Science Fair Project

Categories

Westlake High School

Introduction to Research Methods

Unit 1: Science Fair Topics

and Research

Categories

Aerospace Science

Astronomy

Behavioral Science

Biochemistry

Botany

Chemistry

Computer

Programming

Computer Science

Earth Science

Electronics

Engineering

Environmental

Science

Health Science

Materials Science

Mathematics

Microbiology

Physics

Zoology

How do I find my

Science Fair topic?

Science

Categories

Your

Experiences

Current

Events

Commercials

NewspapersArticles

Radio

TV

Your Experiences

Remember a time you noticed something and thought

"I wonder how that works?" or

"I wonder what would happen if..."

then turn that into a project.

Check the science section of the school library. Browse and look at book titles, then look inside the ones that look similar to your experience.

Current Events

Think about current events. Look at the newspaper.

People are hungry in Africa because of droughts - a project on growing plants without much rain, which types grow ok with little water?

Or the ozone hole over Antarctica - how can we reduce ozone? -a project on non aerosol ways to spray things.

Or oil spills. how can we clean them up? -a project on how to clean oil out of water

National Geographic, Discover, Omni, Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Mother Earth News, High Technology, Prevention, and Garbage. Perhaps go to the downtown Library.

Commercials Watch commercials on TV.

Test their claims.

Does that anti-perspirant really stop wetness better than other ones?

What are the real differences between Cleaners? Are they safe for the environment?

What is your carbon footprint?

Is there a difference in the quality of a generic medicine vs. a name brand?

Science Categories

Look at lists of science categories and pick one that you are interested in, then narrow that down to a project.

For example, say you pick psychology

Then, narrow it to the differences between boys and girls

Then to a topic like "Do girls remember sports facts (footballs) better than boys?“

What is the effect of Social media on perpetuating an image or reputation?

Categories

Aerospace Science

Astronomy

Behavioral Science

Biochemistry

Botany

Chemistry

Computer Programming

Computer Science

Earth Science

Electronics

Engineering

Environmental Science

Health Science

Materials Science

Mathematics

Microbiology

Physics

Zoology

Aerospace Science Air speed and auto body design '86

Comparing solar noise at three selected radio frequencies

Two styles of model rockets: speed tracked with Infrared film

Fin designs for optimum model rocket height & stability '87

Which paper plane design produces best flight results? '92

The effect of shape and angle of attack on the lift of an airfoil

Comparing size and air resistance of model cars in a wind tunnel

Nose cone designs and drag in vertical flight

Reducing friction drag on model rocket with a sealant '89

Behavioral Science 1

Effect of background music on learning '86

Deciphering memory location in planaria

Effects of different types of noise on concentration

Do video games affect heart rate?

Full moons and human behavior

Word retention/retrieval & age

The effect of birth order and career choices

Who does better on tests? Visual vs. auditory learners

Motor automatism & paranormal information

Environmental preferences of Tenebrio molitor and larvae

Aerospace Science How degree of an airfoil's flap affects its lift

Effect of wing shape & size on distance of unpowered plane '90

Do multiple wings (airfoils) produce more lift ?

Which angle of launch sends a project the greatest distance? '93

Wind powered generator design, wind speed direction and their effect on generation of electricity

Designing a better parachute '94

Which airfoil will generate the most lift?

Which airfoil thickness provides the most lift?

The effects of drag on model rocket fins

The effect of length & width of wings on the lift of a plane

Behavioral Science 1

Musical stimuli & electrical activity using ergs

How color conditioning affects taste perception

Effects of the anapestic beat with music and no music on math productivity

Racing rodents '87

Child-restraint closure and age

Light intensity & vertical migration of daphnia

Peer pressure and honesty

The effect of salt on planarians

Optical illusions & age, handedness, or wearing of glasses

Does gender affect reaction time?

The tell-tale eye (How pupils react to stimuli) '88

Left brain or right brain: Which gender is in their right mind?I

Visual & verbal stimuli and short term memory '89

Behavioral Science 2 The effects of visual aid on memory

Bird feeder color: What do birds prefer?

Extra-sensory perception and twins '90

Do cats demonstrate a paw preference?

Memory and color: Does color affect memory? '93

Gender and manual dexterity in kindergartners

Biorhythms: Fact or fiction?

Children's recall and gender specific terms

Testing the learning patterns of ants

Children's drawings as a measure of ability to excel

Behavioral Science 2 Does age affect equilibrium?

Does temperature affect cricket chirp rate?

Does practice improve putting performance?

Genetic Studies - connections between hair and eye color, sex and left handedness, hair color and strength - family studies on inheritance

A study of territoriality in mice

A study of the cleaning habits of mice

Observation of conditioned responses in different animals

A study of animal phosphorescence and other biolumincescences

Learning and perception in animals and humans

Studies of memory span and memory retention

Age versus learning ability

A study of the relation between physical exercise and learning ability

Is audio or visual information better remembered

Study of insect of animal behavior versus population density

Biochemistry Project Ideas The effect of the amount of pectin in fruits and the amount of juice they

contain'87

Can you separate the colors of natural dyes using chromatography paper?

The effect of fresh, frozen and canned pineapple juice on the jelling of gelatin

How hydrogen peroxide temperature affects enzyme reactivity of lipase enzyme on liver'88

The effect of various stimulants on the heartbeat of Daphnia

How different foods affect blood glucose'89

The effect of low-fat diet and cholesterol

The toxic effect of plastics used in food packaging as observed in earthworms

The effect of ultraviolet light on the germination of pea seeds

The effect of aspartame on the morphological changes in Drosophila

The effect of carbon dioxide production and temperature in yeast growth'90

The effect of temperature storage and the amount of vitamin C retained in oranges

Under what storage conditions is corn seed the most viable?

Fluoride exposure'93

A study of animal phosphorescence and other biolumincescences

The effect of bleaching and dyeing on hair

A study of the percentage of DNA (by weight) in different species

Botany Project Ideas

Do coleus plants benefit from adding eggshells to the soil?'86

The effects of over fertilization of lima bean plants

The growth of electrostatically separated seeds

Toxic soil - lead in your diet

How sewage sludge affects plant growth

The effect of humidity on the growth of mushrooms'87

What is the effect of flat, side, and cleft grafting on different cacti?

How cadmium contamination of soil affects lettuce plants

Plant germination/growth and magnetism of seeds

What effect does gravity have on plant, root and stem growth?

The effect of acid rain on plant life

Determining changes in growth, appearance, biomass, cell structure and germination of tomato seeds and seedlings exposed to different doses of radiation by gentle and massive distribution

Botany Project Ideas

The effect of filtered and unfiltered sunlight on plant growth direction (phototropism)

Does removing the tips from young shoots affect their growth? (auxins)

Determining the water absorption characteristics of different types of wood

Determining the effect of different light sources on hydroponic growth

Do air fresheners affect plants?

The effect of ion concentration and hydroponic response (using tap, distilled & spring water)

The effect of microwave radiation on the growth and development of bean plants

Determining the effects of inorganic and organic fertilizers on coleus plants

The effect of battery powered electricity on the growth of radishes

How does the amount and type of fertilizer affect a pepper plant?'88

Determining the rate of starch production in a bean leaf through photosynthesis

Nutrient solutions and hydroponic plants

Aeroponics:Can terrestrial & epiphytic plants gain weight if roots exposed to air & humidity

Determining if various glucose solutions affect tomato seedling growth

Does the size of a wheat seed affect its growth performance?