[I don't want to be like everyone else!] Recommended independent research topics for high school students
When it comes to summer break independent research projects, many high school students struggle to choose a topic.
Independent research can be especially time-consuming and challenging.
But don’t worry! Here, we introduce interesting independent research ideas recommended for high school students.
Some involve using fire or slightly more complex methods, so you’re sure to find something that interests you.
From experiments using familiar materials to hands-on crafts, there’s a wide range—from simple projects to those that take more time.
Dive in and turn your project into a fulfilling experience.
Have fun and learn a lot along the way!
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[I Don’t Want to Be Like Everyone Else!] Recommended Independent Research Topics for High School Students (71–80)
Electrolysis of copper chloride
Electrolysis of copper(II) chloride is an experiment that provides insights into chemical changes in substances through hands-on scientific investigation.
Some of you may think, “I learned chemical formulas in junior high school science, but I want to try an actual experiment!” This experiment confirms the changes that occur in copper(II) chloride when an electric current is applied.
When copper(II) chloride is dissolved in water, electrons move and it dissociates into positively charged copper ions and negatively charged chloride ions.
Then, by passing electricity through the electrodes, you can observe the changes that occur at the anode and the cathode.
If gathering the equipment is difficult, try borrowing school supplies and tackle the assignment.
Culturing R-1 on an agar plate medium
“R-1 bacteria” are a type of lactic acid bacteria.
There’s even a yogurt product that uses this name directly, so many people may have heard of it, but few have probably observed it firsthand.
Let’s culture it and take a look.
In addition to professional methods, there are also simple ways to make agar media, so try researching them and give it a try!
Handmade Robot
Handmade robots, which let you express originality depending on your ideas, are also a classic choice.
The finished piece can vary greatly depending on the theme, even though we call them all robots.
For example, you could build a robot that drives around like an RC car, or create a practical robot that does cleaning.
Even within cleaning robots, there are many possibilities—ones with built-in vacuums, or ones that use motorized brushes, and so on.
Try coming up with a robot that’s uniquely your own.
[Don't Want to Be Like Everyone Else!] Recommended Independent Research Topics for High School Students (81–90)
A world with zero friction
What kind of world would it be without friction? It might sound mysterious, but you can actually create it easily! Prepare a CD, a plastic bottle cap, a straw, and a rubber balloon.
Make a hole in the cap, attach it to the CD along with the straw and the balloon, and you’re ready.
When you inflate the balloon, the air inside it lets the CD glide smoothly across the floor with almost no friction.
A CD placed on the floor normally won’t slide very well, but the air from the balloon reduces friction with the floor! It’s an easy experiment to try, so give it a go.
Aquatic Organism Survey
For those who live near the ocean or a river, an aquatic life survey is also recommended.
This involves investigating the creatures that live by the water.
Try looking into what kinds of organisms are there and whether there are differences between upstream and downstream areas.
You could also create and take home an aquarium display.
In the case of rivers, it’s a good idea to test the water quality as well.
Even using a simple test kit can reveal a lot.
It can be a good opportunity to think about environmental issues and the relationship between living organisms and water quality.
Bake bread with electricity
Baking bread with electricity… Just hearing that, you might think, “Well of course you can bake it,” but think about it for a second.
Normally, to bake bread we use a microwave or an oven—and that means we’re baking it with heat, not with electricity itself.
This is an experiment where we bake bread by running an electric current directly through it.
By passing current through the dough, resistance generates heat, and that heat does the baking—an impressively brute-force method.
But hey… if it tastes good, maybe that’s all that matters.
Mirage indoors
A mirage that can be seen from spring to early summer.
While it’s fantastical and beautiful, there’s also something mysterious and a little scary about it, isn’t there? In this science project, a mirage is created artificially using salt and water.
In a tank filled only with water, the doll appears without distortion, but when the bottom of the tank contains plenty of salt dissolved in the water, the doll’s legs look distorted.
This happens because the dissolved salt creates differences in salt concentration within the water, causing light to bend instead of traveling straight, which makes the doll appear warped.
You can try this with objects other than a doll, so give it a try!
