2017-2018 STEM Fair Project Questions/Ideas:
Categories:
- Earth Science
- Physical Science
- Life Science
- Mathematics
- Environmental
- Computer Science
- Engineering
Earth Science:
- How accurate are local forecasters?
- How accurate are long-range weather forecasts?
- Do weather conditions affect the broadcasting of AM radio stations?
- How well does charcoal filter water?
- Which material absorbs heat most efficiently, sand, soil, or rocks?
- Do different types of soils have different percolation rates?
- Will the size of a crater be greater when the impact object is bigger? Or travels faster?
- Is rainwater absorbed at the same rate in different kinds of soil?
- How can you improve the time it takes to desalinate water?
- Which natural event causes water to evaporate more quickly: heat or air flow?
- Does the type of soil under and around a building affect how much damage the building will withstand in an earthquake?
- Is there a difference between well water, tap water, filtered water and bottled water?
- Which type of ground covering controls soil erosion the best?
- What conditions cause the evening sky to turn colors?
- What is the effect of acid rain on various types of metals?
- How does the thermal insulation of clothes made of various materials compare?
- What is the effect of humidity on various types of wood?
- Does land or water warm faster?
- Does the pH level of soil affect the growth of plants?
- How can you improve the time it takes to desalinate water?
- Which natural event causes water to evaporate more quickly: heat or air flow?
- Does the type of soil under and around a building affect how much damage the building will withstand in an earthquake?
- Is there a difference between well water, tap water, filtered water and bottled water?
- Which type of ground covering controls soil erosion the best?
- What conditions cause the evening sky to turn colors?
- What is the effect of acid rain on various types of metals?
- How does the thermal insulation of clothes made of various materials compare?
- What is the effect of humidity on various types of wood?
- Can the life span of a bubble be extended by different temperatures and atmospheric conditions?
- Does land or water warm faster?
- Does the pH level of soil affect the growth of plants?
- How much methane (energy) does different food scraps produce?
- Does the body of water affect the rate of evaporation?
Engineering:
- What levee construction will hold the most water?
- Which truss design will withstand the most weight?
- Which building design best withstands an earthquake?
- Which catapult design will launch an object the farthest?
- Does the shape of the nose cone affect how far a rocket will fly?
- Does the location of the payload affect how far the rocket will fly?
- Which window solution (material) will keep a room the warmest?
- Does the shape of a windmill’s blades affect the amount of energy it produces?
- Would the color of the roofing material affect the energy efficiency of the heating/cooling system of the house? (or would the type of roofing material)
- Does the area/material/shape of a parachute affect how fast it falls?
- Does the shape of the boat’s hull affect how much weight in can carry?
- Does the bow of a ship influence water resistance?
- How does the diameter of the dome of a building affect its strength?
- Does the quality/size/type or bearings affect the performance of a skateboard?
- How does the adhesive (amount/type) affect the strength of tape?
- How do different brands of helmets absorb shock?
- Does the size/shape of a boat sail affect how fast it travels?
- Does the design of a trench affect the flow of water?
- Which pulley system will lift the most weight with the least amount of work?
Life:
- Does acid rain have an affect on the germination of seeds?
- Is soil necessary for plant growth?
- Do ants prefer cane sugar or artificial sweeteners?
- Does the amount of calcium in bones affect their strength?
- Does the temperature of water affect the removal rate of bacteria when washing hands?
- Will the size of the fruit determine the number of seeds it produces?
- Which soil type to earthworms prefer?
- Does the length of a person’s legs affect how many steps they take over a given distance?
- Does nitrogen affect plant growth?
- Will crowding plants affect their growth?
- Does wifi radiation affect the growth of a plant?
- Does temperature affect the sugar production in a plant?
- Is a dominant hand more sensitive to cold than a non-dominant hand?
- Does what you eat affect the ph balance in your body?
- Is your sense of taste the same when you cannot smell food?
- Does eye color affect a person’s vision?
- Do the leaves of different trees contain the same pigments? (besides green)
- Does radiation (microwave) affect the germination of radish seeds?
- Do video game players have quicker reaction times than non video game players?
- Does the diet of earthworms affect the soil they enrich?
- Will the amount of sugar in a liquid affect how quickly enamel will break down?
- Does the font used for a document affect our ability to remember?
- Will a hydroponic garden running it’s water through a fish aquarium affect the growth of the plants? Or, will it affect the water quality of the aquarium?
- Does eye color affect peripheral vision?
- Does color affect taste?
- Can different genres of music affect a person’s heart rate?
- Does the temperature of water (with food coloring) affect the rate at which a flower will take in the water?
Environmental:
- What kind of soil is best for water retention?
- What is the effect of acid rain on plant growth?
- What effect does fertilizer have on algae growth?
- Which environmental pollutant, motor oil or used antifreeze, has the greatest effect on plants?
- Does the use of greywater affect plant growth?
- Does rain or hail create more erosion on a slope?
- Does vegetable waste (banana peels, apple cores, etc) decompose faster in soil with earthworms?
- Which soil cover prevents the most soil erosion (grass, mulch or bare soil)?
- How are different soil types affected by erosion?
- Which food group decomposes the quickest?
- How much garbage does your family produce over a month and what percentage is recycled or could be recycled?
- What material is best for cleaning up an oil spill?
- Does the external color of a structure affect the internal temperature of the structure?
- Impervious vs. Natural surfaces - which filter water best?
- How does pollution affect the growth of algae?
- Can nanotechnology be used to clean up an oil spill?
- Solar, Wind, Hydroelectric - Which renewable resources provide the greatest amounts of energy?
- Which sources of biomass create the most energy?
Physical Science:
- What variables affect the swing of a pendulum (length of string or mass of pendulum)?
- Is there a relationship between the size and strength of a magnet?
- What types of surfaces produce the greatest or least amount of friction?
- What variables affect the flight of an airplane (materials, weight, shape, angle of
launch)?
- What variables affect the efficiency of parachutes (size, shape, materials)?
- Which shape of windmill blade is most efficient?
- How does the length of a rotor affect helicopter flight?
- Does mass affect how fast objects of equal volume will fall through a liquid?
- How does the size of a wheel affect the rate at which it lifts a load?
- What variables affect the distance a balloon rocket will travel (amount of air, nozzle shape, angle of ascent, different pathways)?
- Which type of material conducts sound the best?
- What effect does temperature have on buoyancy?
- What material makes the best heat insulator?
- What effect does temperature have on the elasticity of a rubber band?
- What design shape supports a bridge the best?
- Do different types of liquids have an effect on the rate of oxidation?
- Does viscosity (thickness) of a liquid have an effect on the rate of evaporation or the boiling/freezing point?
- What coating inhibits rust formation the best?
- Which will food coloring mix into faster - hot, medium, or cold water?
- Which chemicals slow the browning of apples or other fruits?
- What effect does temperature/packaging have on the ripening of bananas?
- Does temperature have an effect on solubility?
- Does the color of water have an effect on evaporation rate?
- Does temperature affect the growth of sugar or salt crystals?
- How does temperature affect the reaction rate of Alka Seltzer?
- Do heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones?
- Does the density of wood affect how much weight different pieces of wood will hold in water?
- How well do different types of wood absorb water?
- Does electricity move better through thick wires or thin ones?
30.Which substance when dissolved in water will conduct the strongest electrical current?
31.Does temperature or concentration of a solution affect pH?
- Does the size of a ship’s keel affect the rocking of the ship?
- How does the mass of an arrow affects the distance an arrow travels?
34.Does salinity and temperature affect the density of water?
- Does the weight of a baseball bat affect how far the ball goes when it is hit?
- How does the position of a fulcrum affect the ability of a lever to do work?
- How do different surfaces affect friction?
- How does salinity affect the freezing rate of liquids?
- How does density affect the buoyancy of objects?
Computer Science:
- Does the length of a computer password determine its overall strength in security?
- Are passwords secure over public Wi-Fi?
- Does the color of the surface determine whether an optical mouse works?
- Does temperature (both hot and cold) affect how well a computer performs on a given task?
- Do typing programs designed to improve typing speed, skill, and accuracy beneficial?
- How can a Wi-Fi signal be blocked?
- What materials can block a Wi-Fi signal?
- Does the image format change the file size of a picture saved to a computer?
- Can a computer game be created for blind individuals?
- Does a Microsoft word document convert perfectly to a Google Doc?
- Can a computer program be developed to defeat a human opponent at a board game?
- Does the font style of the letters (or characters) in a file change the size of the file?
- How does the file size change as more letters (or characters) are added to a file?
Mathematics
- Can a formula be created and used to construct a scale model? If so, use it to construct a scale model of your house, school, or neighborhood building.
- Is there a “fastest way” to solve a Rubik’s cube?
- Is there an equation that will help solve a Rubik’s cube?
- Does the amount of water people use on average depend on the climate in the area in which they live?
- Does the amount of sleep you get on average equate to a better mood?
- Can a pattern be made by concentric, perfect circles?
- Can Pascal's Triangle be used to predict the weather?
- Can the Fibonacci Sequence be found in nature?
- Does the size of a bouncy ball effect how high it bounces?
- Does the weight of paper used to make a paper airplane affect how far it flies?
- Does the wing angle of a paper airplane change the distance it flies?
- Is there a relationship between geometric shapes and patterns?
- Is flipping a normal, two sided coin really random?
- Does a sports team's winning percentage deviate from the Pythagorean relationship?
- Does gender of a mathematician affect their ability?
- Can a mathematical equation and analysis improve cell phone service based upon location of towers?
- Is there a relationship between the amounts of corn flakes to raisins in a box of Raisin Bran Cereal?
- Does the average height of students per grade level increase their grade level increases?
- Does Play-Doh lose volume as it’s played with?
- How much salt needs to be added to cooking spaghetti to make it cook quicker?
- Does thicker liquid evaporate quicker than thinner liquid?
- Can the amount of waste created by our school be lessened by a mathematical practice?
- Can a teeter-totter be redesigned for one person?
- What are the most common sums of two dice when rolled?
- What is the relationship between height and arm length?
- What is the probability of reaching into a bin and selecting a particular color of M&M candy?
- Can statistics be used to predict the contents of edible consumer products such as fruit snacks, a bag of jelly beans or M&Ms?
- Does the probability of drawing a particular card from a deck depend upon the number of that type of card in the deck?