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The five-second rule: designing an experiment.

You can do research at home to test a common belief about food safety

Oops! Is that muffin still safe to eat? The latest DIY Science video tests if the five-second rule is true.

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By Bethany Brookshire

September 13, 2017 at 9:18 am

This article is one of a series of Experiments meant to teach students about how science is done, from generating a hypothesis to designing an experiment to analyzing the results with statistics. You can repeat the steps here and compare your results — or use this as inspiration to design your own experiment. 

Everyone has dropped food on the floor by accident. And if the floor is fairly clean and you’re hungry, you might pick up that food and eat it. You may even say “five-second rule!” as you bend down to grab it. The idea is that the food hasn’t been sitting on the floor long enough for bacteria to hop on board. But does time matter to a microbe?

Our latest DIY Science video examines the bugs on your bologna with an experiment. We’re not the first to tackle falling foods with science. The five-second rule has been tested in several scientific papers. And Mythbusters probed the issue on TV. But you don’t need a lot of money or a laboratory to test this yourself. In this series of blog posts, you’ll discover everything you need — from building an incubator to analyzing the data.

The five-second rule implies that if food is picked up quickly after it’s dropped, germs won’t have time to get on board. To find out if that’s true, we start with a hypothesis — a statement that can be tested. Because the five-second rule involves a specific length of time, we’ll need to compare food left on the floor for different periods of time.

Hypothesis: Food picked up off the floor after five seconds will collect fewer bacteria than food left on the floor for 50 seconds.

To test this hypothesis, we need to pick a food to test. That food should be something that can be easily dropped and easily picked up. And being inexpensive will help, since we’ll be dropping a lot of it. So we picked — bologna!

Our hypothesis compares two time periods, five seconds and 50 seconds. But that doesn’t mean we can test only one piece of bologna for five seconds against one left on the floor for 10 times as long. We also have to find out whether the bologna had microbes on it before it was dropped. Not only that, we have no idea how clean the floor is!

This means we actually need to test six groups, not two. The first is a control , meaning no bologna. This group will test our germ-growing set-up (more on that later) and will let us see how many bacteria grow without the lunch meat or contact with the floor. The second group will grow microbes from bologna straight out of the package (slices that will never have touched the floor).

How clean the floor is might also matter. In the end, I need to drop bologna on two sections of my tiled floor, each for two time periods. One section of floor should be as clean as possible. The other should be good and dirty — but look clean. We’ll drop pieces of bologna on each tiled section of floor, waiting five or 50 seconds before picking any up.

So those are the six groups, or test conditions. But testing each condition only once won’t be enough. This is because the number of microbes on each of the cold cuts will probably vary a lot. To make sure that the experiment represents what might happen to bologna in general, we need to replicate each several times. To find out how many times, I spoke with Iain Sawyer. He’s a cell biologist at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago, Ill.

There are two kinds of replication that we need to worry about, Sawyer notes: technical replicates and biological replicates.

A technical replication accounts for differences in how an experiment is conducted. For example, each bologna slice will probably produce slightly different results. A slice might be left out slightly longer before being dropped, allowing germs to grow. Or I might not clean my hands perfectly each time, introducing bugs. A biological replication is one that will account for differences in the living world. There are many species of bacteria, for instance, and they may concentrate more in one spot of floor than in another.

The best plan is to repeat the experiment more than once per group over several days, Sawyer says. This ensures we perform the test many times, which addresses the issues in the technical replication. It means we will perform the experiment in different temperatures and at different times. And dropping more than one piece of bologna for each group each day controls for how much the microbes might vary from one spot of floor to another. This should address any biological variation. In total, we will drop six pieces of bologna per group for each of the six groups, spread out over three days. That’s a total of 36 slices of lunch meat.

Just dropping bologna won’t help us discover if our hypothesis was right, though. We need to measure whether the numbers of bacteria change as a result of how long the food spent on the floor. But bacteria are too small to see without a microscope. And even with a microscope, it would be impossible to count all those germs. So we’ll have to grow the microbes — or culture them — into groups large enough to see. Read the next post to learn how to grow your own germs!

Is the five-second rule really true? We’re designing an experiment to find out.

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Hypothesis Examples

A hypothesis is a prediction of the outcome of a test. It forms the basis for designing an experiment in the scientific method . A good hypothesis is testable, meaning it makes a prediction you can check with observation or experimentation. Here are different hypothesis examples.

Null Hypothesis Examples

The null hypothesis (H 0 ) is also known as the zero-difference or no-difference hypothesis. It predicts that changing one variable ( independent variable ) will have no effect on the variable being measured ( dependent variable ). Here are null hypothesis examples:

• Plant growth is unaffected by temperature.
• If you increase temperature, then solubility of salt will increase.
• Incidence of skin cancer is unrelated to ultraviolet light exposure.
• All brands of light bulb last equally long.
• Cats have no preference for the color of cat food.
• All daisies have the same number of petals.

Sometimes the null hypothesis shows there is a suspected correlation between two variables. For example, if you think plant growth is affected by temperature, you state the null hypothesis: “Plant growth is not affected by temperature.” Why do you do this, rather than say “If you change temperature, plant growth will be affected”? The answer is because it’s easier applying a statistical test that shows, with a high level of confidence, a null hypothesis is correct or incorrect.

Research Hypothesis Examples

A research hypothesis (H 1 ) is a type of hypothesis used to design an experiment. This type of hypothesis is often written as an if-then statement because it’s easy identifying the independent and dependent variables and seeing how one affects the other. If-then statements explore cause and effect. In other cases, the hypothesis shows a correlation between two variables. Here are some research hypothesis examples:

• If you leave the lights on, then it takes longer for people to fall asleep.
• If you refrigerate apples, they last longer before going bad.
• If you keep the curtains closed, then you need less electricity to heat or cool the house (the electric bill is lower).
• If you leave a bucket of water uncovered, then it evaporates more quickly.
• Goldfish lose their color if they are not exposed to light.
• Workers who take vacations are more productive than those who never take time off.

Is It Okay to Disprove a Hypothesis?

Yes! You may even choose to write your hypothesis in such a way that it can be disproved because it’s easier to prove a statement is wrong than to prove it is right. In other cases, if your prediction is incorrect, that doesn’t mean the science is bad. Revising a hypothesis is common. It demonstrates you learned something you did not know before you conducted the experiment.

Test yourself with a Scientific Method Quiz .

• Mellenbergh, G.J. (2008). Chapter 8: Research designs: Testing of research hypotheses. In H.J. Adèr & G.J. Mellenbergh (eds.), Advising on Research Methods: A Consultant’s Companion . Huizen, The Netherlands: Johannes van Kessel Publishing.
• Popper, Karl R. (1959). The Logic of Scientific Discovery . Hutchinson & Co. ISBN 3-1614-8410-X.
• Schick, Theodore; Vaughn, Lewis (2002). How to think about weird things: critical thinking for a New Age . Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. ISBN 0-7674-2048-9.
• Tobi, Hilde; Kampen, Jarl K. (2018). “Research design: the methodology for interdisciplinary research framework”. Quality & Quantity . 52 (3): 1209–1225. doi: 10.1007/s11135-017-0513-8

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The Scientific Method by Science Made Simple

Understanding and using the scientific method.

The Scientific Method is a process used to design and perform experiments. It's important to minimize experimental errors and bias, and increase confidence in the accuracy of your results.

In the previous sections, we talked about how to pick a good topic and specific question to investigate. Now we will discuss how to carry out your investigation.

Steps of the Scientific Method

• Observation/Research
• Experimentation

Now that you have settled on the question you want to ask, it's time to use the Scientific Method to design an experiment to answer that question.

If your experiment isn't designed well, you may not get the correct answer. You may not even get any definitive answer at all!

The Scientific Method is a logical and rational order of steps by which scientists come to conclusions about the world around them. The Scientific Method helps to organize thoughts and procedures so that scientists can be confident in the answers they find.

OBSERVATION is first step, so that you know how you want to go about your research.

HYPOTHESIS is the answer you think you'll find.

PREDICTION is your specific belief about the scientific idea: If my hypothesis is true, then I predict we will discover this.

EXPERIMENT is the tool that you invent to answer the question, and

CONCLUSION is the answer that the experiment gives.

Don't worry, it isn't that complicated. Let's take a closer look at each one of these steps. Then you can understand the tools scientists use for their science experiments, and use them for your own.

OBSERVATION

This step could also be called "research." It is the first stage in understanding the problem.

After you decide on topic, and narrow it down to a specific question, you will need to research everything that you can find about it. You can collect information from your own experiences, books, the internet, or even smaller "unofficial" experiments.

Let's continue the example of a science fair idea about tomatoes in the garden. You like to garden, and notice that some tomatoes are bigger than others and wonder why.

Because of this personal experience and an interest in the problem, you decide to learn more about what makes plants grow.

For this stage of the Scientific Method, it's important to use as many sources as you can find. The more information you have on your science fair topic, the better the design of your experiment is going to be, and the better your science fair project is going to be overall.

Also try to get information from your teachers or librarians, or professionals who know something about your science fair project. They can help to guide you to a solid experimental setup.

The next stage of the Scientific Method is known as the "hypothesis." This word basically means "a possible solution to a problem, based on knowledge and research."

The hypothesis is a simple statement that defines what you think the outcome of your experiment will be.

All of the first stage of the Scientific Method -- the observation, or research stage -- is designed to help you express a problem in a single question ("Does the amount of sunlight in a garden affect tomato size?") and propose an answer to the question based on what you know. The experiment that you will design is done to test the hypothesis.

Using the example of the tomato experiment, here is an example of a hypothesis:

TOPIC: "Does the amount of sunlight a tomato plant receives affect the size of the tomatoes?"

HYPOTHESIS: "I believe that the more sunlight a tomato plant receives, the larger the tomatoes will grow.

This hypothesis is based on:

(1) Tomato plants need sunshine to make food through photosynthesis, and logically, more sun means more food, and;

(2) Through informal, exploratory observations of plants in a garden, those with more sunlight appear to grow bigger.

The hypothesis is your general statement of how you think the scientific phenomenon in question works.

Your prediction lets you get specific -- how will you demonstrate that your hypothesis is true? The experiment that you will design is done to test the prediction.

An important thing to remember during this stage of the scientific method is that once you develop a hypothesis and a prediction, you shouldn't change it, even if the results of your experiment show that you were wrong.

An incorrect prediction does NOT mean that you "failed." It just means that the experiment brought some new facts to light that maybe you hadn't thought about before.

Continuing our tomato plant example, a good prediction would be: Increasing the amount of sunlight tomato plants in my experiment receive will cause an increase in their size compared to identical plants that received the same care but less light.

This is the part of the scientific method that tests your hypothesis. An experiment is a tool that you design to find out if your ideas about your topic are right or wrong.

It is absolutely necessary to design a science fair experiment that will accurately test your hypothesis. The experiment is the most important part of the scientific method. It's the logical process that lets scientists learn about the world.

On the next page, we'll discuss the ways that you can go about designing a science fair experiment idea.

The final step in the scientific method is the conclusion. This is a summary of the experiment's results, and how those results match up to your hypothesis.

You have two options for your conclusions: based on your results, either:

(1) YOU CAN REJECT the hypothesis, or

(2) YOU CAN NOT REJECT the hypothesis.

This is an important point!

You can not PROVE the hypothesis with a single experiment, because there is a chance that you made an error somewhere along the way.

What you can say is that your results SUPPORT the original hypothesis.

If your original hypothesis didn't match up with the final results of your experiment, don't change the hypothesis.

Instead, try to explain what might have been wrong with your original hypothesis. What information were you missing when you made your prediction? What are the possible reasons the hypothesis and experimental results didn't match up?

Remember, a science fair experiment isn't a failure simply because does not agree with your hypothesis. No one will take points off if your prediction wasn't accurate. Many important scientific discoveries were made as a result of experiments gone wrong!

A science fair experiment is only a failure if its design is flawed. A flawed experiment is one that (1) doesn't keep its variables under control, and (2) doesn't sufficiently answer the question that you asked of it.

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How to Write a Good Lab Conclusion in Science

Last Updated: March 21, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Bess Ruff, MA . Bess Ruff is a Geography PhD student at Florida State University. She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. She has conducted survey work for marine spatial planning projects in the Caribbean and provided research support as a graduate fellow for the Sustainable Fisheries Group. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,762,536 times.

A lab report describes an entire experiment from start to finish, outlining the procedures, reporting results, and analyzing data. The report is used to demonstrate what has been learned, and it will provide a way for other people to see your process for the experiment and understand how you arrived at your conclusions. The conclusion is an integral part of the report; this is the section that reiterates the experiment’s main findings and gives the reader an overview of the lab trial. Writing a solid conclusion to your lab report will demonstrate that you’ve effectively learned the objectives of your assignment.

Outlining Your Conclusion

• Restate : Restate the lab experiment by describing the assignment.
• Explain : Explain the purpose of the lab experiment. What were you trying to figure out or discover? Talk briefly about the procedure you followed to complete the lab.
• Results : Explain your results. Confirm whether or not your hypothesis was supported by the results.
• Uncertainties : Account for uncertainties and errors. Explain, for example, if there were other circumstances beyond your control that might have impacted the experiment’s results.
• New : Discuss new questions or discoveries that emerged from the experiment.

• Your assignment may also have specific questions that need to be answered. Make sure you answer these fully and coherently in your conclusion.

Discussing the Experiment and Hypothesis

• If you tried the experiment more than once, describe the reasons for doing so. Discuss changes that you made in your procedures.
• Brainstorm ways to explain your results in more depth. Go back through your lab notes, paying particular attention to the results you observed. [5] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

• Start this section with wording such as, “The results showed that…”
• You don’t need to give the raw data here. Just summarize the main points, calculate averages, or give a range of data to give an overall picture to the reader.
• Make sure to explain whether or not any statistical analyses were significant, and to what degree, such as 1%, 5%, or 10%.

• Use simple language such as, “The results supported the hypothesis,” or “The results did not support the hypothesis.”

Demonstrating What You Have Learned

• If it’s not clear in your conclusion what you learned from the lab, start off by writing, “In this lab, I learned…” This will give the reader a heads up that you will be describing exactly what you learned.
• Add details about what you learned and how you learned it. Adding dimension to your learning outcomes will convince your reader that you did, in fact, learn from the lab. Give specifics about how you learned that molecules will act in a particular environment, for example.
• Describe how what you learned in the lab could be applied to a future experiment.

• On a new line, write the question in italics. On the next line, write the answer to the question in regular text.

• If your experiment did not achieve the objectives, explain or speculate why not.

Wrapping Up Your Conclusion

• If your experiment raised questions that your collected data can’t answer, discuss this here.

• Describe what is new or innovative about your research.
• This can often set you apart from your classmates, many of whom will just write up the barest of discussion and conclusion.

Finalizing Your Lab Report

Community Q&A

• If you include figures or tables in your conclusion, be sure to include a brief caption or label so that the reader knows what the figures refer to. Also, discuss the figures briefly in the text of your report. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Once again, avoid using personal pronouns (I, myself, we, our group) in a lab report. The first-person point-of-view is often seen as subjective, whereas science is based on objectivity. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Ensure the language used is straightforward with specific details. Try not to drift off topic. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Take care with writing your lab report when working in a team setting. While the lab experiment may be a collaborative effort, your lab report is your own work. If you copy sections from someone else’s report, this will be considered plagiarism. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://phoenixcollege.libguides.com/LabReportWriting/introduction
• ↑ https://www.hcs-k12.org/userfiles/354/Classes/18203/conclusionwriting.pdf
• ↑ https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/Pages/puttingittogether.aspx
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-writing/lab-report/
• ↑ http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/hypothes.php
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/conclusion
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/introduction/researchproblem
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/scientific-reports/
• ↑ https://phoenixcollege.libguides.com/LabReportWriting/labreportstyle
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

To write a good lab conclusion in science, start with restating the lab experiment by describing the assignment. Next, explain what you were trying to discover or figure out by doing the experiment. Then, list your results and explain how they confirmed or did not confirm your hypothesis. Additionally, include any uncertainties, such as circumstances beyond your control that may have impacted the results. Finally, discuss any new questions or discoveries that emerged from the experiment. For more advice, including how to wrap up your lab report with a final statement, keep reading. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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120+ Exciting 5th Grade Science Project Ideas With Hypothesis In 2023

Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey into the world of 5th-grade science projects with hypotheses? Science projects are not just about fun experiments; they also involve forming hypotheses to make educated guesses about outcomes. But what makes a good hypothesis for a science project? In this blog, we’ll explore the key components of a successful hypothesis.

Selecting the right 5th-grade science project can be a challenge, and we’ll share some valuable tips to help you choose the perfect one. We’ll dive into the importance of combining hypothesis with your science project and why it’s a vital aspect of learning and discovery.

But that’s not all! We’ve also compiled an extensive list of 120+ exciting 5th-grade science project ideas with hypothesis, providing you with a wealth of inspiration for your next scientific adventure. Stay tuned with us to unleash the world of  5th-grade science project ideas with hypothesis  and nurture your curiosity in the process.

What Is A Good Hypothesis For A Science Project?

Table of Contents

A good hypothesis for a science project is like a smart guess. It helps scientists figure out what they think will happen in their experiment. To make a good hypothesis, you need to use words like  if  and  then.  For example,  If I water the plant every day, then it will grow taller.  This shows what you’re going to do and what you expect to see.

In addition, a strong hypothesis also needs to be testable. That means you can experiment to see if it’s true or not. It’s like a detective’s clue that leads you to find the answer. Scientists use good hypotheses to guide their experiments and learn new things about the world. So, making a good hypothesis is an important part of any science project.

Things To Remember While Selecting A 5th Grade Science Project Ideas With Hypothesis

Here are some things to remember while selecting a 5th grade science project ideas with hypothesis:

1. Personal Interest

Choose a 5th-grade science project that interests you. Picking a topic you’re curious about makes the project more enjoyable. Whether it’s plants, animals, or space, your passion can make learning fun.

2. Age-Appropriate

Make sure the project is right for your grade level. A 5th-grade project shouldn’t be too simple or too complex. It should match your skills and what you’ve learned in school.

3. Available Resources

Check if you have access to the materials you need. Some projects might need special tools or expensive stuff. It’s essential to choose something you can do with the materials you have.

4. Safety First

Keep safety in mind. Select a project that’s safe to do at home or in school. Make sure you won’t be using anything harmful or dangerous.

5. Clear Instructions

Look for a project with clear instructions. It’s easier when you know what to do step by step. Projects with easy-to-follow directions help you succeed and learn better.

Developing A Hypothesis For Your Science Project

Developing a hypothesis for your science project is a crucial step. It’s like making an educated guess about what you think will happen during your experiment. Here are seven key points to consider while creating a hypothesis:

• Identify the Variables: Determine the two things you’re testing in your experiment, the  if  and  then  parts. For example, if you’re testing plant growth, the variables could be  amount of sunlight  and  plant height. 
• Be Specific: Make sure your hypothesis is clear and precise. Avoid vague or broad statements. The more specific, the better.
• Predict the Outcome: Your hypothesis should state what you expect to happen. Will one variable cause a change in the other? State your prediction clearly.
• Use  If-Then  Statements : Craft your hypothesis using  if-then  statements to show the relationship between the variables. For instance,  If the amount of sunlight increases, then the plant height will also increase. 
• Keep It Testable: Ensure that your hypothesis is something you can test through an experiment. It should lead to concrete results that you can measure.
• Avoid Bias: Make sure your hypothesis doesn’t show your personal beliefs. It should be based on research and evidence, not what you want to happen.
• Revisit and Revise : As you conduct your experiment, be ready to adjust your hypothesis if the results don’t match your initial prediction. Science is all about learning and adapting.

Here we have a list of 120+ exciting 5th grade science project ideas with hypothesis in 2023: 

• Balloon Rocket

Hypothesis –   If I inflate a balloon and release it, then it will move forward because of the escaping air. 

• Moldy Bread

Hypothesis –  I think bread left in different conditions will develop mold at varying rates. 

• Growing Plants 

Hypothesis –   If I give plants different amounts of water, then they will grow differently. 

• Magnet Magic

Hypothesis –  I predict that magnets will attract some objects but not others. 

• Lemon Battery

Hypothesis –  I believe I can create a battery using a lemon because it is acidic. 

• Volcano Eruption

Hypothesis –   I expect that a mixture of vinegar and baking soda will create a volcanic eruption. 

• Density of Liquids

Hypothesis –   I think different liquids have different densities, and some will float on top of others. 

• Solar Still

Hypothesis –   I predict that a solar still can collect clean water from dirty water through evaporation. 

• Bouncing Balls

Hypothesis –   I believe that balls made from different materials will bounce to different heights. 

• Static Electricity

Hypothesis –   I think rubbing a balloon on my hair will create static electricity that attracts objects. 

• Fruit Battery

Hypothesis –  I expect that fruits like oranges and lemons can power a small light bulb. 

• Color-Changing Milk

Hypothesis –  I predict that adding soap to milk with food coloring will make colorful patterns. 

• Tornado in a Bottle

 Hypothesis –   I think that by swirling water and dish soap in a bottle, I can create a tornado-like vortex. 

• Water Filtration

Hypothesis –   I believe that by using sand and gravel, I can filter impurities from water. 

• Rust Formation

Hypothesis –  I predict that metal objects left in water will rust over time. 

• Candy Dissolving

Hypothesis –  I think that different candies will dissolve at different rates in water. 

• Seed Germination

Hypothesis –  If I plant seeds in various conditions, then they will sprout at different rates. 

Hypothesis –  I expect that by using a simple rain gauge, I can measure rainfall accurately. 

• Sound Vibrations

Hypothesis –   I believe that different objects will produce different sounds when struck. 

• Egg Drop Challenge

Hypothesis –   I predict that if I design a protective container, the egg will survive a fall. 

• Paper Airplanes

Hypothesis –   I think that altering the shape of paper airplanes will affect their flight distance. 

• Food Preservation

 Hypothesis –   I expect that different methods of food preservation will keep food fresh longer. 

• Homemade Slime

Hypothesis –  I believe that mixing glue and borax will create a slimy substance. 

Hypothesis –   I predict that combining oil and water with Alka-Seltzer will create a mesmerizing lava lamp effect. 

• Air Pressure

Hypothesis –   I think air pressure can be measured with a simple barometer. 

• Crystal Growth

Hypothesis –  I expect that I can grow crystals by dissolving substances in water. 

• Ocean Currents

Hypothesis –   I predict that hot water and cold water will create ocean currents in a container. 

• Rainbow in a Jar

Hypothesis –   I believe I can create a rainbow by layering different liquids with different densities. 

• Static Electricity Levitation

Hypothesis –  I think that static electricity can make a small object levitate. 

• Melting Ice

Hypothesis –   I predict that adding salt to ice will cause it to melt faster. 

• Potato Battery

Hypothesis –   I expect that a potato can conduct electricity and power a small device. 

• Pendulum Swing

Hypothesis –   I believe that the length of a pendulum will affect its swing time. 

• Soda Geyser

Hypothesis –   I predict that dropping Mentos candies into soda will create a geyser. 

• Chromatography

Hypothesis –  I think I can separate the colors in markers using chromatography. 

• Heat Transfer

Hypothesis –  I expect that different materials will transfer heat at varying rates. 

• Rainfall and Runoff

Hypothesis –   I predict that if I simulate rainfall on different surfaces, some will produce more runoff. 

• Fizzy Lemonade

Hypothesis –   I believe that combining lemon juice and baking soda will make lemonade fizzier. 

• Rock Identification

Hypothesis –  I think I can identify different rocks by their characteristics. 

Hypothesis –  I predict that by cutting a straw, I can make it produce musical sounds like an oboe. 

• Taste Perception

Hypothesis –   I expect that people’s taste perception may change when their sense of smell is altered. 

• Color-Changing Flowers

Hypothesis –   I believe that adding food coloring to water will change the color of white flowers. 

• Solar Cooker

Hypothesis –   I predict that a solar cooker can cook food using only the sun’s energy. 

• Tornado Formation

Hypothesis –  I think that rotating two bottles will create a tornado effect. 

• Vinegar and Baking Soda Rocket

Hypothesis –  I expect that mixing vinegar and baking soda in a bottle will launch it into the air. 

• Popsicle Stick Bridge

Hypothesis –  I predict that I can build a strong bridge using only popsicle sticks and glue. 

• Rainfall Patterns

Hypothesis –  I believe that rainfall patterns can be different in various parts of the world. 

• Chemical Reactions

Hypothesis –  I think mixing certain chemicals will result in a visible reaction. 

• Fruit Decomposition

Hypothesis –   I predict that different fruits will decompose at different rates. 

• Balancing Act

Hypothesis –  I expect that I can balance various objects on a pivot point. 

• Photosynthesis Simulation

Hypothesis –   I believe that using a simple setup, I can show how plants perform photosynthesis. 

• Sinking and Floating

Hypothesis –  I think that objects with different densities will either sink or float in water. 

• Tooth Decay

Hypothesis –  I predict that different liquids will affect teeth differently, simulating tooth decay. 

• Rainwater Collection

Hypothesis –   I expect that by using a funnel, I can collect rainwater efficiently. 

• Soundproofing

Hypothesis –  I think that different materials will block sound to varying degrees. 

• Egg in a Bottle

Hypothesis –   I predict that I can place a peeled hard-boiled egg into a bottle without breaking it.  

• Water Wheel

Hypothesis –   I believe that the flow of water can make a small wheel turn.  

• Invisible Ink

Hypothesis –   I expect that I can create invisible ink that reveals messages under certain conditions.  

•  Heat from the Sun

Hypothesis –   I predict that a dark-colored object will get hotter in the sun than a light-colored one.  

• Layered Liquids

Hypothesis –   I think that liquids of different densities will form layers when mixed.  

• Candle Burning

Hypothesis –   I predict that different types of candles will burn at different rates.  

• Buoyancy with Clay Boats

Hypothesis –   I believe I can make clay boats that float and carry small loads.  

Hypothesis –   I expect that a mixture of cornstarch and water will behave strangely, like a liquid and a solid.  

• Magnetic Slime

Hypothesis –   I predict that adding iron filings to slime will make it magnetic.  

• Stalactites and Stalagmites

Hypothesis –   I think I can grow stalactites and stalagmites using a simple solution.  

Hypothesis –   I expect that different substances will have varying pH levels, which can be tested with indicator paper.  

• Solar Still for Drinking Water

Hypothesis –   I believe that a solar still can produce clean drinking water from saltwater.  

Hypothesis –   I predict that I can create a sundial that tells time using the sun’s shadow.  

• Dissolving Sugar

Hypothesis –   I expect that sugar will dissolve faster in hot water than in cold water.  

• Balloon Inflator

Hypothesis –   I think that a chemical reaction in a bottle can inflate a balloon.  

• Baking Soda and Vinegar Boat

Hypothesis –   I predict that a boat made from materials like baking soda and vinegar will move.  

• Oil Spill Cleanup

Hypothesis –   I believe that using different materials can help clean up an oil spill in water.  

• Seed Dispersal

Hypothesis –   I predict that seeds can be dispersed in various ways, such as by wind or animals.  

• Lemonade Sweetness

Hypothesis –   I expect that lemonade sweetness can be adjusted by adding sugar in different amounts.  

• Density of Solids

Hypothesis –   I think different solid objects will have different densities, which can be measured.  

• Making Ice Cream

Hypothesis –   I predict that I can make ice cream by mxing ingredients and using ice and salt.  

• Conduction and Insulation

Hypothesis –   I believe that different materials will either conduct or insulate heat.  

• Centrifugal Force

Hypothesis –   I predict that spinning an object will create a centrifugal force that affects its path.  

• Balloon-Powered Car

Hypothesis –   I expect that a car powered by a balloon will move because of the escaping air.  

• Candle Extinguisher

Hypothesis –   I think that covering a candle with a glass will extinguish it by using up the oxygen inside.  

• Water Filter Comparison

Hypothesis –   I predict that different water filters will remove impurities to varying degrees.  

• Capillary Action

Hypothesis –   I expect that water will rise differently in materials with varying capillary action.  

• Static Electricity and Salt

Hypothesis –   I believe that salt can be moved with static electricity.  

• Food Coloring in Flowers

Hypothesis –   I predict that adding food coloring to water will change the color of flowers.  

• Bottle Trombone

Hypothesis –   I think I can make a simple trombone-like instrument using a plastic bottle.  

• Windmill Power

Hypothesis –   I expect that a windmill can generate power when exposed to wind.  

• Chewing Gum Flavor

Hypothesis –   I predict that the flavor of chewing gum changes over time as it’s chewed.  

• Yeast Balloons

Hypothesis –   I believe that yeast will produce gas that can inflate a balloon.  

• Water Wheel Efficiency

Hypothesis –   I think that the design of a water wheel affects its efficiency in generating power.  

• Simple Electric Circuit

Hypothesis –   I expect that I can make a light bulb glow by completing an electric circuit.  

• Sugar Crystal Lollipop

Hypothesis –   I predict that sugar crystals will grow on a string dipped in a sugary solution.  

• Temperature and Magnetism

Hypothesis –   I believe that magnets will behave differently at various temperatures.  

• Styrofoam and Acetone

Hypothesis –   I expect that acetone will dissolve styrofoam.  

• Starch in Foods

Hypothesis –   I think I can test for the presence of starch in different foods using iodine.  

• Balloon-Powered Boat

Hypothesis –   I predict that a boat powered by a balloon will move on water.  

• Melting Chocolate

Hypothesis –   I expect that chocolate will melt at different rates when heated.  

• Air Pollution and Plant Growth

Hypothesis –   I believe that exposing plants to air pollution will affect their growth.  

• Simple Motor

Hypothesis –   I predict that I can build a simple motor that turns when an electric current flows through it.  

• Lemon Battery Voltage

Hypothesis –   I expect that different fruits will produce varying amounts of electricity when used as batteries.  

• Fireworks in a Jar

Hypothesis –   I think that mixing oil and colored water will create a fireworks-like display in a jar.  

• Bending Water with Static Electricity

Hypothesis –   I predict that static electricity can bend a stream of water from a faucet.  

• Soda Can Fizz

Hypothesis –   I expect that dropping a mentos candy into a soda can will cause fizzing.  

• Tornado Tube

Hypothesis –   I believe that connecting two plastic bottles with a tornado tube will create a vortex.  

• Magnetic Attraction and Distance

Hypothesis –   I predict that magnets will attract objects from varying distances.  

• Heat Absorption by Colors

Hypothesis –   I think that objects of different colors will absorb heat differently under sunlight.  

• Lemon Battery Power

Hypothesis –   I expect that a lemon battery can power a small LED light.  

• Strawberry DNA Extraction

Hypothesis –   I believe I can extract DNA from strawberries using common household items.  

• Marshmallow Density

Hypothesis –   I predict that marshmallows of different shapes and sizes have different densities.  

• Balloon-Powered Windmill

Hypothesis –   I think a windmill with balloons will turn when exposed to air.  

• Spinning Colors

Hypothesis –   I expect that spinning a color wheel will create the illusion of blending colors.  

• Sound and Vibration

Hypothesis –   I predict that different objects will create different sounds when struck and vibrate differently.  

• Rock Erosion

Hypothesis –   I believe that different rocks will erode at varying rates when exposed to water.  

• Air Pressure and Crushed Can

Hypothesis –   I expect that changing air pressure will crush an empty can.  

• Straw Flute

Hypothesis –   I think that cutting and blowing through a straw can produce musical notes.  

• Bottle Rocket

Hypothesis –   I predict that a bottle rocket filled with water and pressurized air will launch into the air.  

• Fruit Electricity

Hypothesis –   I believe that different fruits can produce electricity using simple circuits.  

• Melting Snow and Ice

Hypothesis –   I expect that different substances can help melt snow and ice at varying rates.  

• Plant Growth in Different Soils

Hypothesis –   I think that different soils will affect the growth of plants differently.  

• Static Electricity and Salt and Pepper

Hypothesis –   I predict that salt and pepper can be moved with static electricity.  

• Floating Paperclip

Hypothesis –   I expect that surface tension can make a paperclip float on water.  

• Crayon Melt Art

Hypothesis –   I believe that crayons will melt and create art when heated.  

• Balloon-Powered Hovercraft

Hypothesis –   I predict that a hovercraft powered by balloons will glide over a smooth surface.  

• Research Topics For Commerce Students
• Maths Project Ideas For College Students

Importance Of 5th Grade Science Project Ideas With Hypothesis For Students 

In this section, we will discuss the importance of 5th grade science project ideas with hypothesis for students: 

1. Hands-On Learning

5th-grade science projects with hypotheses offer students a chance to learn through doing. They get to experiment, make predictions, and see the real-world results. This hands-on approach helps students grasp scientific concepts better.

2. Critical Thinking

These projects encourage critical thinking. Students have to come up with educated guesses (hypotheses) and then analyze their experiments’ outcomes. It teaches them to think logically and solve problems.

3. Curiosity and Exploration

Science projects fuel curiosity. They allow students to explore topics they find interesting, making learning more engaging. This curiosity can spark a lifelong interest in science.

4. Application of Knowledge

The things that students have learned in school can be used in real life. It helps them understand that science is not just in books, but all around them. This makes their education more useful.

5. Confidence Building

Successfully completing a science project with a hypothesis can boost a student’s confidence. They see that they can tackle challenging tasks and find solutions. This confidence can extend to other areas of their education and life.

Understanding what makes a good hypothesis is the first step in any 5th-grade science project with a hypothesis. It’s all about making educated guesses and having clear  if-then  statements. Remember to choose a project that matches your interest, is safe, and fits your grade level. With over 120 exciting 5th-grade science project ideas with hypothesis, you have a world of possibilities to explore. 

Moreover, these projects offer hands-on learning, boost critical thinking, and ignite curiosity. They let you apply what you’ve learned in school to real life. Completing these projects can build your confidence, showing that you can tackle challenges and make discoveries. So, dive into the world of 5th-grade science project ideas with hypothesis and start your exciting scientific journey!

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The Ultimate Science Fair Project Guide – From Start to Finish

When our daughter entered her first science fair, we kept seeing references to the Internet Public Library Science Fair Project Resource Guide .  However, the IPL2 permanently closed… taking the guide with it.  Bummer !  After now participating in over a half-dozen elementary school science fairs (including a first-place finish!), we created our own guide to help other students go from start to finish in their next science fair project.  If this is your first science fair, have fun!  If you’ve done it before, we hope this is your best one!  Let’s science!

*Images from Unsplash

How to Use the STEMium Science Fair Project Ultimate Guide?

If you are just starting off and this is your first science fair, here’s how to get started:

• Start with the STEMium Science Fair Project Roadmap . This is an infographic that “maps” out the process from start to finish and shows all the steps in a visual format.
• Getting Started – Why Do a Science Fair Project . Besides walking through some reasons to do a project, we also share links to examples of national science fair competitions, what’s involved and examples of winning science fair experiments .  *Note: this is where you’ll get excited!!
• The Scientific Method – What is It and What’s Involved . One of the great things about a science fair project is that it introduces students to an essential process/concept known as the scientific method.  This is simply the way in which we develop a hypothesis to test.
• Start the Process – Find an Idea . You now have a general idea of what to expect at the science fair, examples of winning ideas, and know about the scientific method.  You’re ready to get started on your own project.  How do you come up with an idea for a science fair project?  We have resources on how to use a Google tool , as well as some other strategies for finding an idea.
• Experiment and Build the Project . Time to roll up those sleeves and put on your lab coat.
• Other Resources for the Fair. Along the way, you will likely encounter challenges or get stuck.  Don’t give up – it’s all part of the scientific process.  Check out our STEMium Resources page for more links and resources from the web.  We also have additional experiments like the germiest spot in school , or the alka-seltzer rocket project that our own kids used.

Getting Started – Why Do a Science Fair Project

For many students, participating in the science fair might be a choice that was made FOR you.  In other words, something you must do as part of a class.  Maybe your parents are making you do it.  For others, maybe it sounded like a cool idea.  Something fun to try.  Whatever your motivation, there are a lot of great reasons to do a science fair project.

• Challenge yourself
• Learn more about science
• Explore cool technology
• Make something to help the world! (seriously!)
• Win prizes (and sometimes even money)
• Do something you can be proud of!

Many students will participate in a science fair at their school.  But there are also national competitions that include 1000s of participants.  There are also engineering fairs, maker events, and hackathons.  It’s an exciting time to be a scientist!!  The list below gives examples of national events.

• Regeneron Science Talent Search
• Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair
• Google Science Fair
• Conrad Challenge
• Microsoft Imagine Cup
• JSHS Program
• Exploravision

What’s the Scientific Method?

Before we jump into your project, it’s important to introduce a key concept:  The Scientific Method .  The scientific method is the framework scientists use to answer their questions and test their hypothesis.  The figure below illustrates the steps you’ll take to get to the end, but it starts with asking a question (you’ve already finished the first step!).

After we find a problem/idea to tackle, and dig into some background research, we create a guess on a potential solution.  This is known as our hypothesis.

Example of a Hypothesis

My brother can hold his breath underwater longer than I can (“our problem”) –> how can I hold my breath longer? (“our question”) –>  if I drink soda with caffeine before I hold my breath, I will be able to stay underwater longer (“our solution”).  Our hypothesis is that using caffeine before we go underwater will increase the time we hold our breath.  We’re not sure if that is a correct solution or not at this stage – just taking a guess.

Once we have a hypothesis, we design an experiment to TEST our hypothesis.  First, we will change variables/conditions one at a time while keeping everything else the same, so we can compare the outcomes.

Experimental Design Example

Using our underwater example, maybe we will test different drinks and count how long I can hold my breath.  Maybe we can also see if someone else can serve as a “control” – someone who holds their breath but does not drink caffeine.  For the underwater experiment, we can time in seconds how long I hold my breath before I have a drink and then time it again after I have my caffeine drink.  I can also time how long I stay underwater when I have a drink without caffeine.

Then, once we finish with our experiment, we analyze our data and develop a conclusion.

• How many seconds did I stay underwater in the different situations? 
• Which outcome is greater?  Did caffeine help me hold my breath longer? 

Finally, (and most important), we present our findings. Imagine putting together a poster board with a chart showing the number of seconds I stayed underwater in the different conditions.

Hopefully you have a better sense of the scientific method.  If you are completing a science fair project, sticking with these steps is super important.  Just in case there is any lingering confusion, here are some resources for learning more about the scientific method:

• Science Buddies – Steps of the Scientific Method
• Ducksters – Learn About the Scientific Method
• Biology4kids – Scientific Method
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – Scientific Method

What Science Fair Project Should I Do?

And science is no different.

Just know that if you can get through the idea part, the rest of the science fair is relatively smooth sailing.  Remember to keep an open mind and a positive outlook .  Each year 100s of 1000s of kids, teenagers and college students come up with new projects and ideas to test.  You’ve got this!

What Makes a Great Science Fair Project?  Start with a Problem To Solve

As we discuss below, good science experiments attempt to answer a QUESTION.  Why is the sky blue?  Why does my dog bark at her reflection?  First, we will step through some ways to find TESTABLE QUESTIONS.  These questions that you create will be what you work on for your science fair project.  Pick something fun, something interesting and something that you are excited about.  Not sure what that looks like?  Step through some of the tips below for help.

Use the Google Science Fair Idea Generator

Are you surprised Google made a tool for science fair projects??  Our post called the low-stress way to find a science fair project gives a more in-depth overview about how to use it.  It’s a great first stop if you’re early in the brainstorming process.

Answer your own questions

• What type of music makes you run faster?
• Can boys hold their breath underwater longer than girls?
• How can I be sure the sandwich I bought is gluten free?
• If we plant 100 trees in our neighborhood, will the air be cleaner?

Still stuck? Get inspiration from other science fair projects

Check out the Getting Started section and look at some of the winning science project ideas, our STEMium experiments and our Resource page.  We’ve presented a ton of potential idea starters for you – take time to run through some of these, but our suggestion is to give yourself a deadline to pick an idea .  Going through the lists could take you longer than you think, and in many cases sometimes it’s just better to pick something and go for it!  The next section will take you through how to create testable questions for your project.

Starting Your Project: Find A Testable Question

The best experiments start with a question.  Taking that a step further, the questions you useyou’re your science fair project should be ones that are TESTABLE.  That means something you can measure.  Let’s look at an example.  Let’s say I’m super excited about baking.  OH YEA!!  I love baking.  Specifically, baking cakes.  In fact, I love baking cakes so much that I want to do a science project related to cakes.  We’ve got two questions on cakes that we created.  Which question below could be most useful for a science fair project:

1)  Can eating cake before a test improve your score?

2)  Why isn’t carrot cake more popular than chocolate cake?

The second question isn’t necessarily a bad question to pick.  You could survey people and perhaps tackle the question that way.  However, chances are you will get a lot of different answers and it will probably take a lot of surveys to start to pick up a trend.

Although, the first question might be a little easier.  How would you test this?   Maybe you pick one type of cake and one test that you give people.  If you can get five people to take the test after eating cake and five people take the test with no cake, you can compare the test results.  There might be other variables beyond cake that you could test (example: age, sex, education).  But you can see that the first question is probably a little easier to test.  The first question is also a little easier to come up with a hypothesis.

At this point, you’ve got an idea.  That was the hard part!  Now it’s time to think a little more about that idea and focus it into a scientific question that is testable and that you can create a hypothesis around .

What makes a question “testable”?

Testable questions are ones that can be measured and should focus on what you will change.  In our first cake question, we would be changing whether or not people eat cake before a test.  If we are giving them all the same test and in the same conditions, you could compare how they do on the test with and without cake.  As you are creating your testable question, think about what you WILL CHANGE (cake) and what you are expecting to be different (test scores).  Cause and effect.  Check out this reference on testable questions for more details.

Outline Your Science Project – What Steps Should I Take?

Do Background Research / Create Hypothesis

Science experiments typically start with a question (example: Which cleaning solution eliminates more germs?).  The questions might come up because of a problem.  For example, maybe you’re an engineer and you are trying to design a new line of cars that can drive at least 50 mph faster.  Your problem is that the car isn’t fast enough.  After looking at what other people have tried to do to get the car to go faster, and thinking about what you can change, you try to find a solution or an answer.  When we talk about the scientific method, the proposed answer is referred to as the HYPOTHESIS.

• Science Buddies
• National Geographic

The information you gather to answer these research questions can be used in your report or in your board.  This will go in the BACKGROUND section.  For resources that you find useful, make sure you note the web address where you found it, and save in a Google Doc for later.

Additional Research Tips

For your own science fair project, there will likely be rules that will already be set by the judges/teachers/school.  Make sure you get familiar with the rules FOR YOUR FAIR and what needs to be completed to participate .  Typically, you will have to do some research into your project, you’ll complete experiments, analyze data, make conclusions and then present the work in a written report and on a poster board.  Make a checklist of all these “to do” items.  Key things to address:

• Question being answered – this is your testable question
• Hypothesis – what did you come up with and why
• Experimental design – how are you going to test your hypothesis
• Conclusions – why did you reach these and what are some alternative explanations
• What would you do next? Answering a testable question usually leads to asking more questions and judges will be interested in how you think about next steps.

Need more help?  Check out these additional resources on how to tackle a science fair project:

• Developing a Science Fair Project – Wiley
• Successful Science Fair Projects – Washington University
• Science Fair Planning Guide – Chattahoochee Elementary

Experiment – Time to Test That Hypothesis

Way to go!  You’ve found a problem and identified a testable question.  You’ve done background research and even created a hypothesis.  It’s time to put it all together now and start designing your experiment.  Two experiments we have outlined in detail – germiest spot in school and alka-seltzer rockets – help show how to set up experiments to test variable changes.

The folks at ThoughtCo have a great overview on the different types of variables – independent, dependent and controls.  You need to identify which ones are relevant to your own experiment and then test to see how changes in the independent variable impacts the dependent variable .  Sounds hard?  Nope.  Let’s look at an example.  Let’s say our hypothesis is that cold weather will let you flip a coin with more heads than tails.  The independent variable is the temperature.  The dependent variable is the number of heads or tails that show up.  Our experiment could involve flipping a coin fifty times in different temperatures (outside, in a sauna, in room temperature) and seeing how many heads/tails we get.

One other important point – write down all the steps you take and the materials you use!!  This will be in your final report and project board.  Example – for our coin flipping experiment, we will have a coin (or more than one), a thermometer to keep track of the temperature in our environment.  Take pictures of the flipping too!

Analyze Results – Make Conclusions

Analyzing means adding up our results and putting them into pretty pictures.  Use charts and graphs whenever you can.  In our last coin flipping example, you’d want to include bar charts of the number of heads and tails at different temperatures.  If you’re doing some other type of experiment, take pictures during the different steps to document everything.

This is the fun part….  Now we get to see if we answered our question!  Did the weather affect the coin flipping?  Did eating cake help us do better on our test??  So exciting!  Look through what the data tells you and try to answer your question.  Your hypothesis may / may not be correct.  It’s not important either way – the most important part is what you learned and the process.  Check out these references for more help:

• How to make a chart or graph in Google Sheets
• How to make a chart in Excel

Presentation Time – Set Up Your Board, Practice Your Talk

Personally, the presentation is my favorite part!  First, you get to show off all your hard work and look back at everything you did!  Additionally, science fair rules should outline the specific sections that need to be in the report, and in the poster board – so, be like Emmett from Lego Movie and read the instructions.  Here’s a loose overview of what you should include:

• Title – what is it called.
• Introduction / background – here’s why you’re doing it and helping the judges learn a bit about your project.
• Materials/Methods – what you used and the steps in your experiment. This is so someone else could repeat your experiment.
• Results – what was the outcome? How many heads/tails?  Include pictures and graphs.
• Conclusions – was your hypothesis correct? What else would you like to investigate now?  What went right and what went wrong?
• References – if you did research, where did you get your information from? What are your sources?

The written report will be very similar to the final presentation board.  The board that you’ll prepare is usually a three-panel board set up like the picture shown below.

To prepare for the presentation, you and your partner should be able to talk about the following:

• why you did the experiment
• the hypothesis that was tested
• the data results
• the conclusions.

It’s totally OK to not know an answer.  Just remember this is the fun part!

And that’s it!  YOU DID IT!! 

Science fair projects have been great opportunities for our kids to not only learn more about science, but to also be challenged and push themselves.  Independent projects like these are usually a great learning opportunity.  Has your child completed a science fair project that they are proud of?  Include a pic in the comments – we love to share science!!  Please also check out our STEMium Resources page for more science fair project tips and tricks .

STEMomma is a mother & former scientist/educator. She loves to find creative, fun ways to help engage kids in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math).  When she’s not busy in meetings or carpooling kids, she loves spending time with the family and dreaming up new experiments  or games they can try in the backyard.

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How to Write Up an Elementary Volcano Science Project

Jennifer tolbert, 27 jun 2018.

The baking soda and vinegar volcano is a favorite science experiment among elementary students. It is important to make your presentation stand out from the other students at the science fair with an exceptional presentation. Also be sure to follow the teacher's guidelines or science fair guidelines to ensure that your score is as high as possible.

Write an introduction. The introduction is your first impression. Be sure it is concise and accurately introduces exactly what you studied in the experiment. This is also an excellent place to include fun facts, background information or general volcano information. The reaction is due to the properties of bases and acids and would be important to include in your experiment. Identify the variable that you are testing, such as the ratio to vinegar and baking soda. Or maybe you would like to see what other base-acid combinations would produce similar eruptions.

Write a hypothesis. Remember a hypothesis is an educated guess or prediction. Explain what you believe will happen during the experiment based upon your previous knowledge or research. The hypothesis should be written in a declarative sentence.

List your materials. Provide a detailed list of all of the materials you used when you conducted the experiment. Be sure to also include how much of each material was used. Explain whether you made your own volcano or bought a kit.

Write your procedure. The procedure should be written step-by-step, in detail. If someone else could easily reproduce your experiment, you have probably written a fairly clear procedure. Be detailed, accurate and logical in your explanation. Procedures are usually written in a numerical list format.

Explain your results. Be sure your results reflect exactly what you were testing. You can provide observations or measurements. If applicable, you can create a chart or graph to describe any numerical data you may have taken. You may want to describe what the eruptions looked like, how long they lasted or how explosive the reactions were.

Write a conclusion. Basically, sum up what you learned during the experiment. Say whether or not your hypothesis was correct. Point out patterns in your data and explain if they were consistent with your previous knowledge of the subject. Also, do not forget to relate how that information can be used in the real world. This would also be a good spot to place recommendations if there are changes you would make to the experiment.

• 1 Discovery Education: Science Fair Center
• 2 Science Buddies: Science Fair Project Final Report

About the Author

Jennifer Tolbert currently resides in Magnolia, Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications from Texas Tech University and a Master of Science from Texas A&M University. She has written several award-winning special sections as a marketing writer and is currently a special education teacher.

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Science Project Ideas

Gummy Bear Experiment

The gummy bear experiment is a fun activity that teaches the basic concept of osmosis to the little ones in an easy manner. They will also be thrilled at the idea that their favorite gummy bears could teach them a lesson or two in science.

Gummy Bear Science Project Instructions

Hypothesis for growing/shrinking gummy bears.

When a gummy bear is placed in a hypotonic solution (e.g. water) then it will increase in mass and volume. On the other hand, its mass and volume decrease when placed in a hypertonic solution (e.g. salt water). Hypertonic refers to a higher concentration of solutes and hypotonic is just the reverse.

Things Needed

• Physical balance or digital weighing machine
• Sieve, plastic fork or screen
• Graph paper
• Measure the dimensions (length, breadth and height) of the bear with a scale. Measure its mass with the balance.
• Fill the bowl with water.
• Completely immerse the gummy bear in the water.
• Let the bowl sit overnight in a place away from direct sunlight.
• Next day, lift the bear from the water with a plastic fork, sieve or screen.
• Record the dimensions and mass of the bear again.
• Do the same observation each day for a couple of days more.
• Plot a graph with the time in hours along the X-axis (the dependent variable) and the mass or weight of the gummy bear along the Y-axis (independent variable). Check the nature of the graph.

Things You Can Try

• Set up a series of bowls on the table and fill them with different solutions like that of baking soda, vinegar, salt, distilled water, etc. Make similar observations as above for each one of them. Compare your results.
• Also, check if the taste and/or color of the bears have changed.

Gummy Bear Osmosis Video

How does it work.

The ingredients of gummy bears are sugar, water, and gelatin, with little water content. Due to the process of osmosis, i.e., the movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of high concentration to that of a lower concentration, the bear starts to grow. However, it doesn’t get dissolved as the gelatin is insoluble in water.

On trying out the different ideas, you will find that the degree of expansion of the candy depends on the liquid on which it is kept. However, vinegar, which is actually an acid, can dissolve the candy .

This simple trick can prove to be a cool science fair idea. The kids will be enthralled to display their knowledge to the audience in a fun way.

References:

https://biozone.weebly.com/uploads/2/7/4/2/274298/gummy_bear_osmosis.pdf

https://tinkerlab.com/incredible-growing-gummy-bears/

https://www.childrensmuseum.org/blog/saturday-science-growing-gummy-bears

https://www.homeschool.com/blog/index.php/2014/04/homeschool-science-gummy-bear-osmosis/

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• Why We’re Unique

Make a Volcano Model

Introduction: (initial observation).

When a volcano erupts, large masses of molten rocks along with smoke and dust exit the top of the volcano known as vent.

Have you ever wondered why these materials come out of a volcano?

Can it be caused by the underground pressure of gases?

In this project you learn about the parts of a volcano, different kinds of volcano and volcanic eruption. You will also make a model of a volcano and display the eruption process and the release of lava or magma caused by the pressure of gases.

This project guide contains information that you need in order to start your project. If you have any questions or need more support about this project, click on the “Ask Question” button on the top of this page to send me a message.

If you are new in doing science project, click on “How to Start” in the main page. There you will find helpful links that describe different types of science projects, scientific method, variables, hypothesis, graph, abstract and all other general basics that you need to know.

Project advisor

Information Gathering:

Find out about volcanoes. Read books, magazines or ask professionals who might know in order to learn about the causes and the locations of volcanoes. Keep track of where you got your information from.

Following are samples of information you may find:

A volcano is a geological landform (usually a mountain) where a substance, usually magma (molten rock of the Earth’s interior) erupts. The name “volcano” originates from the name of Vulcan, a god of fire in Roman mythology. The study of volcanoes is called vulcanology (or volcanology in some spellings).

The Three Big Ones The last three volcanic eruptions to cause major loss of life were Krakatoa, Indonesia, where 32,000 were killed in 1883; Mt. Pelee, Martinique, where 29,000 were killed in 1902; and Nevada del Ruiz, Colombia, where 23,000 were killed in 1985. Fiery lava was not the culprit in any of these disasters. Details…

A volcano constitutes a vent , a pipe , a crater , and a cone .

The vent is an opening at the Earth’s surface.

The pipe is a passageway in the volcano in which the magma rises through to the surface during an eruption.

The crater is a bowl-shaped depression at the top of the volcano where volcanic materials like, ash, lava, and other pyroclastic materials are released.

Solidified lava, ashes, and cinder form the cone . Layers of lava, alternate with layers of ash to build the steep sided cone higher and higher.

Source…

Information about volcano models are available at: _ http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_models/models.html _ http://www.madsci.org/experiments/archive/854444893.Ch.html _ http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/Input/lahr/taurho/volcano/volcano.html _ http://www.rockhoundingar.com/pebblepups/volcano.html _ http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~ekrauss/ _ http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Products/Pglossary/volcano.html

Question/ Purpose:

We want to see what happens that a volcano erupts. A review of current and past volcano eruptions indicates some kind of under ground pressure that forces the lava out of a volcano. Can we simulate such underground pressure?

Identify Variables:

We use different kind of material that may release gas and create a display similar to a real volcanic eruption. Such material and their quantity are our variables.

Hypothesis:

Baking soda and Vinegar can produce enough gas to simulate a volcanic eruption.

Experiment Design:

Mix baking soda and vinegar in a plastic bottle in different ratios and see which combination and rates of mixture will create the most foam and is the best for a volcanic eruption display.

After you find the best setup and combination, cover the bottle by papers, aluminum foil, clay and other material to make it look like real volcanic mountain. So in the center of your volcano model will be a bottle with chemicals that create the eruption.

In your first experiment use a small cup of vinegar and start adding baking soda to that. Initially baking soda will release gas as soon as it gets to the vinegar. But if you continue, at some point there will be no gas any more. In this way you record the amount of baking soda and vinegar that create gas with each other.

In the second experiment check to see which substance must be at the bottom to create a better and faster reaction, baking soda or vinegar.

In the third experiment add some liquid detergent and some red food coloring to vinegar before reaction with baking soda. Liquid detergent may help the foams last longer and food coloring gives a better look to the erupting volcano. You may also add some flour to the baking soda that you are using to create a more viscose lava.

When the chemical composition is experimented successfully, mount the bottle on the center of a card board and cover it with newspaper and aluminum foil to look like a real volcano.

Baking soda and vinegar are frequently used for volcano projects simply because they are easily accessible and less dangerous. Personally I prefer other methods that create better display and of course have more risk. In one example you fill up your volcanic cone with Ammonium bichromate and light it up at the display. Ammonium dichromate is a flammable solid and burns very similar to a volcano. It has a nice display and creates a lot of smoke. Use heavy aluminum foil to cover your card board and construct your cone and do your display in an open area. If you want to do this, make your volcano as small as possible (about 2″ high).

The other method that I like is using a solid acid instead of vinegar. Citric acid for example, specially if you get it in powder form can be a good choice. You can mix it dry with baking soda, paint powder such as Iron oxide (red) and detergent powder. So when you are ready to do your demonstration you just add some water and reaction starts.

Need a volcano related graph for your display?

If you need a graph as a part of your display, you must first come up with a question that its answer or data are in the form of a table. You will then gather the information and fill up your data table. Finally you can use your data table to draw a graph.

Following are some sample questions.

What are the numbers of active volcanoes in different continents?

For this question your data table will look like this:

How many volcanoes are there in each state of USA?

You can use the following website for data that you need.

http://www.volcano.si.edu/gvp/world/

Materials and Equipment:

• Plastic bottle (Wide mouth, 5 to 9 inches tall)
• Baking soda
• Liquid detergent
• Food coloring (red)
• Aluminum foil
• Masking tape

Results of Experiment (Observation):

Experiments showed that the reaction between baking soda and vinegar creates some gas, but it is not fast enough to create a violent reaction and simulate a real volcanic reaction. We can stir or shake the mixture to create more gas, but it is not very realistic to shake a volcano to cause eruption.

To speed up the reaction we must fill up the plastic bottle with baking soda while leaving an empty hole in the center of that for adding vinegar.

This hole should be as wide as possible so your bottle will hold more vinegar than baking soda. To do this you need to make paste of baking soda. Take one spoon liquid detergent, two spoons water, a few drops of food coloring and start adding baking soda slowly while mixing. Continue adding baking soda until you get a sticky paste. If your bottle is very small and your volcano is small too, this should be enough. For larger bottles you may need to repeat this part to make more paste. Apply a thin layer of this paste to the inner sides of your bottle (about 1/4″ tick).

The reason that we add liquid detergent is that bobbles are unstable and disappear very fast. Liquid detergent will make bubbles last for a few seconds. Do this a few times and add vinegar to see how much foam comes out. After a few experiments you will be ready for your final product.

When your bottle is ready for final volcano, take a card board and using a masking tape secure the bottle in the center of the card board. Before you start building your volcanic mountain around the bottle, you may also want to use some glue or masking tape around the neck of the bottle. This will prevent the foam from going inside your mountain.

You can almost use anything that can look like a mountain to cover your bottle. I used some packing paper and cut a cross on the center of that to make it easier to be attached to the neck of the bottle.

Cover the bottle with your mountain material such as paper or aluminum foil and paint it. Since my paper was not large enough, I has to use some extra magazine paper to give more body to the mountain.

Before painting, cover the the bottle with something to make sure that paint will not enter the bottle. I used spray paint, but you can use any latex paint as well. (Don’t add water).

I painted my volcano in the backyard, spray paints release harmful fumes and it’s better not to use them inside a building. While the paint was still wet, I also spread some sand to make it more natural. Paint will act like a glue and holds sand in place.

When your volcano is ready and it is your turn to display, fill up a small bottle or a test tube with vinegar and pour it in to your volcano. The eruption will start in a few seconds and lasts for a few minutes.

Remember you can do it only once and when the volcano erupts, it gets wet and you can not repeat your display unless you build everything from the beginning.

Final display that will last only a few seconds may look like this. As you notice I did not use food coloring and my lava is white. Also I used black color to paint the mountain that is not the best choice. If you have enough time for your project, you may use multiple colors and food coloring to get a better display.

Calculations:

Calculate what ratio of baking soda and vinegar produce the most gas.

Summery of Results:

Summarize what happened. This can be in the form of a table of processed numerical data, or graphs. It could also be a written statement of what occurred during experiments.

It is from calculations using recorded data that tables and graphs are made. Studying tables and graphs, we can see trends that tell us how different variables cause our observations. Based on these trends, we can draw conclusions about the system under study. These conclusions help us confirm or deny our original hypothesis. Often, mathematical equations can be made from graphs. These equations allow us to predict how a change will affect the system without the need to do additional experiments. Advanced levels of experimental science rely heavily on graphical and mathematical analysis of data. At this level, science becomes even more interesting and powerful.

Conclusion:

Using the trends in your experimental data and your experimental observations, try to answer your original questions. Is your hypothesis correct? Now is the time to pull together what happened, and assess the experiments you did. The pressure of underground gases in a volcanic mountain will force the molten material out of the volcanic mountain.

Related Questions & Answers:

Q. How can we make a volcano that errupts more than once?

A. Instead of attaching the bottle to the base board, make and attach a cylinder from heavy paper that can hold the bottle. In this way you will be able to remove the bootle for refill or just use a second bottle that you have already prepared to repeat the erruption test.

When you do one eruption experiment, your volcano will get wet. So for multiple eruptions make your volcanic mountain from more durable material. Heavy paper with lots of paint can resist a few tests, but for more tests, make your volcanic mountain from plastics, aluminum foil, wood or even chalk (Plaster of Paris) that will be much heavier.

Possible Errors:

If you did not observe anything different than what happened with your control, the variable you changed may not affect the system you are investigating. If you did not observe a consistent, reproducible trend in your series of experimental runs there may be experimental errors affecting your results. The first thing to check is how you are making your measurements. Is the measurement method questionable or unreliable? Maybe you are reading a scale incorrectly, or maybe the measuring instrument is working erratically.

If you determine that experimental errors are influencing your results, carefully rethink the design of your experiments. Review each step of the procedure to find sources of potential errors. If possible, have a scientist review the procedure with you. Sometimes the designer of an experiment can miss the obvious.

References:

Other receipes attached may also give you new ideas on how to make your model.

Model Volcano Project

James Signorelli

Dwight Morrow High School

Science Department

The purpose of this project is to produce a model that simulates the building processes found in actual volcanoes. These processes include the layering of ash from the eruption to builds the cinder cone. They also show how the mass of the cone in time causes the Caldera to form when the crater collapses in on itself. A model can also be made that simulates the violent eruptions of a composite volcano. For this model, additional chemicals are required to produce the violent explosive eruption responsible for hurling dust and pyroclastic bombs into the air.

Phase #1 – the mountain

A. Obtain a piece of thick corrugated paper and line with several layers of aluminum foil. This is your primary fire shield.

B. Place a large, ceramic crucible in the center of the board and anchor with wall board joint compound. [available from Home Depot at $ 10.00 / 5 gallon pail]

C. Make a skeleton of the mountain with shaped layers of corrugated paper in the form of a top-o-graphic map.

D. Cover the layers with the wall board joint compound until your mountain has the desired shape.

E. Allow model to dry for several days. You may scratch in detail such as ravines and depressions before the plaster hardens. Plaster has a natural tendency to shrink and crack, adding realism to the surface of the model.

F. Paint the model by first spraying with BBQ black. Use Tempera paint for all other detail.

Phase #2 the chemicals [cinder cone model]

Perform this Demonstration in a fume hood or outdoors for proper ventilation. Treat the ash as hazardous chemical waste and recycle for proper disposal. Vacuum or sweep up all ash.

A. Obtain Ammonium Dichromate from the chemical storage area of your school. It is stored in the oxidizer cabinet.

B. Place approximately one table spoon of Ammonium Dichromate into the crucible.

C. Light the chemical with a match and step back. The effect is more graphic in a darkened room.

D. The orange Ammonium Dichromate burns in a firey plume (fountain) into chromic oxide, a green colored ash.

E. The ash builds layer upon layer to form the cone.

F. As the ash cone reaches higher and higher, it becomes unstable and collapses in on itself to form the broad Caldera, from the crater.

Phase #3 the chemicals [composite volcano model]

This model requires the use of an explosive mixture of chemicals. Do Not use more than ½ teaspoon and do not pack it into the crucible.

A. In a non-flammable container, mix equal parts of table sugar and Potassium Chlorate. Stir, do not use a mortar & pestle.

This mixture does not like friction !

B. Place approximately ½ teaspoon of the mixture into the large crucible.

C. Completely cover this mixture with the Ammonium Dichromate as in the Cinder Cone model. None of the sugar mixture should be visible. This works best if ¾ inch or more of the dichromate crystals covers the sugar mixture.

D. Light the model as in phase #1. Stand back! When the dichromate eventually reaches the sugar layer, the volcano becomes Mt. Saint Helen. The carbon balls (pyroclastic bombs) land several inches from the model. The center of the cinder cone is blown away, producing a very wide crater. If you dont tell the students that this final reaction is due any minute, the surprise really gets their interest!

Please& Use professional judgement.

Dont allow students to handle any of the chemicals.

Practice safe use of all chemicals

Start with small quantities and develop your learning curve before trying this in front of a class.

Treat all fuel, ash and waste as a hazardous chemical. Dispose of properly.

• 1 cup vinegar
• Red food color
• 2 generous drops of dish washing soap
• 2 tablespoons of baking soda

Build a volcano of clay around a container that is thin and tall. You can use an empty tin can. You cut the top off a soda bottle or use pint milk cartons. Instead of clay you can mix flour with water into a paste and let it dry. Plaster of paris is also good for the outside. Mix the liquids together. When 2 tablespoons of baking soda are added a bright red foamy lava comes out.

Experiment:

• Present two clear containers (bottles, jars,) of equal volume and shape. Add 1 cup of vinegar to each container. You will need a tray to catch the overflowing foam.
• In one container add the drops of dish washing soap. Do not add any soap to the other.
• Measure the tablespoons of baking soda into two other cups so that it can be dumped into the two containers of vinegar at the same time.
• Have the students name the only difference between the mixtures in the two containers. (One has soap.)
• Have students speculate or predict in writing if the two will appear different or not and what we will see.
• Dump the baking soda from the cups into the containers at exactly the same time.
• Have students read what they wrote and use adjectives to describe how the two mixtures are different. Does one formula last longer? What was the only difference between the two cases?

It is always important for students, parents and teachers to know a good source for science related equipment and supplies they need for their science activities. Please note that many online stores for science supplies are managed by MiniScience.

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• Science Fair Project Ideas for Kids, Middle & High School Students ⋅

Ideas for a Fossil Science Fair Project

The Three Main Types of Fossils

Ideas for a fossil science fair project can range from exploring processes by which fossils are made to making simulated fossils with modern materials. Fossils consist of the remains of any living organism preserved in a hard substance, such as mineral or rock. By examining fossils, scientists can ascertain an ancient organism’s climate and environment as well as how the organism fed, moved and reproduced. If your science project requires real fossils, use drawings and photographs to avoid having to collect them.

Easiest: Simulate a Fossil

Gather a 1/2 cup of cold coffee, 1 cup of coffee grounds, 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, bowl, spatula, wax paper and glass. Find ferns, shells or toys that resemble insects or small animals. Mix the grounds, flour and salt in a bowl. Stir in the cold coffee until a clay forms. Flatten the clay on wax paper. Use the glass to cut out circles of clay. Press the shells, ferns or toys into the circles and gently pull them back out. Allow your fossils to dry overnight. Consider the process by which prints of plants or animals in real fossils are made in rock and how you have created a simple fossil out of your own clay.

Easy: Simulate a Fossil Fuel

Investigate why natural gas and oil are considered fossil fuels and the length of time it takes for these fuels to form. Gather three different types of bread, such as wheat, white and pumpernickel, Gummy Worms and a pile of heavy books. Place the layers of bread, which represent different layers of the Earth’s sediment, atop a paper towel on the floor. Insert some Gummy Worms, which represent small animals, into the middle layer of bread. Wrap the bread stack in the paper towel. Place the pile of books on top of your bread fossil, applying as much pressure as possible. Leave your fossil alone overnight. Record your prediction of how the break will appear the following morning. Take the books off of your fossil and unwrap the next day. Observe how the layers of bread now merge and the animal material has bled into the bread’s pores. Consider how much pressure is required to create fuel from fossils.

Moderate: Hunt for Sidewalk Fossils

Investigate imprints made by humans or animals in concrete. Consider that a sidewalk consists of man-made calcareous conglomerate, or particles glued together by calcium carbonate. Do a search of your neighborhood for impressions of leaves, branches or fallen items that were left in wet concrete. Look for pavement where pedestrians or bicyclists may have crossed earlier and left imprints. Use a map to record the locations of your sidewalk fossils. Take pictures or draw the imprints, highlighting their salient features. Study images of your fossils to gather more information about the human or animal. Consider the direction and speed of the organism’s movement. Use a sandbox to test your hypothesis. Recreate the footprints from a sidewalk fossil by using both damp and dry sand in a sandbox.

Challenging: Owl Pellets

Purchase owl pellets or find owl pellets in a forest near your house. Gather the pellets, forceps, an owl pellet bone chart, a magnifying lens and bowls. Place an owl pellet on a clean, white paper towel. Pull the pellet apart gently into quarters with the forceps. Divide each quarter in half. Pluck out and toss any fur. Poke through the pellet pieces to find bones or bone fragments. Use the forceps to transfer the bones into the bowls. Study the salient features of the bones to identify the animal’s skeleton on the bone chart. Consider the types of animals that serve as prey for owls.

Related Articles

How to clean a fossil with vinegar, skeleton project ideas, kinds of fossil rocks, mold & cast fossils, the rock most likely to contain fossils, the four types of fossils, how to collect fossils in arkansas, the 5 types of fossils, what is a preserved-remains fossil and how are they..., fossil hunting in idaho, first grade science lesson plans on animals, what different types of fossils are there, fun science experiments for teens, what are trace fossils, what is an imprint fossil, fossil facts for children, list some ways that fossils can be preserved, how to make a diorama about rabbits, fossils that are most useful for correlation.

• Science Buddies: Get Some Practice at ‘Fossil’ Reconstruction with Owl Pellets
• Science Can Be Fun!: Project Ideas for Paleontology (Study of Fossils)

About the Author

Kay Tang is a journalist who has been writing since 1990. She previously covered developments in theater for the "Dramatists Guild Quarterly." Tang graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science from Yale University and completed a Master of Professional Studies in interactive telecommunications at New York University.

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