Science is one of the most fascinating subjects, one can learn about the properties of various matters, understand how light behaves, do fun lab experiments, and much more. Sadly in high school, we start learning about the fundamentals of physics, biology, and chemistry separately, which are seriously complicated but complex topics like wave optics and kinetics are nothing but nightmares. Fortunately, we get to experiment a lot during high school to practically make us understand how and why things actually work. Here’s the list of ten science experiments one can perform during high school, whether it be for a science fair or just goofing around.
Experiments for High School
1. The Rocket: Although we are making a rocket here, it is not rocket science thankfully. This works on the principle of pressure. Now that Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have created space crafts along with the real-deal NASA it’s about time you create one for yourself. Granted you won’t be breaking any records with this one or pretty much anything, it still is a fun science project.
Materials required
- A snap-top bottle or a canister
- Alka-Seltzer tablets
- Water
- Cardboard or Colored paper (for creative purposes)
How to
Fill 1/3 of the canister with water and add one or even half an Alka-Seltzer tablet. Now as soon as you drop the tablet in, shut the canister and turn it upside-down and within seconds your rocket will launch faster than any other spacecraft. It is essential that you do it outside as it can create a mess. Additionally, you can tape the tablet near the opening of the canister to make it easier and slow-paced to launch the rocket.
2. Slime: This is a classic chemistry class experiment. It isn’t explosive like the rocket, however, it is very intriguing and fascinating to look at. Plus, you get to play with it and it doesn’t have to be outdoors like some other experiments.
Slime, created from glue and borax.
Materials required
- Borax Powder
- PVA Glue
- Water
- Food coloring (to make it look nice)
How to
Initiate by mixing a tablespoon of borax into a glass of water, this can take some time so keep stirring. Once that is done set it aside and begin mixing a tablespoon of glue with two tablespoons of water, along with food coloring. Now add about a tablespoon of the borax solution into the glue water and watch the birth of the slime in front of your eyes. Though it may take up to a minute, so set it aside and play with it after a minute.
3. Heat absorption experiment: Ever noticed while you’re wearing all black on a sunny day you, you feel like you’re being cooked while other colors don’t have the same effect? That’s because of the heat absorption capacity of different colors. You can easily conduct this experiment at home and don’t even require many things.
Materials required
- Glass containers or jars
- Colored paper
- Rubber band or Tape
- Thermometer
How to
This is by far the easiest experiment. All you need to do is make sure it is a sunny day. Then add equal amounts of water into each container, followed by applying the colored paper on the outside of the containers, either with a rubber band or tape, and let them all sit in the Sun. Now measure each one’s hike in temperature.
4. Instant freezing water: I will admit this one is not the latest experiment but it sure is a worthy one to be put on this list. Back in 2010, a trend was going on around the internet to turn water into ice within a bottle like magic. If you’ve tried it already, well here’s your chance to perform it again.
The result of the experiment, water is frozen solid.
Materials required
- A bottle full of very clean water
- A freezer
How to
Simply chill the water bottle into the freezer overnight and here’s why clean water is critical, as no impurities allow it to reach low temperature without freezing. Then you pull it out and all you have to do is bang the bottom of the bottle against a surface and water should freeze instantly. Though it is a fairly easy process, it can take several tries.
5. Floating paperclip: This one’s a fairly straightforward experiment. It works on the principle of surface tension and a plus point of this experiment being you don’t even need to buy any materials.
Materials required
- A bowl
- Water
- Paperclip
- A pencil with rubber end
- Tissue paper
How to
Fill the bowl with water and place a piece of tissue paper on top of the water. You’ll see it floats, which is not that surprising. Then gently place a paperclip atop the tissue paper, and it’ll float and finally nudge the tissue paper down with the rubber end of the pencil. Magically, the paperclip will stay afloat.
6. Moldable Milk: As tasty and healthy milk is for us. Though some forms of cheese are made in a similar manner I’ll warn you never to consume the milk in which any sort of acid is added. Now that safety precaution is established let’s make this.
Milk is molded into heart shapes.
Materials required
- Milk
- Vinegar
- A bowl
- Strainer
How to
Heat about a cup of milk but make sure you don’t take it to the boiling point, as once it reaches the boiling point we will not reach the desired consistency. Followed by that pour heated milk into a bowl and add four teaspoons of vinegar into it and stir it constantly. After a minute or so blobs will appear and once that happens, strain the milk and press these curds together. As it cooled down you’ll have moldable milk.
7. Natural Inflating Balloon: If you happen to know someone who bakes bread or works at a brewery this may not come as a surprise. But you can inflate the balloon naturally by combining physics and biology. As yeast is a living microorganism, it consumes sugar and burps out gasses that give rise to bread and in this case, balloons.
Materials required
- A plastic bottle
- A balloon
- Water
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Rubber band
How to
In this experiment, minimum hands-on time is required. Add a cup of water into the bottle, just be sure it’s not cold or hot as it will kill the yeast. Then add a teaspoon of sugar and about two teaspoons of yeast, mix it all together, and attach a balloon at the opening of the bottle and secure it with a rubber band. That’s it, now all you have to do is wait, anywhere from a day to four days and the balloon will be inflated.
8. Soap clouds: Soap is a wonderful product that we don’t even think about before using. But in this experiment, instead of cleaning anything with the soap, we will nuke the soap in the microwave. Only scientists or crazy minds could come up with this.
Materials required
- A soap bar
- A plate
- Microwave
How to
This takes the cake for ease of operation. Place the bar of soap onto a microwave-safe plate and just stick it in the microwave for 2 minutes. You will observe the glorious clouds forming out of the soap.
9. Float the Stickman: Since early childhood, a representation of humans has been shown by a figure known as a stickman. Now you can make little stickman float with science.
Materials required
- A whiteboard marker
- A glass or ceramic plate
- Water
How to
Start by sketching our little friend on a plate with the marker. Then simply add some water to the plate, make sure you don’t dump a lot of water on the plate, just tiny drops to the side of the sketch. Finally, you’ll realize the little stickman is floating on top of the water.
10. Naked egg: Naked egg is an egg from which its shell has been removed but the insides remain intact. How do you create it? Let’s find out.
An egg from which shell has been removed.
Materials required
- Eggs
- Vinegar
- Glass container
How to
Place the egg in the glass container and pour vinegar on it, make sure the egg is covered in vinegar. Let it sit for a couple of hours or overnight and then replace the vinegar. Soon you’ll realize the carbon dioxide bubbles forming on the outside of the egg. After a couple of days, all of the shells will be eaten away by the acid and you’ll be left with the naked egg.
As you can see, science experiments don’t have to be overly complicated. These fun little experiments are great for any age and it surely inspires more people to pursue science.
