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Measure Speed of Something You Make Science Projects (23 results)

Build or improve a moving object and then measure how far or fast it goes. Learn about the science behind movement to make your design go as far or fast as it can.

Balloon-Powered Car Challenge
Science Fair Project Idea
Engineering Design Process
Do you think you could build a car powered by nothing but air? A balloon-powered car is pushed forward by air escaping from a balloon, and it is fun and easy to build with materials you already have around your house. Can you imagine how you would want your own balloon-powered car to look? Can you design a car that will travel as far as possible? You can even measure your car's speed using your smartphone and a special sensor app. Get ready to grab some simple supplies to bring your idea to… Read more
The Science of Launching an Airplane by Catapult
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Naval fighter pilots seem to defy physics each time they fly their jets off of an aircraft carrier. Normal runways are thousands of feet long so that airplanes can develop enough lift to fly. But a runway on an aircraft is much shorter. How can naval pilots get their fighter jets into the air without falling off the carrier into the ocean? Well, because they get a boost from a catapult! Sounds unbelievable? It's not, and you can find out more about catapult-assisted takeoff in this aerodynamics… Read more
How Far Will It Fly? Build & Test Paper Planes with Different Drag
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Just one sheet of paper can lead to a whole lot of fun. How? Paper planes! All you have to know is how to fold and you can have a simple plane in a matter of minutes! But what design should you use to build the best plane? In this aerodynamics science project, you will change the basic design of a paper plane and see how this affects its flight. Specifically, you will increase how much drag the plane experiences and see if this changes how far the paper plane flies. There is a lot of cool… Read more
Make a "Whirlybird" from Paper
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Have you ever seen a maple seed twirling as it falls through the air? In this project you will build something that behaves similarly called a whirlybird. Will your whirlybird be able to stay in the air as you add paper clips as weights? Try this project to find out! Read more
Build a Gauss Rifle!
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
What can you do with magnets and ball bearings that makes a lot of noise? Why, build a magnetic linear accelerator, called a Gauss rifle, of course! Now, this magnetic accelerator is not a weapon, but a way for you to learn a lot more about physics concepts, like momentum. In this physics science project, you will investigate how far a ball bearing launched by a Gauss rifle will fly, depending on how many magnetic acceleration stages are in the setup and the ball bearing's initial velocity.… Read more
Bottle Rocket Blast Off!
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
3... 2... 1... 0— blastoff! In this science project, you will use a bottle rocket launcher to launch your own bottle rocket. You will load it with water and pressurized air, make several launches, and find out what makes your rocket soar the highest. Read more
Model Rocket Aerodynamics: Stability
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
What keeps a model rocket on course? How can you make sure a model rocket design is stable before you launch it? Find out in this project as you learn about center of mass, center of pressure, and their effect on a rocket's stability. Read more
Rocket Science: How High Can You Send a Payload?
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Rockets are definitively an engineering challenge. These amazing gravity-defying machines have lifted test material, people, and even animals into space. Feel like building one yourself? In this science project, you will transform a water bottle into an aerodynamic bottle rocket with two compartments, one for the fuel and one for a payload. You will then test how well it performs when lifting mass vertically up into the air. Ready, set, soar! Read more
Effect of Trebuchet Arm Length or Counterweight Mass on Projectile Distance
Science Fair Project Idea
Engineering Design Process
Before cannons widely replaced them, siege engines were often used by armies to throw large stones and other projectiles to break down castle walls. One of the most advanced siege engines used in the Middle Ages was the trebuchet, which used a large counterweight to store energy to launch a payload, or projectile. The horizontal distance the payload would travel is called the trebuchet's range. Figure 1, below, shows a modern reconstruction of a trebuchet. The range of a trebuchet has… Read more
Make Your Own Hot Air Balloon
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Have you ever looked up into the sky and seen not a bird, not a plane, but a hot-air balloon? They are definitely amazing and fun to watch! Do you think they are all the same size? Does size affect how long the hot-air balloon can fly? In this science fair project, you will launch hot-air balloons, powered by a toaster, and see how the size of the balloon affects its flight. Read more
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