Mountain Avenue Science

In this section we present links to science-fair-related sites, books, project ideas, suppliers of scientific equipment, toy makers, video clips, etc. Feel free to suggest more links by leaving us a comment :)

Science fair sites [for project ideas, etc.]

Scientific supplies

http://scientificsonline.com/ - Edmund Scientific
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com - Steve Spangler
http://www.radioshack.com/home/index.jsp - click on 'Cables, parts and connectors'

Misc. sites

http://www.lhsgems.org/ - Great Explorations in Math & Science
http://www.rlt.com - wooden machines such as catapults..
http://www.nationallabday.org/
http://www.dmlcompetition.net/

Library books
Below is a list of books from your school library on science experiments with the call numbers, title, and author:

507 C Science Projects and Activities by Dr. Helen Challund. Children’s Press, IL 1985. (93 pages)

507 For Science Fun—Discovering the World Around You by Imogene Forte. Incentre Publications, TN 1985. (79 pages)

507 War Experimenting with Nature Study by Alan Ward. Chelsea House Publishers, US 1991. (48 pages)

507 War Experimenting with Surface Tension and Bubbles by Alan Ward. Chelsea House Publishers, US 1991. (48 pages)

507.8 Wil My First Science Book—A Life Size Guide to Simple Experiments by Angela Wilkes. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York 1990. (48 pages)

507.8 Ard 101 Great Science Experiments—A Step-by-Step Guide by Neil Ardley. Dorling Kindersley, Inc., New York 1993. (119 pages)

507.8 How Science Works by Judith Harvy. Dorling Kindersley, Limited, London 1991. (192 pages)

507.8 Showy Science—Exciting Hands-on Activities that Explore the World Around Us by Hy Kim. Good Year Books, Illinois 1994. (313 pages)

507.8 More Magical Science by Diane O’Quinn Burke. RGA Publishing Group 1994. (64 pages)

507.8 Science Magic For Kids—68 Simple and Safe Experiments by Dr. William R. Wellnitz. McGraw-Hill TAB Books 1990. (116 pages)

507 Ma Simple Science Experiments with Everyday Materials by Muriel Mandell. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 1989. (128 pages)

507 Cob Fun & Games—Stories Science Photos Tell by Vicki Cobb. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books 1991. (31 pages)

Project ideas
This list can give you ideas on the variety of topics that can become science fair projects. You can think of your own questions or topics to answer according to your own interests. Again, to make your project more fun, pick a question about a topic that interests YOU—you’ll enjoy your project a lot more and want to put more effort into it, and learn more about something you like!

Will chilling an onion before cutting it keep you from crying?
What ratio of vinegar to baking soda produces the best chemical volcano eruption?
What type of plastic wrap best prevents evaporation?
Are night insects attracted to lamps because of heat or light?
Can you make Jell-o using fresh pineapples instead of canned pineapples?
Does the presence of detergent in water affect plant growth?
Does magnetism affect the growth of plants?
Does the shape of an ice cube affect how quickly it melts?
Do different brands of popcorn leave different amounts of unpopped kernels?
How accurately do egg producers measure eggs?
How do differences in surfaces affect the adhesion of tape?
If you shake up different kinds or brands of soft drinks (e.g., carbonated), will they all spew the same amount?
Are all potato chips equally greasy (you can crush them to get uniform samples and look at the diameter of a grease spot on brown paper)? Is greasiness different if different oils are used (e.g., peanut versus soybean)?
Do the same types of mold grow on all types of bread?
Does light effect the rate at which foods spoil?
Can you use a household water filter to remove flavor or color from other liquids?
Does the power of a microwave affect how well it makes popcorn?
Can you tell/taste the difference between ground beef, chuck, and round after they have been cooked?
Do all brands of diapers absorb the same amount of liquid?
Do different brands of batteries (same size, new) last equally long? If a brand lasts longer than others, does this change if you change the product (e.g., running a light as opposed to running a digital camera)?
Do all brands of bubble gum make the same size bubble?
Do all dishwashing detergents produce the same amount of bubbles? Clean the same number of dishes?
Is the nutritional content of different brands of a vegetable (e.g., canned peas) the same?
How permanent are permanent markers? What solvents (e.g., water, alcohol, vinegar, detergent solution) will remove the ink? Do different brands/types of markers produce the same results?
How does the rate of evaporation of the crystal-growing medium affect the final size of the crystals? You can change the rate of evaporation by sealing the container (no evaporation at all if there is no air space) or by blowing a fan
How do different factors affect seed germination? Factors that you could test include the intensity, duration, or type of light, the temperature, the amount of water, the presence/absence of certain chemicals, or the presence/absence of soil. You can look at the percentage of seeds that germinate or the rate of germination.
Is a seed affected by its size? Do different size seeds have different germination rates or percentages? Does seed size affect the growth rate or final size of a plant?
How does cold storage affect the germination of seeds? Factors you can control include the type of seeds, length of storage, temperature of storage, and other variables, such as light and humidity.
What conditions affect the ripening of fruit? Look at ethylene and enclosing a fruit in a sealed bag, temperature, light, or nearness to other pieces or fruit.
How are different soils affected by erosion? You can make your own wind or water and evaluate the effects on soil. If you have access to a very cold freezer, you can look at the effects of freeze and thaw cycles.
How does the pH of soil relate to the pH of the water around the soil?
How close does a plant have to be to a pesticide for it to work? What factors influence the effectiveness of a pesticide (rain? light? wind?)? How much can you dilute a pesticide while retaining its effectiveness? How effective are natural pest deterrents?
What is the effect of a chemical on a plant? You can look at natural pollutants (e.g., motor oil, runoff from a busy street) or unusual substances (e.g., orange juice, baking soda). Factors that you can measure include rate of plant growth, leaf size, life/death of the plant, color of plant, and ability to flower/bear fruit.

Mountain Avenue Science

November 3, 2011

2012 Science Fair!

February 3, 2011

2011 Science Fair

December 9, 2009

Check out these Science Fair related resources!

September 12, 2009

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