Middle School, Physics Science Projects (Page 3)

How Does Color Affect Heating by Absorption of Light?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Why is it more comfortable to wear light-colored clothes on a hot summer day? Why wear a dark-colored jacket for early-morning fishing on a cold lake? How much difference can it make? Here's a project where you can quantify how much difference color makes for absorbing heat. Read more

Build a Raft Powered by Surface Tension

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered why a water strider can walk on water? Or how detergent can clean your dishes? If you observe carefully, you can find dozens of similarly interesting phenomena that are all linked to the surface tension of water. In this science project, you will investigate the properties of water surface tension. Read more

The Joly Photometer: Measuring Light Intensity Using the Inverse Square Law

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You have probably seen light bulbs with different wattages, for example 50 W or 100 W. Higher-wattage lights are brighter but they also consume more electrical power. Are some bulbs more efficient than others, meaning they produce more light per unit of electrical power? You can find out for yourself by making a simple photometer to compare the light output from different bulbs. This project shows you how. Read more

Measure the Frequency Response of a Paper Speaker

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Can you build a working speaker out of paper? How does a speaker's ability to play low or high-pitched notes depend on its size? Explore the science of sound in this project as you build and test your own speakers in order to answer these questions! Read more

What's the Best Exposure Time for Sun Print Paper?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know you can make paintings or drawings using sunlight? You can do it by leaving objects on top of special sun print paper until the light creates an imprint of the objects. How does this process work? How long should you leave the paper in the sun to get the best result? What does any of this have to do with the process of making the microchips that power our phones and computers? Try this project to find out! Check out this page for more science projects related to this process. Read more

Build a Levitating Water Fountain with the Stroboscopic Effect

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Can you make water fall up? Or make drops of water hover in mid-air? While you might not be able to make water defy gravity, you can create the illusion that it does using something called the stroboscopic effect. In this project you will make use of the stroboscopic effect to build your own "levitating water" fountain. Read more

Measuring Sugar Content of a Liquid with a Laser Pointer

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that you can figure out how much sugar is in a liquid without ever tasting it? In this science fair project, you will learn how to measure the concentration of sugar dissolved in a liquid by using a laser pointer, a hollow prism, and some physics. You will discover how refraction, or the bending of light, is the key to measuring the sugar content of a liquid with a laser pointer. Read more

Pop Goes the Metal: How Temperature Affects Snap Time of a Jumping Disc

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Jumping discs can be a fun toy to play with, and with their sudden POP!, they can even be a good way to startle people who have never heard them before. Jumping discs use a neat trick to jump. They are made of two different types of metal, and these metals expand when they heat up (or shrink when they cool down), but not by exactly the same amount. In this science project you will explore how temperature affects the reactions of your jumping discs— and how to get the timing right if you… Read more

Find the Horsepower of a Toy Car

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever heard someone describe how much horsepower a car has? Why do we use horses to measure how powerful cars are? What exactly is horsepower? How is horsepower related to things like speed and torque? Find out in this fun science project as you use a simple setup to find the horsepower of a battery-operated toy car. 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

Middle School, Physics Science Projects (71 results)

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