Good Health and Well-Being, Fifth Grade, Mechanical Engineering Science Projects (4 results)

Every time you hop on your bike or gear up for football or baseball practice, your helmet is your first line of defense. Whether you’re coasting downhill or tackling on the gridiron, impacts happen — and they can cause more than just bumps and bruises. Scientists tell us that forceful hits to the head can lead to concussions or even more serious brain injury over time. Correct helmet design, proper fit, and good cushioning all help reduce those risks.  For example, bicycling is one… Read more

Have you ever noticed that some shoes grip the ground better than others? The pattern and design of a shoe’s tread can affect how slippery it is on different surfaces. You can test shoes with different tread patterns—like flat, ridged, or patterned—to see which design provides the best grip. By dragging a shoe along a surface with a spring scale at a constant velocity, you can measure how much force is needed for each shoe to slide on various surfaces. With this knowledge, you… Read more

Watch out for that ice! When winter weather makes sidewalks icy, many people slip and fall. One tip doctors give is to walk like a penguin. That means pointing your feet slightly outward, keeping your center of gravity over your feet, and taking short, careful steps. Research has shown that these changes in stride and posture help people stay stable and avoid falls. These tips are especially helpful for older adults, who are more at risk of falling due to a decline in their balance as they… Read more

Staying balanced might feel simple, but there’s so much more involved than you would think! The way your body balances is actually the result of several body systems working together. Your muscles and joints provide feedback (proprioception) about where your body is in space, your inner ear senses movement and position, and your eyes give you important visual cues about your surroundings. Vision is especially important because it helps your brain judge where you are in relation to the… Read more