Science Fair Project Ideas That Win Awards - Project #9 - Submarines [sciencetechnology-center.blogspot.com]

Science Fair Project Ideas That Win Awards - Project #9 - Submarines [sciencetechnology-center.blogspot.com]

Objective

To find out how a submarine uses a propeller and a stabilizing fin for forward movement.

Introduction

Although the submarine you have seen in a movie seems to be gliding along effortlessly, it is actually fighting the forces of gravity, pressure, friction and buoyancy. Have you ever encountered these terms in previous science fair experiments? Among all other science fair experiments, this is one of the best, as you will understand how these forces are overcome by the submarine.

Materials

A 500ml water bottle, a soda bottle (2 liter), knife, scissors, 2 large paperclips, needle-nose pliers, chopsticks, 3 rubber bands, stiff ruler, a silicone sealant, a bathtub or pool

Preparation

The Propeller

This is one of those science fair experiments in which you will need the assistance of an adult.

Cut a soda bottle (2 liter) in half. Take the bottom for making a propeller with 5 curved separate blades. Two holes are to be drilled in the propeller, in the centre and a little off-centre. Cut a small plastic circle out of the remaining 2-litre soda bottle. Bore a hole at the centre of this circular piece of plastic and the submarine bottle cap. The free end of a straightened paperclip should be passed through the cap of the bottle, the circular plastic and the centered propeller hole. The free end should be bent back and passed through the non-centered hole in such a way as to keep the cap, the plastic piece and the propeller in close contact with each other, but allow the propeller to rotate freely. The Submarine Drill two holes at the bottom of a 500 ml water bottle similar to the propeller holes. Now feed the straightened end of a paperclip from the inside of the bottle through the central hole. Bend the free tip and pass it in the non-centered hole. Secure the paperclip in such a way that it will not turn. This part is very tricky, so use a chopstick. Attach a rubber band between both the paperclip hooks. The rubber band must be tightly stretched between the hook at the bottle's base and the hook on the cap. Attach the ruler perpendicular to the water bottle body in the centre with the help of two rubber bands in the form of an "X". The ruler is your stabilizing fin. Now use a waterproof sealant to close all the paperclip holes in the bottle.

Your submarine is now ready.

Testing your Submarine

Fill three-quarters of the submarine bottle with water and put the cap on. Turn the propeller to build potential energy in the rubber band. Science fair experiments require that you write down all your activities. So count the number of turns and write this number in your lab book. You must turn the propeller that many times in future. Procedure

Now you will position the stabilizing fin in the front, center and the back in different ways and have some fun observing how your submarine moves. Record your observation each time. Use the below-mentioned ten positions.

No fins- Middle: Fin Centered- Middle: Fin moved to the right - Middle: Fin moved to the left - Front: Fin Centered- Front: Fin moved to the right - Front: Fin moved to the left - Back: Fin Centered- Back: Fin moved to the right - Back: Fin moved to the left -

The observations will allow you to answer the following questions:

What would happen if there was no stabilizing fin? What is the best position for the fin? Why is a stabilizing fin important in a submarine?

If you're ready to get started with your submarine experiment, your next step is to download a free copy of "Easy Steps to Award-Winning Science Fair Projects" from the link below right now.

Related Science Fair Project Ideas That Win Awards - Project #9 - Submarines Issues

Question by chico246810: What can i do for a science fair including a female convict cichlid? Hi i own some central and south ameriucan cichlids but also i own some community fish such as mollies and zebra danios. I need a project quickly my purposals due tomororw for my science fair that i can do on my female convict cichlid. my convicts have babies btu the male is tkain care of em so i could use them i also have a jack dmepsey please help? Best answer for What can i do for a science fair including a female convict cichlid?:

Answer by El Jefe
Train her to jump though a flaming hoop?

Answer by joniboni
Well, most projects require time to form a hypothesis and then test the hypothesis to see if it is accurate. I am not sure one day is enough time. This is a simple project but it does pose a risk to your fish. Some science fairs allow experiments with live animals and others don't. For example, one classic experiment (found in most older science fair project books) involves changing the temperature of fish tank water and seeing what it does to the respiration rate (breathing) of goldfish. In some places around the country, that experiment would not be allowed at all. In others, you would need a special permission form guaranteeing that you will take good care of the animal. In other places, they don't yet have such restrictions. Again, use common sense. I once had students do a very clever experiment to see if their hamster or their cat could learn to go through a maze more quickly. This experiment, though it had animal subjects, obviously involved no chance of harming the cat or the hamster so I gave them permission to do it. Generally you are safest if your experiments involve plants or insects, and both types of organisms can lead to some fascinating studies! If you REALLY want to do an experiment with your pet, be prepared to explain what information you are hoping to gain from the experiment and how you will ensure the safety of the animal. Here is a site you can use for ideas. http://youth.net/nsrc/sci/sci.002.html Sorry I could not be more helpful. It would also be helpful to know what grade you are in, Wishing you the best.

Answer by tikitiki
Why not take the fry, put them in 2 separate tanks, keep everything the same-water quality, temperature, etc. but feed them different foods-but still appropriate foods, and see which grows faster. That won't be as harsh on them as changing temperatures.

Answer by midraj
I think the best short term thing that could be done with a convict female in a science fair is using her as an example of animals (especially fish) that change color when they are ready to breed and how it is different in different species of fish depending on their sex, and in the case of cichlids, has evolved dependent on how they raise and protect their young.(in convicts, it the male that does most of the rearing would need the most camouflage while it's the female is free to get that bright pink belly) It shouldn't really take that long to research and right up but you really should use this as a lesson on how it is a horrible practice to procrastinate.

Answer by Chris B
There's a lot of things you can do. Sexual dimorphism (difference between gender), breeding behaviour, parenting behaviour, anatomy of a fish, anatomy of a cichlid, Captive coloration versus wild-type coloration (or any other trait for that matter). If you want some good research, check out www.cichlidresearch.com And on the subject of the respiration test, I've done it to a feeder goldfish, and if done properly, is quite harmless; the water temperature should never get above that of bathwater. Good luck on your project! And procrastinate some other time!

Answer by Chris B
Aeration and behavior. Increase the bubbles in the tank, and count the gill movements?

â€" [Science]

Posted in: