High School, Chemistry Science Projects (Page 3)

How to Make a Battery with Metal, Air, and Saltwater

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered how your cell phone or laptop keeps running once you unplug it? Sure, it is the battery that makes your portable electronics work, but how exactly does a battery do that, and from where does the electricity come? Generally, in a battery chemical energy is converted into electrical energy. In fact, many different types of batteries exist that are all based on a different set of chemical reactions. In this science project, you will explore a special battery variant called… Read more

Investigate the Kinetics of the Color Changing Iodine Clock Reaction

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

The iodine clock reaction is a favorite demonstration reaction in chemistry classes that usually requires toxic or hazardous chemicals. During the reaction, two clear liquids are mixed, resulting in another clear liquid. After some time, the solution suddenly turns dark blue. The reaction is called a clock reaction because the amount of time that elapses before the solution turns blue depends on the concentrations of the starting chemicals. In this green chemistry project, you will use a… Read more

Make Your Own Shampoo and Test How It Performs!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you love it when your hair is nice and fresh? The key to keeping your hair nice and clean is to use a good shampoo. But with so many different products in the store, how do you know which one works best for you? In this science project, you will put a variety of shampoos to the test, including your own homemade organic shampoo recipes. Do you think these will perform better than a store-bought product? Read more

Making a Cell Phone Spectrophotometer

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

We encounter an amazing array of colors every day, from the greens of plants and the many colors of their flowers, to the pinkish blue of a sunset, to the artificial coloring in beverages. How do we perceive all of these colors? When light hits an object, some of that light is absorbed by the object, and the light that is not absorbed is what we see. In this science project, you will build a simple spectrophotometer from a cell phone and use it to investigate how visible light is absorbed by… Read more

Measuring Enzyme Activity: Yeast Catalase

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Yeast contains an enzyme, called catalase, that acts as a catalyst for the reaction that breaks down hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water (2H2O22H2O + O2). Safety note: oxygen is a highly reactive gas, adult supervision recommended for this project. For your background research, be sure that you understand substrate, catalyst, reaction rate, catalase, enzyme saturation and protein denaturation. Use a solution of 3% H2O2 for the substrate. Construct an apparatus that allows you to collect… Read more

Measuring the Amount of Acid in Vinegar by Titration with an Indicator Solution

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered why some foods taste really sour? Vinegar is one example that you might know from salad dressings or pickles. They taste pretty sour, right? There are many different types of vinegar that you can buy to use around the kitchen for cooking and pickling. The chemical compound that gives vinegar its tart taste and pungent smell is acetic acid. Do you think all the different vinegars contain the same amount of acetic acid? Are there some that are more sour than others? How… Read more

Minds of Their Own: A Chemical Reaction that Changes, then Changes Back!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever seen a chemical reaction that makes a solution change color? Probably. But what about a solution that changes color and then changes back, not only once, but many times? Sounds pretty exotic! Whereas most chemical reactions only move in one direction from reactants (starting chemicals) to products, in these rare oscillating reactions, the reaction products appear and disappear for a number of cycles. Because the products are colored, the solution appears alternately blue, then… Read more

More Solubility Ideas

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

A solution consists of a solute dissolved in a solvent. A solution is saturated when no additional solute will dissolve in it. Can a saturated solution of sodium chloride dissolve any Epsom salts? Can a saturated solution of Epsom salts dissolve any sodium chloride? How does solubility vary with temperature? How does solubility vary with the surface area of the solute? Design experiments to find out! (Gardner, 1999, 16-17, Stretton, 2004) Read more

Proving Charles' Law: Volume vs. Temperature of a Gas at Constant Pressure

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

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. Read more

Race Your Marbles to Discover a Liquid's Viscosity

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

How do you like your mashed potatoes? Thin and whipped smooth? Or thick and mashed into chunks? Your mouth checks out not just the taste of your food, but its viscosity, or how it flows on your tongue, every time you take a bite! In this science fair project, you'll learn what viscosity is, and how to measure it in common liquids around your home. Read more

High School, Chemistry Science Projects (41 results)

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