For more information contact:
THE E-JOURNAL OF STUDENT RESEARCH has been made possible through grants provided by the United States Department of Education, South Central Bell Telephone, American Petroleum Institute, Intertel Foundation, Springhouse Publishing Corporation, Graham Resources, Inc., Chevron Oil Company, Central Louisiana Electric Company, Louisiana State Department of Education, and National Science Foundation. Mandeville Middle School and the National Student Research Center thank these organizations for their generous support of education.
TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Does Water Pressure Change At Different Depths?
2. Will Alka-Seltzer dissolve Faster In Hot or Cold Water?
3. The Purpose of Skin On Fruit
4. The Effect of An Airplane's Design On the Length of Flight
5. The Effect of Music on the Sprouting of Plants
6. Which Substance Melts Ice Fastest?
7. Iron Content of Food
TITLE: Does Water Pressure Change at Different Depths?
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Michael Clark
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: Mrs. Sandoz
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I want to find out if water pressure changes with the depth of the
water. My hypothesis states that water pressure will change with
the depth of the water.
II. METHODOLGY:
First, I wrote my statement of purpose, and reviewed my
literature, and developed my hypothesis. Next, I got one can 35
cm. high. I punched three holes in the can. The first one was 3
cm. from the top, the second was 6 and one half cm. from the first
hole in the middle, and a third hole 3 and one half cm. from the
bottom. Then I put my fingers on the holes and filled the can
with water up to the top. Next, I took my fingers off the holes
at the same time and observed. Next, I wrote my analysis of data,
and my summary and conclusion.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
After the experiment, I observed that the water squirted out the
bottom hole with the most force. It squirted water 12 and one
half cm. The top hole with the least force squirted water 2 and
one half cm. The middle hole squirted water out 7 and one half
cm.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
Water pressure becomes greater as the water becomes deeper so I
accept my hypothesis which stated that water pressure becomes
greater as the water becomes deeper.
V. APPLICATION:
I now know that when I go diving in deep water to wear ear plugs
so the water pressure does not hurt my ears.
TITLE: Will Alka-Seltzer Dissolve Faster in Hot or Cold Water
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Emily Meyer
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: Anna Sieverding
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
Will an Alka-Seltzer tablet dissolve faster in hot or cold water?
I think an Alka-Seltzer tablet will dissolve faster in hot water.
II. METHODOLOGY:
1. Fill two cups about halfway with water. 2. Place one cup in
the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until cold. 3. Take the other
cup and put it in the microwave for two minutes. 4. Be very
careful taking the cup out of the microwave. As soon as the cup
is out of the microwave, drop in an Alka-Seltzer tablet and use
the stopwatch to record the time it takes to fully
dissolve. 5. Record the time it took to dissolve on the data
collection sheet. 6. When the water in the refrigerator is cold,
take it out of the refrigerator and drop in an Alka-Seltzer
tablet. 7. Use the stopwatch to record the time it takes to
fully dissolve. 8. Record the time on your data
collection sheet.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
I observed that the tablet in hot water only took 18.38 seconds to
dissolve, and the tablet in cold water took 1:22.90 to dissolve.
I also noted that foamy white stuff formed around the edge of the
cold water cup and the water was all foggy.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
I observed that the tablet dissolved much faster in hot water than
it did in cold. This is probably because the heat accelerate the
chemical reaction taking place as the tablet dissolved.
Therefore, I accept my hypothesis which stated that a tablet will
dissolve faster in hot water.
V. APPLICATION:
If you need to make an Alka Seltzer dissolve fast because you are
real sick, then disolve it in hot water.
TITLE: The Purpose of Skin On Fruit
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Melissa Perret
SCHOOL: Mimosa Park Elementary
Luling, Louisiana
GRADE: 3
TEACHER: Sally Picklo
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I want to know what effect removing the skin of a fruit would have
on the fruit. My hypothesis stated that the fruit without skin
will rot faster than fruit with skin.
II. METHODOLOGY:
1. First, I found four pairs of different fruits. The fruit in
each pair were the same size and weight.
2. Then I skinned one piece of fruit in each pair. I left one of
each pair with the skin on.
3. After that I left them out in the air to see what would
happen.
4. Next, I took pictures of the fruit every day and charted their
condition for five days. I checked for weight, appearance, size,
smell, and texture.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
I found the fruit without the skin rotted fastest.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
I accepted my hypothesis which stated that fruit without skin will
rot faster than fruit with skin.
TITLE: What is the Effect of an Airplane's Design on the Length
of Flight
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Jessica Suchanek
SCHOOL: Pine View Middle School
Covington, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: Mrs. Phillips
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I plan to find out how the design of a paper airplane affects the
length of it's flight. I will be using the Starfighter, the
Starship Shuttle, the Stealth, the Twin Jet and the Trang models.
My hypothesis states that the Starfighter will fly the farthest.
II. METHODOLOGY:
I used 5 pieces of heavy cover stock paper and a tape measure to
do my experiment. Using one piece of paper for each plane, I will
follow the folding instructions for the Twin Jet, Starfighter,
Starship Shuttle, Stealth, and the Trang model planes. I will fly
them in the gym with no wind. I will fly each one twice and
record the length of each flight
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
As I stated in my methodology, I flew the five paper airplanes two
times each. The Starfighter flew 19 feet 10 inches and 18 feet 6
inches. The Stealth flew 20 feet 9 inches and 21 feet 10 inches.
The Starship Shuttle flew 14 feet 0 inches and 20 feet 11 inches.
The Twin Jet flew 20 feet 11 inches and 14 feet 1 inch. The Trang
flew 19 feet 1 inch and 20 feet 7 inches.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, I reject my hypothesis that the Starfighter would
fly the farthest. The Stealth flew the farthest. Now I know that
the way an airplane flies depends on the way it is designed. Also
the air conditions have an affect on the way it flies.
V. APPLICATION:
I can apply my experiment to my life in that aerodynamics is
important in methods of transportation such as aerodynamic cars.
They can be used to conserve energy because they are more
efficient.
TITLE: The Effects of Music on the Sprouting of Plants
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Andrew Lorenz
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: Ellen Marino
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I would like to do a scientific research project on the effects of
different types of music on the sprouting of plants. My
hypothesis states the plant exposed to the classical music will
take longer to sprout than the plants exposed to pop/rock,
country, and no music at all.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I wrote my statement of purpose, reviewed my literature,
and developed my hypothesis. Next, I went to a plant store and
bought rye grass seed and potting pots. Then I selected the albums
that would be played. I brought the plants labeled country into
sisters room and started the music. I let the music play for 30
minutes each day and checked on them before and after the music
played. I wrote down any changes on my data collection form.
When I was finished with one group of plants, I brought them back
into my room and repeated this procedure for classical and
pop/rock. I did this for 10 days. I replicated this experiment
three times. Then I analyzed my data, wrote my summary and
conclusion, and applied my findings to the real world.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
Plant 1 which was exposed classical music sprouted on the sixth
day of my experiment. The same happened in all three trials.
Plant 2 which was exposed pop/rock sprouted on the seventh day of
my experiment. The same happened in all three trials. Plant 3
which was exposed to country music sprouted on the ninth day of my
experiment. The same happened in all three trials. Plant 4 which
was exposed to no music sprouted on the tenth day of my
experiment. The same happened in all three trials.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
The plants exposed to classical music sprouted first. Therefore,
I reject my hypothesis which stated that the plants exposed to
classical music would take longer to sprout than the plants
exposed to pop/rock, country, and no music at all.
V. APPLICATION:
I conducted this experiment so that my mother and I can enjoy the
gardens of our house sooner in the spring.
TITLE: Which Substance Melts Ice the Fastest?
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Dean Cockerham
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: Mrs. Pierce
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
I would like to do a scientific research project on which
substance melts ice the fastest. My hypothesis states that salt
will melt ice the fastest.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I created my statement of purpose. Then I developed my
review of the literature. Next, I developed my hypothesis. Then
I filled five aluminum baking pans with water and froze them in a
large freezer. When the water solidified I poured half a cup of
rock salt into one pan and labeled it. I then poured a half a cup
of sodium chloride, rubbing alcohol, calcium chloride and sand in
the remaining five pans and labeled each. I then recorded the
melting time of each pan. I then analyzed my data and accepted or
rejected my hypothesis. I then wrote my summary and conclusion.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
The ice covered with rock salt took two hours and four minutes to
completely melt. The ice with sodium chloride melted four hours
and twenty minutes. The ice with rubbing alcohol took two hours to
melt. The ice with calcium chloride took one hour and forty-five
minutes to melt and the ice with the sand took three hours to
melt.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
My research shows that Calcium chloride melts ice the fastest.
Therefore I reject my hypothesis which states that salt would melt
ice the fastest.
V. APPLICATION:
I now know what substance melts ice the fastest so that is what I
would use to melt ice.
TITLE: Iron in Food
STUDENT RESEARCHER: Brett Poole
SCHOOL: Mandeville Middle School
Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE: 6
TEACHER: Mrs. Crow
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:
Do egg yolks have more iron than bran flakes? My hypothesis
states that the bran flakes will have more iron than the egg
yolks.
II. METHODOLOGY:
First, I developed my statement of purpose and hypothesis. Next,
I gathered my materials. Then I lit my alcohol lamp to heat the
egg yolk and the bran flakes. I then crushed the bran flakes and
put them into a test tube and mixed them with sodium ferrosyanide
to measure their iron content. I did the same thing with the egg
yolks. After heating them, I compared the two finished products.
III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:
When I heated the egg yokes there was a light greenish-blue color
indicating a small amount of iron. When I heated the bran flakes
there was a dark greenish-blue color appeared indicating a large
amount of iron.
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
The bran flakes had more iron than the egg yolks. Therefore, I
accept my hypothesis which states that the bran flakes would have
more iron than the egg yolks.
V. APPLICATION:
If I ever need more iron in my daily diet, I will eat more bran
flakes than eggs.
© 1994 John I. Swang, Ph.D.