientific interests and I'll be able to help you with this process.

Donna Hardy

Hi

Thank you very much, the entire project is due on the 22 of febuary.I'm not interested in plants or in physics ,recycling , electricity not so much in making or building things.I"m interested in food science, biology or like chemistry.I'm searching projects on food science.Sorry if i'm causing any trouble.

thank you for your assistance

Hi,

There are several food science projects that would work well, and many can be completed in a short period of time. In looking through these projects, try to imagine what type of experiment you would do. The most successful projects are usually the ones that involve measuring the results. You want to ask a question, design an experiment to answer the question, the then do the experiment and measure the results. After you pick a topic, plan to spend a day or two doing background reading so you will be able to design a worthwhile experiment.

Donna Hardy

Thanks donna and sunmoonstars, you've given hhamodat lots of useful advice.

I just happened to see that hhamodat was interested in a vinegar and baking soda project originally. We have an experiment about making a rocket using vinegar and baking soda. Is this something you might be interested in?

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p086.shtml

HI

I've been searching ... i found one project that might work : Determine the levels of saturated fat in cholesterol free foods and see if the labels are telling the truth but i'm not sure how to measure it. The person added iodine but i dont get the rest it didnt really make sense.I'm wondering if this might work with a better procedure.

Thank you

Thank you very much its seems like a good idea but i'm not sure if my school lets this project.


Thank you very much for your help

Hi,

I could not find the project idea that used iodine to measure fat. Iodine is used in starch analysis and vitamin C analysis, but I am not familiar with a procedure to test fat. Could you send me the link, which you were looking at?

You could use the following protocol on the science buddies website to measure the amount of fat in several varieties of potato chips or other similar foods. The guide describes a method to measure the fat, which is important in a science fair project.

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p048.shtml

This would give you an experiment to do, and would not take too long. Does this project appeal to you?

Donna Hardy

Hi,

This is the website:

http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2004/Projects/S0502.pdf

I was also thinking of doing something about the 100 calorie chips and seeing if its actually worth it because usually they have less fat but ALOT of sugar or soduim.I would like to do something that the audience can relate to and be interested in ecpically the people who are trying to lose weight.I've heard on shows how proccesed foods are really bad and how many food might say are good for you but arent.I'm not sure if just proving the label wrong is the best idea , but i was thinking of taking somehting basic like this but go deep into it.I would like to try a reliable method or something that can be at least a bit trusted.For example the method you gave me on the science buddies website i'm a bit worried if its reliable or like i could do it a better way.I want something that i would do good science fair!

Thank You for your time

Hi Hhamodat,

Thanks for the link. Here is a description of the test that was used in this project:

http://www.brevardbiodiesel.org/iv.html

This could be a good project because there’s lots of chemistry to understand and you could use the test to determine the iodine value of the fat in whatever fat you choose. The iodine value is related to the stability of the oil, which is due to double bonds in the oil. It does not measure cholesterol. That’s probably why the project you cited had inconclusive results. This project could be done in a short amount of time, but you would need to obtain iodine monochloride, glacial acetic acid, potassium iodide, sodium thiosulfate, and trichloroethane. Does you have access to these chemicals at your school? This would be an excellent project if you could obtain the chemicals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_substance

The potato chip experiment describes a specific technique for measuring fat that is simpler than experiments requiring lots of chemicals. Since you would be using the same technique for each sample, you could compare results between samples. I would recommend doing duplicate or maybe triplicate samples for each product tested, as this would give you an idea of the reproducibility of your results. This project has plenty of science in it and would give you a good experience in experimental design and using the scientific method for solving a problem. I recommend picking this project if you can’t get the chemicals required for the oil-iodine test.

Why don't you try to find more background references on this topic so you can pick a question to ask for your project?

Donna Hardy

Hi,

I think this project is a really good idea , but we definetly dont have these chemicals at my shcool or even in my sister's high school.Probably the only way would be to go to a lab and try to find a mentor.I'm not sure that i would have enough time . For a back up plan or idea just incase i cant get all of these chemicals and a lab to go to i was wondering if i could do something about Apple Cider Vinegar.I've been searching this vinegar up and many people use this for lossing weight .Maybe i could maybe use this product for an experiment on food.Do you have any ideas? This interested me alot because on a show they said that they use this vinegar on salads and other foods for them to lose weight and it helps your sugar levels and helps break it down.While I was searching it up I saw alot of apple cider vinegar diets and remedies.Can i try to work around this idea?


Thank You Very Much!

Hi Hhamodat,

The use of apple cider vinegar for losing weight is an interesting topic, however, a project like this would require working with people and you would have to have permission to do a project like this, and you would have to have signed consent forms from all of your experimental subjects. This process would take a lot of time, so I don't recommend it for this year's project. Another problem I noticed was that it was difficult to find scientific references on this subject. Normally, you would want to read the scientific literature on a topic before your design your final experiment and all of the websites I saw were nonscientific sources and could be just someone's opinion.

You could reconsider Amber's suggestion of the rocket project powered by carbon dioxide formed by the reaction of vinegar and baking soda. You could compare the height or distance reached using different rocket designs. If you don't think you could get permission to do a project on rockets, then you could use a different type of device (boat or car) to compare results. You would need to do background research on aerodynamics and mechanical engineering, but you could get this project completed in the next two weeks.

Let me know if you have any other ideas. At this point in time, avoid a project that would require human test subjects.

Donna Hardy

Hi Hhamodat,

Here’s another idea that will require several steps, but you could complete it in less than 2 weeks if you start very soon. The project requires making biodiesel .
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p032.shtml

Read through the procedure carefully to make sure you will have access to everything you need.

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

This is a good chemistry project.

Let me know if you need more explanation on this topic.


Donna Hardy

While the project Donna recommended is a great project, it is also one of our most challenging projects for high school students. Since you are in middle school, this is probably not the best project to pick if you only have a few weeks. I actually made biodiesel in college and getting all the equipment quickly (and inexpensively) would be a problem. Not to mention, once you make the biodiesel you have to analyze it in some way. I think this project would be ok if you already had the equipment and chemicals that you needed and you had already done the background research for it.

At this point, I agree with Donna in that you probably shouldn't do a project that involves testing lots of human subjects because you just won't have enough time. I'd try to decide on your project this weekend and get started on it as soon as possible so you don't end up rushing at the end. I'd look for a project that only takes a week or less.

Sorry you are having so much trouble finding a project that interests you. In some ways I think this is the hardest part of doing a science fair project.

Also remember that we have projects in music, sports, photography, computers, and video games!

Hi Hhamodat,

Amber has given some really good feedback on the biodiesel project. I didn't realize it was so difficult. I agree with Amber that you should not pick a really difficult project with less than two weeks of time available.

Why don't you do the potato chip project? You could start this week-end and have some data to analyze within a short period of time.

Donna Hardy

Hi,

I'm still trying to search projects online , something that i would be interested in... nothing really so far.Although I came across one project and it was seeing which hand sanitzer is the best, i'm wondering if i can do any simalir project but without using a petri desh or aguar or like an incubator because i cant access any of these products.Do you have any other project that i can do .... i'm still looking .I want to do good in the science fair... i'm guessing thats another reason why i didnt find anything yet.

Thanks

Hi Hhamodat,

Yes, doing the hand sanitizer project would require agar and Petri dishes and more time. You should save all of the projects that are of interest to you for next year, because all would be good if you had time to gather the materials and set up the experiments.

Here's another idea that is unrelated to the topics you have been selecting. However, I’m suggesting it because I've done this project many times when kids I know have told me that their science fair project is due in one or two days. It's a fun project and you will learn a lot in doing it. You will be making a variety of kaleidoscopes in this project. You can start with glass tile mirrors from a home supply store. I would recommend getting 3 tiles; cut one in 3 strips, one in 4 strips, and one in 5 strips. You also need a roll of duct tape. I am not an expert in glass cutting, so I usually go to the local glass shop and ask them to cut it for me. I explain that it's for a science fair project, so usually they will cut the glass for no charge. I would not recommend trying to learn how to cut glass for this project because you might break the glass, but here is a video on glass cutting if you are interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4PxQ2pNZaM

Once you have strips of glass, you duct-tape them together to create a 3-sided, 4-sided, and 5- sided kaleidoscope. Here's a general procedure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKZWTUPVHtw

Here's another general procedure:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2070230_make-kaleidoscope.html

And, another one:

http://www.optics.arizona.edu/academics ... oscope.htm

Once you've made the kaleidoscope, you can use it with colored lights and make pictures of the various patterns created by the different designs. You want to make really pretty pictures for your board.

For your science project, you will have to explain about optics and reflection:

http://www.optics.rochester.edu/workgro ... inal_b.pdf

http://home.howstuffworks.com/science-p ... action.htm

Do you think you could do this project?

Donna Hardy

Hi Donna. I've never heard of a kaleidoscope project before, it sounds interesting.

Can you recommend an experiment hhamodat could do with the kaleidoscope?