Science
Fair Questions
Science fair questions are the basis for all experiments. Perhaps
the biggest problem in thinking up a good science fair project is
thinking of a question or an idea. Because this is the first step
in creating an experiment, the rest of the project seems to fall
into place after thinking of the science fair questions one needs
to answer.
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The most important thing you can do when
trying to think of science fair questions is to think about
what interests you.
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You then need to think about whether this interest can be tested
in any way. By focusing on something that is already of interest
to you, the more you will enjoy the project and the more you will
be determined to follow it through.
When working to answer science fair questions, you are doing actual
research. Science fair projects such as tornadoes or volcanoes are
interesting and cute but it is difficult to think of questions that
these projects can answer. The other problem can be that you may
not have the equipment needed to test the question.
You may be interested in finding out whether or not television
commercials actually are louder than regular programming but it's
impossible to tell this without a decibel metre. So, after you have
thought of what interests you, you should see if there are questions
that can be attached to the interest and whether or not it is practical
for you to test the questions.
Some of the best science fair questions can also be the simplest.
Looking at something like cereal and wondering if the name brand
is really different than the generic brand can be done. Students
can gather other students and use these other students to evaluate
taste, appearance, and sogginess in milk after one minute. The name
of the brands should be hidden so that the taste-testers can't tell
which cereal they are tasting.
A cost comparison can also be done. Other interesting projects
could include using two different athletic balls and testing to
see which one bounces higher. The question here is: Does a tennis
ball bounce higher than a basketball? You could also ask if a fully
inflated ball bounces higher than a deflated ball. Research the
answer to find out why. All these projects require are different
types of balls, some "bouncers" and a metre stick or tape
measurer.
You can research in books or online to find interesting science
fair projects.Projects that involve the tasting and smelling of
food can also be very interesting. There are also lots of questions
that come with food - How long does it take a piece of bread to
go moldy?
Is it faster or slower when wrapped in plastic? Aluminium foil?
Can someone who is blindfolded taste the difference between different
types of foods? Which foods confuse them the most?
Once you have a few science fair questions in mind, all that is
left to do is the research and answers those questions with the
project. A great question can set you off on a really good start
and is the foundation for your project.
Note: See the Disclaimer
before starting this project.
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