Science Experiments and Projects Pakistan science club offering 100's of free science fair project and science experiments for students class 3 to 10 regarding physics, chemistry, biology, earth science ,
It seems that nothing strikes fear in the hearts of students and parents resembling these three words: science fair project. But it doesn’t have to be that way. A science fair project is a chance to investigate and be taught about things that attention you. And through your studies you will learn how science is basic to everything around us. You will benefit beyond your improved science awareness. Science fair projects teach students problem-solving skills improve your written and oral communication skills and give you the satisfaction of completing a well-done project. The ideas for projects are endless; you are limited only by your imagination. For example, does dirty dish water affect the growth of plants? Or how does acid rain affect plant growth? Which diapers are the most absorbent? What is the pH of various shampoos? Do different brands of gasoline make a difference in gas mileage? Read more...
How to build a suspension bridge inspired by spiders
Tension and compression! Spider webs are the inspiration for very strong suspension bridges.
COLLECT
gumdrops
toothpicks
scissors
small paper cup
small weight (like pennies)
6 large paper clips
ruler
masking tape
dental floss
straws
large popsicle stick
Insects date back over 400 million years. Thus their structures have gone through significant improvements in strength, maximization of space, and climate control. As engineers, we look to some of nature’s smallest structural engineers for inspiration.We incorporate design ideas from insects in our structures to increase their strength and resistance to natural disasters, maximize space with less costly materials, and provide efficient temperature control.Spiders build aerial spider webs to capture flying insects without having to spend energy by running them down. The spider web must withstand the wind and the impact of large flying insects. In some studies, spider silk has been found to be stronger than steel!The web constantly experiences tension. When an object is pulled in two directions at once, it experiences tension. You may have seen tension if you have played tug-of-war; the rope is experiencing tension as the opposing teams pull in opposite directions.How does the spider web withstand the tension caused by strong winds and flying insects?The spider starts building with a Y-shaped structure that provides the core support for the web. The spider then incorporates triangular shapes, criss-crosses, and spiral structures to strengthen the web.
A bridge must withstand the compression and tension forces caused by the weight of vehicles and pedestrians. Compression forces occur when instead of pulling, two forces are applied to an object that push and squeeze it. You can see the effects of compression on a pair of old running shoes along the edge of the soles, which look squished and wrinkled due to the compression that occurs over many miles of running.
For bridges and other structures, engineers have incorporated a truss design, or combination of triangles, to create a rigid structure that can distribute the weight across a wider area. Although this is a strong structure, the truss bridge cannot span long distances.
The suspension bridge suspends the roadway by cables, ropes or chains from two tall towers. This is similar to how a spider suspends the web from two branches. The compression caused by the weight of vehicles pushes down on the bridge and then is transferred to the cables. The cables apply a compressive force on the towers that is then applied to the earth. This distribution of weight allows the suspension bridge to support a significant amount of weight over a large distance.
Now it is time to build our own truss and suspension bridges and test their strength!
Experiment
Gather toothpicks and gumdrops to create your own truss bridge that spans a distance of 12 inches. Remember to incorporate a triangular or criss-cross truss design.
Make a load tester by unbending a large paper clip into a V-shape. Poke the ends of the paper clip into opposite sides of a paper cup, near the rim. Use a second paper clip to hang the load tester over the bridge deck.
Place your bridge between two desks that are about 10 inches apart. Attach your load tester to the middle of your bridge. Record how many pennies the paper cup can hold before the bridge fails.
Now turn your truss bridge into a suspension bridge. Cut two short pieces of straw, each 3 centimeters long. For each tower, tape two straws on either side of a short piece of straw, as shown. Tape the long straws together at the top, too. Repeat 4 times to create 4 towers.
Tape two towers to the edge of a desk near both sides of your truss bridge. Tape the other two towers to a second desk of the same height near both sides of your truss bridge.
Attach a Popsicle stick underneath your truss bridge near the middle so that the ends of the Popsicle stick extend out of the bridge.
Now it is time to create the suspension cables. Using two pieces of dental floss that are each about 5ft long as our cables, pass each end of the cable over a tower, under the popsicle stick, over the other tower, and down the other side. Repeat the process for the second cable.
To anchor the bridge, wrap each end of the cable around a paper clip. Slide the paper clips away from the tower until the cable pulls tight. Then tape the paper clips firmly to the desks.
Test again. Record how many pennies the cup holds before the bridge fails.
Reflect
What parts of the spider web inspired your bridge?
Why do you think the suspension bridge supports more weight than the truss bridge?
How would you explain tension to a friend?
Can you draw a cartoon diagram of the compression and tension forces on your bridges?
CONVECTION! Design + build a house with doors and windows that will help remove the hot air and cool the house passively (without using a fans or the AC). The goal is to save energy.
COLLECT
CONSTRUCTION PAPER
TAPE
SCISSORS
TWO INCENSE STICKS & holder
ONE MATCHBOX
THERMOMETER
If you have an attic space or have ever been in an attic space on warm days, have you noticed how much warmer it is in there than in the rest of the house? How about in the basement? In the days before refrigerators, basements - because they are much cooler - were used to store food items. Next time it's hot inside, try lying down on the floor and see how you feel. It's cooler than when standing up, isn't it?
Warm air rises to the top because it is lighter, or less dense, than cold air. Air molecules with more heat, or energy, move around at greater speeds and end up farther apart. So in the same amount of space (volume), warmer air will have less molecules in it than colder air. This makes it less dense or lighter, and it makes it rise up.
As warm air rises and cold air sinks, a directional movement of air is created which is called a convection current.
Have you ever wondered why on a warm day it is warmer inside a parked car than outside? This concentration of heat inside the car is caused by the greenhouse effect. A greenhouse is an enclosure made of glass or other transparent materials - typically for plants - that allows sunlight in, but then traps some of the sunlight's energy inside. This trapped energy is heat. A car parked in the sun heats up for the same reason, heat energy from the sunlight gets trapped.
Experiment
1. Knowing that warm air rises and cold air sinks, can you think about which parts of your house are the hottest? Sketch and design the location of your openings (doors and windows) so that the heated air will come out and the cool outside air will come in.
2. Build your cool house out of construction paper.
3. Once the house is complete, put a lit smoking incense stick inside the house in an incense stick holder.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO TOUCH THE PAPER WITH THE INCENSE STICK AND SET IT ON FIRE!
If the placement of windows and doors is well designed for cooling with natural ventilation, then the smoke will come out.
4. Place a thermometer at various points inside the house. Where do you get the highest reading?
Reflect
What design worked best?
What placement of openings helped more smoke to get out of the house?
Where did you get the highest temperature reading?
Why do you think this is?
Can you think of some other examples of convection you can see around the house?
Abstract:
When I read that researchers at MIT are developing a roof that
changes colour depending on temperature, I started wondering what would
be the best roofing material to use in Calgary. So I collected a bunch
of samples of different roofing materials and tested them to find out!
Grades: 4-6 Earth/Energy/Environmental
Comments:
Great job Kellan – very appropriate and timely topic considering
society’s demand for energy efficient products and the amount of days of
sun we get in Calgary. Great experimental data – very detailed and
thorough! Impressed that you identified the limitations of your data. It
is very important, but difficult, to be objective with your own
scientific research! Your website is well organized and easy to
navigate. Your graphs and pictures load quickly are easy to read.
Congratulations on a fantastic project!! Mr. H
Abstract:
Possible methods to prolong the operational lifespan of dye
sensitized solar cells were investigated. Benzoic acid was used to
inhibit bacterial growth on the natural plant dye, and sealing agents
were used to prevent the evaporation of liquid electrolyte. Benzoic acid
was found to have a positive effect on red cabbage dye, depending on
several factors. All tested sealing agents proved to work.
Abstract:
This project used Mycorrhizal inoculated soybean plants as a means
of phytoremediation in the Alberta Oil sands. The plants were grown in
tailing sands soil, to determine if the mycorrhizal addition allowed
growth in the barren soil, and remediation of the hydrocarbons in the
soil. The addition of the mycorrhizal fungus increased the growth in the
soybean plants allowing them to remediate the soil
Abstract:
This project used Mycorrhizal inoculated soybean plants as a means
of phytoremediation in the Alberta Oil sands. The plants were grown in
tailing sands soil, to determine if the mycorrhizal addition allowed
growth in the barren soil, and remediation of the hydrocarbons in the
soil. The addition of the mycorrhizal fungus increased the growth in the
soybean plants allowing them to remediate the soil
Project Number: 5073
Grades: 10-12 Earth/Energy/Environmental
Comments:
Solar Juice
Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute - Guelph, ON
Lockheed Martin Canada Summa Cum Laude Award - $500.00
Abstract:
Possible methods to prolong the operational lifespan of dye
sensitized solar cells were investigated. Benzoic acid was used to
inhibit bacterial growth on the natural plant dye, and sealing agents
were used to prevent the evaporation of liquid electrolyte. Benzoic acid
was found to have a positive effect on red cabbage dye, depending on
several factors. All tested sealing agents proved to work.
Project Number: 4951
Grades: 10-12 Earth/Energy/Environmental
Comments:
Cadmium...mium!
Collège catholique Samuel Genest - Ottawa, ON
Transport Canada Summa Cum Laude Award - $300.00 Primary Fluid Systems " Best in School" Award - $50.00
Abstract:
Nous avons déterminés les conditions de culture optimales pour une
culture de Lemna minor, une plante aquatique. Cette culture pourait
aider à dépolluer les plans d'eau contaminés au cadmium, un métal lourd.
Abstract:
This project is focused on digesting jatropha seed cake
through anaerobic digestion to produce bio gas. This brings the
production of bio diesel from jatropha full circle. The variable in this
experiment is the amount seed cake mass opposed to the mass of the cow
dung that is used as an activator. Various mixtures of jatropha and cow
dung are to be hooked up to anaerobic digester system.
Project Number: 4638
Grades: 10-12 Chemistry
Comments:
Spelling error on one button. A lot of thought,
preparation, innovation and hard work are evident in this project. Very
attractive and engaging site. Excellent work!
Burning Calories
Clavet Composite School - Clavet, SK
University of Regina - Faculty of Science Summa Cum Laude Award - $300.00 Primary Fluid Systems " Best in School" Award - $50.00
Abstract:
I burned different foods and captured the heat given off in a
homemade calorimeter to determine which food contained the most chemical
energy and calories.
Project Number: 4957
Grades: 7-9 Chemistry
Comments: Great use of photographs.
Maybe your header "Burning Calories" could have been a bit smaller.
No live links please. Your data is well documented and the pictures clarify your project.
Abstract:
I will be freezing substances at room temperature and freezing the
same substances at 90 degrees Celsius to determine which takes the
longest to freeze.
Project Number: 4956
Grades: 7-9 Chemistry
Comments: Your scientific process is well detailed and your web site is very user friendly.
Abstract: To determine where germs thrive in our immediate environment and what is the effective way to avoid getting sick by them. I assumed that toilet seat will have most germs. However, Unclean money (coin) had the most amounts of bacteria instead of the toilet seat. Also, the most effective cleaning agent was the hand sanitizer. [ Pls listen to Audio 'Project Overview' ]
Project Number: 5046
Grades: 4-6 Biology
Comments: Your experiment was both meticulously carried out and informative. Thank you.
Ascochyta Blight in Chickpea
Evan Hardy Collegiate - Saskatoon, SK
Enterprise Saskatchewan Summa Cum Laude Award - $500.00
Abstract: Some chickpea lines are either resistant or susceptible to ascochyta blight depending on the A. rabiei isolate. We plan to compare the rate of phytotoxin production in these incompatible and compatible interactions which may contribute to understanding of the pathogen’s race-structure.
Project Number: 5009
Grades: 10-12 Biology
Comments:
Don't Drink From The Carton!
South Island Distance Education School - Victoria, BC
Enterprise Saskatchewan Summa Cum Laude Award - $80.00
Abstract: Often times my parents have reminded me to not drink directly from beverage container but instead to pour them into a cup. With this project I would like to find out if there is an increased amount of bacteria that enters a beverage when you drink it directly from the bottle or carton and if so how significant is it.
Project Number: 4792
Grades: 4-6 Biology
Comments:
Living Dinosaurs
Simons Valley Elementary School - Calgary, AB
University of Regina - Faculty of Science Summa Cum Laude Award - $80.00 Primary Fluid Systems " Best in School" Award - $50.00
Abstract: This project will be about living dinosaurs of today. One example of these creatures is the Coelacanth.
Project Number: 4390
Grades: 4-6 Biology
Comments: An example of a very good VSF descriptive project. The image sources are given, a student make video is provided and a puzzle is included. An attractive website and an interesting topic!. I like the blue colour choice for your background colour. You had a couple of words in pink that may be more difficult for people to see. The electrosensory mechanism you talked about is quite interesting. You have included a lot of good information in your project. Very few editing errors, especially for the length of your project. Your video loads quickly on a Mac but is slow to load on a P.C. The special effect background on your video is effective.
The Black-Tailed Prairie Dog
Spruce Ridge School - Estevan, SK
University of Regina - Faculty of Science Summa Cum Laude Award - $100.00 Transport Canada Award - $50.00
Abstract: This project describes the black-tailed prairie dog and its adaptations for survival in a grasslands habitat. The project also discusses some of the reasons prairie dogs disappeared as humans began to use and change its habitat. It also explores human actions resulting in the recover of prairie dog populations.
Project Number: 4425
Grades: K-3 Biology
Comments: Another great project from the students of Spruce Ridge School. Audio commentary in the movie would have been a nice addition.
