The Best of the Science Fair Project Guidebooks

� The Best of the Science Fair Project Guidebooks

The BEST of the

Science Fair Project GuidebooksA Resource for Students, Teachers and Parents

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Table of Contents

Weights & Measurements ....... Inside Front Cover

Introduction ......................................................... 3

What is a Science Fair Project? .......................... 4

Getting Started .................................................... 5

Bringing It All Together ........................................ 6

THE EXPERIMENTS: PART 1

Hot Water

Project #1: Should You Showeror Take a Bath? ................................................... 7

Project #2: A Little Drip Meansa Big Energy Waste ............................................ 7

Heating and Air Conditioning

Project #3: How Does Insulation Work? .............. 9

Appliances and Lighting

Project #4: Does Your Clothes DryerWaste Energy? .................................................. 10

Project #5: Checklist forEnergy-Efficient Lighting ................................... 11

Energy from Trash

Project #6: Turning TrashInto Usable Energy............................................ 12


Exploring Thermal Energy

Project #1: Endothermic Reactions ................... 14

Project #2: Exothermic Reactions ..................... 15

Electricity

Project #3: The Potato Clock ............................ 18

Electricity and Magnetism

Project #4: Magnets .......................................... 21


Air Quality

Project #1: Don’t Take a Lichenfor Air Pollution .................................................. 24

Project #2: Stick ‘Em Up ................................... 27

Energy Efficiency

Project #3: Comparing Light Bulbs.................... 29

Project #4: Energy for Life................................. 29

Ocean and Coastal Resources

Project #5: A Salty Sea...................................... 30

Waste Reduction and Recycling

Project #6: Soap Box Opera ............................. 31

Project #7: Natural or Man-made Fibers ........... 32

Project #8: Test Your Strength ........................... 32

Water

Project #9: The Water Table .............................. 33

Project #10: Taking the SwampOut of Swamp Water ......................................... 36

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Ideas for More Projects ..................................... 38

Glossary ............................................................ 38

What is ‘Energy 2 Learn?’ ................................. 39

More Useful Information .......... Inside Back Cover

AcknowledgmentsThis guidebook is a project of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Office ofSolid Waste Reduction and Recycling in partnership with the S.C. Energy Office. Thank you to JoyceBrown, E.L. Wright Middle School and Linda Mobley, Richland Northeast High School for their reviewand recommendations on this guidebook.


It seems that nothing strikes fear in the hearts ofstudents and parents like these three words:science fair project.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. A science fairproject is an opportunity to research and learnabout things that interestyou. And through yourstudies you will learn howscience is basic toeverything around us.

You will benefit beyondyour improved scienceknowledge. Science fairprojects teach youproblem-solving skills,improve your written andoral communication skillsand give you thesatisfaction of completing awell-done project.

The ideas for projects areendless; you are limitedonly by your imagination.For example, does dirtydish water affect thegrowth of plants? Or howdoes acid rain affect plantgrowth? Which diapers arethe most absorbent? Whatis the pH of variousshampoos? Do differentbrands of gasoline make a difference in gasmileage?

The first key to a successful science fair project ispicking a topic that interests you. The reason issimple: you will be motivated to do a better job onthe project and will have fun doing it. Andremember, a good science fair project doesn’thave to be complicated. It is important that youunderstand your project and that you haveexplored the scientific and technical issuesrelated to your project.

The second key is careful planning. Afterdiscussing your project with your teacher andgetting approval for your idea, allow yourselfplenty of time for research, experiments,observation and analysis. In other words, don’twait until the last minute. Projects take time.

Ask questions about yourproject, but do the workyourself. If you do the workyourself, you will get amuch better understandingof why things do and do notwork as expected.

Finally, don’t get upset ifyour experiments proveyour hypothesis incorrect.Throughout history, some ofthe most importantexperiments were thosethat didn’t prove the originalhypothesis.

On the following pages arebasic ingredients for ascience fair project and tipsfor a great display as wellas suggestions for making agreat presentation. Best ofall, there are 20 science fairprojects complete witheasy-to-understandinstructions. In addition,

there are different subjects, including air, energy,water and recycling.

By performing one of the science projects in thisguidebook, you will gain a better understanding ofscience, and who knows, maybe you’ll find a newway to protect the environment.

Be careful doing your project. Give yourself plentyof time. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Enjoyyour work and have fun. But most of all – learn.Good luck.

Introduction


What is a Science Fair Project?

Tips on How to Choosea Science Fair Project

� List your favorite activities and subjects.Now select a project from one of thoseareas.

� What are some of the materials youcould use with your experiment? Arethe materials available at your home?You may want to select materials thatare inexpensive and easy to find.

� Your school library and local publiclibrary are good places to go for moreinformation to complete your science fairproject.

ProblemThe PROBLEM is the question to be answered.

HypothesisThe HYPOTHESIS is simply your best guess asto what will happen.

Project ExperimentationPROJECT EXPERIMENTATION means testingyour hypothesis. This includes more research,designing and planning for experimentation andtesting. Test your hypothesis carefully byexperimenting. Record everything you do. Makeobservations and record the results. Make chartsand graphs or take pictures so others canunderstand what you have done.

VariablesThings that can affect your experiment are calledVARIABLES. The INDEPENDENT VARIABLE isthe variable you purposely change. TheDEPENDENT VARIABLE is the variable you areobserving that changes in response to theindependent variable. The variables that are notchanged are called CONTROLLED VARIABLES.

ConclusionThe CONCLUSION is a summary ofwhat you have learned. Analyze your

data and decide if yourhypothesis wascorrect. Is more workneeded? What elsewould you do to workon this problem?

A science fair project is an investigation of aquestion that involves research, planning andapplication of the scientific method to find theanswer.

The Scientific MethodThe SCIENTIFIC METHOD is a tool thatscientists use to find answers to questions. Thetool involves the following steps: doing research,identifying a problem, stating a hypothesis,conducting project experimentation and reachinga conclusion.

ResearchYour RESEARCH begins when you select yourproject topic. Once you have chosen it, begin yourproject research. HERE’S A TIP: Choose acatchy title. Make it specific. Usually, it’s best forthe title to be a question or something like this:

� The Effects of...� The Study of...� An Investigation of...� A Comparative Study of...� The Observation of...


Getting Started...

Choose a topic.Again, don’t wait until the lastminute to start your project.Choose a topic that isinteresting to you. If you needan idea, begin by lookingthrough newspapers andmagazines, visiting the library,watching the news andeducational shows andexploring the Internet.

Ask your parents, teachers andfriends. Visit a museum or zoo.Make sure the topic you chooseis one you can do by yourself.Can you get all the necessaryequipment and supplies?

State the purpose.What do you want to discover?

Make a hypothesis.What do you think will happenbased on your knowledge?

Decide on a procedure.What do you need to do to findthe answer? What steps do youneed to take? What materialswill you need? Whatbackground information will youneed? Gather information aboutyour topic. Record all of yourinformation and sources in alogbook.

Experiment.Test your hypothesis carefullyby experimenting. Makeobservations and record theresults. Draw pictures andmake graphs so that anotherperson can understand whatyou have done.

Draw conclusions.Analyze your data and decideif your hypothesis was correct.Is more work needed? Whatelse would you do to work onthis problem? Give a onesentence conclusion to yourexperiment.

Tips for Building a Great DisplayYou have worked hard on yourproject so it is important todisplay it well. The keys to agood display are simplicity,neatness and clarity. Do notattempt something elaborate.

You should have a three-foldstanding display and a logbook.If you have an interesting pieceof equipment, you also maywant to display it. Remember, atpresentation time there shouldbe no food, no live animals orplants, no chemicals, nothinghot or electrical and nothingvaluable.

A good display takes as muchplanning as the project. You willneed the following:

� a white, three-foldcardboard backboard(colored backgroundssometimes work, but simpleis best);

� bright colored letters foryour title and categories(computer-generated oradhesive lettering);

� colored construction paperbehind your neatly typedpages of explanation to setthem off from thebackboard, and neat chartsand graphs;

� at least one drawing orphotograph; and

� a logbook recording howyou conducted yourexperiment.

Your display should contain thefollowing categories:

� a title;

� a purpose statement;

� an abstract (required forhigh-level competition);

� a hypothesis;

� the procedure;

� data/results charts, graphs,analysis; and

� a conclusion.

Your logbook should contain thefollowing:

� a title page;

� a table of contents;

� a purpose statement;

� an abstract;

� a hypothesis;

� a list of materials;

� the procedure;

� all data;

� charts, graphs, otheranalyses of your data;

� a conclusion;

� background information(listed in correctbibliographic form); and

� acknowledgments. (Did aparent, teacher or librarianhelp you?)


Other Helpful Hints

� Have magazine articles, pamphlets, etc., todisplay along with your logbook. Attract peopleto your display.

� Triple-check your spelling (nothing is more ofa turn-off than poor spelling on a display).

� Make sure everything is neat (no sloppyerasures, crossed-out words, graphsfalling off, etc.).

Bringing It All Together

� Color coordinate yourdisplay. Make iteye-catching.

� Make it so that thejudge can get somegood information justby glancing at yourdisplay. Keep it simpleand clear.

If You Have to Answer Questions or Make a Presentation...

Frequently, you’ll have to answer questions about your science fair project to science fair judges,parents and teachers. And sometimes, you may have to make a classroom presentation.

Here are some helpful hints to prepare.

� Be confident. You’ve done the work, done itwell and it will show!

� Smile, relax, stand straight and speakloudly.

� Introduce yourself and tell your age andgrade.

� Give the title of your project.

� Explain the purpose of your project.

� How did you get interested in this topic?

� Explain your hypothesis and procedure.

� Show your results. Show your logbook and allcharts and graphs of your results.

� List your conclusions.Explain how youinterpreted yourdata.

� If you hadproblems ormade mistakes,talk about them.Mistakes can bevaluable data inscience.

� Tell the judges what you would do next tocontinue working on this topic. If you were tochange or redo this project, how would you goabout it?

� Ask the judges if they have any questions.

� Thank the judges for their attention.


1 2

The Experiments: Part 1The following projects are provided by the Charles Edison Fund (CEF): A Philanthropic Foundation.They are recommended for use in Grades 4 - 5. These projects are from CEF’s booklet, “The Best ofEdison” and are reprinted with permission.

Hot Water

Making water hot takes energy and lots of it. Atypical family uses 15-20 million Btus of energyeach year to heat water for washing everythingfrom hands to dishes. It takes about 168 gallonsof fuel oil, 19,900 cubic feet of natural gas or4,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity to do the job.

The next two experiments have an importantthing in common. They both show us how wemay be wasting energy unintentionally.

Project #1: Should You Showeror Take a Bath?

MATERIALS:

� Your bathtub� A yardstick� A bar of soap (optional)

Here’s a surprising fact. If people who took bathstook showers instead, we’d save a lot of energy.This experiment demonstrates whatwe mean.

Start by taking a bath. Fill yourbathtub with water as usual, butbefore you step in, use youryardstick to measure the depth ofthe water in the tub.

Next, take a shower. (But not untilyou really need one!) Before youbegin, though, do somethingunusual. Close the bathtub drainso the shower water will collect inthe tub. When you are finished (takeyour time!), measure the depth of the

water that has collected. Compare this readingwith the bath water depth.

You will find that your shower used substantiallyless water...probably less than half as much! A lotof this water is hot water. As a rule of thumb,figure that it takes an ounce of oil (or a cubic footof gas, or 1/4-kilowatt-hour of electricity) to heat agallon of water. So you can see that showeringsaves lots of energy.

Project #2: A Little Drip Meansa Big Energy Waste

MATERIALS:

� An 8-ounce graduated measuring cup� A pencil� Paper� A faucet� A clock

“Drip, drip, drip” goes the leaky faucet. Each dropof water is tiny, but add all the drops

together and you end up withthousands of gallons of water

dripping from the faucet each year.If hot water is dripping down the

drain, you are wasting more thanclean water. You are throwing away theenergy used to heat that water.

Here’s an experiment that shows youhow serious the problem is. If you havea leaky faucet, use it. Otherwise,adjust your kitchen sink faucet (coldwater, please) to produce a steady

“drip, drip, drip.”


Place the measuring cup underneath the drippingfaucet and collect 15 minutes worth of drips. Youmay, for example, collect 4 ounces of water in 15minutes.

Now you have to do some arithmetic to find outhow much energy was wasted. Get your penciland paper (and your thinking cap). We’ll use the4-ounce figure in the example below.

� Step 1: Multiply the number of ounces ofwater you collected by four – this gives youthe number of ounces per hour leakingthrough the faucet.

4 ounces X 4 = 16 ounces per hour

� Step 2: Multiply the answer from Step 1 by24. This gives the number of ounces perday leaking through the faucet.

16 ounces per hour X 24 =384 ounces per day

� Step 3: Multiply the answer from Step 2 by365. This gives the number of ounces peryear leaking through the faucet.

384 ounces per day X 365 =140,160 ounces per year

� Step 4: Divide the answer from Step 3 by128. This gives the number of gallons peryear leaking through the faucet.

140,160 ounces per year ÷ 128 =1,095 gallons per year

That’s a lot of water. And if it was hot waterdripping, it took a lot of energy to make it hot. Youcan figure out approximately how much oil, gas orelectricity was wasted by doing the followingcalculations.

� For an oil-fired water heater: Divide theanswer from Step 4 by 110. This gives theapproximate number of gallons of oilwasted.

1,095 ÷ 110 = 9.95 gallons of oil per year

� For a gas-fired water heater: Multiply theanswer from Step 4 by 1.2. This gives theapproximate number of cubic feet of gas.

1,095 X 1.2 = 1,314 cubic feet of gas per year

� For an electric water heater: Multiply theanswer from Step 4 by 0.25. This gives theapproximate number of kilowatt-hours ofelectricity wasted.

1,095 X 0.25 = 274 kilowatt-hours per year


3Here’s an interesting fact. A typical Americanfamily uses more energy to heat their home inwinter than for any other purpose exceptpowering their automobile. “Space heating” (that’sthe technical term) uses more than one-fourth ofan average family’s total energy budget. That’smore than 100,000,000 Btus! It’s equivalent tomore than 800 gallons of oil or 100,000 cubic feetof natural gas.

The following experiment will teach you a lotabout keeping heat where you want it – which,after all, is the secret of conserving energy usedfor space heating. You see, during the winter, youwant to keep heat INSIDE your home. The betterjob you do, the less fuel you have to burn.

If your home is air conditioned, the same thing istrue – in reverse! During the hot summer months,the idea is to keep the heat OUTSIDE. By doingthis, you cut down on the energy needed to runyour air conditioner.

Project #3:How Does Insulation Work?

MATERIALS:

� A small water glass� An inexpensive fish tank thermometer� A cardboard box (Find one made out of

corrugated cardboard; it should be just bigenough to hold the water glass.)

� A handful of cotton balls

During the winter, the insulation in your home’swalls slows down the movement of heat fromindoors to the cold outdoors. To understand howinsulation works, you must first study how quicklyheat will flow from a warm object to cold air whenno insulation is present.

Fill the glass with water that is at roomtemperature (about 700F). Use your thermometerto measure the exact temperature. Put the

Heating and Air Conditioning

thermometer into the glass. Then, place the glassinside your refrigerator. Check the watertemperature every five minutes.

You will find that the water temperature dropsquickly – probably 3 or 4 degrees every fiveminutes. The reason, of course, is that heat isflowing out of the relatively warm water and intothe relatively cold surrounding air inside therefrigerator.

Now let’s add some insulation. Here’s how. First,refill the glass with water at room temperature.Then, place a layer of cotton balls inside thebottom of the cardboard box and rest the glass ontop of the layer of cotton. Finally, pack the emptyspace between the glass and the sides of the boxwith cotton balls. Put the thermometer in theglass and measure the exact temperature. Placethe glass, cotton and box in the refrigerator andcheck the temperature every five minutes. You’llfind that the temperature will drop much lessquickly this time – maybe only a degree or soevery five minutes. The cotton insulation isslowing down theloss of heat fromthe water in theglass.

The insulation inyour home’s walls isnot made of cotton(it is probably madeof fiberglass), but itworks much thesame way.

You may besurprised to learnthat many homesare poorly insulated.They have no insulation intheir walls and ceilings, or too little to effectivelyslow down the movement of heat from inside tooutside. Because of this, their owners must burnmore fuel in order to stay warm. This is a majorcause of energy waste.


4

Appliances and Lighting

The next chance you get, go on a “scavengerhunt” around your home for things that useenergy. You’ll probably find several dozen electriclights (don’t forget the bulb inside yourrefrigerator!), a dozen or more differentappliances (refrigerator, TV, toaster, washingmachine, etc.), a few electric clocks, a stereo andmaybe even an electric toothbrush.

It has been estimated that a well-equipped homeconsumes more than 35,000,000 Btus of energyeach year keeping these “energy eaters” well fed.

A lot of this energy is wasted. That’s bad news.But here’s the good news. It’s easy to conservemuch of the energy we are currently wasting.

The following two experiments will turn you intoan energy-saving expert. But before you begin,let’s spend a few moments discussing how youcan determine how much energy each of theelectrical appliances in your home uses. It’s reallyvery easy. All you have to do is look on the backor bottom of the appliance to find the electrical“ratings” information. You will see a group ofnumbers pretty much like the numbers in thechart on this page.

Ignore all the numbers EXCEPT the wattagerating. This number is the key to energyconsumption.

Once you have an appliance’s wattage rating,consult the table on the left. It tells you how muchelectrical energy (measured in kilowatt-hours) theappliance consumes during ONE HOUR ofoperation. The table also shows about how muchoil or coal was burned at your power station toproduce this amount of electrical energy.

Be sure you ask for permission before you turnover any kitchen appliances, and don’t try tomove big appliances without help from an adult.

Project #4: Does Your ClothesDryer Waste Energy?

MATERIALS:

� About an hour of spare time on WashingDay

� A clock

The heart of a clothes dryer is a source of hot air.Wet clothes tumble through the hot air and aredried. It takes many thousands of Btus of energyper hour to heat the air, so we should never run aclothes dryer unnecessarily.

Many people, however, do just that. They set thedryer’s timer for longer than is necessary and themachine rumbles on long after the clothes insideare completely dry.

ELECTRICAL APPLIANCEENERGY TABLE

ApplianceWattageRating

10

25

40

60

110

150

200

300

500

750

1000

1500

2000

5000

Kilowatt-Hrs.of Energy

Used Hourly

1/100

1 /40

I /25

3/50

1/10

3/20

I/5

3/10

1/2

3/4

1

1 1/2

2

5

Ounces of OilBurnedHourly

1/10

1/4

2/5

3/5

1

1 1/2

2

3

5

7 1/2

10

15

20

50

Ounces ofCoal Burned

Hourly

13/100

33/100 (or 1/3)

1/2

4/5

1 1/3

2

2 2/3

4

6 2/3

10

13 1/3

20

26 2/3

66 2/3


5

you a head start. Walk through your home – withpencil and paper in hand – and see how well thelights in your home measure up. Tell your parentsabout your findings.

Are bulbs and lampshades free of dust and dirtthat block light transmission? Dirty bulbs andshades waste the light produced inside the bulbs.As a result, you may turn on two lights when onlyone is really necessary.

Are lampshades light colored and translucent (solight can pass through them) rather than darkcolored and solid? It doesn’t make sense to useenergy to produce light and then block the lightwith a dark lampshade.

Are ceilings and walls light-colored? Light colorsreflect more light than dark colors so fewer lamps(or lower-wattage bulbs) can be used to light theroom.

Are “non-critical” lighting levels in your home keptas low as possible? As a rule of thumb, one wattof lighting per square foot of floor area isadequate for general room and hallway lighting.Use your yardstick or tape measure to measurethe floor space of rooms and halls. Check thewattage of the bulb(s) in the room to see if thelighting level is too high. For example, a 100-wattbulb in a 50-square-foot hall is too much. Ofcourse, “critical” tasks (such as reading, sewing,building model airplanes and doing yourhomework) require more light.

Does every member of your family turn off lightsafter he or she leaves a room? Not doing this isan out-and-out waste of valuable energy!

You may hear some people say they purposelyleave lights on. These people mistakenly believethat the sudden surge of electricity that flowsthrough a light bulb when it is turned onrepresents a lot of energy. They think keepingthe bulb lit – and thereby avoiding startingsurges – somehow saves energy. They arewrong. A light bulb consumes less energy duringits starting surge than during a single second ofnormal operation. Always turn lights off when theyare unnecessary, even if it’s only for a fewseconds.

This simple experiment will tell the tale. Start bygetting permission. Learn how to restart themachine after you stop it by opening the door.Now you are ready to begin.

The next time there is a load of clothes in thedryer, pull up a comfortable chair and startwatching the clock. After fifteen minutes go by,open the dryer door, wait for the drum to stopturning, then feel the clothes. (Careful! They maybe hot.) They probably will still be damp. Closethe door and restart the dryer.

Do this again every five minutes until the clothesfeel dry to your touch. Look at the timer and seehow much longer the dryer was set to run. If yourdryer is electric, you can figure that every wastedminute burned about 4/5 ounce of oil (or oneounce of coal) back at the power company. If yourdryer runs on gas, figure that every wastedminute burned about 1/10 cubic feet of gas.

Here are two other energy-saving tips for dryers.

� Make sure the lint filter is cleaned everytime the dryer is used.

� Don’t dry “half loads.” Make sure themachine is full before using it.

Project #5: Checklistfor Energy – Efficient Lighting

MATERIALS:

� A yardstick or tape measure� A pencil� Paper

How much energy is used to light your home?Your household probably uses about 2,000kilowatt-hours of electrical energy each year. Yourlocal electric power plant burns about 150 gallonsof oil (or more than 3/4 ton of coal) to generatethat much electricity.

With this much energy “going up in light,” itmakes good sense to learn to use lightingefficiently. This simple lighting checklist will give


6Energy From Trash

Turn trash into energy? Yes indeed. Many citiesacross the United States are doing just that. Theidea makes good sense.

After you complete this project, you will see thatmuch of the waste we discard every day can beburned to produce heat. In turn, this heat can beused to generate electricity in a power plant.

But combustible materials are only part of thestory. We also discard organic wastes (such asfood scraps) that can be transformed intomethane gas – the main component of naturalgas. In this way, our garbage can helpsupplement America’s natural gas supply.

According to the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency, more than 6 billion tons of waste of allkinds are produced in America each year. A largeportion of this mind-boggling heap containsrecoverable energy that never gets recovered.That’s a lot of energy going to waste – in waste.

As you might expect, converting waste productsinto energy is an expensive process, particularlywhen it is done on a large scale. However, wasteconversion kills two birds with one stone. First, itprovides us with needed energy. Second, it savesvaluable landfill space. For both of these reasons,many experts predict waste conversion willbecome very popular in the years ahead.

Project #6: Turning Trashinto Usable Energy

MATERIALS:

� A pair of gloves� Household trash (see text)� A shallow baking dish� Aluminum foil

As we said earlier, many of the things we throwaway every day can be burned to produce heat.They are a source of energy. This simple

experiment proves the point. It shows one way ofconverting trash into fire fuel.

The first step is to put on a pair of gloves andrummage through your trash cans. Look for paperor cardboard items that aren’t too dirty or messy.For example:

� paper cups or plates (no foam or plasticplates);

� paper toilet tissue wrappers;

� paper towels; and

� flour or sugar bags.

You get the idea. The list can go on and on.

Using scissors, cut these items into pieces thatwill fit neatly into the baking dish. But don’t putthem into the dish yet. First soak them in warmwater until they are soggy. While the paper piecesare soaking, line the dish with aluminum foil tokeep it clean.

Then place layer after layer of soggy paper intothe dish. Use your fingers to press the layerstogether and to force the excess water out of thesoggy mass. Pour this excess water out. Stopadding layers when you’ve built a pile that’s about3/4 inch thick.

Now we want thecompressed pile todry out. For thisdemonstration only,let’s speed up thedrying process byusing an oven.(Check with yourparents to see if it’sOK to use theoven.) Bake the pilefor about an hour.The oven


temperature should be around 2000F. DON’TUSE A MICROWAVE OVEN. Because of thealuminum foil, the microwave tube inside the unitcould be damaged.

After taking the dish out of the oven and lettingthe contents cool down, lift the pile out of thedish. If it is still damp, set it aside until completelydry. When dry, chunks of this salvaged waste

paper will burn like wood. You can use them in afireplace, campfire or wherever.

When making additional piles, skip the oven part.(You don’t need the baking dish either; usesomething else.) Simply let the piles dry outsidein the aluminum foil liner. It doesn’t make senseto consume more energy using the oven than youget from the fire fuel.

Here’s an IDEA...Before you begin a project, ask your teacher whichcategories will be judged at your regional sciencefair competition.


1The Experiments: Part 2

The following projects are provided by the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED).They are recommended for use in Grades 7 - 12. These projects are from NEED’s “Science of Energy”booklet and are reprinted with permission. They have been modified for use in this guidebook.

Exploring Thermal Energy

These experiments investigate ENDOTHERMICREACTIONS (reactions using heat) andEXOTHERMIC REACTIONS (reactionsproducing heat).

Project #1:Endothermic Reactions

MATERIALS:

� A bottle of vinegar� A container of baking soda� Four empty plastic sandwich bags� A thermometer� A spoon

PREPARATION:

� Study the sample script.

� Examine the equipment.

� Practice your presentation.

PROCEDURE:

� Explain that you are going to mix twochemicals together to make a thirdchemical. The reaction is an endothermicreaction. It requires energy in the form ofheat to make the third chemical from thefirst two.

� Pour about an ounce of vinegar into anempty plastic sandwich bag.

� Feel the vinegar in the bag to note thetemperature. Measure the exacttemperature using the thermometer.

� Record the temperature of the vinegar.Leave the thermometer in the bag.

� Carefully pour about a teaspoon of bakingsoda into the bag with the vinegar. Becareful! The reaction will foam to the top ofthe bag.

� Watch the temperature on the thermometerdrop. It should drop about 4 to 5 degreesCentigrade (50C) in 30 seconds.

� Record the time and temperature andremove the thermometer from bag.

� Feel the bag again to note the temperature.

� Carefully zip bag and put it aside.

ORAL PRESENTATION:

NOTE: This script is just a sample. You don’tneed to say it word for word. The important thingis to get the major concepts and facts across toyour audience.

THE SCRIPT: During this experiment, you’ll belearning about chemical reactions. Chemicalreactions occur when you mix two (or more)chemical compounds together to form othercompounds. All chemical reactions involve heat.Some give off heat and some use heat.

An endothermic reaction uses heat. ENDOmeans IN and THERMAL means HEAT.Endothermic – the heat goes in. Since the easiestway to measure heat is by its temperature, we’lluse a thermometer to show the changes in heat.

This experiment is an endothermic reaction – ituses heat. I’m going to mix vinegar and baking


2soda together to make another chemical. First, I’lladd the vinegar and check the temperature of it.(Pour about an ounce of vinegar into an emptyplastic bag. Hold the bag at the top and tilt it sothat all the vinegar is in one corner. Take thetemperature of the vinegar. It should be aboutroom temperature. Let everyone touch the bag.)It is _____ degrees.

Everyone touch the bag so you’ll know what thetemperature feels like. Now I’m going to add thebaking soda. You’ll be able to see a reactiontaking place. (Leave the thermometer in the bag.Pour in about a teaspoonful of baking soda. Becareful; the reaction will foam very high.) Now,watch the temperature on the thermometer. (Thetemperature should drop 4 to 50C in 30 seconds.Let everyone touch the bag again.) Thetemperature has dropped about 4 to 50C. Nowtouch the bag and tell me how it feels. Do youfeel the difference?

It feels colder because the reaction we just sawuses energy. (Take thermometer out of bag. Zipup bag and put to the side with the vinegar and

baking soda.) Heat is a form ofkinetic energy – the

vibration ofmolecules. Themore heatenergy, the

more themolecules vibrate

and the hotter theobject feels.

Kinetic energy isrequired to breakthe bonds thathold molecules

together and isreleased when

bonds are formed. (Show the formulas forendothermic reactions on page 16.) The topequation shows the reaction of vinegar andbaking soda. The reaction takes more energy tobreak the bonds than to form the new bonds. Thereaction takes the energy it needs from thesurrounding environment, which is why the bagfeels colder. The second equation is

photosynthesis – another endothermic reaction.Sunlight – or radiant energy – is needed tocombine water and carbon dioxide to form morecomplex chemical compounds.

Project #2:Exothermic Reactions

MATERIALS:

� Four handwarmers� A sealed bag of iron oxide� A container of calcium chloride� Two empty plastic bags� Scissors� 2 ounces of water

PREPARATION:

� Study the sample script to learn theexperiment.



� The sealed bag of iron oxide contains oldfilings from the handwarmers. This is calledthe old packet. A few minutes before yourfirst presentation, cut open a new packetand pour it into an empty plastic bag. Keepthe bag open so that oxygen in the air canreact with the black powder. This is calledthe new packet.

PROCEDURE: HANDWARMERS

� Explain that you are going to let oxygencome into contact with pieces of iron toproduce a third chemical – iron oxide. Thereaction is an exothermic reaction – itproduces energy in the form of heat. Mostreactions are exothermic.

� Show the package that held the iron filings.

� Feel the new packet to note thetemperature.


� Seal the new packet to prevent oxygen fromentering the bag.

� Let students feel the old packet and notethe temperature.

� After performing the second part of thedemonstration – driveway ice – let studentsfeel the new packet that you sealed,pointing out the temperature drop after thebag was sealed and no oxygen couldenter to keep the reaction going.

PROCEDURE:DRIVEWAY ICE

� Explain that calcium chloride isused to melt ice on sidewalksand driveways. When calciumchloride comes into contact withwater, a reaction takes place thatproduces heat.

� Pour two ounces of water into a plastic bag.Record the temperature using thethermometer.

� Pour a teaspoon of calcium chloride into thewater.

� Record the temperature.

� Seal the bag and put it aside.

ORAL PRESENTATION:

Most reactions don’t take in heat like vinegar andbaking soda. Most chemical reactionsgive off heat – they’re exothermic.EXO means OUT and THERMALmeans HEAT. Exothermic – the heat

goes out. Let’s watch a reaction thatgives off heat.

A few minutes ago I opened thishandwarmer. It was filled with ironfilings. (Show audience the packagethe hand warmer came in.) Why do you

think it was sealed in plastic? (Getanswers from audience.) The plastic keeps airfrom reaching the iron. I put the iron filings intothis plastic bag and left it open so that oxygencould get to it. (Hold up new packet.) The oxygen

ENDOTHERMIC REACTIONS

VINEGAR AND BAKING SODA

Vinegar + Baking Soda + Heat → Water + Carbon Dioxide + Sodium AcetateCH3COOH + NaCO3 + Heat → H2O + CO2 + NaC2H3O2

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Water + Carbon Dioxide + Radiant Energy → Glucose + Oxygen6H2O + 6CO2 + Radiant Energy → C6H12O6 + 602

EXOTHERMIC REACTION

IRON FILINGS

Iron + Oxygen → Iron Oxide (Rust) + Heat Energy4Fe + 302 → 2Fe2O3 + Heat Energy


Here’s an IDEA...Save your old science fair project and expand on iteach year.

in the air is reacting with the iron to form a newchemical, iron oxide or rust.

Feel this packet. (Let everyone feel newpacket. It should feel warm.) It feelswarm. When iron comes in contact withoxygen, it makes rust and heat. Youcan see that most of the ironfilings are still black. (Show theformulas for exothermic reactionson page 16.) They will slowly turnto rust as long as we let oxygenreach them. Now I’m going to sealthe bag. No oxygen will be able toget to the iron filings. The reactionshould slow down and stop. At theend of the presentation, we’ll feel the bag again tosee if the temperature has changed.

Here is a packet of filings that has been open forseveral weeks. (Hold up old packet. Let everyonefeel it.) As you can see, all the iron has turned torust. No more heat is being produced. Why doyou think the handwarmer has a lot of iron filingsinstead of one chunk of iron? (Get answers fromaudience.) Because more iron can come incontact with oxygen when it is in small pieces.

Let me demonstrate another reaction. Thiscontainer contains calcium chloride. It is used tomelt ice on sidewalks and driveways. When

calcium chloride comes in contact withwater, a reaction occurs and heat isproduced.

Let’s put two ounces of water into thisplastic bag and record the temperature.

Now, let’s put a teaspoon of calcium chloridein the water. Since this is an exothermic

reaction, will the temperature of the waterincrease or decrease? (Get answers.)That’s right. Since exothermic reactions

give off heat, the temperature of thesolution should increase. (Record

temperature.) As you can see, the temperature ofthe water is now _____.

Feel the bag of iron filings that I sealed a fewminutes ago. (Pass the new packet around.) Theiron filings are cooler, aren’t they? Sealing thebag kept oxygen from coming in contact with theiron. The reaction has stopped. No more heat isbeing produced.

Do you have any questions?


3Electricity

Project #3: The Potato Clock

This activity uses a common potato and twodifferent metals to make enough electricity to runa small digital clock.

MATERIALS:

� One large raw potato

� Two pennies

� Two large galvanized (zinc) nails

� Three pieces of 6-inch long electrical wire(with about 2 inches of insulation strippedfrom each end)

� Small digital clock – The digital clock can beextracted from an inexpensive alarm clockor it can be purchased from an electronicsstore.

PREPARATION:




PROCEDURE:

1. Cut the potato in half. Place the halves nextto each other with the flat side down on aplate.

2. Wrap one end of the first wire around one ofthe nails. Press the nail into one of the potatohalves.

3. Wrap one end of the second wire around oneof the pennies. Do this by first laying thepenny across the exposed wire. Position the

penny so it is centered on the wire and almosttouching where the wire insulation begins.Fold the end of the exposed wire over the topof the penny. Pinch the penny and wirebetween your index finger and thumb on onehand and pinch the overlapping wire with theother hand. Twist the penny until the wiretightens around the penny. Press the edge ofthe penny about halfway into the other half ofthe potato.

4. Attach one end of the third wire to theremaining nail and the other end of the wire tothe remaining penny as in step 3.

5. Insert the nail into the potato that already hasthe penny stuck into it. Then stick the pennyinto the potato that already has the nail stuckinto it.

6. Remove the back off of the clock and take outthe button battery.

7. Place the digital clock so the audience cansee the display.

8. Connect the two wires coming from the potatobattery to the contact on the battery holder. Ifthe clock does not illuminate the polarity mightbe incorrect. Touch the wires to the oppositecontacts on the clock’s battery holder.

ORAL PRESENTATION:


THE SCRIPT: Welcome to my power plant. I’mgoing to make electricity for you. Most of theelectricity we use today is made with turbinegenerators, but I’m going to use a potato andsome different pieces of metal. I’m going to usethe chemical energy in the potato to makeelectricity without a turbine.


Chemicals are everywhere. Take this potato, forexample. (Hold up the potato.) I’m going to usethe phosphoric acid in this potato to show how abattery works.

First I’ll cut this potato in half. Now I’ll wrap theend of this first wire around this nail and push thenail into this potato half.

Next I’ll wrap the end of this second wire aroundthis penny and press the penny into the other halfof the potato. Taking the lastpiece of wire, I’ll wrap oneend around theremaining nail and theother end around theremaining penny.(Insert this nail intothe potato half thathas the penny in it.Then insert the pennyend into the potato halfwith the nail in it.)

Next I’ll remove the back from the clock andremove the button battery. I’ll connect the twofree ends of the wires to the contact in the batteryholder. As you can see by looking at the clock,I’ve produce an electric current. The question is,“How?”

When I put the zinc nails and copper pennies intothe potato, both metals react with the phosphoric

acid in the potato – freeing electrons. But theydon’t react in exactly the same way. The metalslose electrons in different amounts.

Let’s say – to keep it simple – that for every twoelectrons the copper loses, the zinc loses four.This creates an imbalance. The copper becomesan electron donor. The zinc becomes an electronacceptor. (Show them the diagram on page 20.)

The galvanized nail provides the zinc needed forthe reaction. The phosphoric acid

dissolves the zinc in the nailand frees electrons from

the zinc atoms. Thefreed electrons stayon the wire and theresulting zinc ionsmigrate into the acidicjuices of the potato.This results in anexcess of electrons on

the zinc wire. If a wire isconnected between the zinc nail and the copperpenny, electrons will flow. This flow of electrons isthe electrical current that makes the digital clockfunction.

This is the way all batteries work. There arechemicals in batteries and the electrons flow fromone metal to another – converting chemicalenergy into electrical energy. Do you have anyquestions?


Electrochemical Cell

CopperPenny

ZincNail

LosesTwo

Electrons LosesFour

Electrons

CopperPenny

ZincNail

LosesTwo

ElectronsLosesFour

Electrons


4Electricity and Magnetism

Project #4: Magnets

This project will explore ELECTRICITY andMAGNETISM. It will also investigate transformingmechanical energy into electricity.

MATERIALS:

� A large magnet� A small magnet� A voltage meter� A small coil with many turns� A large coil with few turns� The illustration from page 22� Clips for the voltage meter

PREPARATION:




� Attach clips to the leads of the meter. Placethe meter so the audience can see its face.If the needle of the meter seems tostick, gently tap the face of themeter.

PROCEDURE:

� Using the illustration on page 22,briefly explain how power plantsgenerate electricity.

� Connect the clips from the meter to theleads on the small coil with many turns. Itdoesn’t matter which way you connect them.

� Slide the flat side of the large magnet backand forth over the coil several times, NOTTOUCHING THE COIL. Note the movementof the needle from side to side. Vary the

speed with which you move the magnet andnote the meter.

� Rest the magnet on top of the coil and notethat no current is produced.

� Place the magnet on the table. Place thecoil on it, then quickly pull it away. Note themeter.

� Rest the coil on the magnet. Move themagnet and coil together. Note that nocurrent is produced.

� Demonstrate with both magnets to comparethe strength of the magnet.

� Demonstrate with both coils, making sure topoint out the difference in the number ofturns of the wire.

ORAL PRESENTATION:


THE SCRIPT: There are lots of different ways tomake electricity, but I’m here to show you how

the pros do it. More than 160 years ago,Michael Faraday discovered that if youmove a magnet through a coil of copperwire, you produce an electric current inthe wire. All of our major power plantsproduce electricity this way. (Explain theillustration of page 22.)

Power plants use energy to spin ahuge turbine. The turbine rotates a

magnet in a coil of copper wire to produceelectricity. Lots of different kinds of energy areused to spin the turbines. In most power plants,coal is burned to make steam. The steam is usedto spin the turbines. Windmills use themechanical energy in the wind to spin theturbines.


Today, I’m going to use my mechanical energy tomake electricity. Here I have a coil of copper wireI am attaching to a meter that measures electriccurrent. And here I have a magnet. (Attach thesmall coil with many turns to the meter. Place thelarge, flat side of the magnet over the top of thecoil – near BUT NOT TOUCHING. Move themagnet back and forth over the coil severaltimes.)

When I use my mechanical energy to move themagnet over the coil, I make electricity. Watch themeter – notice the needle jump from side to side.That means the current is alternating from onedirection to the other. I’m producing an alternatingcurrent. It’s called an AC current and it’s the kindof electricity we use in our homes. The electricityyou get from a battery is direct – or DC – current.That means it always flows in one direction.Batteries produce DC current.

If I just rest the magnet on top of the coil, noelectricity is produced. No mechanical energy isbeing used to make the electrical energy.

What do you think will happen if I put the magneton the table and move the coil? Let’s try it and

see. (Place the coil over the magnet, then move itaway several times.) It produces electricity. Itdoesn’t matter whether we move the magnet orthe coil, as long as one of them moves and theother doesn’t. If I move both the magnet and thecoil in the same direction at the same speed, noelectricity will be produced. Watch. (Place the coilon top of the magnet and move them together.)

Let’s see what we can do that affects the amountof electricity we produce. First, let’s try speed. Doyou think I can produce more electricity if I movethe magnet quickly? First, I’ll move the magnetslowly – let’s see what the meter reads. (Slowlymove the magnet over the coil several times,noting the reading on the meter.)

Now, let’s try moving the magnet faster. (Movethe magnet quickly.) I produce more electricitywhen I move the magnet faster, don’t I? That’sbecause I’m putting more mechanical energy intothe magnet when I move it quickly.

Can you think of anything else that might affectthe amount of electricity produced? How aboutthe strength of the magnet? Here I have a smallermagnet. Let’s see what happens when I move

ABOVE: This illustration shows how coal is burned to make electricity.


both magnets at the same speed. (Demonstratewith both magnets several times, trying to keepyour speed the same.) The larger one producesmore electricity. So a stronger magnet producesmore electricity.

There’s another thing that can affect the amountof electricity produced – the number of turns inthe coil. I have two coils here, one with manymore turns than the other. (Let the audienceexamine both coils.) Let’s try the experimentagain. (Demonstrate using both coils.) The coil

with more turns produces more electricity, eventhough it’s smaller.

Today, we’ve learned that we can make electricalenergy using mechanical energy to move amagnet across a coil of copper wire. We’ve alsolearned that the strength of the magnet, thespeed of the magnet and the number of turns inthe coil all affect the amount of electricityproduced.

Do you have any questions?

Here’s an IDEA...Ask adults for information about your project, butDO THE WORK YOURSELF!


1Every natural habitat fromdeserts to rain forests has

lichens. They are able tosurvive extremeconditions of heat, coldand drought. However,few species of lichens

can survive air pollution,particularly acid air

pollution. Lichens come in avariety of sizes, shapes,colors and textures.Lichens often aredivided into threeclassifications – crusty,leaf-like or shrubby.Crusty lichens usuallygrow flat on rocks andtree trunks and may beembedded in thesesurfaces. Crusty rock lichensare colorful and range fromoranges and yellows to greens,browns, grays and blacks.Leaf-like lichens have lobed

surfaces that are onlypartially attached toother surfaces.Shrubby lichens arebranched and eitherstand upright orhang from othersurfaces. Leaf-like

and shrubby lichensare usually some

shade of green. Lichens areoften confused with moss, butreal mosses are tiny plants withleaves and stems. Scientistsstudy both the type of lichenspresent and the size of thelichens. Shrubby and leaf-likelichens can only survive inclean air.

The Experiments: Part 3

Air Quality

Project #1: Don’t Take a Lichen for Air Pollution

BACKGROUND:

Plants called lichensare sensitive to airpollution, especiallythe air’s acidity. Soyou can use theirpresence or absenceas an indicator of airquality. They areactually two types of plants,algae and fungi, growing soclosely together that they looklike one single organism. Theyoften are considered symbioticorganisms – mutually beneficialto each other. Lichen fungicannot live without their algaepartners, while most of thealgae can live by themselves.Lichens often grow in locationswhere most other plantscannot – bare rocks, treetrunks, bare soil. In some ofthese locations theyplay an important rolehelping soilformation. Byinteracting with thebare rocks to helpbreak them downchemically and bytrapping dust andorganic matter from theair, lichens often start to createand enrich soil where otherplants can eventually grow.

Shrubby Lichen

Leaf-likeLichen

CrustyLichen

Lichens are relatively rare inlarge cities, and in areas of veryheavy air pollution, there are nolichens of any type. The size ofthe lichens present also isimportant. Larger individuallichens generally mean betterair quality. In 1971, an airquality map of the British Isleswas made based on an

evaluation of lichenpresence and growth.

Lichens also arevaluable for

evaluating air qualityin another way.Lichens accumulatemetals and otherelements fromrainwater and dust.

By analyzing lichens that livenear emission sources forchemicals which indicatepollution, scientists candetermine how far the pollutionhas spread.

MATERIALS:� Small marking flags

� Masking tape

� A permanent marker

� The Lichen Grid(see page 26)

� A pencil

� Graph paper

� A clipboard

� A camera

Reprinted with permission from“A&WMA’s EnvironmentalResource Guide (ERG) – AirQuality, 6-8,” 1991; Air & WasteManagement Association,Pittsburgh, PA 15222.


PREPARATION:

1. Know the background information.2. Make sure you have all of the materials.3. Identify the location where the lichen are

present.4. Draw a map of the area.5. Mark each flag to be able to identify it.

PROCEDURE:

1. Place the marked flags near the lichen.2. Draw the location of the flags on the map.3. Collect some of the lichen and trace them

onto the grid.4. Measure the lichen and record the size and

type onto the same grid sheet.5. Enter all of the data onto a master map

(location, type of lichen and size).

RESULTS:

1. What kinds of lichens are found at the studysite? Use the scale “Lichens as PollutionIndicators” to assess the air quality usingthe lichen type.

2. What size are the lichens? Use the chart“Measuring Air Quality Using Lichens Size”to assess air quality based on size.

3. Are the results the same using bothmethods?

4. Look at the site map. Describe where youfound the biggest and smallest lichens andwhy.

5. Do you think air quality is affecting lichensat this site? Why or why not?

To learn more about the air in South Carolina,visit DHEC’s Bureau of Air Quality Web site atwww.scdhec.gov/baq.

Lichens as Pollution Indicators

Plants called lichens are sensitive to air pollution,especially the air’s acidity. So you can use theirpresence or absence to see how clean the air is.Shrubby and leaf-like lichens only survive in clean air. Inthe most polluted areas there are none at all. Look forlichens on walls, stones and trees, and use this scale torate the air quality.

NOTE: Different lichen types can be found in the samearea. To use this scale, decide which lichen type is mostcommon in the study area.

Polluted Air

Clean Air

1

2

3

4

5

SCALE

POLLUTED AIR

1. No lichens (possibly green algae)

2. Grey-green crusty lichens (tombstones)

3. Orange crusty lichens (tombstones)

4. Leaf-like lichens (walls and trees)

5. Shrubby lichens (trees)

CLEAN AIR


The

Lich

en G

rid

MEASURING AIR QUALITY USING LICHEN SIZESIZE (square centimeters)

10 - 127 - 94 - 60 - 3

AIR QUALITYExcellent

GoodFairPoor


2Project #2: Stick ’Em Up

BACKGROUND:

The air around us is invisible. It is made up ofgases that cannot be seen. Many major airpollutants are also invisible gases. In some areasof the country, these air pollutants can build tolevels where they can be seen. For example, insome California cities, smoky, yellowish clouds ofprimarily car exhaust build up to create SMOG.

Other easily visible air pollutants, calledPARTICULATE MATTER, are made up of tinyparticles of solids or droplets of liquids. Some ofthese particulates are naturally occurring and maypose less of a problem to human health than doman-made particulates. Some of the naturalparticulates include pollen, wind-blown dust orvolcanic ash. Man-made particulates aregenerated by coal and oil-fired power plants,manufacturing plants, automobile and dieselfuels, and fireplaces and wood-burning stovesamong others.

These AIRBORNE particulates – or particlescarried through the air – can be harmful to plants,animals and humans. Buildings and statues canbe discolored. Analysis and measurement of airpollutants can be done by various means,depending on the chemical and physicalcharacteristics of the pollutant. Particulate mattermeasurement uses gravimetric principles, whichrefers to measurement by weighing. Particlesare trapped or collected on filters, and the filtersare weighed to determine the volume of thepollutant. The weight of the filter with the collectedpollutant minus the weight of a clean filter givesthe amount of particulate matter in a given volumeof air.

PREPARATION:

1. Follow the directions and make the Stick ‘EmUp Collectors (or create your own).

2. Weigh the collectors before they are used.

3. Select different sites to hang the Stick ‘Em UpCollectors. On each collector, record name,location, date and time it is hung or set in itslocation. Site selections may include inside

your room, your kitchen, the garage, near thepets sleeping quarters, in the gym at school,bathrooms, outside near a tree, near theparking lot, on the recess field, etc. Theseshould be placed where they can hang freelyor set somewhere not touching other objectsand where they will not be touched by otherpeople. Be sure to let the custodial staff andyour family know about this, too.

4. Draw a map of the area including the locationof each collector (optional).

PROCEDURE:

1. Record the information on a chart includingthe “clean” weight of the collector and thelocation.

2. Place the collectors in their locations andleave them for at least eight days.

3. Take up the collectors and analyze them byweighing them and observing them through amicroscope or magnifying glass.

4. Take pictures of some of the collectors in theirlocation (optional).

MATERIALS:

� Stick ‘Em Up Collectors

� Scissors

� Clear tape

� String

� A hole punch

� A magnifying glass or microscope

� A marker

� Scales (in milligrams)

� A clipboard

� Graph paper

� A pencil

� A camera (optional)


RESULTS:

1. What is the weight of the collectors after theeight days? (Compare to the weight beforethey were used.)

2. What did you observe under the microscopeor magnifying glass?

3. Did you have more particulate matter inside oroutside? (Compare the results.)

REMEMBER: Always chart the information youcollect throughout the project.

CONCLUSION:

1. Can we see air pollution? How do we knowthat air pollution exists?

2. Give examples of visible air pollution.

3. Discuss the concept of particulate matter.

4. Why do you think one location may have moreparticulate matter than another? What is inthat area that may be the cause?

5. List some sources of air pollution, both visibleand invisible. Can a single source provideboth visible and invisible air pollution?

EXTENSION ACTIVITY:

Make a traffic survey. Pick a location where youcan observe a busy intersection from asafe distance. Separately record the number oftrucks, cars, buses, vans and taxi cabs that passthrough that intersection in a given hour. Try thisover several days at different times of the day.

� Ask: What factors influence volume oftraffic? (locations of highways, number ofpeople in the community, shopping centers,businesses, special events, etc.)

� Ask: Did you see evidence of air pollution?(smells, smoke, wilted plants struggling tosurvive etc.)

� Ask: Do you think this is a problem? Why orwhy not? If so, what do you think should bedone to correct it?

STICK ‘EM UP COLLECTOR:

1. Copy the Stick ‘Em Up sheet and make yourparticulate matter collector (left).

2. Cut out the four holes in the strip as marked.Using the hole punch, make a hole in the topand tie the string into a loop.

3. Cover one side of the strip with clear tape sothat the holes are covered on one side. DONOT TOUCH THE STICKY SIDE OF THETAPE THAT IS SHOWING THROUGH THEHOLES.

Nam

e:__

____

____

____

____

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__

Loca

tion:

____

____

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____

____

____

____

__

Dat

e:__

____

____

____

____

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__Ti

me:

____

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___

The

Stic

k ‘E

m U

p Co

llect

or


3PROCEDURE:

1. Have an adult place the fluorescent bulb in thelamp and turn it on. Observe the light that isproduced.

2. Hold a thermometer 6 inches above the bulbfor one minute and record the temperature.Turn off the lamp and let the bulb cool.

3. Have an adult remove the fluorescent bulb,place the incandescent bulb in the lamp andturn it on. Observe the light that is produced.

4. Hold a thermometer 6 inches above the bulbfor one minute and record the temperature.

EXTENSION QUESTIONS:

1. Could you tell any difference in the kind oflight the two bulbs produced?

2. Did one bulb produce more heat than theother?

3. Which bulb is more energy efficient?

Energy Efficiency

Project #3: Comparing Light Bulbs

BACKGROUND:

There are many types oflight bulbs availablethese days. Two that areused primarily at homeare incandescent andfluorescent light bulbs.Which kind do you thinkproduces the most heat?Do you think they give offthe same kind of light?

MATERIALS:

� An incandescent bulb

� A compact fluorescent bulb(NOTE: The bulbs should produceequivalent lumens.)

� A thermometer

� A lamp

4Project #4: Energy for Life

BACKGROUND:

Plants need severalthings to survive andgrow. They need water,nutrients from the soiland carbon dioxide fromanimals. But what aboutsunlight?

PROCEDURE:

1. Place two pottedplants in a sunnyplace.

MATERIALS:

� Two similarpotted plants

� A brown paperbag

� Water

2. Cover one plant with a brown paper bag.

3. Give both plants the same amount of water.

4. Observe the plants for two weeks.


1. Which plant looks healthier after two weeks?

2. How did the covered plant appear differentfrom the uncovered one?

3. Did the covered plant need sunlight?


5Ocean & Coastal Resources

Project #5: A Salty Sea

BACKGROUND:

Oceans cover about 71 percent of the earth’s surface. Oceanscontain salt water. There are some parts of the world, however,where the water is saltier than in other locations. The sun over theocean causes the water to evaporate. Salt does not evaporateand is left behind, causing the remaining saltwater to be evensaltier.

PROCEDURE:

1. Combine two cups of water with table salt (2 tablespoons) andplace in the tea kettle. Taste a drop of this mixture. With thehelp of an adult, bring the water in the kettle to a boil.

2. Have the adult hold the plate over theescaping steam and allow a few drops toaccumulate. Be careful not to come in contactwith the steam – IT CAN BE VERY HOT! Pullthe plate away and allow the drops to cool,then taste a drop. Is it as salty as the originalmixture?

3. Boil the remaining water left in the kettle forfive minutes. Allow the water to completelycool and taste it again. Does this taste saltieror less salty than the original mixture? Does ittaste saltier or less salty than the drops on theplate?

MATERIALS:

� Table salt

� A tea kettle

� Water

� A glass or plasticplate

� A world map


1. Look at the map of the world. Where are thewarmest oceans? The coolest?

2. When water is heated, what happens?

3. What does evaporation mean?

4. Which seas and oceans might be the saltiest?Why?


6PROCEDURE:

1. Before pouring the detergent into thecontainers, weigh the containers while theyare empty and record the weights of thecontainers. Weigh the detergent in theseparate containers and record the numbers.Take the total weight and subtract the weightof the container. This number will be theweight of just the detergent.

2. Weigh the empty boxes that the detergentcame in. Record these numbers.

3. Divide the weight of the empty box by theweight of the detergent. This will tell howmuch packaging is needed for the amount ofdetergent. Is lesspackaging needed perounce of detergent inlarger boxes thansmaller boxes?

Waste Reduction & Recycling

Project #6: Soap Box Opera

BACKGROUND:

Usually, it is more economical to buy larger ratherthan smaller sizes of products. Purchasing largerquantities is known as “buying in bulk.” Forexample, a 5-ounce box might only cost $5,making the cost $1per ounce whereasa 10-ounce boxmight cost $8 or 80cents per ounce.Buying in bulk mighthave advantagesother than costsavings.

Examine the ratio ofcarton material tothe product quantity.Does buying inlarger quantitiesalso require less packaging material per unitmeasure of the product? Could people lessentheir impact on the environment by buying inbulk?

PREPARATION:

Purchase several different-sized boxes of laundrydetergent. Pour the contents of each intoseparate containers – one container for each box.

MATERIALS:

� Different-sizedlaundrydetergentboxes

� A scale

� A calculator

Weight

of Container

Weight of Container

& Detergent

Weight of Container

& Detergent - Weight

of Container = Weight

of Detergent

Weight of

Detergent Box

Weight of

Detergent Box ÷Weight of Detergent


78

Project #8: Test Your Strength

BACKGROUND:

Some people questionwhether productsmade from recycledmaterials can performtheir job as well asproducts made fromentirely new materials.Plastic, paperproducts, aluminumcans and someclothing are allcommonly availablewith both new andrecycled content.

PREPARATION:

Purchase similar items made from recycledcontent and “virgin” (new) materials.

PROCEDURE:

Compare the strength and performance of the“virgin” (new) products to ones made with differentpercentages of recycled content.

Product Tests Performed Performance

MATERIALS:

You will needproducts madefrom “virgin” (new)materials andrecycled contentmaterials such aswriting paper,pencils, foldersand clothing.


1. Does manufacturing a product with recycledmaterials alter its performance?

2. Which materials were stronger or moredurable?

3. In what ways did the recycled materialsperform better or worse than the productsmade from new materials?

Project #7:Natural or Man-made Fibers

BACKGROUND:

Some fibers are madefrom natural materialslike cotton, while othersare made fromman-made or “synthetic”materials like polyester.Which type of fiber doyou think willdecompose faster –natural fibers orsynthetic fibers?

PROCEDURE:

1. Cut three 4-inchsquares from eachmaterial.

2. Bury one square ofeach material, making sure you mark the spotwhere they are buried. Put a second square ofeach material in a jar, fill it with water and puta lid on it. Place the jar inside in a sunnyplace. Place the third squares in a dark placewhere they will not be disturbed.

3. After one month, remove the samples fromthe ground, jar and dark place. Examine thesquares and record your observations.


1. Which fibersdeteriorated themost?

2. Which environmentmade the materialsdeteriorate morequickly?

3. Can you find out why?

MATERIALS:

� A 100 percentcotton T-shirt

� An old nylonstocking

� An old woolsock

� An old acrylicor polyestersweater

� A plot of soil

� Water

� A glass jarwith lid


9OBJECTIVE:

In this activity, you will create a model of the watertable and conduct an experiment to see howwater is stored in the ground and how water runoffand pollution move through soil.

BACKGROUND:

Precipitation falls into water or on land where it“runs off” of hard – or impervious – surfaces suchas rock or concrete, or infiltrates soft, or pervious,surfaces such as soil or sand. If water movesdownward, it can replenish water contained in theunderground rock and sediment. This supply ofwater is referred to as GROUNDWATER.

Groundwater is water that has percolated into theground and is held under the surface. Rain seepsthrough the top layers easily. The earth near thesurface is loaded with tiny air spaces. Even rockshave cracks and pores through which water canfind its way. But when water reaches clay orimpervious rock, it will not sink any farther.

As more water seeps or percolates into theground, it begins to collectabove the bedrock or densesoil. When the ground hasas much water as it canhold, it is saturated.Water that seeps intothe ground fillsthe tinycrevices andthe waterlevel risestoward the surfaceas the spaces in theground fill up. Theuppermost level iscalled the WATER TABLE.

Water

Project #9: The Water Table

The area of dry ground above the water table iscalled the ZONE OF AERATION. After heavyrains, the table is nearer the surface, and in dryweather it drops again.

PREPARATION:

1. Fill a clear container (soda bottle or jar)three-fourths full of sand and gravel mix. Next,pour water down the side of the jar until thewater level rises about half way up the side ofthe jar. This water level should represent thelevel of the water table. Use a crayon ormarker to mark the present level. Point outthat if more water is added, the water table willrise.

2. Using your crayon or marker, press down onthe sand in one spot down to the water tableto show that wherever the land surface dipsbelow the water table, groundwater flows out

MATERIALS:

Refer to the illustration of the water tablemodel on page 34.

� A wide-mouth glass jar (or a 2-literplastic soda bottle with the top cut off)

� A beaker, measuring cup or any cupfor pouring water

� A crayon (dark colors works best tomark on plastic) or a permanentmarker

� A mixture of sand and gravel (severalcups)

� Water (several cups)


to the surface. This forms springs, swamps orlakes. Explain that during dry weather periods,the water table level goes down and some

streams and swamps may dry up as well. Youmay want to draw the water table illustrationbelow on the board as an example.

STREAM SWAMP LAKE

Water Table

EXTENSION ACTIVITY:

The following activitywill demonstrate howwater moves throughdifferent types of soil.You will also measurevolume accurately,identify three types ofsoil by texture andmake visualobservations aboutwater movementthrough the soil.

NOTE: This activityshould be precededby a discussion oftypes of soils, andhow water is absorbedinto the soil andmoves, with time,around the soilparticles.

PROCEDURE:

1. Using a thumbtack, punch several holes in thebottom and around the lower part of each cup.

2. Place a squareof cheeseclothover the bottomof each cup so itcovers all theholes, andsecure it tightlywith a rubberband.

3. Using scissors,cut a hole in theplastic coffeecan lid so thatthe cup just fitsinside. Placeeach cup in a lid, and place each lid over abeaker. (See the illustration for thedemonstration set up.)

Label the cups A, B and C.

4. Fill Cup A half full of dry sand, Cup B half fullof clay, and Cup C half full of a mixture ofsand, gravel and clay.

MATERIALS:� Three large

polystyrenecups

� Three plasticcoffee can lids

� Three squaresof cheesecloth

� Rubber bands� Water� A thumbtack� A watch or

clock� Sand� Clay� Gravel� A pencil� Four 250-ml

beakers orcut-off sodabottles

� Scissors� A measuring

cup


5. Make a chart similar to the one below forrecording your observations.

6. Pour 100 ml of water into the middle or centerof each cup. Record the time when the waterwas first poured into each cup.

7. Record the time when the water first dripsfrom each cup. Note the appearance of thewater.

8. Allow the water to drip for 25 minutes. At theend of this time, remove the cups from thebeakers. Measure and record the amount ofwater in each beaker.

QUESTIONS:

1. Which soil sample is the most permeable?

2. Which soil is the least permeable?

3. How does the addition of gravel affect thepermeability of clay?

4. How does soil type affect the movement ofgroundwater?

5. Can soil protect groundwater? Which one?How?

CUP TIME WATER IN TIME WATER OUT OBSERVATIONS

A

B

C


10OBJECTIVE:

This project demonstrates the procedures thatmunicipal water plants use to purify water fordrinking.

BACKGROUND:

Water in lakes, rivers and swamps often containsimpurities that make it look and smell bad; it alsomay contain bacteria and other microbiologicalorganisms that can cause disease. In mostplaces, surface water should not be drunk untilit has been cleaned. This project shows howwater treatment plants turn polluted water intodrinking water.

This project illustrates the four basic processesinvolved in purifying water for humanconsumption. Water treatment plants typicallyclean water by taking it through the following

Project #10: Taking the Swamp Out of Swamp Water

MATERIALS:

� Five liters of “swamp water” (Use muddywater from a pond or creek or “custommixed” swamp water made by adding ahandful of dirt or mud to each liter ofwater.)

� A 2-liter plastic soft drink bottle (Thebottle should include its cap or cork thatfits tightly into the neck.)

� Two 2-liter plastic soft drink bottles –one with the top removed and one withthe bottom removed

� A 1.5-liter (or larger) beaker or anothersoft drink bottle bottom

� 20 grams (g) or 2 tablespoons of alum(potassium aluminum sulfate; availablein drug stores or spice aisle of mostsupermarkets)

� Fine sand (about 800 milliliters [ml] involume)

� Coarse sand (about 800 ml in volume)

� Small pebbles (about 400 ml in volume)NOTE: Washed natural color aquariumrocks will work.

� A 500 ml (or larger) beaker or jar

� A coffee filter or 5 centimeters (cm) by5 cm piece of flexible nylon or fine meshscreen

� A rubber band

� A tablespoon

� A clock with a second hand (or astopwatch)

processes: (1) AERATION; (2) COAGULATIONand SEDIMENTATION; (3) FILTRATION; and(4) DISINFECTION. Demonstration projects forthe first four processes are included below.

PROCEDURE:

1. Pour about 1.5 liters of “swamp water” into a2-liter bottle. Have your audience describe theappearance and smell of the water.

2. Place the cap on the bottle and shake thewater vigorously for 30 seconds. Continue theaeration process by pouring the water intoeither one of the cut-off bottles, then pouringthe water back and forth between the cut-offbottles 10 times.

Describe any changes you observe. Pour theaerated water into a bottle with its top cut off.AERATION is the addition of air to water. It


allows gases trapped in the water to escapeand adds oxygen to the water.

3. With the tablespoon, add 20 g of alum crystals(potassium aluminum sulfate) to the swampwater. Slowly stir the mixture for five minutes.COAGULATION is the process by which dirtand other suspended solid particles arechemically “stuck together” so that they canbe removed from water.

4. Allow the water to stand undisturbed in thecylinder. Observe the water at five-minuteintervals for a total of 20 minutes and writeyour observations with respect to changes inthe water’s appearance. SEDIMENTATION isthe process that occurs when gravity pulls theparticles of floc (clumps of alum andsediment) to the bottom of the cylinder.

5. Construct a filter from the bottle with itsbottom cut off as follows:

a. Attach the coffee filter to the outside neckof the bottle with a rubber band. Turn thebottle upside down and pour a layer ofpebbles into the bottle. The filter willprevent the pebbles from falling out of theneck.

b. Pour thecoarsesand ontop of thepebbles.

c. Pour the fine sandon top of the coarsesand.

d. Clean the filter byslowly and carefullypouring through5 liters (or more) ofclean tap water. Trynot to disturb the toplayer of sand as youpour the water.

6. After a large amount of sediment has settledon the bottom of the bottle of swamp water,carefully – without disturbing the sediment –pour the top two-thirds of the swamp waterthrough the filter. Collect the filtered water inthe beaker. Pour the remaining (one-thirdbottle) of swamp water back into the collectioncontainer. Compare the treated and untreatedwater. Has the treatment changed theappearance and smell of the water?FILTRATION through a sand and pebble filterremoves most of the impurities remaining inwater after coagulation and sedimentationhave taken place.

ATTENTION!

Advise your audience that the final step atthe treatment plant is to add disinfectantsto the water to purify it (that is to kill anyorganisms that may be harmful). Becausethe disinfectants are caustic and must behandled carefully, it is not presented inthis experiment. The water that was justfiltered is therefore UNFIT TO DRINK andcan cause adverse effects! IT IS NOT SAFETO DRINK!

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

1. Plan a field trip to a local water treatmentplant. Find out how (or whether) the plantremoves bacteria, lead or other heavy metalssuch as nitrates, sulfides or calcium from thewater.

2. Contact a state or local agency that testswater for contaminants. Have the agency testsamples of tap water and the swamp waterthat you treated.

3. Add garlic powder to the swamp water andfilter it out using deodorizing charcoal andfilter paper (coffee filters).


Ideas for More ProjectsENERGY

� Which type of material makes the best insulation?

HEALTH� Is there a relationship between eating breakfast and

performance at school?

� Which fruit drinks have the best nutrition?

� Which brand of cereal has the most raisins?

� What is the pH of various shampoos, lotions and sunscreenproducts?

PLANTS AND GARDENING� What type of soil is best for water retention?

� Can potatoes be grown without soil?

� Does the type of water affect the growth of plants?

RECYCLING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT� What happens to newspaper in a landfill?

� What types of materials decompose the fastest or slowest?

� What is the environmental impact of some household chemicalsand/or pesticides?

WATER� What is in drinking water?

� Does the amount of water affect the size of the wave?

� Where is the current of a stream fastest?

� How does depth affect water pressure?

� What makes a good filter for drinking water?

WEATHER� How can we prevent the weathering of sidewalks and

driveways?

� Does soil in South Carolina show the effects of acid rain?

� What causes dew?

OTHER� Which diaper is the most absorbent?

� How do magnets affect tape recordings?

� Are home-made cleaners as effective as store-bought ones?

� Do different brands of gasoline make a difference in gasmileage?

� Does color affect the behavior of people?

Glossary

Abstract – A brief summary of theexperiment.

Conclusion – The summary ofthe results of the projectexperimentation including astatement of how the results relateto the hypothesis.

Hypothesis – An idea about asolution to a problem that is basedon knowledge and research.

Project Experimentation – Doingexperiments designed to test thehypothesis.

Problem – A scientific question tobe solved.

Procedure – The process ofdeciding what needs to be done tofind the answer to the problem.For example, what steps need tobe taken, what material is needed.

Research – The process ofcollecting information.

Scientific Method – The toolthat scientists use to answerquestions. The process of thinkingthrough solutions to a problemand testing possibilities to findthe solution. The scientificmethod has the following steps:research; identifying theproblem; hypothesis; projectexperimentation; and reaching aconclusion.

Variable – Something that has aneffect on an experiment. Anindependent variable is amanipulated variable in anexperiment that causes a changein the dependent variable. Forexample, different golf clubs. Adependent variable is the variablebeing observed in an experimentthat changes in response to theindependent variable. Thedistance a golf ball travels afterbeing hit by a golf club.


What is ‘Energy 2 Learn?’ENERGY 2 LEARN (E2L) is a comprehensive kindergarten through 12th grade energy educationprogram designed specifically for South Carolina students and teachers.

PUBLICATIONS

� “The Energy Factbook: A Resource forSouth Carolina” – This publicationprovides an overview of energy withchapters on energy basics, fossil fuels,nuclear energy, electricity, solar energy,energy conservation, alternative fuels andenergy efficiency. “The Energy Factbook” isavailable at no cost to teachers andstudents.

� “Action for a cleaner tomorrow: A SouthCarolina Environmental CurriculumSupplement” – This kindergarten through12th grade curriculum supplement hasair, recycling, water and energy lessonsthat provide not only a global andnational perspective on energy, but SouthCarolina-specific information as well. Alllessons have been correlated to the state’slanguage arts, mathmatics, science andsocial studies standards. Teachers willreceive an interactive CD-ROM of “Action”

with all of the lessons plus video field tripsfollowing a FREE three-hour workshop.

� “E2L: The Energy Lessons” – This bookletcontains 12 energy-related lessons from“Action for a cleaner tomorrow: A SouthCarolina Environmental CurriculumSupplement.” These lessons are correlatedto the state’s language arts, mathematics,science and social studies standards.

� E2L Fact Sheets – Each fact sheet coversa specific energy subject and provides anoverview as well as key facts and terms.

� “E2’s Energy Games and Icebreakers” –This booklet includes quick games andactivities to introduce and reinforce energyconcepts and information.

For more information about the E2L program,related resources and these materials, visitwww.energy.sc.gov and then click on K-12EDUCATION or call 1-800-851-8899.


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The Best of the Science Fair Project Guidebooks

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Transcript of The Best of the Science Fair Project Guidebooks