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Post by lazerxangel on Aug 1, 2006 17:35:44 GMT -5
lol, sure! Last year, I did an experiment with sounds...
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Post by Islander on Aug 1, 2006 17:39:16 GMT -5
I'll think some more, but the thing that hits me straight awawy as being a good thing to investigate is SHM, or Simple Harmonic Motion. Springs ocsillating and pendulums swinging. There are a nice few things you can proove with SHM experiments. Tell me, do you have any access to data logging equipment? Like PASCO, or anything else? Ultrasound sensor? The kind of thigns a school here would probably have, but I don't know about over the pond.
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Post by adam on Aug 2, 2006 6:05:50 GMT -5
Ah! If its for school and you need an original idea that gives me some scructure. What is the project for ? An exam or soemthing or just a class project. (Just interested)
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Post by lazerxangel on Aug 2, 2006 13:42:10 GMT -5
More like for Science Fair. Not really, because I'm not going to get a prize or whatever, but it's sort of like an exam grade. Please don't give a too specific idea or else I would be stealing your idea, and that would make me feel really guilty, but a general idea of a project.
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Post by adam on Aug 2, 2006 13:52:32 GMT -5
You could do the affect of speed to the power of electrisity, since time slows down becuase of speed maybe there is a connexion I dont know.
Or maybe a way to speed up chemical reacons in Industry.
If not you could make a model of the solar system showing the differences in gravity of differnt bodies.
One idea is the spread of disease and virus through the air. (you could do a model.)
If these ideas are rubbish them it doesnt matter but you can always base an idea on one.
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Post by lazerxangel on Aug 2, 2006 14:39:26 GMT -5
Actually, they're pretty good ideas. I'd have to check with my science teacher though. We have 'conferences' about our science fair ideas. Yeesh, they take things so seriously around my school.
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Post by Mac on Aug 2, 2006 17:48:17 GMT -5
This is a middle schooler, how about something easier?
What type of solution is the best conductor? Get a couple different salts (table salt, rock salt, lithium chloride, magnesium sulfate, whatever), and dissolve them at different concentrations, and run a current through them. See which solution at what concentration has the highest voltage and amperage.
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Post by lazerxangel on Aug 2, 2006 19:37:35 GMT -5
That's a nice idea too. The only thing is that I have to find a way to get the electric current thingy (sorry, don't know what it's called ). I'm not sure if my school has one, but I'll have to check. Oh, and I'm 13, so Mac's right, I'm in middle school, so I try to stick to the equipment I can get from the school.
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Post by Islander on Aug 3, 2006 5:01:21 GMT -5
Electric current thingy? You mean an ammeter? I'd be pretty shocked (no pun intended) if your school didn't have one. And Mac's right. I've been trying to suggest easier ideas, but Adam's been going a bit OTT . Another good idea: Acceleration. Roll a dynamics trolly (or any old toy truck or similar) down a slope, and measure how long it takes. Increase the gradient of the slope, measure again, and find a pattern.
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Post by adam on Aug 3, 2006 8:33:15 GMT -5
I was just trying to get away from those boring school experiments that I did. I was trying for soemthing a bit more ijnteresting. Most school experiments you can predict the results* anyway as they are so easy. But if you are looking for that sort of rubbishy thing I will cast my mind back. * Another good idea: Acceleration. Roll a dynamics trolly (or any old toy car or similar) down a slope, and measure how long it takes. Increase the gradient of the slope, measure again, and find a pattern.
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Post by Islander on Aug 3, 2006 8:37:59 GMT -5
Wake Up! You will not get good grades if you cannot predict the results! You're being examined on your ability to use your scientific knowledge to predict the results to an experiment, then your ability to carry out the experiment, then your ability to analyse and evaluate! Not your creativity in coming up with a totally original but peculiar experiment!
My suggestion, though possibly a bit dull, is pretty much guarenteed to get you good marks. As is Mac's.
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Post by adam on Aug 3, 2006 8:42:31 GMT -5
But the truck thing is easy. The steeper the ramp the futher the truck will go untill it gets so steep it cannot drive from the ramp to the ground propaly. You need an experiment that is a little less predictable.
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Post by Mac on Aug 3, 2006 9:05:17 GMT -5
If you graph your results, you can determine the constant of acceleration due to gravity, and see how much your ramp differs from free-falling due to friction.
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Post by adam on Aug 3, 2006 9:10:26 GMT -5
If you want sort of thing you may aswell just experiment to see what material is best for paper planes. Whats more important, structure or weight? Is there a threashold, if so what is it?
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Post by Mac on Aug 3, 2006 9:15:11 GMT -5
If you want sort of thing you may aswell just experiment to see what material is best for paper planes. Whats more important, structure or weight? Is there a threashold, if so what is it? That works. Though she should ask her teacher if its ok to use paper planes in her experiment.
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