BestExperimentIdeas

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High school science experiments and project ideas

Projects that fit high school students, roughly ages 14–18. Every one shows how long it takes, what it costs, what supervision it needs and which variables you are testing.

199 published projects in this collection

What works at high school level

Judges expect controls, repeated trials and an honest analysis of error. Choose a project where you can collect enough data points to graph a trend, not just compare two bars.

For parents and teachers

Each project page carries an at-a-glance panel with a cost estimate, a realistic time estimate, the hazards involved and whether adult supervision is required, so you can check suitability before any materials are bought.

Projects to try

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Which base shape makes a tower most resistant to shaking?

Build model towers with different base shapes from spaghetti and marshmallows or straws, then test their stability on a simple shake table.

Intermediate
Middle School +2
Several days
$15 materials

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Which cushioning material best protects an egg from a drop?

Build egg protection cases using different cushioning materials and test survival rate after being dropped from a fixed height.

Intermediate
Elementary +3
Several days
$10 materials

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Which gripper finger shape picks up the most objects successfully?

Build a simple lever-operated or string-operated gripper with interchangeable finger tips and test pickup success across various small objects.

Intermediate
Middle School +2
Several days
$20 materials

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Which packaging design best protects an egg from a drop?

Design and test multiple egg-drop packaging solutions using different cushioning materials, dropping each from the same height and recording outcomes.

Beginner
Elementary +3
Several days
$10 materials

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Does the number of gear teeth affect how many turns are needed to complete a rotation?

Use a simple gear or lever set to compare rotations needed between gears of different tooth counts.

Intermediate
Middle School +2
Several days
$20 materials

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Which tower base shape supports the most weight before collapsing?

Build small paper towers with different base shapes and test how much weight each can hold before failing.

Intermediate
Elementary +3
Several days
$8 materials

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Does the arm length of a catapult affect how far it launches a marshmallow?

Build a simple spoon or popsicle-stick catapult with adjustable arm length and measure launch distance.

Beginner
Elementary +3
Several days
$8 materials

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Which insulated container keeps ice packs frozen the longest during transport?

Line small coolers with different insulating materials and time how long ice packs take to fully melt in each, simulating cold chain transport.

Intermediate
Elementary +3
1 day
$18 materials

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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 blade angle affect how much wind a model turbine can capture?

Build a simple model wind turbine with adjustable blade angles and measure rotation speed at a fixed fan setting.

Intermediate
Middle School +2
Several days
$18 materials

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Environmental Science

Does a solar oven get hotter with more reflectors?

Build a cardboard solar oven and measure inside temperature with different numbers of reflectors.

Intermediate
Elementary +3
Several days
$15 materials

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Does roof angle affect how much rainwater a collection system captures?

Build model roofs at different slope angles connected to gutters and collection containers, then simulate rainfall to measure water capture efficiency.

Intermediate
Middle School +2
Several days
$20 materials

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Does a wider base make a tower more resistant to wind?

Build towers of equal height and different base widths and test them against a fan.

Beginner
Elementary +3
1–2 hours
$10 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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Does distance from a stream change soil moisture?

Sample soil at set distances from a stream bank and compare moisture content by drying.

Intermediate
Middle School +2
Several days
$10 materials

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Does the Fibonacci sequence appear in real plants?

Count petals, seed spirals and leaf arrangements across many plants and compare with the sequence.

Beginner
Elementary +3
Several days
$5 materials

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Does wheel size affect the speed of a battery-powered model car?

Build a simple battery-powered model car and test its speed over a fixed track using interchangeable wheel sizes.

Beginner
Elementary +3
Several days
$20 materials

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Does screen brightness affect battery drain?

Run a device at set brightness levels for fixed times and measure battery percentage loss.

Intermediate
Middle School +2
Several days
No-cost materials

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Environmental Science

Does traffic affect air particle levels near a road?

Set out sticky collection cards at different distances from a road and count deposited particles.

Intermediate
Middle School +2
Several days
$10 materials

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How does blade number affect the power output of a model wind turbine?

Build model wind turbines with different blade counts and measure voltage output using a small DC motor generator and fan.

Intermediate
Middle School +2
Several days
$25 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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