Cool High School Science Fair Projects

Looking for something to impress at your school science fair? Here are a few potential options that are meant to look cool, demonstrate cool things, and generally be cool. Enjoy, and good luck at your science fair!

1. Build your own motor! This looks impressive, to say the least, while not taking much time. There are kits available at websites like simplemotor.com, or you can hand-select parts to build one from scratch. A reed switch motor is probably the simplest to handle – it relies on magnets closing and opening a simple metal switch, which powers the motor. The full assembly instructions are a bit long and complex for this list, but many websites have great information on how to put together a reed switch motor.

2. This one takes a good amount of work, but the effect is more than worth it – it’s possible to build a small maglev cradle that will allow you to float a metal rod in the center of it. The specifications are far beyond the scope of this article, but the final effect is more than worth the effort. There’s a great deal of effort involved and it will take some work, but no doubt you will impress everyone who sees the results. Full information can be found at eskimo.com/~billb/maglev/maglev.html. This website also includes the information needed to build a simpler device with a similar, if slightly less dramatic, effect.

3. It’s also possible to build a full-on hovercraft that can actually lift people! This might even take less effort than the smaller maglev device above (although it’s less quiet and inexplicable). You can even put a chair on top and settle down on top of your own personal hovercraft – it should move when you lean around. The full details of the project can be found at amasci.com/amateur/hovercft.html, which provides a list of materials and instructions.

4. One of the more impressive possibilities – if also a dangerous one – is to build your own solar furnace. This uses reflected light to create heat, and a large enough solar furnace array could melt through steel. It might be safer to stick with one that’s a little smaller, though, unless your goals are very ambitious. Just make sure you’re careful with leaving larger ones around! The full instructions can be found at eskimo.com/~billb/amateur/mirror.html. Have fun, and be safe!

Of course, there are many more dramatic projects out there – these are just some of the flashier, more spectacular ones. Remember, though, whatever you do, to study the science behind your project! Coolness means nothing if you don’t understand it.