Browse 129 real Physics and Astronomy projects entered in 2011, with abstracts, awards and links to the original entries.
CSEF · 2011
Electronics & Electromagnetics
Objectives/Goals The problem I am trying to solve is what light bulb can produce the most electricity in a solar cell. The two light bulbs that I have tested are the CFL ( Compact Fluorescen…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals The main research question addressed the issue of how the wavelength of a laser pointer (red versus green) affects the diffraction of the laser beam reflecting off a CD vers…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals The objective was to determine if light, passing through a prism filled with water refracts more when the density of the water inside of a prism is increased. I believe that…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only) Third Award
Objectives/Goals What changes, if any, to the shape of a pickup truck, will change the aerodynamics? I hypothesized that even a small change would affect the aerodynamics, therefore drag, of…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only)
Objectives/Goals The purpose of this experiment was to compare how aerodynamic the oblique wing is compared to the swept back wing by measuring the amount of drag each produces. Methods/Mate…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only)
Objectives/Goals I set out to find the wing shape that will provide the most lift that will provide the most lift. My main goal was to find one specific design that outperformed the others w…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only) Honorable_mention Award
Objectives/Goals In my experiment, I tested how modified shapes of airfoils produced lift. I wanted to find the most efficient, lift-producing shape. Methods/Materials I used a wind tunnel t…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy Fourth Award
Objectives/Goals Many galaxies have smaller satellite galaxies orbiting around them, known as dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). Recent discoveries of new dSphs around the Andromeda Galaxy (…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy Honorable_mention Award
Objectives/Goals Which of the following has a greater effect on the viscosity of water: Salinity, or Temperature? Methods/Materials Two (10 cm x 20 cm) glass plates were cut from one section…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only)
Objectives/Goals My project was to determine if the shape of a model rocket's nose cone would affect the rocket's apogee when keeping the rocket's thrust and weight constant, each time it wa…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only)
Objectives/Goals In my project, my goal was to find out if changing the aspect ratio between the sides of a sail without changing surface area changed the amount of force output. I also want…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals The purpose of this theoretical research is to study ways to increase the molecular specificity in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra, thus providing earlier detection…
CSEF · 2011
Electronics & Electromagnetics First Award
Objectives/Goals By 2030 the number of cars will double, leading to more traffic jams and accidents. In the U.S., there are fewer options to add more roads or to even create more lanes. A sm…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals The objective of this experiment is to determine which fabric is the best to wear in the summer for the most UV protection and prevention against skin cancer. Methods/Materi…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only)
Objectives/Goals The object of my project is to see which size blades of a wind turbine will produce the most electricity. I had three different blade sizes and tested each set of three. Met…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals This experiment examined the efficiency of two headlights (High Intensity Discharge and Halogen) commonly used by cars around the world. By discovering which headlight has t…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals The Martian atmosphere is extremely toxic, composed of 99% limonite particles and 1% magnetite particles. My project tests two filtration devices--the N-95 mask and the Ioni…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only) Honorable_mention Award
Objectives/Goals The purpose of this project was to find the combination of bend location and bend degree for the wings of a cross boomerang that produced a flight as close to parallel to th…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only) Honorable_mention Award
Objectives/Goals The objective is to find out which angle of boomerang will return closest to the starting point. Methods/Materials A basic two-arm boomerang shape with eight inch arms was s…
CSEF · 2011
Electronics & Electromagnetics Second Award
Objectives/Goals Driver distraction is a major cause of traffic crashes in the United States. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics, distracted drivi…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals Our objective was to see which color was affected the most by heat by absorption of light. Our hypothesis was the the color black would have the greatest average increase in…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals The purpose of this project was to try and mitigate simulated industrial noises with air bubbles in water to reduce the effect of sound, thereby providing a possible reducti…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals The objective is to determine how quickly different types of cloth under different states of wear and different temperatures ignite and how quickly they combust. Methods/Mat…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals I wanted to recreate and mathematically calculate the Double Slit Experiment to prove that it worked and to help understand how it worked. Methods/Materials First, I calcula…
CSEF · 2011
Electronics & Electromagnetics
Objectives/Goals I always wondered if there was a better way to charge a mobile device than by plugging it into a wall socket, and if there was any way to harvest stray radio waves that woul…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals If I increase the volume of air, then a candle would burn out more slowly. Adding carbon dioxide and oxygen will cause a candle to burn longer. Methods/Materials My first ex…
CSEF · 2011
Electronics & Electromagnetics Honorable_mention Award
Objectives/Goals My objective is to test my hypothesis that FM radio waves are blocked by terrain along the line of sight. Methods/Materials Materials: Car Maps Computer Google Earth Java Pr…
CSEF · 2011
Aerodynamics/ Hydrodynamics (Junior Division Only)
Objectives/Goals The objective of my project was to try and find out which material, between plastic, newspaper and silk, resisted gravity the most therefore making the best parachute. Metho…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy Honorable_mention Award
Objectives/Goals The main objective of the Chladni plates is to map out a series of nodes (places on the Chladni plate were there is no vibration) and modes (places on the Chladni plate in w…
CSEF · 2011
Physics & Astronomy
Objectives/Goals Objective The purpose of this experiment was to find which wavelengths of light provide the strongest photovoltaic effect in a solar-powered vehicle. Methods/Materials Mater…