[I don't want to be like everyone else!] Recommended independent research topics for high school students

repeating saline solution

Perfect for a summer vacation science project! ~Repeating Saltwater~ [Buntoku High School]

Let’s try a summer break experiment using everyday items like cups and saltwater.

Make a hole in a plastic cup filled with saltwater at your preferred concentration.

Place the saltwater cup inside a larger cup filled with plain water.

You’ll notice something curious: the saltwater will flow out of the hole and then stop, and after a while it will start flowing out again and stop once more.

It could be fun to experiment by changing the salt concentration or the number of holes in the plastic cup.

Just watching this setup is interesting, but there’s also a proper explanation for what’s happening.

Try to think about that answer, too.

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Nakajima Junko

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Let’s make a leaf vein specimen

[BCS Project] Let’s Make Leaf Vein Specimens! / Suzukake Science Day 2021

Let’s make a leaf vein specimen using leaves you can find around you.

First, bring water with 3 tablespoons of baking soda to a boil and add the leaves.

Simmer for about 15 minutes, then when the water turns brown and the leaves become limp, remove the leaves.

This softens the pigments other than the veins.

Next, rinse the leaves under running water and gently tap them with a toothbrush to scrape away everything except the veins.

Be sure to choose sturdy, relatively tough leaves for this experiment.

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sasashina

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DNA extraction experiment

DNA Extraction Experiment (Banana) — High School Biology Experiment

Speaking of DNA, you’ve probably heard about it in contexts like criminal investigations or paternity testing.

DNA, the substance that carries genetic information, is contained in the nucleus of each cell.

How about doing an experiment to extract banana DNA over summer vacation? You can make a DNA extraction solution using distilled water, table salt, and household neutral detergent.

Mash the banana, add the extraction solution, and filter it through gauze to obtain a liquid in which the banana’s DNA is dissolved.

Then, by adding well-chilled ethanol, you can precipitate and extract the banana’s DNA.

It’s a genuine experiment you can do during the summer break when you have more time.

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Nakajima Junko

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Bamboo Speaker

[DIY] How to Make a Bamboo Smartphone Speaker for Zero Material Cost

Let’s try making a speaker that plays sound from your smartphone using bamboo.

It takes advantage of bamboo’s tubular shape to naturally amplify sound through resonance.

If you have a bamboo grove nearby or can get hold of bamboo, this is a perfect summer vacation craft project.

Cut the bamboo, peel off the green outer skin, and lightly scorch the surface with a gas burner.

Charring it with the burner turns it black and gives it a beautiful finish.

Cut out the section where the smartphone will go and drill holes on the surface.

The key is to be careful not to crack the bamboo.

It’s a detailed project, but that makes it all the more rewarding, and you’ll end up with a one-of-a-kind creation.

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Nakajima Junko

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Casein plastic

Future Divers #006: From Milk to Plastic! High School Students Tackling Marine Litter

You can actually make plastic from a drink that’s close to all of us: milk.

If you add vinegar to boiled milk and mix, you’ll get a white, clumpy substance.

This is casein, a protein that serves as the base for plastic.

Remove the moisture from the casein, press it into a mold, and heat it in a microwave for one-minute intervals several times until it hardens.

In recent years, the issue of plastic waste has gained attention, and many of us are thinking about how we can reduce it.

This experiment could be a wonderful independent research project that points toward a future rich in nature.

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pH measurement using vegetables

[Choko-Try] Science Experiment You Can Do at Home: Measuring pH Using Vegetables

Let’s try a pH measurement experiment that tells you whether a liquid is alkaline or acidic.

For preparation, shred some red cabbage the day before and freeze it.

On the day of the experiment, knead it well in water to make purple cabbage water.

This colored water actually contains a pigment called anthocyanin that reacts to pH.

In the experiment, add the liquid you want to test to this colored water and observe the color change.

It turns red if acidic, purple if neutral, and blue or yellow if alkaline.

Gather different liquids and give it a try!

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Experiment to make butter

Experiment to Make Butter – High School Biology Lab

Butter makes all sorts of foods delicious—spread on bread, melted over baked potatoes, and more.

Did you know it can actually be made with a very simple process? The main steps are to pour chilled heavy cream into a sterilized container and shake it vigorously for 15 minutes.

The liquid will separate and turn into solids—the solid part is unsalted butter.

Mix in salt, and you’ve got butter! Shaking for 15 minutes is surprisingly hard work, so it might be a good idea to do it while watching TV.

Let’s also summarize why butter forms in the first place.

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