Physics · Optics
Measure the speed of light with a chocolate bar
Find the wavelength of microwaves from melt spots on chocolate, then calculate the speed of light.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
606 projects · 13 streams · every class
Science projects 16
Experiments, working models and investigations in physics, chemistry, biology, earth and space. Most can be done at home or in a school lab, and each one says what it costs and how long it takes.
16 Science projects
Physics · Optics
Measure the refractive index of water with a laser pointer
Trace a laser beam entering water at several angles and get the refractive index from Snell's law.
- Intermediate
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Biology · Botany
Compare the stomata of different leaves
Take nail-polish peels of leaves and count stomata on upper and lower surfaces.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Chemistry · Physical Chemistry
Find how temperature changes reaction rate with antacid tablets
Time how long an effervescent tablet takes to dissolve at different water temperatures.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Physics · Waves
Measure the speed of sound with two phones
Use two phones with an acoustic stopwatch app to time a clap over a known distance.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Free
Physics · Current Electricity
Verify Ohm's law and find where it fails
Plot current against voltage for a resistor and a bulb and explain the difference.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Physics · Electromagnetism
Build a homopolar motor and measure what changes its speed
Make the simplest electric motor from a cell, a magnet and wire, then test how magnets change its speed.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Physics · Oscillations
Find g with a simple pendulum and a phone
Time pendulums of different lengths and get the acceleration due to gravity from a straight-line graph.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Physics · Magnetism
Map the magnetic field of bar magnets with a phone
Use the phone's magnetometer to measure how field strength falls with distance from a magnet.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Chemistry · Thermochemistry
Measure the heat released when salts dissolve
Dissolve different salts in water and classify each as heating or cooling the water.
- Intermediate
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Biology · Evolution
Model natural selection with coloured beads
Play predator on beads scattered on patterned cloth and watch the population shift over generations.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Biology · Biotechnology
Culture yeast and measure fermentation
Use balloons on bottles to measure how sugar type and temperature change the gas yeast produces.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Biology + Nutrition and Food
Test for starch, sugar, protein and fat in foods
Use four standard tests to find which nutrients are present in ten common foods.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Physics · Optics
Show total internal reflection with a water stream
Trap a laser beam inside a curved stream of water, the way an optical fibre works.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Physics · Mechanics
Measure the coefficient of friction on an inclined plane
Find the angle at which a block just slides and compare friction for different surfaces.
- Easy
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
Physics · Optics
Measure the wavelength of a laser with a ruler
Reflect a laser at grazing angle off a steel ruler and get its wavelength from the diffraction spots.
- Intermediate
- 1–3 hours
- Under 250
0 to compare
Compare