The National Student Research Center

E-Journal of Student Research: Science

Volume 4, Number 1, December, 1995

John I. Swang, Ph.D.

Founder/Director

National Student Research Center

2024 Livingston Street

Mandeville, Louisiana 70448

U.S.A.

E-Mail: nsrcmms@communique.net

http://youth.net/nsrc/nsrc.html

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Changing The Color Of Flowers
2. Thin Cooking Oil Saves Money
3. Water Filtering
4. Building A Fly Catcher
5. Drying Flowers
6. At What Angle Will A PVC Gun Shoot the Furthest?

TITLE:  Changing The Color Of Flowers

STUDENT RESEARCHER:  Federico Ortiz
SCHOOL:  Lincoln School
         San Jose, Costa Rica
GRADE:  2
TEACHER:  Alexandra Navarro


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:

I want to find out if flowers will change color by adding a 
colorant to the water they sit in.  My hypothesis states that 
flowers will change color if a colorant is added to their 
water.

II.  METHODOLOGY:

To conduct my experiment, I will use three flowers, three 
colorant, three cans, and water.  First, I put water in the 
cans and then placed the flowers in the water.  Second, I put 
colorant in the water.  Third, I waited one day to see what 
happened.

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

The three flowers changed color.  The flower in the blue water 
was the first one to change color.

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

I found out that the flowers changed color.  This happened 
because the water carried the colorant to all parts of the 
flower.  Therefore, I accepted my hypothesis which stated that 
flowers will change color if a colorant is added to their 
water. 

V.  APPLICATION:

I can change the color of flowers and many other plants by 
adding colorant to their water.



TITLE:  Thin Cooking Oil Saves Money

STUDENT RESEARCHERS:  Federico Campas, Julian Trussart, and
                      Sebarlian Pacheco
SCHOOL:  Lincoln Elementary School
         San Jose, Costa Rica
GRADE:  3
TEACHER:  Anne Curran


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:

We want to know which cooking oil, corn or olive, is thinner.  
Our hypothesis states that corn oil is thinner.

II.  METHODOLOGY:

To test our hypothesis, we will use corn oil, olive oil, and 
paper towels.  First, we put a paper towel on top of two cups.  
Then we poured corn oil on top of one paper towel and olive oil 
on top of the other.  Then we watched to see how fast the oil 
flowed through the paper towels.

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

The olive oil went through the paper towel slower than the corn 
oil.

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

We found that the corn oil is thinner and went though he paper 
towel faster than the olive oil.  Therefore we accepted our 
hypothesis which states that corn oil is thinner.

V.  APPLICATION:

We can save money by buying thinner cooking oil.  Thinner oil 
spreads out more so you would not have to use as much.  Then 
you won't have to buy as much and could spend less money.



TITLE:  Water Filtering

STUDENT RESEARCHERS:  Tatiana Echeverria, Laura Rodriguez,
                      Nicole Vega, and Mariana Solera
SCHOOL:  Lincoln Elementary School
         San Jose', Costa Rica 
GRADE:  4
TEACHER:  Yolanda Arias


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:

We want to find out which material works better as a water 
filter.  Our hypothesis states that sand will filter dirty 
water better than crushed carbon and cloth.

II.  METHODOLOGY:

To conduct our experiment we will use dirty water, three 
funnels, sand, crushed carbon, and a piece of cloth.  First, we 
will fill one funnel with sand, another with crushed carbon, 
and the other with a piece of cloth.  Then we will pour dirty 
water over the sand, the crushed carbon, and the cloth.  We 
will collect the filtered water from each funnel and observe to 
see which water is cleaner.

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

We observed that sand is the best water filter.  The crushed 
carbon was better than the cloth, but not as good as the sand.

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

We tried each of the filters several times and the results were 
always the same.  The sand filters water the best.  Therefore, 
we accept our hypothesis which stated that sand will filter 
dirty water better than crushed carbon and cloth.

V.  APPLICATION:

If we get lost without water, we will know that sand can be 
used to filter water for us to drink.



TITLE:  Building A Fly Catcher

STUDENT RESEARCHERS:  Tamara Nanne, Melissa Monge, Ana Catalina
                      Amador, Andrea Mora, and Juliana Bolanos
SCHOOL:  Lincoln Elementary School
         San Jose', Costa Rica
GRADE:  4
TEACHER:  Yolanda Arias


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:

We wanted to know if we could build a fly catcher.  Our 
hypothesis stated that our home made fly catcher will trap 
flies.

II.  METHODOLOGY:

We used the following materials to build our home made fly 
catcher:  2 pencils, 1 plate, a piece of raw meat, and a glass 
jar.  We will place raw meat in the middle of the plate.  Then 
we will place the jar up side down on top of the pencils that 
are placed around the piece of meat.  The jar is then covering 
the piece of meat, but flies can still get under the jar to get 
to the meat.  We observed the jar for 4 hours and counted the 
number of flies that we trapped inside.  We repeated the 
experiment four times.

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

We caught six flies.

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

We think that our home made fly catcher worked.  Therefore we 
accepted our hypothesis which stated that our home made fly 
catcher will trap flies.

V.  APPLICATION:

There are too many flies carrying diseases around.  Our home 
made fly catcher will help to catch flies without using poisons 
or sprays.  Also, if you have fish at home, you can use the 
flies to feed them.



TITLE:  Drying Flowers

STUDENT RESEARCHERS:  Rebeca Gonzalez, Nahid Abdelnour, and
                      Mariana Gil
SCHOOL:  Lincoln School
         San Jose, Costa Rica
GRADE:  4
TEACHER:  Yolanda Arias


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:

We wanted to know which will be the best way to dry flowers.  
Our hypothesis states that hanging the flowers to dry out in 
the air is the best way to dry them.

II.  METHODOLOGY:

To test our hypothesis we used the following materials:  4 rose 
buds, 4 carnations, 4 blue flowers, sand, air blower, paper 
towels, and hooks.  

First, we bought our flowers.  Then we pressed one of each 
flower into paper towels.  Next, we hung one of each flower in 
the shade.  Then we blew the air blower for 15 minutes on one 
of each flower.  Then we covered one of each flower with sand.  
Finally, we observed what happened to the flowers after four 
days. 

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

We observed that the rose bud hanging in the shade was the one 
that kept its color the best.  The rose bud came out in better 
condition from under the sand and from being blown with the air 
blower.  None of the flowers pressed in paper kept their smell.

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

Overall, we obtained the best results by drying the flowers 
under sand.  Therefore, we reject our hypothesis which stated 
that hanging the flowers to dry out in the air is the best way 
to dry them. 

V.  APPLICATION:

Learning to dry flowers was fun and later on we can use this 
knowledge to make dried flower arrangements for ourselves or to 
open a dry flower store and sell them to others.



TITLE:  At What Angle Will A PVC Gun Shoot the Furthest?

STUDENT RESEARCHER:  Tony Detomo
SCHOOL:  Mandeville Middle School
         Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE:  6
TEACHER:  Pam Pearlstein


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:

I want to see at what angle will a PVC gun shoot a marble hall 
the furthest.   My hypothesis states that a PVC gun aimed at a 
45 degree angle will shoot a  marble ball farther than a gun 
aimed at any other angle i.e.  75 degrees, 60 degrees, 30 
degrees, or 15 degrees.

II.  METHODOLOGY:

First, I wrote my statement of purpose and review of 
literature.  My review of literature was about projectiles.  
Then I developed my hypothesis.  Then I shot a marble from a 
PVC gun at the 75, 60, 45, 30, 15, and 0 degree angles.  I 
copied down the results and analyzed them.  Then I wrote a 
summary and conclusion and applied my findings to everyday 
life.

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA

My data shows that the PVC gun at the 15 degree angle shot the 
marble 74 inches on average.  At the 30 degree angle, the 
marble was shot an average of 117 inches.  At the 45 degree 
angle, the marble was shot an average of 147 inches.  At the 60 
degree angle, the marble was shot an average of 123 inches.  At 
the 75 degree angle, the marble was shot an average of 72 
inches. 

III.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

My results indicate that the marble shot furthest when the PVC 
gun was at a 45 degree angle.  I therefore accept my hypothesis 
that stated that a PVC gun aimed at a 45 degree angle will 
shoot a  marble ball farther than a gun aimed at any other 
angle

IV.  APPLICATION:

I can apply my findings to the military world.  They can aim 
their missiles and artillery at different angles in order to 
shoot different distances.

© 1995 John I. Swang, Ph.D.