Eighth Grade Science Projects (Page 15)

Decisions, Decisions: Judging a Book by Its Cover?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This project challenges you to think like a politician (and a scientist!), and try to ascertain what factors are most important as individuals make their decision on how to vote. For example, is it what is being said, or who is saying it? Read more

Germination

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Germination is the process by which a seed emerges from the seed coat. Many different variables can effect the process of germination. Try to sprout seeds from different species of plant to see if different species vary in germination time. Are weeds faster germinators than vegetables? Try measuring seeds and then germinating them to see if big seeds sprout at a different rate than small seeds. Try sprouting seeds in different environments to test the effect of different environmental… Read more

Heart Rate Recovery Times

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Over an average lifetime, the human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times, supplying blood to the entire body. When a person exercises, the heart has to work harder than usual. Have you ever wondered how quickly your heart beats when you exercise, or how long it takes to recover back to its normal rate after you are done exercising? Is the heart rate recovery time faster for people who get regular exercise compared to people who do not? Try out this science project to find out! Read more

Leaky Clues to Dam Design: How Reservoir Height Affects Hydroelectric Power Production

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

It's hard to believe that the same water that you use every day to quench your thirst, cook with, bathe in, swim in, and wash your clothes and dishes, is capable of another trick—it can make electricity! Electricity can be generated through the flow or through the fall of water. A big, fast-flowing river, for instance, contains a lot of moving energy that provides enough pressure to turn the blades of a turbine and run an electric generator. This same pressure can also be created though… Read more

How Fast Is Your Reaction Time?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Many sports skills require quick reaction times: think of hitting a 95-mph fastball, returning a 100-mph tennis serve, or blocking a slapshot at the net in hockey. (The Experimental Procedure section below has one way to measure reaction time.) Is your right hand faster than your left? Can you improve your reaction time with practice? Do both hands improve if you only practice with one hand? Try relating your reaction time to real situations in your favorite sport. For example, calculate… Read more

Ocean Currents: Modeling the 'Global Conveyor Belt' in Your Kitchen

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Ocean currents have profound effects on the climates of the continents, especially those regions bordering on the ocean. For example, the Gulf Stream (a warm current that goes around the North Atlantic Ocean) is thought to make northwest Europe much warmer than it would otherwise be. Similarly, the California Current is thought to keep Hawaii cooler than other land masses at the same latitude as it. In this ocean science fair project, you will model the behavior of these "rivers" of hot and… Read more

You Are What You Eat!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Thinking about improving your sports performance? Want to help friends and family make the most of their physical fitness activities? One factor to consider is food! Whether you realize it or not, what you eat does change your body! It affects how you feel, and can even change how you perform in sports. This science fair project will help you explore the link between what goes in your mouth and what your legs and arms can do. Read more

Digital Pinhole Camera

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you sit under a leafy tree on a sunny day, you may notice spots of sunlight on the ground from light passing through spaces between the leaves. Try putting a piece of cardboard on the ground and examining the spots of light on the cardboard. Even though the spaces through which the light is passing are irregular in shape, the spots on the cardboard are round. What you are seeing, in fact, are projected images of the sun. Light passing through an aperture forms an image. A pinhole camera… Read more

The Effects of Card Counting on a Simple Card Game

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you like to play cards? Here's a project that will get you thinking about strategy in card games and help you become a better card player. Read more

Explore Perceptrons: A Simple Type of Neural Network

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Have the phrases "machine learning" or "neural network" caught your interest, but you are not really sure how to use them in a science project? This project is a great place to start for beginners. You will learn about a very simple type of neural network—a computer program modeled after the human brain—called a perceptron. The perceptron can make a simple yes/no decision based on several inputs. You can "train" your perceptron to improve its decision-making abilities. Try it and… Read more

Eighth Grade Science Projects (220 results)

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