BestExperimentIdeas

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Advanced science experiments

Advanced projects from the community library, rated by how much setup, measurement and skill they need rather than by how impressive they look.

20 published projects in this collection

What to expect

Multi-stage builds and longer investigations with real experimental design. Read the safety notes carefully — several need adult supervision or specific equipment.

How difficulty is decided

Difficulty comes from the project's own record — the number and complexity of steps, the tools required and the skill level the creator set — not from a subjective label, so it stays comparable across subjects.

Projects to try

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Does the amount of water in a bottle rocket affect how high it launches?

Launch a water bottle rocket using a low-pressure air pump launcher at different water fill levels and measure launch height.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$30 materials

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Does truss shape affect how much weight a popsicle stick bridge can hold?

Construct small popsicle stick bridges with different truss patterns and load-test them until failure using stacked weights.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$15 materials

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Does nozzle size change how far a water rocket flies?

Launch a bottle rocket with different nozzle openings and compare distances.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$25 materials

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Does a thicker wire carry current with less loss?

Measure voltage drop across wires of different thicknesses carrying the same current.

Challenging
High School +1
1 day
$20 materials

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Computer Science

Does adding a sensor delay change how well an automated fan controls temperature?

Program a microcontroller fan controller and test different sampling intervals for temperature stability.

Challenging
High School +1
Several days
$30 materials

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Does blade angle change how much power a model wind turbine produces?

Build a cardboard-blade turbine and measure output voltage at several blade angles in a fan's airflow.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$25 materials

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Does wheel material change how well a robot climbs a slope?

Fit a robot with different wheel surfaces and find the steepest slope it can climb.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$30 materials

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Computer Science

Does a robot line-follower stay on track better with a wider line?

Drive a simple line-following robot over tracks of different widths and count how often it strays off.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$30 materials

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Does a wider wheelbase make a cardboard car corner better?

Build a model car with adjustable axle width and test cornering on a marked circular track.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$18 materials

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Does the thickness of a homemade speaker coil change the volume?

Build a coil-and-magnet speaker and compare loudness with different coil turn counts.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$20 materials

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Engineering · Physics

A Better Hot Tub Cover

This project demonstrates how to build a rigid, insulated hot tub cover designed to reduce heat loss, protect the hot tub from rain and debris, and provide a lightweight but durable covering. The design uses two insulated halves joined with a continuous hinge. The cover combines rigid plastic or wood-like structural material with insulating foam, a moisture barrier, reinforcement, and a flexible perimeter seal.

Challenging
high school +2
1–2 hours
$296 materials

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Does exposure to hand sanitiser reduce visible microbial growth from surfaces compared to plain water?

Press fingertips onto safe pre-poured agar plates before and after using sanitiser or water, then observe sealed plates for microbial colony growth without opening them.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$25 materials

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Does binocular or telescope magnification affect the ability to resolve close double stars?

Use binoculars and telescopes of different magnifications to test resolution on a pair of closely spaced lights at a fixed distance, then apply the findings to observing double stars.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$30 materials

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Environmental Science

Does the amount of fertiliser applied affect the amount that runs off into water?

Simulate rainfall on soil samples treated with different fertiliser amounts and test the resulting runoff water for nutrient concentration using a test kit.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$22 materials

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How does the Sun's path across the sky change with the seasons?

Record sunrise and sunset compass directions and the Sun's noon altitude once per season using a shadow stick, then compare results.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Longer
$5 materials

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Can sunspots be safely tracked using projection over several days?

Use a pinhole projector or projection telescope to safely cast an image of the Sun and trace sunspot positions over a week.

Challenging
Middle School +2
1–2 weeks
$20 materials

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Does the amount of light change how many stomata a leaf opens?

Take clear-tape impressions of leaf surfaces from sun and shade plants and compare counts under magnification.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$12 materials

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Does hand washing reduce surface germs?

Press fingertips onto prepared agar plates before and after different washing methods.

Challenging
Middle School +2
1–2 weeks
$35 materials

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Environmental Science

How many microplastic particles are found in sand from different beach locations?

Extract and count microplastic fragments from sand samples collected at varying distances from a stormwater outlet using flotation separation.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$25 materials

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Which fruit contains the most vitamin C?

Use a safe iodine-starch indicator titration to compare vitamin C content across juices.

Challenging
Middle School +2
Several days
$22 materials

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