Science Buddies'
ninth grade science projects are the perfect way for
ninth grade students to have fun exploring science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Our
ninth grade projects are written and tested by scientists and are specifically created for use by students in the
ninth grade. Students can choose to follow the science experiment as written or put their own spin on the project.
For a personalized list of science projects,
ninth graders can use the Science Buddies Topic Selection Wizard.
The wizard asks students to respond to a series of simple statements and then uses their answers to recommend
age-appropriate projects that fit their interests.
A ship is a busy place. When out to sea, naval, research, and fishing vessels pull or push heavy loads, like research equipment and crab pots, into and out of the water. But equipment and pots can weigh hundreds of pounds. So how does a ship's crew lift loads efficiently and accurately? With a hydraulic knuckle crane, of course. But what is hydraulics and why does hydraulics make certain tasks easier?
Hydraulics is the study of liquids and their mechanical properties: how they move, resist…
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ApMech_p049
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Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
You will need to purchase syringes to build the model crane.
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Be sure to wear safety goggles when using tools like saws and drills. Minor injury is possible. Adult supervision is required.
Have you ever wondered how nutritionists know how many Calories a certain food contains? In this project you will learn a method for measuring how many Calories (how much chemical energy) is available in different types of food. You will build your own calorimeter to capture the energy released by burning a small food item, like a nut or a piece of popcorn. This project gives a new meaning to the phrase "burning calories!"
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FoodSci_p012
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of chemical reactions is helpful
Material Availability
A kit for this project is available from our partner .
Cost
Average ($40 - $80)
Safety
Fire hazard: Adult supervision required for burning food.
How big a ruler would you need to measure the circumference of the Earth? Did you know that you can do it with a yardstick? (And you won't have to travel all the way around the world!)
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Astro_p018
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
You will need to understand some basic principles of geometry for this project. You will need a friend or relative in a distant city to make a shadow measurement for you on the same day you make yours. Both of you will need clear weather.
Maybe you know someone who smokes, and you want to help them to quit. They've probably already told you how hard it is to stop once a person has started smoking. This project tries to answer the question: What is the most effective way to stop smoking?
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HumBeh_p013
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Time Required
Very Long (1+ months)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Low ($20 - $50)
Safety
Adult supervision highly recommended when conducting surveys.
How well do adults understand basic science concepts? This project is a good opportunity for you to test your own scientific understanding as you create a short test to assess knowledge of basic science concepts. Your test will have to brief (probably 10-15 questions, maximum) or you'll have a hard time getting a sufficient number of complete responses. With so few questions, you'll have to think carefully about exactly what comprises "basic science knowledge," and exactly how to word your…
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How can you motivate students and teachers to make positive changes in their school? Why not try using what is in everyone's pocket—a smartphone! With this project you'll try your hand at harnessing the power of crowdsourcing and mobile technology by creating an app that motivates users to change their school for the better. Do not worry about the app creation, the MIT App Inventor tool makes that part easy; the instructions provided here will lead you through it step-by-step. Will…
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CompSci_p052
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Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
This Computer Science Project requires the use of a computer with Internet access. An Android device is helpful but not required.
This is a modern version of a classic experiment by Jacques Charles on the volume of a gas at different temperatures. Charles discovered the relationship between volume and temperature of gases that now bears his name. This project shows you a simple method for re-creating this famous experiment.
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Chem_p018
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Specialty items
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Minor injury possible: this experiment involves heating water on a stove. Adult supervision recommended.
Have you ever made your own ice cream? If you have, you probably know that you need to get the ice cream mixture really cold to freeze it quickly. Ice cubes alone will not do the job, but if you add chemicals, such as salt or sugar, to the ice cubes that surround the ice cream container, the mixture gets cold enough to freeze. Why does that work? How does adding salt or sugar affect the freezing point of water? Find out with this ice-cold science project and use your results to make your own…
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FoodSci_p013
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Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
Understanding the concepts of molecular weight and moles.
Material Availability
A kit for this project is available from our partner
.
Cost
Average ($40 - $80)
Safety
Be careful when handling the glass test tubes. Exposing them to very cold temperatures or rapid temperature changes makes them more vulnerable to breakage, especially when they get bumped or handled roughly.
Does listening to classical music help or hinder concentration and performance on cognitive tasks? You'll need help from a teacher to design two short, age-appropriate worksheet tests for this experiment. The tests should be of equal difficulty. You'll also need the cooperation of several additional classroom teachers in order to test enough students (at least 50-100, see the Science Buddies resource: ). Half the students will take test A while listening to classical music and test B with no…
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This is a good project for someone who is interested in both electronics and color vision. The equipment needed is on the expensive side, but if you continue studying electronics, you can use it again and again.
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Elec_p038
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- Less Details
Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
To do this project you should be familiar with Ohm's law. Experience building electronic circuits on a solderless breadboard is also helpful. The breadboard is the biggest expense, which can be used for future explorations in electronics.
Material Availability
Specialty items
Cost
Very High (over $150)
Safety
Adult supervision required when using power drill.
