Science Project Help

[Probe]

I have to do a college level lab report for my AP Bio and Physics classes and I was wondering if you guys had any ideas.

[Sphere]

Do you have to come up with your own experiment? If so, what materials and equipment are availible to you?

And what do you mean AP Bio and Physics. One for each class or some sort of combined deal?

[Wodeson]

Would a cow hurling trebuchet be out of the question?

[Probe]

Do you have to come up with your own experiment? If so, what materials and equipment are availible to you?

I have to come up with my own experiment and my Bio teacher said it was manditory to join the science fair at my school. I can use any items around the house and borrow some stuff from school if I need to. I also have around forty dollars in my wallet (I think).

And what do you mean AP Bio and Physics. One for each class or some sort of combined deal?

Well originally I only had to do it in AP Bio. Then, when I switched out of Art History into Physics I found out I had to do one in there too. So, I talked to both of my teachers and they said I only had to do one.

Would a cow hurling trebuchet be out of the question?

Yes.

[Sphere]

Things around the house....

This is more chemistry then bio/physics, but if you dissolve silver in nitric acid, and then add ethanol (moonshine) you produce a salt that...umm....well I don't want to break forum rules (or Patriot Act ones for that matter).

[Probe]

The experiment can be on any field in science but I would like to do something in physics. Other topics are welcome though.

[Adar]

I don't know what "college level" experiments mean according to your national standards so this might be abit of a shot in the dark.

In a well sorted flower store/supermarket are crystals available that lowers the volume of water. The crystals bind water into complexes that occupies less space than the same molar amount of water normally would. I've been thinking about how this would affect pressure. You could essentially put different amounts of water-crystal mixture into a solid container together with a pressure measurer and see how much the pressure is lowered when you mix it.

[Probe]

I don't know what "college level" experiments mean according to your national standards so this might be abit of a shot in the dark.

I don't know what college level means either because this will be my first lab in the class but I'm in the US and an AP class is, supposedly, an introductory college course.

In a well sorted flower store/supermarket are crystals available that lowers the volume of water. The crystals bind water into complexes that occupies less space than the same molar amount of water normally would. I've been thinking about how this would affect pressure. You could essentially put different amounts of water-crystal mixture into a solid container together with a pressure measurer and see how much the pressure is lowered when you mix it.

This seems interesting. Do you know the name of the crystals?

[Adar]

This seems interesting. Do you know the name of the crystals?

They are simply known as water crystals they are quite cool and making a comparative analysis between water and a solution of water crystals should be quite fun. I think they are quite cool but I can't help you beyond this (I'm swedish and our early college years are quite different from the US ones).

[Captain Kirk]

Did I hear backyard nuclear reactor?
You could try to build a wireless charger for electronics.
EDIT: and I believe that there are '99 easy to do at home experiments' from NewScientists 'How to fossilsie a hamster'. Never read the book though so not sure about the level.

[C.M.]

Acetone peroxide

[Probe]

Acetone peroxide

I think that might be illegal over here.

[C.M.]

I think that might be illegal over here.

I inadvertently made some a few years back. My dog got sprayed by a skunk and the horrible smell compelled me to check the internets for possible solutions other than tomato juice which doesn't work. I'm lucky i didn't blow up

This is how i learned the important lesson of always double checking information found on the internet. Plus the recipe didn't work.

[Probe]

I imagine you are covering classical mechanics right now in class. Am I right?

Right, and its all basic crap that I already know. I'm waiting until quantum and relativity. Then the fun begins.

[chriscase]

Right, and its all basic crap that I already know. I'm waiting until quantum and relativity. Then the fun begins.

I wouldn't be too dismissive about classical mechanics if I were you. It can be a rather difficult area once you dig in. Not a particularly active area of research, I'll grant you; but by the same token there is a truly massive backlog of hellish and thoroughly worked problems. Also, you will find that the formalism of modern physics follows the formalism of classical mechanics, particularly the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations.

When it comes to creating a science project, I think classical mechanics is a great subject, because it concerns mechanical questions that can be explored using devices that are not particularly hard to build (at least in comparison to more advanced fields). And the concepts under examination are intuitive and interesting.

Off the top of my head, I can think of a couple things.

You could construct an experiment to validate the Galilean conjecture that the rate of descent of any two objects is the same if the resistance of the atmosphere is removed. (Another way of saying this is that all objects fall at the same rate in a vacuum.) Of course, if you create a vacuum chamber you can test this directly, but I think that's a rather uninteresting approach. More interesting to put yourself in Galileo's shoes and try to see how it could be experimentally validated without the use of a vacuum chamber.

Or if you want to play with some non-linear differential equations, you could experiment with some pendulums. You might even be able to demonstrate something from Chaos Theory, but you'll need someone else's help on that.

I'm sure there's plenty more you can do, but that's a couple ideas to get you started.

[chriscase]

I imagine you are covering classical mechanics right now in class. Am I right?