You've seen for yourself, or in videos, planes flying, rockets hurdling towards space, boats racing through the water and submarines exploring the depths of the ocean. Have you ever stopped and thought about the aerodynamics and hydrodynamics involved in their operation? There is a lot of interesting science that goes into how they work! Check out these science and engineering projects to explore movement through air and water.
Where do you get your best ideas? At school with your friends? When you are out for a bike ride? Over 2,200 years ago, a scientist named Archimedes got one of his best ideas when he sat down in his bath. Eureka! He went running through the streets without even bothering with his clothes. What was he so excited about? He had discovered that when objects, like his body, are placed in water, water is pushed out of the way. Have you noticed that, too? The weight of the water that is pushed out of…
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Aero_p044
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Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Adult supervision is required when using the hammer.
Do you dream about making deep, undersea voyages? Let this project take you 20,000 leagues under the sea! Investigate how submarines dive and surface by changing their buoyancy in this fun project.
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Aero_p034
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Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Have an adult help you when using the razor blade or knife, as well as the drill. Always wear safety goggles when working with power tools. If you are performing the experiment in a pool, be sure to have an adult with you at all times.
Have you ever seen butterflies fluttering around outside, gliding through the air and landing on flowers? While they are delicate and fragile, butterflies are actually excellent flyers. They are so good, in fact, that scientists at Harvard University studied butterfly wing shapes as an inspiration for building a miniature flying robot. In this science project, you will do your own version of the Harvard scientists' experiment to measure the flight performance of butterfly wings.
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What keeps a submarine from spinning out of control? In this science project, you can investigate how
submarines use stabilizing fins to move forward. You might even figure out the secrets to maneuvering a submarine!
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Aero_p035
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Have an adult help you when using the razor blade or knife, as well as the drill. Always wear safety goggles when working with power tools. If you are performing the experiment in a pool, be sure to have an adult with you at all times.
Drones—also called quadcopters or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—are an increasingly popular toy for hobbyists. Some companies even want to use them for business purposes, like delivering packages right to your doorstep! However, drones typically have a rather short battery life. Does the added weight of a package affect a drone's battery life? Try this project to find out!
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Aero_p053
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Time Required
Average (6-10 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
This project requires a drone. See the Materials list for details.
Cost
Average ($50 - $100)
Safety
There are important safety guidelines you must follow when operating a drone. See the Procedure for details.
Have you ever wondered how a ship made of steel can float? Or better yet, how can a steel ship carry a heavy load without sinking? In this science project you will make little "boats" out of aluminum foil to investigate how their size and shape affects much weight they can carry and how this relates to the density of water.
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How does a parachute work? Do bigger parachutes work better than smaller parachutes? Find out in this science project if the size of the parachute matters.
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When a ship rocks back and forth, it can make people seasick. Even worse, it can make it dangerous for jets to land on aircraft carriers. For these reasons and many others, it's important for engineers to design bilge keels (or fins) to keep boats from rolling back and forth. Become an engineer for a day and discover the best way to keep from rocking the boat in this engineering science fair project!
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Aero_p038
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Time Required
Short (2-5 days)
Prerequisites
None
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Have an adult help you when using the razor blade or knife. If you are testing in a pool, be sure to have an adult with you at all times.
You can make a very simple hovercraft with a stiff, disposable plate-a pie plate should work well-and a balloon. Glue a square of cardboard in the center of the bottom of the plate. Make a small hole through the center of both of these layers. Enlarge the hole slightly with a pencil. Push a balloon through the hole so that the opening is on the front side of the plate, and rest of the balloon sticks out from the back. Blow up the balloon, then set the plate down (balloon side up). What…
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What makes some objects more streamlined than others? Find out which ordinary objects around your house are made to move smoothly through the water in this easy science fair project. Which objects will produce the most drag when pulled through the water?
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Aero_p022
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Time Required
Very Short (≤ 1 day)
Prerequisites
You will need access to a swimming pool.
Material Availability
Readily available
Cost
Very Low (under $20)
Safety
Adult supervision is required. Use caution when working near the swimming pool.
