TOPICSFORSCIENTIFICINVESTIGATION

1.

Canyoumakeyourownmusicalinstrumentthatcanplayacompletescale?Examples mightincludearubberbandharporflutefromclay,woodorplastic. Canablacklightdetectinvisiblestains? Whattypeofplasticwrappreventsevaporationthebest? Whatplasticwrappreventsoxidationthebest? Arenightinsectsattractedtolampsbecauseofheatorlight? Whattypeofcarantifreezeissafesttotheenvironment? DodifferentbrandsoforangejuicecontaindifferentlevelsofvitaminC? DoesthelevelofvitaminCinorangejuicechangeovertime? Howeffectivearenaturalmosquitorepellents?

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

10. Doesmagnetismaffectthegrowthofplants? 11. DoorangesgainorlosevitaminCafterbeingpicked? 12. Howdoesthesugarconcentrationvaryindifferentbrandsofapplejuices? 13. DoesstoragetemperatureaffectthepHofjuice? 14. Doesthepresenceofcigarettesmokeaffectthegrowthrateofplants? 15. Doeseatingbreakfasthaveaneffectonschoolperformance?Doesitmatterwhatyou

eat?
16. Dothesametypesofmoldgrowonalltypesofbread? 17. Doeslightaffecttherateatwhichfoodsspoil? 18. Dofoodscontainingpreservativesstayfreshlongerthanfoodswithoutthem? 19. Howdoestimeorseasonofharvestaffectthechemistryandnutritionalcontentof

food?
20. Howlongdohomehaircoloringproductsholdtheircolor?Doesbrandmatter?Does

typeofhairaffectcolorfastness?Howdoesprevioustreatment(perming,previous coloring,straightening)affectinitialcolorintensityandcolorfastness?

21. Doalldishwashingdetergentsproducethesameamountofbubbles?Cleanthesame

numberofdishes?
22. Isthenutritionalcontentofdifferentbrandsofavegetable(e.g.,cannedpeas)the

same?
23. Howpermanentarepermanentmarkers?Whatsolvents(e.g.,water,alcohol,vinegar,

detergentsolution)willremovetheink?Dodifferentbrands/typesofmarkersproduce thesameresults?
24. Doplantbasedinsectrepellentsworkaswellassynthesizedchemicalrepellents? 25. Doconsumerspreferbleachedpaperproductsornaturalcolorpaperproducts?Why? 26. Islaundrydetergentaseffectiveifyouuselessthantherecommendedamount?More? 27. Isbottledwatermorepurethantapwater? 28. HowdoesthepHofjuicechangewithtime?Howdoestemperatureaffecttherateof

chemicalchanges?
29. Doallhairspraysholdequallywell?Equallylong?Doestypeofhairaffecttheresults? 30. Howdoestherateofevaporationofthecrystalgrowingmediumaffectthefinalsizeof

thecrystals?
31. Youwillusuallyheatwateroranotherliquidtodissolveasolidtogrowyourcrystals.

Doestherateatwhichthisliquidiscooledaffectthewaythecrystalsgrow?
32. Whateffectdoadditiveshaveonthecrystals? 33. Howdodifferentfertilizersaffectthewayplantsgrow?Therearelotsofdifferenttypes

offertilizers,containingvaryingamountsofnitrogen,phosphorus,andpotassium,in additiontootheringredients.Youcantestdifferentfertilizersandseehowtheyaffect theheightofaplant,thenumberorsizeofitsleaves,thenumberofflowers,timeuntil blooming,branchingofstems,rootdevelopment,orotherfactors.

34. Doesusingcoloredmulchhaveaneffectonaplant?Youcanlookatitsheight,

fruitfulness,numberofflowers,overallplantsize,rateofgrowth,orotherfactors.
35. Howdodifferentfactorsaffectseedgermination?Factorsthatyoucouldtestinclude

theintensity,duration,ortypeoflight,thetemperature,theamountofwater,the presence/absenceofcertainchemicals,orthepresence/absenceofsoil.Youcanlookat thepercentageofseedsthatgerminateortherateatwhichseedsgerminate.

36. Howareplantsaffectedbythedistancebetweenthem?Lookintotheconceptof

allelopathy.Sweetpotatoesareplantsthatreleasechemicals(allelochemicals)thatcan inhibitthegrowthofplantsnearthem.Howclosecananotherplantgrowtoasweet potato?Whateffectsdoesanallelochemicalhaveonaplant?

37. Isaseedaffectedbyitssize?Dodifferentsizeseedshavedifferentgerminationratesor

percentages?Doesseedsizeaffectthegrowthrateorfinalsizeofaplant?
38. Howdoescoldstorageaffectthegerminationofseeds?Factorsyoucancontrolinclude

thetypeofseeds,lengthofstorage,temperatureofstorage,andothervariables,such aslightandhumidity.
39. Whatconditionsaffecttheripeningoffruit?Lookatethyleneandenclosingafruitina

sealedbag,temperature,light,ornearnesstootherpiecesorfruit.
40. Howaredifferentsoilsaffectedbyerosion?Youcanmakeyourownwindorwaterand

evaluatetheeffectsonsoil.Ifyouhaveaccesstoaverycoldfreezer,youcanlookatthe effectsoffreezeandthawcycles.
41. HowdoesthepHofsoilrelatetothepHofthewateraroundthesoil?Youcanmake

yourownpHpaper,testthepHofthesoil,addwater,thentestthepHofthewater.Are thetwovaluesthesame?Ifnot,istherearelationshipbetweenthem?
42. Howclosedoesaplanthavetobetoapesticideforittowork?Whatfactorsinfluence

theeffectivenessofapesticide(rain?light?wind?)?Howmuchcanyoudilutea pesticidewhileretainingitseffectiveness?Howeffectivearenaturalpestdeterrents?
43. Whatistheeffectofachemicalonaplant?Factorsthatyoucanmeasureincluderateof

plantgrowth,leafsize,life/deathoftheplant,colorofplant,andabilitytoflower/bear fruit.
Other experiments: Why do leaves change color in the fall? - Separate the colors in a leaf using chromatography What is static electricity? - Swinging cereal - Bending water - Light a light bulb using a balloon

Why is the sky blue? - Split light into a spectrum - Sky in a jar How do animals spend the winter? - Feed and observe winter birds and animals - Discover how insects survive winter

Science articles with related projects: How do Batteries Work? - Make a lemon battery that really works! - Make a battery using water How do Airplanes Fly? - Demonstrate lift with a "flying wing" - Make a paper helicopter

Discover more science project ideas and instructions on the following topics: Botany - plant life and growth Ecology and the environment - acid rain, pollution & contamination Nutrition - food and health Microbiology - the effects of mold & bacteria on plant growth

Others: How do boats float? Why are leaves green? How do refrigerators work? Why do I get sick? What is plastic? How do light bulbs work? Why do I breathe? What is a rainbow? What makes the seasons? Why do the days get shorter? Why do people need eyeglasses? How do I hear sounds? How do batteries work? How do airplanes fly? What's inside the Earth? Why is ice slippery?