Physics Science Projects (Page 9)

Space Radiation Protection

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

The radiation sources recommended in this experiment are low-dose radioactive sources and do not require a license to purchase; they are safe to work with as long as these common-sense safety tips are followed: Wear disposable gloves when handling any radioactive source. Never rub your eyes or mouth while you are handling the radioactive source. NEVER swallow any radioactive source and use protective glasses when bringing a source within a few inches of… Read more

Balls Bouncing Off of Surfaces

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

For example, think of hitting a baseball, heading a soccer ball into the net, or hitting a tennis ball with a racquet. Where the ball goes depends on...what? You can set up a simple model to start your investigation. You'll need a marble, a flat piece of wood, a flat piece of cardboard, a pencil, a ruler, a protractor, and a level surface. Lay down the cardboard down on a level surface and set up the flat piece of wood at one edge. The wood will act like a wall, and you're going to roll… Read more

Measuring the Surface Tension of Water

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that when you dip your finger in water and pull it out, the water is actually pulling back on you? Here's a way you can measure how much. Read more

Spinning Colors: How Do Primary Colors Combine to Make New Colors?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that sunlight can actually be separated into the colors of the rainbow? And the light of different colors can be added together to make white light or new colors. This is an area of study where art and science overlap. In this science fair project, you will explore this area by drawing or painting "pie slices" onto a white circle and then combining them to make a new color by spinning the wheel using an electric drill. Read more

Designing a Speaker for Bass or Treble

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Whether you have already tried the Science Buddies Build a Paper Speaker activity or the Measure the Frequency Response of a Paper Speaker project, or you just like music and are interested in exploring more about the science of sound, then this project is for you. You probably know that sound waves can have different frequencies. If not, you can read more about that in the background section of the Measure the Frequency Response of a Paper Speaker project. The range of human hearing is… Read more

Come One, Come All! Explore the Effect of Light on the Speed of the Amazing Rotating Radiometer!

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Radiometers are fun-to-watch novelty items, but they also have a distinguished scientific history, having been studied by James Clerk Maxwell and Albert Einstein. A radiometer has a set of four vanes (like small sails) connected to a spindle that is free to rotate. When the radiometer is placed in bright light, the vanes and spindle start to spin. It looks like a magic trick, but there is a scientific explanation for this weird behavior. In this science fair project, you will experiment with… Read more

What is the Maximum Intermediate Height for a Siphon?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

A siphon is a handy device for emptying out a liquid reservoir that has no drain. For example, they're great for cleaning fish tanks. An interesting aspect of a siphon in action is that the liquid flows "uphill" for a portion of its journey through the tube. This project asks the question, is there a maximum height for that uphill part of the siphon? Read more

Using a Laser Pointer to Measure the Data Track Spacing on CDs and DVDs

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You've probably noticed the colorful patterns "reflecting" from the shiny surface of a CD disk. What you are seeing is actually diffraction of white light, and the rainbows of color are diffraction patterns. In this project you'll learn about how diffraction patterns are generated, and you'll find out how you can use a laser pointer and a protractor to measure the microscopic spacing of data tracks on a CD. Read more

Football Punting: Distance vs. Hang-time

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When the punter is trying to hit the "coffin corner" (within the opposing team's 10-yard line), out of bounds, what is the best angle to kick the ball for correct distance and maximum "hang time?" (For more information on the physics involved, see: Gay, 2004, Chapters 4 and 5.) Read more

What is the Cheapest Way to Launch Payloads into Space?

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

A mass driver is a proposed device that could launch payloads into space using a long tube lined with electromagnets (Figure 1). Some scientists argue that such a launch system would offer long-term cost savings over the use of chemical rockets. Scientists have proposed theoretical electromagnetic launcher designs as far back as the 1970s (O'Neill 1979). More recently, some have proposed the use of railguns originally developed for the U.S. Navy (McNab and McGlasson 2022). Other types of… Read more

Physics Science Projects (100 results)

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