Warmup

1. Warmup For each of your three brainstormed Science Fair Topics, identify: A quantitative Independent Variable. A quantitative Dependent Variable. Whether or not that’s a topic you’re really interested in. Then look at the handout with the sets of deadlines and see if hitting those deadlines is feasible based on your topic.

2. Science Fair

3. Questions • Can guitar hero be used to effectively teach guitar? • What are the properties of Oobleck? • What is the strength of bone (Mellisa N.)? • How can faces be mapped to skulls (Elizabeth D.)? • How does air pollution affect the population? • How can the curvature of the Earth be measured? • How accurately can low and high tides be predicted (Gabby G.)? • Which energy drinks contain the most caffeine? • How can a robot controlling program be made to adapt? • Do songs sound better when tuned to the room’s natural resonance? • What song genres are correlated with American Idol success? • How do bio-fuels and different grades of gasoline compare in terms of energy/cost? • What factors contribute to ‘high quality’ make-up? • How do styles of clothing contribute to perception? (Sierra) • How do different brands and blends of coffee actually differ?

4. Questions What characteristics affect the terminal velocity of a parachute? (Monica) What kind of chocolate melts the fastest? What types of toys are most engaging for three year olds? (Mallorie) How does age correlate to attention span? How does song compression affect the quality of the sound? (Shelby) Which make-up makes you look younger (both wrinkles and color)? (Hannah) How does the music genre affect behavior (aggression)? (Haley) What traits contribute to canine speed (including breed)? (Courtney) How do marshmallows puff up? (Sabrina) Which brand of shampoo/conditioner has the best value? (Stephanie) Which makeup brand is the best (…)? (Cassidy) Which cell phone brand gets the best signal strength? (Megan) Is there a significant difference between generic and brand make-up? (Rachel) Are mice more attracted to different household environments? (Morgan) How do different creamer brands affect a regular cup of coffee? (Kaylee) Are dogs color blind? (Katie) What is the hierarchy of needs in a mouse? Which energy drink makes you stay up later?

5. Questions How does watching a kung-fu film differ from actual kung-fu instruction? Do people who get more presents seem happier during Christmas? What causes the moon to appear to change colors? How is plastic produced? Why do you see a rainbow after but not during a storm? What factors affect how far athletes can jump? How many cups of coffee are drunk per year, globally? How much caffeine can a heart take before having a heart attack? What is atmospheric pressure at sea level? Which lead or graphite material makes the best pencils? Which size of BB is the most accurate?

6. Questions How can a cleaning product be engineered for safety, quality, cost, and effectiveness? How does sound vary between guitar brands? How fast does the Earth turn? Does cellphone distance affect how quickly a text can be transmitted? Which cellphone company has the fastest data transfer? Does inter-company transfer slow down data rate? What chemical reduces the flammability of wood? Which water-additivies promote plant growth? What factors affect a plant’s vascular system? How does weather affect the atmospheric pressure? Does the moon contribute to the Earth’s rotation? What is the difference between regular paper and alternatives? How do you make a bouncy ball and what makes it bounce? Do different smells in the morning affect your mood for the remainder of the day? Can Darwinism be disproved? Can different seasons affect baking times? How fast is a typical roundhouse kick? Does smell affect the way things taste? Can air push down/hold up water? Will people react differently based on the way you dress? Why does soap expand in a microwave? Does lighting affect reading speed?

7. Chemistry Questions • How do different brewing temperatures, durations, and atmospheric pressure (for espresso only) affect the acidity and other measurable characteristics of coffee? • Is there a discernable pattern between different electrolytes and the rate at which they corrode metal? • How does conductivity of an electrolyte vary as a function of geometry, concentration, and/or ion choice? • Is material hardness a crucial characteristic of friction-cutting discs (e.g. for dremels)? • How effectively can LeChatelier’s principle be used to leverage the percent yield of (______) synthesis? • Can the energy yield of sugar cane be measured systematically as a function of mass acquisition, using principles of stochiometry and Gibbs free energy?

8. Chemistry Questions • Can the Rydberg Equation be modified to account for electron shielding effects so that it accurately predicts values for spectra beyond hydrogen? • Under what conditions will organic material decompose into distillable hydrocarbons? • Can the particle size of colloids and suspensions be accurately determined through use of a centrifuge process? • Can the level of voltage required for a static discharge be predicted based on the ionization energy of a given medium? • Are solid powderized fuels a viable alternative to liquid fuels in combustion engines? If not, what quantifiable factors limit their usability?

9. Statistics and Scientific Method • Are IQ tests truly norm-referenced, and how does a sample of WSCA students compare to the general populace? • How strongly does a collective local bias affect the perception of region-wide opinions?

10. Mathematics (aka Board Game Club) • Can the board-game Clue be solved algorithmically or by use of a matrix? • How does supply and demand affect ‘free-market’ resource values in Settlers of Catan? How does this and other statistically-based starting data play out as measured by end-game success?

11. Biology 1) Biofuel reactor optimization – Optimize ecological parameters for quick and efficient production of ethanol from carbohydrate substrates. Include a cost-benefit analysis for the input-energy requirements on things like filtration, temperature stabilization, agitation, and other parameters. Requirements: Jars, specific gravity/hydrometer sensor, sugar, assorted optimization gear, parent willing to supervise ethanol produced. 2) Metabolic equilibrium and activity regulation – Analyze the relationship between animal activity levels and dietary calories consumed. Try and establish a statistically significant correlation using a time-effective sampling/observation method while controlling unobserved metabolic expenditures such as temperature regulation and animal weight change. Expand results of the controlled study to other species (cats, humans) using appropriate research methods. Requirements: species plus habitat, food, thermometer, scale, video equipment, slave labor.

12. Biology 3) Neural network simulation – Create a simulated neural network using an MS Excel matrix or programming language like C++ or Labview. Initially, preset excitatory and inhibitory connections to provide functional concept recognition/association capabilities. Later, develop a means by which connection strength can be self-regulated, providing the foundation for machine learning. Requirements: some understanding of matrices, willingness to learn some programming, being awesome. 4) Action potential simulation – Create a macroscopic water pathway with electrical conductivity sensors. Identify how the pathway shape affects the speed of an ‘action potential’ modelled by the diffusion of salt-water (conducting) through the distilled water. Change the pathway shape until the diffusion model is fully understood. Then make predictions on the speed of action potentials for accurately sized pathways, and compare these results to measured outcomes from actual nerve cells. Requirements: water-tight reconfigurable compartment, sealant, voltmeters, salt, enough distilled water to drown a whale.

13. Biology 5) Karyotype Identification – Build a machine which sorts DNA strands out based on molecular mass and images the nucleic acid pile-ups. Obtain the needed enzymes to extract DNA from nuclei and cut them to varying lengths. Then see if you can conclusively identify a test subject from a sample of subjects. Requirements: cost of enzymes, difficulty of building water-plate, photography supplies, ‘advanced’ statistics. 6) Short life-cycle evolution – Engineer a ?-resistant micro-organism using natural selection and multiple generations, for a static, artificial environment. Requirements: Petri dishes, nutrient substrate (agar?), culture, natural selector

14. Biology 7) Behavior modification – Modify the behavior of a pigeon, lab-rat, or seventh grader using either operant or classical conditioning. Identify the strength of different behavior-modifying stimuli by correlating them against the speed of the behavior change. Requirements: Seventh graders, candy, a controlled environment, research, a wholehearted belief that people really *can* change! 8) Don’t see one you like? Check out these websites for more ideas: http://www.sciencenews.org/ http://www.nature.com/browse/index.html http://www.scientificamerican.com/