High School Science Projects (Page 28)

DNA Fingerprinting

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Are you interested in the technical and ethical aspects of genetic screening, forensic science, and DNA fingerprinting? Scientists use different forms of a gene, called alleles, to differentiate between two fingerprints. One such sequence used in human DNA fingerprinting is the Alu repeat (a 300 base pair repetitive sequence of DNA) on chromosome 16. During evolutionary time, up to 1 million copies of the Alu repeat have become randomly inserted throughout the human genome. Within a specific… Read more

Do Different Dilutions of Disinfectants Affect the Development of Bacterial Resistance?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This is a project that illustrates the process of natural selection in action. You'll need access to a laboratory for working with the bacterial cultures used in this project. Read more

Temper, Temper, Temper! The Science of Tempering Chocolate

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Nut clusters, chocolate-dipped candies, and chocolate-dipped strawberries are just some of the delicious goodies that have a thin, rich layer of chocolate wrapped around them. But how do pastry and candy chefs make these delectable treats? The first step is to melt and temper chocolate. Tempering is a process in which the cocoa butter in chocolate is hardened into a specific crystalline pattern. When the cocoa butter molecules are in this pattern, the chocolate is shiny and breaks with a sharp… Read more

Build an Autonomous Arduino Robot with Bump Sensors

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Mechanical switches are common in many machines and robots. They can be used to detect when a button is pushed, when a door is open, or a low-speed collision when two objects bump into each other. Switches can act as "bump sensors" on a simple robot to help it detect when it hits an obstacle. The robot can use this information to navigate around obstacles and avoid getting stuck. Can you build and program a robot that can drive around your house while using bump sensors to avoid obstacles? Read more

Boyle's Law: Pressure vs. Volume of a Gas at Constant Temperature

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This is a modern version of a classic experiment by Robert Boyle on the compressibility of gases. Boyle discovered the relationship between pressure and volume of gases that now bears his name. This project shows you a simple method for re-creating this famous experiment. Read more

Biodegradable Plastics

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Plastics are made of polymers, chemical structures containing many repeated subunits. How does the polymer type of a plastic affect the biodegradability of the plastic? Do research on how plastic is made and what types of polymers are used for making different plastics. Can you learn to make your own plastic? What materials can you use for making plastic that is biodegradable? Test biodegradability by burying plastic samples for different lengths of time. (Kadar, 2004) Reducing solid waste and… Read more

Magnetic Levitation: Experiments with 'Anti-magnets'

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What happens if you hold a magnet next to water? You might think that water is not affected by magnetism, but in fact, the water is slightly repelled. Believe it or not, if the magnet is strong enough, you can use this effect to levitate objects that contain water, including insects and even small frogs! In this science project, you will learn about diamagnetism. Materials that are repelled by both poles of a magnet are called diamagnetic. The magnets you will use are not strong enough to float… Read more

Yeast Busters: Stopping Fungus in its Tracks with Antifungal Medicines

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered how antibiotics and other medicines are able to stop dangerous infections? How do such medications kill microorganisms without in general harming the person the microorganisms are infecting? Because many different types of microorganisms can infect us, we have had to develop an amazing number of ways to deal with these harmful microbes. Fungal infections can be particularly dangerous, but we have developed many different antifungal medications that can usually deal with… Read more

What is the Woolly Mammoth's Closest Living Relative?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Woolly mammoths shook the ground of ice-age tundras for millennia, living next to saber tooth tigers and prehistoric man. Although they have been extinct for thousands of years, scientists continue to learn more and more about this mighty animal. Some of the most exciting new research is being produced by looking at DNA extracted from the hair and bones of woolly mammoths entombed in ice. In this genomics science fair project, you will use bioinformatics tools to determine the woolly mammoth's… Read more

Bacteria Can Fix It! A Comparison of Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria and Nitrogen Fertilizers

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you know what plants need to grow? Sure, they need soil, water, and sunshine. Everyone knows that. But here's a secret: they also need nitrogen. Plants use nitrogen to make DNA in their cells and the proteins that lead to healthy stems and leaves. The problem is, although the Earth's atmosphere is made up of 78% nitrogen, the form of nitrogen found in the atmosphere cannot be used by plants. So how do plants get their nitrogen? Either through nitrogen deposits in the soil, or through… Read more

High School Science Projects (693 results)

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