Science Projects: 100 Ideas to Try

Science projects are a great way to learn about the world around us and have fun while doing it. Whether you’re a beginner or a budding scientist, these 100 projects cover various science fields like biology, physics, chemistry, and environmental science. Here’s a list of projects, with steps and difficulty levels, to get you started.

1. Baking Soda Volcano

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, food coloring, small container.
• Steps:
  1. Add a few spoonfuls of baking soda to a container.
  2. Add dish soap and food coloring to the vinegar.
  3. Pour the vinegar mixture into the container and watch the “eruption.”
• Why It Works: The reaction between the baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) produces carbon dioxide gas, creating a bubbly eruption.

2. Lemon Battery

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Lemons, copper coins, zinc nails, wires, LED light.
• Steps:
  1. Insert a copper coin and a zinc nail into each lemon.
  2. Connect the wires between the metals and the LED light.
  3. The light should turn on, powered by the chemical reaction in the lemon.
• Why It Works: The acidic juice in the lemon enables the flow of electrons between the metals, creating a small electric current.

3. Egg Drop Challenge

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Eggs, various materials (straws, paper, cotton), box.
• Steps:
  1. Design a structure to protect an egg when dropped from a height.
  2. Use materials like straws, paper, or cotton for cushioning.
  3. Test it by dropping the egg from a set height.
• Why It Works: This project teaches about physics and how forces like gravity and impact can be mitigated by engineering designs.

4. Crystal Growing

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Borax, water, pipe cleaners, jar, string.
• Steps:
  1. Dissolve borax in hot water.
  2. Shape pipe cleaners into any design, then suspend them in the solution.
  3. Leave the jar undisturbed for several hours. Crystals will form on the pipe cleaners.
• Why It Works: Borax molecules attach to the pipe cleaner as the water cools, forming crystals.

5. Homemade Lava Lamp

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Oil, water, food coloring, Alka-Seltzer tablets.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a bottle with oil and water.
  2. Add food coloring.
  3. Drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet in and watch the bubbles rise.
• Why It Works: The reaction between the water and the Alka-Seltzer creates gas bubbles, which move through the oil, mimicking a lava lamp.

6. Rainbow in a Jar

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Sugar, water, food coloring, a jar.
• Steps:
  1. Make different sugar water solutions with varying amounts of sugar.
  2. Add food coloring to each solution.
  3. Layer the solutions in a jar, starting with the most concentrated at the bottom.
• Why It Works: The denser sugar solution stays at the bottom, creating a rainbow effect.

7. Water Cycle in a Bag

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Ziplock bag, water, food coloring, tape.
• Steps:
  1. Add water and food coloring to a ziplock bag.
  2. Tape it to a sunny window.
  3. Observe how the water evaporates and condenses over time.
• Why It Works: This simulates the water cycle by showing evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

8. Solar Oven

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Cardboard box, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, black paper.
• Steps:
  1. Line a cardboard box with aluminum foil.
  2. Place black paper inside to absorb heat.
  3. Cover the box with plastic wrap and set it in the sun.
  4. Use it to melt chocolate or marshmallows.
• Why It Works: The foil reflects sunlight into the box, while the black paper absorbs heat, mimicking the greenhouse effect.

9. Paper Circuit

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Copper tape, LED lights, batteries, paper.
• Steps:
  1. Use copper tape to create a circuit on paper.
  2. Attach an LED light and battery to the circuit.
  3. The LED should light up once the circuit is complete.
• Why It Works: Copper tape acts as a conductor, allowing electricity to flow and power the LED.

10. Balloon Rocket

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: String, balloon, tape, straw.
• Steps:
  1. Attach the string between two points.
  2. Tape a straw to a balloon and thread the string through the straw.
  3. Inflate the balloon and let it go to see the “rocket” move along the string.
• Why It Works: The air rushing out of the balloon propels it forward due to Newton’s Third Law of Motion.

11. Density Tower

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Honey, oil, water, rubbing alcohol, food coloring.
• Steps:
  1. Carefully pour each liquid into a container, starting with honey.
  2. Add each layer slowly, and observe how they form distinct layers.
• Why It Works: The liquids have different densities, causing them to stack on top of each other without mixing.

12. Magnetic Slime

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Liquid starch, iron filings, glue, magnet.
• Steps:
  1. Mix glue and liquid starch to make slime.
  2. Add iron filings to the slime.
  3. Use a magnet to move the slime.
• Why It Works: The iron filings make the slime magnetic and responsive to the magnet.

13. Invisible Ink

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Lemon juice, paper, heat source (like a lightbulb).
• Steps:
  1. Write a message on paper using lemon juice.
  2. Let it dry, then heat the paper under a lightbulb to reveal the hidden message.
• Why It Works: Lemon juice oxidizes when heated, turning brown and making the message visible.

14. Solar Water Purification

• Difficulty: Hard
• Materials: Large bowl, plastic wrap, small cup, saltwater.
• Steps:
  1. Pour saltwater into a large bowl.
  2. Place a small cup in the center and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
  3. Leave the setup under the sun for a few hours.
  4. Collect the condensed water from the cup.
• Why It Works: This process mimics distillation, where water evaporates and condenses, leaving impurities behind.

15. Plant Maze

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Shoebox, plant, cardboard.
• Steps:
  1. Cut holes in the sides of the shoebox and create barriers with the cardboard.
  2. Place a plant inside the box and close the lid.
  3. Observe how the plant grows toward the light over several days.
• Why It Works: Plants use phototropism to grow toward light sources.

16. Wind-Powered Car

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Paper, straws, tape, rubber bands, small wheels.
• Steps:
  1. Build a small car using straws for axles and wheels.
  2. Attach a sail made of paper or fabric.
  3. Blow on the sail to make the car move.
• Why It Works: Wind energy moves the car forward as the sail captures the wind’s force.

17. Water Filter Experiment

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Sand, gravel, charcoal, plastic bottle, dirty water.
• Steps:
  1. Layer sand, gravel, and charcoal in a bottle.
  2. Pour dirty water through the filter.
  3. Collect the filtered water in a container.
• Why It Works: The materials filter out large particles and impurities, purifying the water.

18. DNA Extraction from Strawberries

• Difficulty: Hard
• Materials: Strawberries, rubbing alcohol, dish soap, salt, water, plastic bag.
• Steps:
  1. Mash strawberries in a plastic bag with water, dish soap, and salt.
  2. Strain the mixture and add cold rubbing alcohol.
  3. DNA will separate and float to the top.
• Why It Works: The soap breaks down cell membranes, and the alcohol precipitates the DNA.

19. Electric Circuit with Playdough

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Playdough, LEDs, batteries, wires.
• Steps:
  1. Create conductive and insulating playdough.
  2. Connect them to create a circuit with the LEDs.
  3. Watch the LEDs light up when the circuit is complete.
• Why It Works: The conductive playdough allows electricity to flow through the circuit, powering the LEDs.

20. Balloon-Powered Boat

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Balloon, plastic container, tape, straws.
• Steps:
  1. Attach a straw to a balloon and tape it to a small plastic container.
  2. Inflate the balloon and place the boat in water.
  3. Let go of the balloon to see the boat move.
• Why It Works: The air escaping the balloon propels the boat forward.

21. Solar-Powered Fan

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Small solar panel, fan motor, propeller, wires.
• Steps:
  1. Connect the solar panel to the motor with wires.
  2. Attach the propeller to the motor.
  3. Place the setup in sunlight, and the fan will start spinning.
• Why It Works: The solar panel converts sunlight into electrical energy, powering the motor to turn the fan.

22. Static Electricity Balloon Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Balloons, woolen cloth, small paper pieces.
• Steps:
  1. Inflate the balloon and rub it on a woolen cloth for about 30 seconds.
  2. Bring the balloon close to small pieces of paper.
  3. The papers will jump and stick to the balloon.
• Why It Works: Rubbing the balloon on the cloth transfers electrons, creating static electricity that attracts the paper.

23. Solar Water Heater

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Black hose, plastic sheet, water container.
• Steps:
  1. Coil the black hose and place it in direct sunlight.
  2. Cover it with a plastic sheet to trap heat.
  3. Run water through the hose, and the water will heat up as it passes through.
• Why It Works: The black hose absorbs heat from sunlight, transferring it to the water, creating a solar water heater.

24. Balloon Hovercraft

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: CD, balloon, bottle cap, glue.
• Steps:
  1. Glue the bottle cap to the center of a CD.
  2. Inflate a balloon and attach it to the cap.
  3. Release the balloon, and the hovercraft will glide on a smooth surface.
• Why It Works: The air escaping from the balloon reduces friction between the CD and the surface, allowing it to hover.

25. Fruit Ripening Experiment

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Bananas, apples, plastic bags.
• Steps:
  1. Place a banana and an apple together in a plastic bag.
  2. Observe how the banana ripens faster than a banana left in open air.
• Why It Works: Apples release ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process of the banana.

26. Water Tension Penny Test

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Penny, water, dropper.
• Steps:
  1. Place a penny on a flat surface.
  2. Use a dropper to carefully add water drops to the penny.
  3. Count how many drops you can add before the water overflows.
• Why It Works: Water molecules stick together through surface tension, allowing a large number of drops to accumulate on the penny.

27. Build a Compass

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Needle, cork, magnet, bowl of water.
• Steps:
  1. Rub a needle with a magnet to magnetize it.
  2. Insert the needle through a small piece of cork.
  3. Float the cork in a bowl of water, and the needle will point north.
• Why It Works: The magnetized needle aligns with Earth’s magnetic field, acting as a simple compass.

28. Cloud in a Bottle

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Plastic bottle, matches, water, ice.
• Steps:
  1. Add a little water to the bottle and shake it.
  2. Light a match, blow it out, and drop it into the bottle.
  3. Seal the bottle and place ice on top. Squeeze the bottle, then release to see the cloud form.
• Why It Works: The smoke particles from the match provide a surface for water vapor to condense, forming a cloud.

29. Soundproofing Experiment

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Boxes, foam, fabric, cardboard, loud sound source.
• Steps:
  1. Build a box lined with foam, fabric, or other materials.
  2. Place a sound source inside and measure how much sound escapes.
  3. Test different materials to see which blocks the sound best.
• Why It Works: Different materials absorb sound waves to varying degrees, helping you understand which materials are better for soundproofing.

30. DIY Sundial

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Stick, paper, compass, clock.
• Steps:
  1. Place the stick upright in the ground.
  2. Use the compass to position it facing north.
  3. Mark the shadow every hour to create a sundial.
• Why It Works: As the Earth rotates, the sun’s position changes, causing the stick’s shadow to move, allowing you to track time.

31. Hot Ice Experiment

• Difficulty: Hard
• Materials: Baking soda, vinegar, stove, container.
• Steps:
  1. Mix baking soda and vinegar in a pot to create sodium acetate.
  2. Boil the mixture to reduce the liquid.
  3. Once cool, pour it into a container, and it will crystallize instantly, forming “hot ice.”
• Why It Works: Sodium acetate can be supercooled, and when it touches a surface, it solidifies rapidly, releasing heat in the process.

32. Mini Wind Turbine

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Paper, plastic cups, straw, small motor.
• Steps:
  1. Attach paper blades to the straw.
  2. Mount the straw between two plastic cups to allow it to spin freely.
  3. Connect the motor to the blades and place the turbine in front of a fan.
• Why It Works: The spinning blades generate mechanical energy, which the motor converts into electrical energy.

33. Invisible Forces: Magnet Field Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Magnets, iron filings, paper.
• Steps:
  1. Place a magnet under a piece of paper.
  2. Sprinkle iron filings on the paper and gently shake it.
  3. Observe how the filings align with the magnetic field lines.
• Why It Works: The iron filings arrange themselves along the invisible magnetic field lines created by the magnet.

34. Potato Clock

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Potatoes, zinc nails, copper wire, clock.
• Steps:
  1. Insert zinc nails into two potatoes.
  2. Connect the potatoes with copper wires.
  3. Attach the wires to a small digital clock to power it.
• Why It Works: The potatoes contain electrolytes that create a chemical reaction between the zinc and copper, generating a small electric current.

35. Homemade Barometer

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Glass jar, balloon, straw, tape, ruler.
• Steps:
  1. Stretch a balloon over the mouth of a jar and tape it down.
  2. Tape a straw to the top of the balloon.
  3. Place the jar near a ruler and observe changes in the straw’s position as air pressure changes.
• Why It Works: Changes in air pressure cause the balloon to move, which is measured by the straw’s position.

36. Walking Water Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Water, food coloring, paper towels, glasses.
• Steps:
  1. Fill two glasses with colored water and leave one empty.
  2. Place a paper towel strip connecting the glasses.
  3. Watch the water move along the paper towel into the empty glass.
• Why It Works: Capillary action allows the water to travel through the paper towel fibers and transfer into the other glass.

37. Liquid Density Column

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Honey, dish soap, water, rubbing alcohol, vegetable oil.
• Steps:
  1. Pour each liquid into a tall glass one at a time.
  2. Start with the densest liquid (honey) and carefully pour in the lighter liquids.
  3. Observe the distinct layers that form.
• Why It Works: Each liquid has a different density, so they stack up without mixing.

38. Fireproof Balloon

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Balloons, water, candle.
• Steps:
  1. Fill one balloon with air and another with water.
  2. Hold each balloon over a candle flame.
  3. The air-filled balloon will pop, while the water balloon will not.
• Why It Works: Water absorbs the heat, preventing the rubber from reaching a temperature high enough to burst.

39. DIY Thermometer

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Bottle, straw, clay, food coloring, water, rubbing alcohol.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a bottle with equal parts water and rubbing alcohol.
  2. Insert a straw through a clay seal on top.
  3. As the liquid expands with heat, it rises in the straw, indicating temperature changes.
• Why It Works: The liquid expands and contracts with temperature changes, showing how thermometers work.

40. Homemade Stethoscope

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Funnel, tube, balloon, tape.
• Steps:
  1. Stretch a balloon over the wide end of a funnel.
  2. Attach a tube to the narrow end.
  3. Place the funnel on your chest and listen through the tube.
• Why It Works: The funnel amplifies the sound of your heartbeat, demonstrating how stethoscopes function.

41. Salt Water Circuit

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Salt, water, two metal strips (e.g., copper and zinc), wires, LED light.
• Steps:
  1. Dissolve a few tablespoons of salt in water.
  2. Place the metal strips in the solution.
  3. Connect each metal strip to an LED using wires.
  4. The LED will light up, powered by the chemical reaction in the saltwater.
• Why It Works: The saltwater acts as an electrolyte, allowing electric current to flow between the metal strips.

42. Homemade Spectroscope

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Old CD, cardboard tube, tape, scissors, black construction paper.
• Steps:
  1. Cut a slit in one end of the cardboard tube and tape a piece of CD inside at an angle.
  2. Cover the other end of the tube with black construction paper, leaving a small hole.
  3. Point the tube toward a light source and look through the hole to see the spectrum of colors.
• Why It Works: The CD diffracts light into its component colors, allowing you to observe the visible spectrum.

43. Electrolysis of Water

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Water, baking soda, two pencils, wires, battery, small container.
• Steps:
  1. Add baking soda to water to increase conductivity.
  2. Insert the pencil leads into the water.
  3. Connect the leads to a battery using wires.
  4. Bubbles will form at the ends of the pencils, showing the separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen gas.
• Why It Works: Electrolysis breaks down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen gases when an electric current is passed through the solution.

44. Floating Paperclip Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Paperclips, water, tissue paper.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a bowl with water.
  2. Place a small piece of tissue paper on the surface, then carefully place a paperclip on top.
  3. Gently remove the tissue paper, leaving the paperclip floating.
• Why It Works: Surface tension allows the paperclip to float on the water, even though it is denser than water.

45. Make Your Own Soap

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Lye, oil (olive, coconut, etc.), water, essential oils (optional).
• Steps:
  1. Combine water and lye in a container and let it cool.
  2. Mix the lye solution with oil and stir until it thickens.
  3. Pour into molds and let it cure for several days.
  4. Once hardened, you can use your homemade soap.
• Why It Works: Lye causes a chemical reaction called saponification when mixed with oils, resulting in soap.

46. Solar Balloon Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Black balloon, white balloon, sunny day.
• Steps:
  1. Inflate a black balloon and a white balloon.
  2. Leave both balloons outside in direct sunlight.
  3. The black balloon will expand more quickly than the white one.
• Why It Works: Black absorbs more heat than white, causing the air inside the black balloon to warm and expand faster.

47. Fire Snake Experiment

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Baking soda, sugar, sand, lighter fluid.
• Steps:
  1. Mix baking soda and sugar together and place on a bed of sand.
  2. Pour lighter fluid over the mixture and ignite it carefully.
  3. A snake-like carbon structure will grow as the reaction takes place.
• Why It Works: The heat causes the sugar to break down, releasing carbon, which forms the snake-like structure.

48. Mini Water Wheel

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Plastic spoons, CD, wooden stick, hot glue.
• Steps:
  1. Attach plastic spoons to the perimeter of a CD using hot glue.
  2. Mount the CD on a wooden stick.
  3. Place the wheel under running water, and it will start spinning.
• Why It Works: The water pushes the spoons, transferring kinetic energy to the wheel and making it spin.

49. Water Clock

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Two plastic bottles, water, clock face, straw.
• Steps:
  1. Attach a straw to the bottom of one bottle and insert it into a second bottle.
  2. Fill the top bottle with water.
  3. As water flows from the top bottle to the bottom, it will drip at a steady rate, acting like a clock.
• Why It Works: The water flows at a constant rate, allowing you to measure time with the help of the clock face.

50. Spinning Egg Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Raw egg, hard-boiled egg.
• Steps:
  1. Spin both the raw and hard-boiled eggs.
  2. Observe that the hard-boiled egg spins more smoothly than the raw egg.
• Why It Works: The raw egg’s liquid interior causes it to wobble, while the solid interior of the hard-boiled egg allows it to spin smoothly.

51. Air Pressure Balloon Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Balloon, glass bottle, boiling water.
• Steps:
  1. Pour boiling water into a bottle and let it sit for a minute.
  2. Place a balloon over the opening of the bottle.
  3. As the air inside the bottle cools, the balloon will get sucked into the bottle.
• Why It Works: The hot air inside the bottle cools and contracts, creating a lower pressure that pulls the balloon inside.

52. DIY Periscope

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Cardboard box, mirrors, tape.
• Steps:
  1. Cut two holes at each end of a cardboard box.
  2. Tape mirrors at a 45-degree angle inside the box, facing the holes.
  3. Look through one hole to see objects reflected in the other hole, just like a real periscope.
• Why It Works: Light reflects off the mirrors, allowing you to see around corners or over obstacles.

53. Melting Ice with Salt

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Ice cubes, salt, string.
• Steps:
  1. Place a few ice cubes in a bowl of water.
  2. Sprinkle salt on top of the ice cubes and press a piece of string onto the ice.
  3. After a minute, lift the string – the ice will be attached.
• Why It Works: Salt lowers the freezing point of water, causing the ice to melt slightly. When the water refreezes, it traps the string.

54. Oil Spill Clean-Up Experiment

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Oil, water, feathers, dish soap, sponges.
• Steps:
  1. Pour oil into a container of water to simulate an oil spill.
  2. Use feathers and sponges to try to remove the oil.
  3. Test different clean-up methods and compare their effectiveness.
• Why It Works: This experiment demonstrates the difficulties and techniques used to clean up oil spills.

55. Color-Changing Milk

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Milk, food coloring, dish soap, cotton swab.
• Steps:
  1. Pour milk into a shallow dish and add drops of food coloring.
  2. Dip a cotton swab in dish soap and touch the surface of the milk.
  3. Watch the colors swirl and mix.
• Why It Works: The dish soap breaks down the fat in the milk, causing the food coloring to move and create colorful patterns.

56. DIY Hydrometer

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Straw, clay, water, sugar.
• Steps:
  1. Attach a small piece of clay to one end of a straw.
  2. Place the straw in water and mark the water level.
  3. Add sugar to the water and observe how the straw floats higher as the water’s density increases.
• Why It Works: The hydrometer floats higher in denser liquids, allowing you to measure the density of a liquid.

57. Make Your Own Lip Balm

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Beeswax, coconut oil, essential oils.
• Steps:
  1. Melt beeswax and coconut oil together.
  2. Add essential oils for fragrance.
  3. Pour the mixture into small containers and let it harden.
• Why It Works: Combining these ingredients creates a moisturizing balm for lips.

58. Homemade Water Turbine

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Plastic bottle, spoons, hot glue, straw, small motor.
• Steps:
  1. Cut plastic spoons and attach them to the cap of a plastic bottle.
  2. Mount the bottle on a straw and place it under running water.
  3. Connect a small motor to generate electricity as the turbine spins.
• Why It Works: The running water spins the turbine, converting kinetic energy into electrical energy.

59. Magnetic Water Experiment

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Water, magnet, iron filings.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a container with water and add iron filings.
  2. Move a magnet around the outside of the container.
  3. Watch the filings move in the water, following the magnet.
• Why It Works: The iron filings are attracted to the magnet, showing how magnetic fields can affect objects in water.

60. Capillary Action with Flowers

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: White flowers, food coloring, water.
• Steps:
  1. Add food coloring to water in a glass.
  2. Place a white flower in the water and leave it overnight.
  3. Observe the colored water traveling up the stem, turning the flower petals a different color.
• Why It Works: Capillary action causes the colored water to move through the flower’s stem and into the petals.

61. Build a Simple Motor

• Difficulty: Hard
• Materials: Magnet, copper wire, battery, paperclips.
• Steps:
  1. Coil the copper wire into a small loop.
  2. Attach the loop to two paperclips on each side to act as supports.
  3. Place a magnet underneath the loop and connect the paperclips to the battery.
  4. The loop should spin, creating a simple motor.
• Why It Works: Electric current flowing through the wire creates a magnetic field that interacts with the magnet, causing the wire loop to spin.

62. Acid and Base Indicator with Red Cabbage

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Red cabbage, water, different liquids (vinegar, baking soda, soap).
• Steps:
  1. Boil red cabbage in water to extract its juice.
  2. Pour the juice into small cups.
  3. Add different household liquids (vinegar, baking soda solution, etc.) to each cup.
  4. Watch the juice change color depending on whether the liquid is an acid or a base.
• Why It Works: Red cabbage contains a natural pH indicator that changes color in the presence of an acid or base.

63. Make a Hovercraft with a CD

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: CD, balloon, bottle cap, glue.
• Steps:
  1. Glue the bottle cap to the center of the CD.
  2. Blow up a balloon and place it over the bottle cap.
  3. When you open the cap, the air from the balloon escapes, creating a hovercraft effect as the CD glides on a smooth surface.
• Why It Works: The escaping air reduces friction, allowing the CD to hover on the surface.

64. Cartesian Diver

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Plastic bottle, pipette or pen cap, water.
• Steps:
  1. Fill the plastic bottle with water and place a small pipette (partially filled with water) or a hollow pen cap inside.
  2. Squeeze the bottle and watch the diver sink; release the pressure and it will rise.
• Why It Works: When you squeeze the bottle, the increased pressure forces water into the diver, making it denser and causing it to sink.

65. Light Refraction with a Water Bottle

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Water bottle, piece of paper, pen.
• Steps:
  1. Draw two arrows on a piece of paper.
  2. Place a full water bottle in front of the arrows.
  3. Look through the water bottle and observe how the direction of the arrows appears to change.
• Why It Works: The water acts as a lens, refracting the light and causing the image of the arrows to appear reversed.

66. Electric Lemon Clock

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Lemons, copper wire, zinc nails, small clock.
• Steps:
  1. Insert a copper wire and a zinc nail into each lemon.
  2. Connect the lemons with wires to create a circuit.
  3. Attach the wires to the small clock to power it.
• Why It Works: The acid in the lemons creates an electric current between the copper and zinc, which powers the clock.

67. Water Fountain with a Straw

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Plastic cup, straw, water.
• Steps:
  1. Poke a small hole in the bottom of a plastic cup.
  2. Place a straw through the hole and fill the cup with water.
  3. Blow into the straw to create a water fountain effect.
• Why It Works: Blowing air through the straw increases air pressure inside the cup, forcing water out through the straw.

68. Erosion in a Jar

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Sand, water, small rocks, clear jar.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a jar with layers of sand and small rocks.
  2. Add water and shake the jar.
  3. Observe how the sand and rocks settle differently, mimicking the natural process of erosion.
• Why It Works: Erosion occurs when water or wind moves sediments. In the jar, the sand and rocks settle based on size and density, showing the process in action.

69. Oil and Water Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Water, oil, food coloring, jar.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a jar halfway with water and add a few drops of food coloring.
  2. Slowly pour oil on top of the water.
  3. Watch how the oil floats on top of the water and doesn’t mix.
• Why It Works: Oil is less dense than water, so it floats on top. The two substances do not mix because of their different molecular structures.

70. Make a Water Xylophone

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Glasses, water, spoon.
• Steps:
  1. Fill several glasses with varying amounts of water.
  2. Tap each glass with a spoon to create different notes.
  3. Experiment with the pitch by adding or removing water from the glasses.
• Why It Works: The pitch of the sound changes based on the amount of water in the glass. More water lowers the pitch, while less water raises it.

71. Homemade Lava Lamp

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Oil, water, food coloring, Alka-Seltzer tablets, glass jar.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a jar mostly with oil and a little water.
  2. Add a few drops of food coloring.
  3. Drop in an Alka-Seltzer tablet and watch the colorful bubbles rise.
• Why It Works: The chemical reaction between the Alka-Seltzer and water creates gas bubbles, which float through the oil, mimicking a lava lamp.

72. Create a Tornado in a Bottle

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Two plastic bottles, duct tape, water, dish soap.
• Steps:
  1. Fill one bottle with water and add a few drops of dish soap.
  2. Tape the mouth of the bottles together.
  3. Swirl the bottles in a circular motion and watch the water form a tornado.
• Why It Works: The swirling motion creates a vortex, which mimics the shape of a tornado.

73. Build a Solar Oven with a Pizza Box

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Pizza box, aluminum foil, black paper, plastic wrap.
• Steps:
  1. Line the inside of the pizza box with aluminum foil.
  2. Place black paper at the bottom to absorb heat.
  3. Cover the opening with plastic wrap and place the box in the sun.
  4. Place food like marshmallows inside and watch it cook.
• Why It Works: The black paper absorbs heat, while the plastic wrap traps the heat inside, turning the box into a mini solar oven.

74. Make a Cloud in a Jar

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Jar, hot water, ice, aerosol spray (hairspray).
• Steps:
  1. Pour hot water into the jar.
  2. Spray a bit of hairspray inside the jar.
  3. Place ice on top of the jar and watch the cloud form.
• Why It Works: The hot water vapor condenses when it cools, forming a cloud in the jar.

75. Color Changing Celery Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Celery stalks, water, food coloring.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a glass with water and add food coloring.
  2. Place a celery stalk in the colored water.
  3. After a few hours, observe how the celery leaves change color.
• Why It Works: The colored water travels up the celery through capillary action, changing the color of the leaves.

76. DIY Hot Air Balloon

• Difficulty: Hard
• Materials: Lightweight plastic bag, hairdryer, string.
• Steps:
  1. Attach strings to the corners of a lightweight plastic bag.
  2. Use a hairdryer to blow hot air into the bag.
  3. Once the bag is full of hot air, release it, and it will float.
• Why It Works: The hot air inside the bag is less dense than the surrounding cooler air, allowing the bag to rise.

77. Balloon-Powered Boat

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Balloon, small plastic container, straw, tape.
• Steps:
  1. Attach a straw to a balloon and tape it to a small plastic container.
  2. Inflate the balloon and release it in water to watch the boat move.
• Why It Works: The escaping air from the balloon propels the boat forward.

78. DNA Extraction from Strawberries

• Difficulty: Hard
• Materials: Strawberries, rubbing alcohol, dish soap, salt, plastic bag, coffee filter.
• Steps:
  1. Mash strawberries in a plastic bag with water, dish soap, and salt.
  2. Strain the mixture through a coffee filter.
  3. Add cold rubbing alcohol to the liquid to extract the DNA.
• Why It Works: The alcohol causes the DNA to precipitate out of the solution, making it visible.

79. Fireproof Balloon Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Balloon, water, candle.
• Steps:
  1. Fill one balloon with water and another with air.
  2. Hold each balloon over a candle flame.
  3. The air-filled balloon will pop, while the water-filled balloon will not.
• Why It Works: Water absorbs the heat from the flame, preventing the balloon from bursting.

80. Water Density Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Salt, water, two cups, food coloring, ice cube.
• Steps:
  1. Fill one cup with plain water and another with saltwater.
  2. Add food coloring to the plain water.
  3. Place an ice cube in each cup and observe the melting patterns.
• Why It Works: Saltwater is denser, so the colored water behaves differently when the ice cube melts.

81. Static Electricity with a Balloon and a Can

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Balloon, soda can.
• Steps:
  1. Inflate a balloon and rub it on a wool sweater or hair to build up static electricity.
  2. Place a soda can on its side and hold the charged balloon near the can.
  3. Watch the can roll toward the balloon.
• Why It Works: The static electricity on the balloon attracts the can, causing it to roll.

82. Build a DIY Water Filter

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Sand, gravel, cotton, charcoal, plastic bottle, dirty water.
• Steps:
  1. Cut the bottom off a plastic bottle and layer cotton, sand, gravel, and charcoal inside.
  2. Pour dirty water through the filter and observe how it comes out cleaner.
• Why It Works: The different layers trap various particles, filtering the water.

83. Fire and Ice Candle Experiment

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Candle, ice cubes, plate, matches.
• Steps:
  1. Light a candle and place it on a plate.
  2. Surround the candle with ice cubes.
  3. Observe how the heat from the candle melts the ice, and the water puts out the flame.
• Why It Works: This experiment demonstrates how the opposing elements of fire and ice interact.

84. Rubber Egg Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Egg, vinegar, cup.
• Steps:
  1. Place an egg in a cup and cover it with vinegar.
  2. Leave it for 24-48 hours until the eggshell dissolves.
  3. Gently remove the egg to see the rubbery texture of the membrane.
• Why It Works: The vinegar’s acidity dissolves the eggshell, leaving behind the egg’s rubbery membrane.

85. Balloon-Powered Car

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Balloons, straws, wheels (plastic lids), cardboard.
• Steps:
  1. Attach straws to a cardboard base to hold the wheels.
  2. Inflate a balloon and attach it to the car.
  3. Release the balloon to see the car zoom forward.
• Why It Works: The air escaping from the balloon pushes the car forward due to Newton’s third law of motion.

86. Build a Parachute

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Plastic bag, string, small weight (toy).
• Steps:
  1. Cut the plastic bag into a square and attach strings to each corner.
  2. Tie the other ends of the strings to a small weight.
  3. Drop the parachute from a height and observe how it slows the fall of the weight.
• Why It Works: The parachute increases air resistance, slowing the descent of the weight.

87. Pepper and Soap Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Water, pepper, dish soap, bowl.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a bowl with water and sprinkle pepper on the surface.
  2. Dip your finger in dish soap and touch the water.
  3. Watch the pepper scatter away from your finger.
• Why It Works: The soap breaks the surface tension of the water, causing the pepper to move away.

88. Build a Glider

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Cardboard, scissors, tape, straws.
• Steps:
  1. Cut out wings and a body from the cardboard.
  2. Attach the wings to the body using straws and tape.
  3. Throw the glider and observe how it flies.
• Why It Works: The wings generate lift, allowing the glider to soar through the air.

89. Homemade Compass with a Needle

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Needle, magnet, cork, bowl of water.
• Steps:
  1. Rub a needle on a magnet to magnetize it.
  2. Stick the needle into a small piece of cork and float it in a bowl of water.
  3. The needle will align itself with Earth’s magnetic field, pointing north.
• Why It Works: The magnetized needle reacts to Earth’s magnetic field, acting as a compass.

90. Egg Bungee Jump Experiment

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Raw egg, rubber bands, small cup.
• Steps:
  1. Securely tie rubber bands around a raw egg.
  2. Attach the other end of the rubber bands to a secure spot and drop the egg.
  3. The rubber bands act as a bungee cord, preventing the egg from hitting the ground.
• Why It Works: This demonstrates potential energy, kinetic energy, and elasticity in the rubber bands.

91. Marshmallow Tower Challenge

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Marshmallows, toothpicks.
• Steps:
  1. Build a tower using marshmallows and toothpicks.
  2. Try to make the tower as tall as possible without it collapsing.
  3. Experiment with different designs to make the tower stronger.
• Why It Works: This project explores engineering principles and the balance between stability and weight.

92. pH Indicator from Turmeric

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Turmeric, water, baking soda, vinegar.
• Steps:
  1. Mix turmeric powder with water to create a pH indicator.
  2. Add baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) to separate samples of the solution.
  3. Observe how the turmeric solution changes color.
• Why It Works: Turmeric is a natural pH indicator that changes color in the presence of an acid or base.

93. Oil Spill Clean-Up Challenge

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Oil, water, feathers, sponge, dish soap.
• Steps:
  1. Simulate an oil spill by pouring oil into a container of water.
  2. Try different methods (feathers, sponge, soap) to clean up the oil.
  3. Compare which methods work best for cleaning oil off feathers and out of the water.
• Why It Works: This project demonstrates the challenges of oil spills and the effectiveness of different clean-up techniques.

94. Bottle Rocket

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Plastic bottle, water, cork, air pump.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a plastic bottle one-third full with water.
  2. Insert a cork tightly into the bottle’s mouth and attach the air pump.
  3. Pump air into the bottle until the cork pops off, launching the bottle into the air.
• Why It Works: The air pressure builds up inside the bottle, and when the cork releases, the pressure forces the bottle upward like a rocket.

95. Soap-Powered Boat

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Paper, water, dish soap.
• Steps:
  1. Cut a boat shape out of paper.
  2. Fill a bowl with water and place the paper boat on the surface.
  3. Add a drop of dish soap at the back of the boat and watch it move forward.
• Why It Works: The soap reduces the surface tension behind the boat, propelling it forward.

96. Build a Mini-Greenhouse

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Plastic container, soil, seeds, water.
• Steps:
  1. Fill a plastic container with soil and plant seeds inside.
  2. Water the soil and cover the container with plastic wrap.
  3. Place it in sunlight and watch the seeds grow.
• Why It Works: The plastic wrap traps heat and moisture inside, creating a greenhouse effect that helps the seeds grow.

97. Electric Play Dough

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Play dough, LED lights, batteries, wires.
• Steps:
  1. Create two types of play dough: conductive (with salt) and insulating (with sugar).
  2. Use the conductive dough to form a circuit, and place an LED light in the dough.
  3. Connect a battery to light up the LED.
• Why It Works: The salt-based dough conducts electricity, allowing the current to flow through the circuit.

98. Magnetic Slime

• Difficulty: Medium
• Materials: Glue, iron filings, liquid starch, magnet.
• Steps:
  1. Mix glue and liquid starch to create slime.
  2. Add iron filings to the slime.
  3. Use a magnet to move the slime around.
• Why It Works: The iron filings make the slime magnetic, allowing it to be manipulated by the magnet.

99. Oobleck Experiment

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Cornstarch, water, bowl.
• Steps:
  1. Mix cornstarch and water in a bowl to create oobleck.
  2. Try hitting the mixture quickly and slowly to observe its behavior.
• Why It Works: Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning it acts like a solid when pressure is applied but flows like a liquid when at rest.

100. Baking Soda Rocket

• Difficulty: Easy
• Materials: Baking soda, vinegar, plastic bottle, cork.
• Steps:
  1. Pour vinegar into a small plastic bottle.
  2. Wrap baking soda in tissue paper and insert it into the bottle.
  3. Quickly seal the bottle with a cork and step back.
  4. The cork will pop off, launching the bottle like a rocket.
• Why It Works: The reaction between vinegar and baking soda produces carbon dioxide gas, which builds up pressure and forces the cork out, launching the bottle.

Final Thoughts:

These 100 science projects offer a range of difficulty levels, ensuring that there’s something for everyone, from beginner to more advanced learners. Whether you’re building a lemon battery or growing crystals, each project offers a hands-on way to explore scientific concepts in a fun and engaging way.