Science Fair - Project Ideas
Below is a list of great ideas for potential science fair projects. Pick something you’re interested in and try it out for size. The projects are categorized by their difficulty.
If you’re not sure about which project to pick, why not take our Quiz to see which project you might be interested in.
Also, feel free to take a look at our projects categorized by Subjects.
Our easiest set of original projects. These can be completed by anyone with an elementary school education, and they generally take less time and effort than our more advanced projects. However, we think they’re still pretty cool, and we’ve included a few ideas to extend the scale of each project to make it more engaging for you.
- Bag Strength
- In this project, you can find out how much a bag can hold, so you can impress people next time you go to the grocery store.
Related fields: Physics (Statics) - Battery Testing
- Which brand of batteries will let your CD player run the longest?
Related fields: Physics (Electronics) - Bending Light
- How can we manipulate the light?
This is not a full project guide, but provides multiple ideas.
Related fields: Physics (Optics) - Bouncing High
- Predict how high a ball will bounce.
Related fields: Mathematics (Analysis) - Cube Folding
- Which arrangements of six squares can be folded into a cube?
Related fields: Mathematics (Geometry) - Food and your Heart
- What food makes your heart race?
This is not a full project guide, but provides multiple ideas.
Related fields: Biochemistry - Interrogation
- Check out this statistical experiment to test how phrasing questions might affect the answers.
Related fields: Behavioral Sciences - M&M Packing
- Ever wonder how much candy you can fit in a Halloween bag, or a lunch box? Find out with this experiment.
Related fields: Mathematics (Geometry) - Observing Fish
- How can we understand them better?
This is not a full project guide, but provides multiple ideas.
Related fields: Zoology - Paper Airplane Experiment
- See which paper airplane designs are the best.
Related fields: Mathematics (Geometry), Physics (Dynamics) - Polygon Analysis
- Analyze polygons and determine some interesting properties
Related fields: Mathematics (Analysis) - Rate of Filtration
- How does thickness of a medium affect the rate of filtration?
Related fields: Math/Chemistry - Shapes and Patterns
- See if you can find mathematical relationships between shapes and patterns
Related fields: Mathematics (Geometry)
Slightly more difficult (and hopefully, more impressive!) than the “Easy” projects, either conceptually or based on the amount of work required. None of these projects should be out of reach of any high-school students, although some independent research may be necessary.
- Balloons and Charles’ Law
- This poorly-named project investigates the reason that balloons expand and contract in different temperatures.
Related fields: Physics (Thermodynamics) - Balloon C-Strength
- Can a balloon be punctured 10 times and not pop?.
Related fields: Physics/Chemistry - Chemistry and Laundry
- Explore how different kinds of chemicals take out stains on clothing and their effect on the clothing.
Related fields: Chemistry - Crystallization
- How are sugar crystals made?
Related fields: Chemistry - Fingerprint Detection
- How to detect fingerprints using iodine vapor?
Related fields: Chemistry - Flipping Coins
- Use this experiment to see what the probability is of landing a coin on its edge.
Related fields: Mathematics (Statistics) - The Invisible Ink
- Write in invisible ink then visualize it.
Related fields: Chemistry - JPEG – GIF Conversion
- Today there are many methods for compressing digital images; in this project you’ll get to examine two of the most popular formats.
Related fields: Computer Science (Graphics) - Light Pollution
- What else is polluting our night sky?
This is not a full project guide, but provides multiple ideas.
Related fields: Environmental Science - Liquid Cooling
- How fast do some liquids cool compared to others? Find out inside.
Related fields: Physics (Thermodynamics) - Physics and the Tower of Pisa
- How is it that the Leaning Tower of Pisa has not yet fallen over? This experiment may help you find out.
Related fields: Physics (Statics) - Pineapples and Enzymes
- What effect do the enyzmes in pineapples have on Jell-O?
Related fields: Biology (Microbiology) - Plant and Animal Cell Tonicity
- Investigate the effects of osmosis and tonicity in plant and animal cells
Related fields: Biology (Microbiology) - Plant Growth
- What effect do light and amount of water have on the rate of growth for a plant?
Related fields: Biology (Botany) - Playing with Forces
- There are so many forces around us! So why don’t we get to know them and play with them.
This is not a full project guide, but provides multiple ideas.
Related fields: Physics - Properties of Pendulums
- Explore the properties of pendulums and what factors influence its motion.
Related fields: Physics - Riemann Integrals
- So you’ve seen plenty of curves in your algebra class. Ever curious if there was more to the curve than just a bent line?
Related fields: Mathematics (Analysis) - Taste and Smell
- Learn about the link between taste and smell
Related fields: Biology (Physiology) - The Fire-Proof Cup
- Fill a paper cup with water or other liquids to make it non-flammable.
Related fields: Chemistry - The Science of Earthquakes
- What causes this devastating natural disaster?
This is not a full project guide, but provides multiple ideas.
Related fields: Earth Science
These projects require significant amount of research and time. Don’t worry, all are possible at the high school level. Please don’t let the difficulty rating scare you – we think that these projects are more likely to “wow” the judges.
- Coin Game
- Find out whether a simple game is rigged or not! Try to cheat your friends!
Related fields: Mathematics (Game Theory) - Conductors, Semiconductors, Insulators, and Superconductors
- Let’s investigate more about the materials that enabled us to have computers and other wonderful electronics.
This is not a full project guide, but provides multiple ideas.
Related fields: Materials Science - Galileo’s Gravity Experiment
- Repeat the experiment that Galileo used to measure the acceleration of gravity.
Related fields: Physics (Kinematics) - Lights and Sounds of Logic
- How to implement logic operations using simple circuitry that produces light and sound.
Related fields: Mathematics (Logic)/Physics (Electronics) - Measuring Characteristics of Planets
- You don’t need to take a ruler to space to know how far and big planets are!
This is not a full project guide, but provides multiple ideas.
Related fields: Physics (AstroPhysics) - Platonic Solids
- Investigate the five platonic solids.
Related fields: Mathematics (Geometry) - Randomization
- Is it really possible to make something really random?
This is not a full project guide, but provides multiple ideas.
Related fields: Mathematics - Tic Tac Toe Analysis
- Study the game of tic-tac-toe and try to develop an optimal strategy.
Related fields: Mathematics (Game Theory) - Winning Strategy
- Play a simple counting game and develop a winning strategy.
Related fields: Mathematics (Game Theory)
Science Fair Project Ideas
Browse the Project Ideas Index
Listed below are all of the different areas of science where we offer Project Ideas. Click on any area to see a full list of related Project Ideas.
Search the Project Ideas Library
Science Buddies has over 1,000 Project Ideas in over 30 areas of science. Search
our database of projects for anything you may be looking for…
Science Fair Ideas, Science Projects and Activities for Kids
highlights
While there is no sure-fire way to induce labor the natural way, these 10 tips and tricks are thought to help the body start the labor process.
Explore Funbrain Jr. with Your Preschooler
Looking for fun online games, adorable stories, and cool printables for preschoolers and kindergartners? Check out the new Funbrain Jr., a fun place to learn for children ages 2 to 6.
Summer Learning: 11 Everyday Ways to Learn Math
Summertime is a great time to teach your child how math plays a part in his everyday life. These 11 everyday ways to learn math are fun and educational, and will help him see how this subject plays into real life.
10 Best Beach-Themed Crafts and Activities
Sand, seashells, and stones can provide hours of family fun. Check out the greatest beach-related activities and crafts for toddlers on up.
Science Museums Science Fair Project Ideas Science Education
“);
popup2.document.close();
if (window.focus)
popup2.focus();
}
//
function livecams_popup(page,name,features) {
var browser = navigator.appName;
var stringArray = browser.split(” “);
if (stringArray[0] == “Netscape”)
{
nfeatures = “width=650,height=475,” + features
}
else
{
nfeatures = “width=646,height=455,” + features
}
popupx = window.open(page,name,nfeatures);
if (window.focus)
popupx.focus();
window.location.href = ‘http://www.tryscience.org/livecams/live_cams.html’;
}
“);
popup2.document.writeln(‘
Science Fair Project Ideas
Welcome to the exciting exploration of the world around us… the world of science! Researching a project for entry into a science fair gives us a glimpse into the marvels of this world.
Participating in a science fair is not only enjoyable, but it encourages logical thinking, involves doing interesting research, develops objective observations, and gives experience in problem solving.
Before you do any project, discuss it in detail with a parent or science instructor. Be sure they understand and are familiar with your project.
Science fair projects must follow a procedure called the scientific method. This procedure is also used by actual scientists. First, a problem or purpose is defined. A hypothesis or prediction of the outcome is then stated. Next, a procedure is developed for determining whether or not the hypothesis was correct. Do not think that your science project is a failure if the hypothesis is proven to be wrong. The idea of the science fair project is to either prove or disprove the hypothesis. Learning takes place even when the results are not what you expected. Thomas Edison tried over a thousand different materials before he found one that would work best in his light bulb. He said he failed his way to success!
Generally, school science fairs have 12 standard categories under which students can enter their projects: behavioral and social; biochemistry; botany; chemistry; Earth and space; engineering; environmental; physics; zoology; math and computers; microbiology; medicine and health.
Some projects may involve more than one science discipline. A project that involves using different colors of light to grow plants could fall under the category of either botany or physics. This crossing over of sciences may allow you to choose between two categories in which to enter your project. It can give you an edge at winning a science fair by entering your project in a category where there are fewer competitors or avoiding a category where other entries are of particularly outstanding quality.
Select a topic that you find interesting, one that you would like to research. It will make your science fair experience a very enjoyable one.
Know the rules of your school’s science fair before you decide on a project topic. Projects must follow ethical rules. A project cannot be inhumane to animals. Never interfere with ecological systems. Use common sense.
SAFETY
When planning your science fair project, safety must be the first consideration. Even seemingly harmless objects can become a hazard under certain circumstances. Know what potential hazards you are faced with before starting a project. Take no undue risks. Have an adult or science instructor present during all phases of your project. Be prepared to handle a problem even though none is expected (for example, keep heat gloves or oven mitts handy when working around a hot stove). Wear safety glasses when appropriate.
Be especially aware of these hazards:
• Sharp objects: Construction tools (hammer, saw, knife, scissors, drill). Be careful how you pick up sharp tools and glass objects which can fragment and become sharp objects.
• Fire: Cooking fat can catch on fire; alcohol has a low flash point. To boil alcohol, use a “double boiler” by first bringing a pot of water to a boil, turning off the stove burner, then lowering a test tube filled with alcohol into the water.
• Chemicals: Keep everything out of the reach of children that specifies “keep out of the reach of children” on the label (alcohol, iodine, etc.. Know what materials you are working with that have extreme pH levels (acids, bases).
• Allergens: When growing mold in sealable plastic bags, keep bags closed during and after the project. When the project is over, discard the plastic bags without ever opening them, so that mold is contained and does not become airborne.
• Carcinogens, mutagens: Stand away from microwave ovens when in use.
• Water and electricity “don’t mix“. Use caution whenever both water and electricity are present (as with a fish tank heater than must be plugged into a wall outlet). Use only “UL” approved electrical devices.
• Heat: Use heat gloves or oven mitts when dealing with hot objects. When using a heat lamp, keep away from curtains and other flammable objects. Be aware that glass may be hot but not give the appearance of being hot.
• Secure loose clothing, sleeves, and hair.
• Wash your hands when you return home after touching surfaces at public places to avoid bringing bacteria into your home.
• Rivers, lakes, oceans: Do not work near or around large bodies of water without an adult present, even if you know how to swim.
• Never test by taste, unless the item you are tasting is food.
• Be aware of others nearby; a chemical reaction, for example, could cause a glass container to shatter or caustic material to be ejected from a container. Keep others in the room at a same distance or have them wear proper safety protection.
• Thermometers made of glass have to potential of being broken and causing glass to shatter.
• Be aware of gas products that may be created when certain chemicals react. Such projects must be carried out in a well ventilated area.
• Never look directly at the Sun. Do not use direct sunlight as a source of light for microscopes.
• Loud sounds can be harmful to your hearing.
Being aware of these possible hazards and working with adult supervision should ensure a safe and enjoyable project experience.
We hope some of the ideas presented here on this web site will help you get started or spark other ideas for you to spin off a similar project. Good luck with your project! (Projects are Copyright (C) 2006 Dan Keen)
200+ Science Fair Project Ideas
Here are some of the ideas my son and I ran across when researching possible topics for his science fair project. FYI, he eventually chose: ”Which food produces the most gas?” I can’t imagine a topic more inclined to appeal to adolesent males – with the possible exception of any experiment involving a catapult.
Biology
- Do plants grow faster in water or sugar water?
- Do electromagnetic fields effect plant growth?
- How does light color effect plant growth?
- Do electromagnetic fields affect microorganisms?
- How does the quality of water in local streams change over weeks/seasons/years?
- If you systematically remove the smallest fish from a tank of fish, how many generations does it take for the average size of baby fish to start to increase?
- Is there a relationship between eating breakfast and school performance?
- On which foods does fungus grow best?
- Do bananas ripen faster when they are stored next to other fruit? Why?
- What kinds of soil treatments can be used to improve water retention? Which work best?
- Does human hair affect the growth of plants? Why?
- Do plants prefer water delivered in mist form or rain form?
- How does a period of drought affect plant growth? Does the length of the drought matter?
- How does temperature affect the water uptake in plants?
- Is soil necessary for plant growth?
- Does music affect plant growth?
- Does motion affect plant growth?
- Do video games effect heart rate?
- Is there a mathematical relationship between root and stem growth?
- Does the presence of worms in soil affect plant growth?
- How clean or polluted are local bodies of water?
- How do organisms respond to magnets?
- Will plants grown in magnetic soil become magnetic?
- What physical characteristics determine a person’s center of balance
- Do children have better reaction times than adults?
- At what level of darkness does it become impossible to discern colors? Why?
- Does listening to different types of music affect blood pressure?
- What is the effect of adding specific vitamins to plants when you water them?
- Does using lotion really reduce dry skin?
- What environmental factors most contribute to decomposition?
- Do girls and boys have different resting pulse rates?
- Does a large caffeinated soda (or an energy bar; or an energy drink) raise a person’s blood pressure?
- Does jet-lag affect the performance of professional athletes?
- Is everyone’s sense of smell the same?
- Is heart rate affected by music?
- Does foot, eye and ear dominance correlate to hand dominance?
- Does hand dominance correlate to gender?
- Which food do mice like best – cheese or peanut butter?
- What causes plants to grow up?
- Do beans really produce more gas than other vegetables & foods when they are digested?
- Which grows faster – hair or fur?
- Which types of “natural” fertilizer (i.e., compost, hair, mulch, worms) lead to the greatest increase in plant growth?
- Do plants grow better in acidic soil, alkaline soil, or neutral soil?
- What causes iron to rust?
- Does alcohol affect a spider’s ability to spin its web?
- Which popcorn kernels will pop best – kernels that have been frozen, kernels that have been chilled, kernels that have been warmed, or kernels that have been allowed to remain at room temperature?
- Does food prepared in the microwave cool more quickly than food prepared on the stovetop?
- Compare the pH levels in mouths of various animals and humans at different times of day
- Does soil composition and porosity affect root pattern & growth rate?
- Are dogs (or other animals) colorblind?
- Do fish in an aquarium communicate with each other?
- Which fruits and vegetables rot faster at room temperature? Which rot faster in the refrigerator? Why?
- How biodegradable are ‘biodegradable’ products?
- Do different types of warm-ups before physical exercise result in different outcomes?
- Does covering the mouth really help prevent the spread of germs?
- Which citrus fruit has the most Vitamin C?
- What structures do the brains of different insects have in common?
- What are the components of “pond scum”?
- How does the metabolism of an insect compare to the metabolism of a dog (or hamster, or human)?
Physical Sciences (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics)
- Do size, shape or mass have the greatest impact on a magnet’s strength?
- What evidence can we find about the rotation of the earth from star trails?
- Does the presence of designated hitters increase the average number of runs in baseball games?
- How does sunspot activity affect radio reception?
- How does particle size affect settling rates?
- How does temperature (or air pressure; or evaporation rate; or substrate; or surface area) affect crystal growth?
- What forces act on soap bubbles to determine their shape?
- What differences can be observed in the way salt & sugar crystals grow?
- What will happen to a rubber ball (or a ping pong ball; or a marble) exposed to dry ice? Why?
- Can the hydrogen and oxygen in water molecules be split?
- How do different thermal cups perform in keeping liquids hot for long periods of time?
- What do magnetic field lines look like? Why?
- What materials block radio raves most effectively?
- Does the shape and mass of an object affect its velocity when sinking through water?
- What is required to build the best paper airplane in the world?
- Do different objects accelerate at different rates?
- What is the most efficient angle for windmill blades?
- What is the relative elasticity of various types of string (i.e., twine, kite string, fishing string, sewing thread)?
- Which material is a better insulator – straw, sand, paper or cloth?
- Do different colors absorb heat differently?
- Do different gases expand differently when heated
- Are “fireproof” fabrics really fireproof (NOTE: Adult supervision required!!)
- Can astronomical observation & math be used to estimate the distance of the sun and the moon from earth?
- What makes stars appear to twinkle? Demonstrate
- How does the viscosity of liquids affect the shape of droplets?
- Can light be bent?
- What color can be seen most clearly through a fog?
- Which type of sunglasses do the best job of absorbing light & protecting the eyes?
- Can solar energy be used to cook food (we mean directly – not indirectly such as creating electricity to run a regular stove!)
- Does regular carbonated soda cause bone to decompose?
- Which brands of carbonated soda are the most corrosive?
- Does temperature change the magnetic field patterns of a standard horseshoe magnet?
- What is the difference between music & noise?
- Which fuels are most efficient in producing energy?
- How does gear size affect gear efficiency?
- Compare different metals (ex: density, buoyancy) & explain similarities/differences
- Compare different woods (ex: density, strength, burn rate) & explain similarities/differences
- What is the best method, other than heat, to melt ice?
- Does the viscosity of a fluid affect its boiling point?
- Compare and explain the resonance of different objects (ex: metals, glass). Explain.
- How does the shape & construction of (insert musical instrument here) affect the sound quality of the instrument?
- What kind of sound carries best through water? Through fog?
- Do metals expand at the same rate when heated?
- Does aluminum foil make a difference in cooking times?
- What is the best nose cone shape for a model rocket?
- What is the best wing design for an aircraft?
- What factors determine solubility of a substance?
- Does temperature affect the pH of acids or alkalines?
- Does the pH level of fruits & vegetables effect their taste?
- Which freezes first, hot or cold water?
- Are there differences in different brands of bottled water?
- How “clean” is rain water in your area?
- What biological or chemical agents do the best job of cleaning up oil spills?
- Does the shape of ice affect melting time? Why?
Electrical & Structural Engineering/IT
- Do potatoes conduct electricity? Why?
- Does salt water light up a light bulb better than regular water? Why?
- How can you use magnets & wire to create electrical current?
- Does the size of a wheel affect the speed of a vehicle?
- How does the shape of a pinewood car affect its speed?
- How does the size of wire (or number of coils, or type of wire) affect the strength of an electromagnet?
- What materials make the best magnetic shields?
- What factors (for example, temperature, color of light, angle of light) affect the current, voltage and power generated by a solar cell?
- How can structures be made more impervious to collapse during an earthquake?
- How can structures be made more impervious to flooding?
- Do quarters and feathers fall at the same speed?
- How does the composition of various balls (i.e., rubber, marble, ping pong) determine how they bounce?
- What is the impact of lever length on the strength of levers? (Or, How does the length of a catapult affect its range?)
- How does shape affect buoyancy?
- What materials make the best shock absorbers (hint: test by dropping eggs from various heights!)
- Which materials work best as sound barriers?
- Does the particle size of sand used to make bricks (or concrete) matter?
- Can light from a Light Emitting Diode (LED) be modulated using sound?
- What materials work best in a sandbag for preventing a flood?
- Does a ceiling fan really reduce room temperature?
- Can eggs withstand a greater force from one direction than from others?
- How can a computer be used to break codes?
- Can encoded information (floppy discs, metro cards, credits cards, etc.) be affected by magnetism (NOTE: Adult supervision required for this one!)
- How is an electrical current affected by temperature (or magnetism, or type of conductor)?
- Is electrical current affected by the diameter of a wire?
- What affects the strength of an electromagnet?
- How many blades should a fan have?
- How does the shape of a kite affect its flight?
- What controls the descent rate of parchutes?
Earth Science
- Where is the current of a stream the fastest?
- Does the amount of water affect the size of a wave?
- What is the greater cause of water erosion in a stream – gradual erosion over time, or major events like storms and floods?
- How does topography affect weather conditions
- How do changes in air pressure affect weather
- How does the growth of vegetation affect soil erosion?
- What are the most effective ways to control soil erosion?
- How do stalactites and stalagmites form?
- How does the size of particles in rivers affect how fast they settle?
- What factors contribute to makes soils more or less porous?
- Can antacids help soil polluted by acid rain
- How do soils in different parts of our area differ?
- What affects evaporation the most … air temperature, water temperature or wind speed?
- What is the relationship between the depth of water and its temperature (or salinity, or pressure)?
- How does the construction of levies along rivers effect erosion & deposition patterns?
- Why do hurricanes gain more power over warm water than cold water? Demonstrate.
- Why is there no wind in the eye of hurricanes? Demonstrate.
- Why are winds highest in the eyewall of hurricanes? Demonstrate.
- How can earthquakes cause tsunamis? Demonstrate.
- How are average temperatures (or average rainfall) changing in your local area (or state? Or country? Or the world?)
- How can you measure wind speed?
- How can you measure atmospheric pressure?
- What is the difference between direct sun & shade? Is it constant or variable?
- Particle fallout: Does the amount of particle pollution in soil vary with distance from a road (or height, or location)?
- What happens to road salts applied to roads after the snow melts? What effect does this have on the environment?
- What would happen to weather if the Earth was a cube?
- How do obstacles affect water (or wave) motion?
- What factors influence the size, shape & other characteristics of cracks in dried mud?
- What does the shape of local streams & water features tell about the geology of the local area
- How much silt is there in a river at different times? How do specific events (rain, droughts, floods) affect silt levels?
- What factors influence dune shape, form and movement?
- What factors influence beach erosion?
- How can rock formations be dated by examining the fossils within them? (use a local formation as an example, if possible)
- How does naturally-occurring asbestos form? Is it as dangerous as the asbestos that contractors once used as insulation for buildings?
Social Science
- If you ask the same question in a negative and positive way, will you get different answers?
- Does the color of a questionnaire affect how people answer the questions?
- Do flashcards with pictures enhance memorization better than flashcards without pictures?
- Are poems with a lot of rhythm, rhyme & different sound devices easier to learn than those written in free verse?
- Do men and woman have the same “favorite colors”?
- Is text written in colored ink easier to remember than text written in black and white ink?
- Are horoscopes accurate? Can their accuracy be measured?
- At what age to people develop the ability to accurately estimate the number of marbles in a jar?
- How do various types of music affect concentration?
- Can subliminal messages really be used to affect how people make decisions?
- Is there such a thing as ESP?
- Can people really tell if they are being stared at?
- Can a computer program help people make decisions?
- Can computer games be used to encourage students to do homework?
- How good are we at hearing one voice in a crowd?
- In communities with voluntary recycling programs paid for by the community or state, what is the average level of compliance?
- Does a bath take less water than a shower?
- What is the average ratio of recyclable waste to unrecyclable waste in your house?
- Does the ability to memorize information vary during the course of a day? Does everyone demonstrate the same daily pattern?
Science Fair Ideas
You can get some project ideas from these web sites:
http://www.ehow.com/list_7227715_science-project-ideas-cell-phone.html
http://www.greenerpackage.com/discuss/material_health/plastic_bag_decomposition
