Potato Battery:
Create a battery using a potato, copper wire, and zinc. Connect the wires to the potato and measure the voltage produced. See how many potatoes you can use to power a small light bulb.
Walking Water:
Fill a shallow dish with water and place a piece of paper towel across the dish. Put a few drops of food coloring on the paper towel and watch the water "walk" up the paper towel. Explain why this happens using the principles of capillary action.
Mentos and Diet Coke Geyser:
This classic science fair project is always a hit. Drop a Mentos candy into a bottle of diet Coke and watch the geyser of foam erupt from the bottle. Experiment with different types of soda and candies to see which combination produces the highest geyser.
Ooblek:
Make this strange substance by mixing cornstarch and water. Ooblek acts like a liquid when you hold it gently, but turns into a solid when you squeeze it. Experiment with different ratios of cornstarch and water to see how the properties of Ooblek change.
Color-Changing Cabbage Juice:
Extract cabbage juice and use it to test the pH of different substances. The cabbage juice will change color depending on the acidity or basicity of the substance. Use this to create a natural pH indicator.
Dancing Raisins:
Drop raisins into a glass of club soda and watch them start to dance! The bubbles in the soda cause the raisins to rise and fall, creating a mesmerizing effect. Try adding different ingredients to the soda, such as salt or sugar, to see how they affect the raisins' dancing.
Floating Paperclip:
Use the surface tension of water to make a paperclip float on the surface. Place a drop of water on a flat surface and gently lay the paperclip on the water. The paperclip will float due to the cohesive forces between the water molecules. Experiment with different liquids, such as milk or oil, to see how they affect the paperclip's ability to float.
Remember to have fun and be creative with your science fair project!