Breinlinger Abstracts 2016

A1

Unless you possess an MRE, heating food in the field requires a fire, which can be dangerous and impractical. MRE’s are expensive, require water in order to heat the food, and can only heat small quantities. Also, fires can be dangerous and attract attention. This solar heater offers an eco-friendly alternative to heating meals. This project aimed to build a functioning field heater to warm pre-cooked foods for eating. The prototype was designed to capture solar energy using aluminum foil to trap heat and warm the food inside. The prototype reaches temperatures warm enough to thoroughly heat food. This prototype can be modified and utilized to heat food in varying weather conditions, as long as there is ample sunlight to warm the oven. The prototype does not reach temperatures warm enough to cook, bake, or broil food, and we do not recommend using it for such. This oven functions as intended, and can heat food in the field without the need for fire or MRE chemical heating packs.

A4

The Insta-Paste makes putting toothpaste on the toothbrush effortless and mess-free. It was created to reduce the amount of money spent on toothpaste and made the amount of toothpaste wasted decrease. It also reduces the mess of toothpaste in a bathroom. With Insta-Paste toothbrushes/toothpaste can be bought together for a cheaper price than buying a toothbrush and toothpaste separately. When the toothpaste either spills out of the tube or too much is put on and some is taken off, it causes toothpaste to be wasted all around the bathroom. Research was done on how much toothpaste was wasted and to help solve this prototype was made. An electric toothbrush was hollowed out and a syringe was placed in. A hole was drilled from through the head of the toothbrush and a tube was placed through, being attached to the top of the syringe to the bottom of the bristles. Using a syringe in the invention helped use up every bit of toothpaste when used. After the whole prototype was put together it was tested for a week and found that all of the toothpaste was used up effectively and none of it was wasted. It was proved to be mess-free, making the objectives of the project to be met. The problem was solved by creating a prototype that would use up every bit of toothpaste. This in the long run would be able to save money for people by not having to buy as much toothpaste

A5

A6

People commonly experience the awkward and uncomfortable feeling of not knowing where to grab on a milk gallon when it is being passed to them or the feeling of weakness when they cannot support the weight of a milk gallon with one hand. In response to this problem, the attachable additional handle for milk gallons was created. The second milk handle was created to reduce the awkward feeling of not knowing where to grasp when being passed the milk, or not having enough strength in one arm to support the milk. In practice at the dinner table, the added handle definitely gave a clearer place to grab on the milk gallon, reducing the uncertainty and allowing people with less muscle mass to comfortably support the milk’s weight. With an added handle, milk jugs would be less awkward and more efficient to pass around the table at dinner time.

A7Every year, major guitar companies like Gibson and PRS cut down extreme amounts of rare wood

such as varieties of Africa rosewood and mahogany. The explanation for using these specific wood types is because of the supposed sonic properties tonally provided by the wood. A common product that is wood is produced into is shipping pallets. It is possible for guitar to be manufactured from less rare and sustainable sources. Pallets are made from inexpensive wood and because of their durability they are prime candidates for recycling. A guitar was constructed using planks from two pallets, one of pine, and

the other of plywood. The resulting guitar had a few cosmetic defects because of wood quality. From a musicians perspective, the guitar produced has a mild tone good for distortion and high-gain music. The hardware came from a donor guitar. The hardware was cheap and affects the sound overall. The pickup, a passive hum-bucking style, also from a donor guitar, affected the tone negatively compared to one of a better quality. In conclusion, with more patience and better hardware, the pallet guitar could become an economic and eco- friendly option for musicians.

A8

Technology is becoming an increasingly more useful tool in education, so programs and simulations should be created to aid in teaching. This project is an example of the type of program that could be used to help teach students. The program was designed to provide information about elements on the periodic table, as well as a visual representation of them that takes periodic trends into account. It displays a column of information about each element in the first three periods, and shows a picture of the element based on the electron ring model. Users can specify the desired element by giving its name, symbol, or atomic number. The program shows that technology can be a useful tool in teaching students about subjects such as chemistry.

A9

Human error is the cause of thousands of car accidents each year. This project investigates the self-driving cars ability to avoid objects. Our prototype is designed to travel through a path and avoid objects that are in its way. It is to perform this task with little to no human intervention. The finish product is capable of avoiding objects that are in its way, and then continue on until its path has become blocked. We have proven that it is possible to create a car that can drive itself. With a car capable of functioning on its own accidents caused by human error would be eliminated.

A11

A12

People who are affected by Alzheimer’s and other memory lose diseases have been able to remember things better with the presents of sound or colors. Color is found to be more affective with remembering certain things. This project investigates if short term memory is affected greater with sound or color. About 15 students were tested their short term memory abilities by two tests using sounds and colors to try to help them remember images. The students first took a color test where they were shown images all in one color and told to remember the color and image. Next they were shown plain colors that were the same as the colors in the images. While viewing the color I asked them what picture was shown with that color. Then I did the same type of test with sound, I showed them an image with a sound in the background and then played the sound again and asked the image. There wasn’t a big difference in ability to remember sound and color, except almost all the participants said it was easier to remember color and to remember the sound most people said that to remember sound they all imaged

scenarios in their heads according to the sound. 96% of people remember color and 4% remembered sound. These results helped show me what I expected that color would be easier to remember, it also showed that memory can be changed with the help of sound and color. Also when I shared these results now people are using colors to help remember tested on subjects.

A13My experiment was created to test if polygraphs are always accurate, and this is

important because this research can improve the polygraphs used in the criminal justice system. Scientists sometimes say that polygraphs are not always accurate. People’s heart rates and blood pressure can spike just because they are nervous about having the test done on them, not because they are possibly guilty of something. This could falsely incriminate someone of a crime they didn’t commit. For my experiment I used a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff to measure the heart rate and blood pressure of the people who were being asked 10 yes or no questions. They had to lie on 5 of them and tell the truth on 5. I had to decide if I thought they were lying or telling the truth based on their heart rate and blood pressure during the experiment. These results showed that polygraphs are not always accurate because some answers I had thought to be true were false and some that I thought were false ended up being true. My results contribute to the area that I worked in because this experiment shows that the science that polygraphs base their results on is false and not always accurate. It’s not accurate because an increased heart rate and blood pressure doesn’t always mean that someone is lying. My polygraph was only about 65% accurate. I met my objectives in this experiment because I wanted to prove that polygraphs were inaccurate which I did.

A14

Studying habits are often useful when studying for tests or quizzes and can impact academic performance. This project investigates the effects of mint gum on memory while studying. For this experiment 20 volunteers were asked to review study guides for two separate quizzes; one while chewing gum and the other without. After a two minute break, they were asked to take the quiz that matched their study guide. After reviewing the quiz scores, many results showed no difference in performance. Other data had no pattern, with 4 people doing better while chewing gum and 7 people doing worse. The results do not completely prove that

mint gum can improve memory while studying. However, depending on the person, mint gum may or may not be a useful study tool.

A15

A16

Have you ever heard of Ferrofluid? Ferrofluid is a liquid with small magnetic particles in it and is in a carrier fluid. The magnetic properties of Ferrofluid allow it to be easily manipulated by magnets. When the fluid is exposed to a magnetic field, it will form defined spikes. move on objects that are magnetized. Ferrofluid’s ability to move on objects and form spikes can be hindered by the solutions that it is combined with.

In this experiment it was proven that solutions added to Ferrofluid, can change its magnetic properties. The hypothesis, solutions with higher surface tensions will hinder Ferrofluid’s properties more was proven true. The solutions, that had higher surface tensions, hindered the properties of the normally easily manipulated Ferrofluid. The solutions, that had lower surface tensions, showed properties similar to Ferrofluid. One cup of each solution was added to three milliliters of Ferrofluid. The properties of these new solutions were compared to the controlled experiment, three milliliters of pure Ferrofluid, to see if they hindered its properties or not.

This experiment proves that solutions with higher surface tensions hinder the magnetic properties of Ferrofluid more than lower surface tensions. The solutions Club Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide have surface tensions 80-70 dynes/cm, and showed results that were not similar to Ferrofluid. The Mouthrinse and the Rubbing Alcohol Mixture have surface tensions 40-30 dynes/cm, and showed results similar to Ferrofluid. These results show that the surface tension of solutions added to Ferrofluid can change its magnetic properties.

B1Of all of the water in the world, 97.5% is all salt water, 2.5% is freshwater. Out of that 2.5%, that

freshwater 68.9% is locked in glaciers and 30.8% is ground water, and .3% is lakes and freshwater bodies. This .3% is used for things like storm water drainage, sewage drainage and unintentionally collects runoff from parking lots and other impermeable surfaces. How can we utilize the .3% of fresh water found in lakes and rivers if we run out of water sources? What is the best method to filter this potentially hazardous water?

To test our question, we collected water samples at Lake Champeaux, testing for fecal coliform through membrane filtration, pH and total dissolved solids (TDS) using a conductivity probe and cultivating bacteria from the samples. We then ran them through filtration methods (Activated carbon filters, chlorination and distillation) and performed the tests on the filtered water.

Our results concluded that while activated carbon filters did remove some dissolved solids, fecal coliform and other bacteria; they were not the best method. Our hypothesis was chlorine to be the best method; and it did remove bacteria and fecal coliform-but it raised TDS and pH and damaged the agar. Respectively, distillation of the water was the best method to filter the water, while removing bacteria, and TDS it lowered the pH to drinking water range and preserved the agar, making it safe for drinking after series of filtration.

B-2

Everyone gets sick, and we’re all looking for ways to decrease the risk of getting an illness. This experiment inspects the effect copper has on the survival of

bacteria that are potentially harmful to us. Twenty total petri dishes (a dish used for the growth of microorganisms) were set up with nutrient agar which contains nutrients for bacteria to grow on. Ten dishes (the control) were set up with just agar and bacteria was swabbed on from the ground, the remaining ten dishes (the independent variable) filled with agar that contained copper sulfate, and the same bacteria swabbed from the ground. The next day the petri dishes were checked for any growth, the control had lots of bacteria growth while the dishes with copper sulfate had no bacteria on it. The copper in copper sulfate causes the death of any bacteria that come into contact with it. Copper can be used as an anti-bacterial metal as it can be used for surfaces such as counters in a kitchen. The results of this experiment support the idea that bacteria can be killed by using copper.

B3

B5

B6

Do you want rotten teeth? No of course not why would you, so watch what you drink. Everyone wants to have healthy teeth. Without healthy teeth your body would not be able to break down food, and you would not be able to get the nutrients that you need to survive. Knowing this it may change what you drink on a daily basis.

In this experiment, egg shells were used to represent the enamel on a person's teeth. By doing so we were able to see the decay of the eggshell three day period. The eggs were examined to see the discoloration of both the shell, and the membrane, the difference of texture in the eggshell, and how easily the eggshell broke when dropped from a height of 5’6’’.

Four different drink were tested to see what they did to the eggshells. We tested Cocacola, Milk, Orange Juice, and Water. So after three days of soaking in the different drinks the eggshells changed in all cases, but some of the drinks caused the eggs to change more than others. The Orange Juice looked to be the worst for the calcium on the eggshell. It broke it down, caused decay on the eggshell, and made it very fragile.

This shows the effects of different substances on the health of your teeth in different ways. This experiment was successful because it showed what four common drinks do to decay teeth. This will help to keep your teeth in a healthy state.

B7

B8

B9

B11

The kindness of strangers is something that all people appreciate, but the importance of being a kind stranger is seldom told. A stranger’s kindness contributes to a higher general rate of happiness in the community and a stronger feeling of unity to our species. This project

investigates how kind strangers really are in a public location. On several occasions, a volunteer and I went to the local Wal-Mart. The volunteer would walk near a group of people and fall over while I recorded their reactions. Four out of the 10 strangers either didn’t notice the volunteer or ignored him. None of the strangers interacted with the volunteer, 2 people even laughed. These results support the fact that we do not take care of our own, and humanity has failed to do even the simply task of treating others the same way we want to be treated.

B12

The purpose for this experiment was to show people how negatively electronic screens effect your vision. Many people sit in front of computers for hours on end for jobs every day and should know what they are doing to their bodies while doing this. People should cut down their computer or phone time as much as they can to benefit their physical health.

The problem in this experiment is do computers really strain your eyes more than any other normal item? To investigate, a variety of people of different ages participated in an experiment. They all stared at a computer screen as long as they could, about ten times each, and then did the same with a book. The results were impressive, stating that on average the participants could look at a book for about three seconds longer than looking at a computer screen. This is not a huge change, but there is definitely a difference in the two if ten people could all stare at a book longer than a computer screen.

This experiment contributed to the many results and facts other scientists have proved in the past. Even though the contestants only looked at the computers for a few seconds each time, imagine the long term effects of staring at computer or other electronic screens for hours at a time.

C1

Marketers try to make it seem like organic fruit is much better than inorganic. I wanted to test the longevity of each product. This project tested which type of produce can be kept longer. For 14 days I had approximately equal amounts of organic and inorganic broccoli, gala apple, green pepper and lemon, each in their own baggy. Then every other day I took a photo of the process along with writing notes. After about 5 days it was clear the inorganic fruit was growing mold faster. After 14 days the results varied on the type of produce. The results conclude the organic fruit had a longer keep time, but after about 10 days they both produced similar amounts of mold.

C2Vitamin C is an important vitamin easily obtained in citrus fruits. This experiment tested

the hypothesis that if citrus fruits are allowed to ripen, then the fruits will produce more vitamin C. This hypothesis was tested using oranges, lemons and limes at three different stages in their existence (unripe, ripe and past ripe). The stages of fruit were determined by buying the past ripe

fruit 8 days before the experiment, the ripe fruit 5 days before the experiment and the unripe fruit the day of the experiment. Iodine starch solution was used to determine the amount of vitamin C in the different citrus fruits. A handheld juicer was used to juice different citrus fruits at the different stages, then a homemade iodine starch solution was added until each juice was completely neutralized. Once the juice was completely neutralized the ones that used more iodine starch solution contained most vitamin C. The independent variable was the ripeness of the fruit and the dependent variable was the amount of vitamin C in the fruit. The experiment contributes to research on vitamin C in your everyday diet. Vitamin C is essential in your everyday diet because it produces collagen which repairs tissues in your body. This research could also help prevent someone developing a lack of vitamin C in their diet causing vitamin C deficiency (scurvy). The hypothesis proved to be wrong, because unripe citrus fruits contain more vitamin C than the ripe citrus fruits does.

C-3

Many people are looking for ways to keep their plants alive and to make them grow faster. This project investigates the effect of microwave radiation on different organisms. A series of different organisms will each undergo certain amounts of radiation. The amount of growth will be measured throughout. The first organism tested was yeast. The yeast showed increased rising as more microwave radiation was added to the yeast before putting the yeast in water. As for the bacteria, the agar was completely melted by the microwave radiation so, the radiation killed the bacteria and the radishes have not shown an sign of growth, not even in the control sample. The results showed that microwave radiation will help yeast grow, but will kill bacteria growth. As for the plants, the results are inconclusive but I would expect growth to decreased with increased microwave radiation.

C4

People should care about the work we did. Our science fair project regards the effect acid rain has on vegetation. All of life depends on a food chain. Herbivores eat plants, and carnivores eat herbivores. If plants die out, so will the herbivores and carnivores. Our hypothesis states that the plants watered with regular water would be stronger and healthier than those watered with the acid rain solution. Acid rain has a pH (acidity) of 3. We created a solution of water, sulfuric acid and nitric acid that had a pH of 3. Next we planted 50 pea plants. As they grew, we watered 25 of them with regular water and the other 25 with the acid solution. Every day we measured the height of each plant and found the average height of each type. The results were consistent with our hypothesis. We conducted the experiment for 2 weeks. On day 14, the regular plants were 10.132 centimeters taller on average than the acid plants. The acid plant’s stems were very weak and fragile. The leaves were showing signs or decay and rotting. They were not firm, but instead flaccid, crumbly and discolored. As the results of this project show, acid rain is a major

problem. When factories burn fossil fuels like coal, many pollutants are released into the air such as sulfuric dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Those substances dissolve in water and create acid rain. People need to be careful with which substances they burn and the quantity they burn them in or the earth will be doomed.

C5Have you ever heard about someone using a single citrus fruit to power a small lightbulb? The

purpose of this experiment was to test if a citrus fruit had enough energy stored to generate current and illuminate a small lightbulb. One citrus fruit does not in fact store enough chemical energy to be transformed into electrical energy and power a lightbulb. The fruit with the most current generated was the grapefruit. The fruits have such a minute amount of energy stored that the grapefruit barely moved the needle on the micro ammeter. You would need a significant amount of fruits in order to even power a small lightbulb. My hypothesis was proven incorrect. A citrus fruit in fact does not have enough energy to power a small lightbulb.

C6

U.S. homes spend over $1 billion dollars on cut flowers annually. Consumers are aware that cut flowers usually do not last beyond 7 days. In an attempt extend the quality and longevity of cut blooms in the home, experts in the flower business have developed flower food to extend the life of cut flowers. If Dianthus Caryophyllus also know as pink carnations are given a commercially prepared flower food then the process of decay will be slower. Sixty pink carnations were divided into groups of ten carnations. Each vase received a different form of supplemental “food” to prolong the longevity and quality of the pink carnation. The experiment lasted eighteen days. The status of the subjects in each vase was assessed based on a predetermined set of values. The results illustrated that the commercially designed flower food did extend the quality and longevity of the cut flowers. Flowers given flower food lasted approximately five days longer than those given crushed aspirin. Flower food is the best solution to give to cut flowers if consumers want their flowers longevity to increase.

C-7

The experiment we choose to do was how caffeine effects people’s memory. We wanted to test and see if the persons memory would be benefited or harmed from drinking caffeine. We tested there memory before and after they drank the appropriate amount of coffee that was needed so they could get the correct amount of caffeine. We compared there results against there own to see if there memory improved or got worse with the caffeine in there system.

The way we did this experiment was that we first tested there memory before the consumption of the coffee. We gave them 2 different tests to test there memory. One of the tests was called a dot test. In this test the subject got one minute to look at a card containing 20 dots. 13 of them were blue and 7 of them were red. They would need to memorize where the red dots were so that when given a sheet with only blue dots they could cross off where they remembered the red dots being. After that they got a picture test. In this test they got one minute to try to memorize 16 different pictures in order from 1-16. They would get one minute to look at the card. After the minute was done they would be given a different card with only the numbers one through sixteen on it in order of how they had to memorize the pictures. We would then hold up just a single picture and proceed to ask them which square it was in. They can look at the sheet with numbers to try and figure it out and then they give an answer. We recorded there results. We then proceeded to do this with each picture that was on the card to see if they knew where each picture was. After they had finished both tests we scored there results. The way we scored there results was by counting how many they got wrong to how many they got right. We would then later compare the before and after tests of caffeine and calculate which test was better.

After they finished the first tests then then had to drink black coffee. The reason we had them drink only black coffee was because then we can see how the caffeine effects them without worrying about other variables that are usually in coffee such as milk, cream, and sugar. They needed to drink 6 ounces of coffee. The amount of caffeine we needed to put into the machine is 2 table spoons. That is what the ration is supposed to be when you have coffee. 6 oz. of water to 2 tablespoons of coffee. After the subject consumed the coffee they then had to wait 45 minutes for the coffee to take effect. After the 45 minutes was done we then proceeded to test them again. We would give similar tests so that they had not seen the tests before but we’re familiar with how they worked. They would do another dot test and then get an answer sheet to cross off where they dots were. After they finished that test then then we’re given a picture test again. When both tests were over we calculated the results of there second test. After that we would compare the 2 scores.

The people always seem to do better after they had consumed the coffee. Some of the people’s memory was slightly improved while others had a dramatic improvement. Usually they would do better on both kinds of test but sometimes they only ride better on one test and would stay the same on the other test. No ones memory seemed to be negatively affected by the caffeine they drank. This supports our hypothesis by saying that caffeine helps improve your memory.

C8After elections have concluded, hundreds of political signs are left by the wayside. These signs

are usually not biodegradable or recyclable. This investigation determined if political signs could be made into useful everyday objects, such as a cell phone charging stand. In order to create the cell phone charging stand, the signs were cut to fit the phone, and glued together. This technique was used for all of the inventions created, such as boxes and shelves. These inventions were all created by recycling used

political signs, into objects that can help with everyday life. This is a very simple possess that can turn any old political sign, into a box, shelf, or even a stand that will hold your phone as it charges.

C9

Some people may believe that listening to Classical music, like Mozart, will make you smarter. In order to test this theory we decided to investigate the effects of different genres of music on the learning ability of mice. Our testing consisted of subjecting mice to three different genres of music-Rap, Classical, and Metal. We first record times for each of the three mice to go through the maze without any music and then recorded times for each mouse with each music type. The results of this testing showed that the mice had faster recorded times through the maze while subjected to the Rap and Metal music. Therefore this experiment disproves our original hypothesis of Classical music being the best for improving learning ability and doesn't have any effect on making you smarter.

C-11

Humans make hand gestures almost constantly as they talk and communicate. This project aims to prove a connection between the number of hand gestures someone makes and their personality type. Twenty volunteers took the Myers-Briggs personality test, and afterwards were asked three questions that required explanation. The participant’s hand gestures were counted and recorded along with their personality type. Participants with extroverted personalities on average made 3-4 more gestures than those with introverted personalities. Those with extroverted personalities generally made 6-8 gestures, while those with introverted personalities made only 3-5 gestures. These results point to a strong relation between the number of hand gestures someone uses and their personality type, supporting the hypothesis there is a direct correlation between the two.

C12

Research suggests that there is a clear distinction between morning and night people, and that when these people have to function outside their optimal window, it can lead to brain damage. Furthermore, different age groups are naturally a certain type of person. This project analyzes the mood of three separate groups to determine which category of functionality they fall into. 10 adults, 10 high school students, and 5 young children (grades 1-6) were given a survey inquiring about their general mood in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening, how well they function at these times, and their general sleeping habits. This information was then used to determine whether each group was predominantly morning or night people, and compare them to what previous research has determined they naturally are. The results of the survey showed that 70% of high school students qualified as night people, 80% of younger children qualified as morning people, and 60% of adults qualified as morning people. The results support the fact that different age groups function optimally at different times of the day (either morning or night). At

this time, it is impossible to determine whether the groups functioning out of their natural window of performance suffer from brain damage, but they could in the future if continually forced to function outside of that window.

D2In a typical American kitchen, 63 gallons of water are used each day,

most of it for boiling foods. So, what if this cooking water can be converted into a nutrient enriched water that will quicken a plants growth rate compared to regular water from the sink? To test this hypothesis, grass was planted in containers and watered every day with various types of this nutrient water. After completing the experiment over a number of weeks, the celery nutrient enriched water gave the grass a larger biomass than any of the other potted plants. This proves the hypothesis true. When a plant is given nutrient enriched water, it will have a larger biomass than a plant watered with regular water.

D-3

The purpose of my experiment is to figure out the effectiveness (how many oral bacterium they kill) of different mouthwash brands, as well as researching if rinsing it for 30 seconds or 60 seconds makes a difference in the number of oral bacterial growth. This research could influence which brand of mouthwash people purchase. People should care about this because it could help them become healthier and clean their teeth better. Poor dental high gene can lead to gum disease/ plaque buildup. This project investigates the effectiveness of different mouthwashes effectiveness in killing bacteria. I began by pouring the nutrient broth into 7 plates. I’m testing three mouthwashes, so each got two plates and the leftover one was for my control. I then labeled the plates with their corresponding mouthwashes and 30 seconds or 60 seconds. Once the broth hardened I swabbed my mouth for cells, which I rubbed over all the plates. I then cut out six little paper circles. I then dunked the paper in mouthwash for 30 seconds, put that in the plate marked 30 seconds, then did the same for the one marked one minute. I repeated this step for all the mouthwashes. After that I taped the plates shut and placed them into the incubator, where they grew bacteria overnight. The goal for the data is to see which mouthwash allowed for the farthest amount of bacteria between the paper and where the mouth cells grew. This will show which mouthwash is most effective in killing/ preventing bacterial growth. I measured two times to see if the time of soaking would make a difference in bacterial presence as well. None of the plates grew any significant bacteria yet. The control with no mouthwash has a bit grown, so this tells me that the mouthwashes do inhibit the growth of bacteria, it is just unclear to what extent. More time is needed to grow to

get conclusive data, so I will be leaving the bacteria in the incubator one more night, so I can compare the plates which hopefully have grown more bacteria. These results show that mouthwash does inhibit the growth of oral bacteria, but at the moment I am unable to tell which mouthwashes do so the best. Hopefully with more time I will get more bacterial growth and be able to compare how effective the different brands are.

D4

High blood pressure means the heart is working that much harder to pump blood throughout the body. It can lead to several possible health consequences including heart attacks, strokes, and atherosclerosis, if uncontrolled or ignored. This project investigates the difference in blood pressure readings of athletes and non-athletes. Throughout a few days, we conducted a questionnaire and recorded the blood pressure and pulse of 16 females and 16 males (8 athletes and 8 non-athletes for each sex). Based on our data, there was not a significant difference in the blood pressure readings of athletes vs. non-athletes. About 72% of our female participants (both athletes and non-athletes) fell below the average blood pressure reading for an 18 year old female (119/79). About 29% of our male participants (both athletes and non-athletes) fell below the average blood pressure reading for an 18 year old male (120/79). These results do not support the idea that being an avid athlete will give you lower blood pressure. However, taking care of your body and heart, staying active, and eating well will certainly put you at a lower risk for developing a high blood pressure and will put you at a lower risk of acquiring concerning cardiovascular issues.

D5

Bacteria cause illnesses and other health problems in humans; antibiotics can be used to prevent these illnesses. This project investigated the effect of the antibiotics amoxicillin and cephalexin on bacteria that were collected from common areas. Bacteria were collected from ten different locations and were put into petri dishes, with three dishes for each location. Ten of the dishes, one from each location, were given 2 ml of an amoxicillin solution, ten were given 2 ml of a cephalexin solution, and ten were used as a control for comparison. The antibiotics were added on three different occasions that were at least three days apart. Based on visual observation of how the individual dishes changed and compared to the control, it was shown that both types of antibiotic limited bacterial growth and caused some bacterial death. These results support the idea/theory/fact that antibiotics cause inhibited growth in bacteria and are important in the treatment of illnesses in humans.

D-7

We conducted this research to determine what method either punishment or reward would improve the performance of students in the classroom. This research could help improve the learning of students by providing incentive for the student to perform better. We solved the old debate over which is more effective, punishment or reward. We used human test subjects to solve the problem, we had a

group of students split into subgroups without them knowing one punishment group, one control group, and one reward group. All the groups were given the same test their results were recorded and then they were given the appropriate action. Then they were given the test again and their results were recorded and compared to the original results. We obtained information that the reward system was much more effective, 20% of students in the reward group showed improvement whereas in the punishment group only 5% of students showed improvement. Our results show that reward is an effective form of incentive. It shows that it can be used in the classroom to improve performance.

D8 On many occasions, your brain constructs its own reality. Everyday human brains are constantly tricked into a twisted reality. This affects the way we take in many things,when we go by with our daily business. By testing your brains knowledge, it can be revealed that your brain takes in its own information. This occurs due to the fast thinking process, when the brain isn't able to pick up simple information, when it mixes up our perception and reactions in real life.This experiment examined why optical illusions fool our brains. The hypothesis was that if a person was shown an optical illusion, then the brain will make unconscious inferences. Human subjects with no disabilities or impairments, were put to illusion tests of many, to determine if the brain was using the right distinct function. The hypothesis was proven true. Most of the individual subjects constructed its own ability that fooled the subjects through the interactive illusion test experiment.

D9

Abstract: Overtime, music has increasingly become a part of the modern-day workplace. This project investigates whether the results of students’ test scores is better with or without music. Thirty students volunteered to participate in two crossword puzzles, Test A and Test B. The first group of 15 students took Test A with music, followed by Test B without music. The second group of 15 students took Test A without music, followed by Test B with music. The students were given three minutes on each crossword puzzle to find as many words as possible. We collected the data and made two side-by-side graphs. The final results were mixed. A portion of the students’ scores were noticeably higher with music, while other students had either a slight increase or decrease in their scores with music than without. These results support that some students may test better and achieve higher test scores with music than without, but it ultimately depends on the person.

D10

Homophone recognition testing is a way to measure a student’s vocabulary and word processing ability. This project investigates how well students recognize homophones. In this

experiment 20 volunteers took a spelling test that was composed of all homophones. The words each subject identified as a word that could be spelled different ways were recorded; along with at what word each subject figured out the entire test was comprised of only homophones. Out of a sampling of 20 subjects, the average number of homophones recognized for seniors was 10, juniors was 14, sophomores was 16, and freshman was 19. The average word when the subject identified the entire test as comprised of only homophones was at word 19. These results conclude that additional years of secondary education do not necessarily translate to a larger vocabulary or ability to recognize words.

D-11

Texting and even talking on a phone while driving has been linked to car accidents. Also the use of a phone while driving in many states is illegal. This project was conducted to determine the effects of talking and texting on a person’s reaction time. 20 Volunteers, 10 males and 10 females, each attempted to grab a meter stick that was dropped at random times as quickly as possible. Each volunteer did that 5 times without being distracted, 5 times while talking with someone on the phone, and 5 times while texting. All participants’ reaction times ended up being delayed from talking on the phone and from texting. 100% of the participants’ reaction times were delayed more when they were texting than when they were talking on the phone. These results support the fact that using a phone, especially if it is being used for texting, delays a human’s reaction time. A phone should most likely not be used when doing things that require as fast of a reaction time as possible, such as driving.

D12

Food that has been on the floor for five seconds has been said to be bacteria free. This rule may be the cause of many people getting sick on a daily basis. This project investigates the effect of food being on the floor for five seconds. A variety of food including Cheerios and Lollipops were dropped on the floor and swabs were taken of them. For a period of thirteen days the samples grew in ten petri dishes. All of the dishes were stored in the same spot with constant heat and darkness. All of the samples yielded bacteria in the end, some more than others. By day three bacteria started to grow on most of the samples. These results show that eating food after it

has been on the floor for five seconds will not be bacteria free and may be the cause of everyday illnesses.

E-1

What do tracking cancer, combatting terrorism, and manufacturing medicine have in common? All of these important scientific applications are carried out with the use of genetic transformations. The purpose of this experiment is to determine how to make genetic transformations more efficient by investigating how different heat shock lengths affect the efficiency of genetic transformations. Three genetic transformations of E. coli were performed using a pGLO plasmid with various heat shock times. One was performed with a heat shock lasting 25 seconds, one lasting 50 seconds, and one lasting 100 seconds. Transformed bacteria growth was then analyzed by observing the number of colonies that had grown on each liquid broth/ampicillin plate and using that number to calculate genetic efficiency. The 50 second heat shock was most successful with an efficiency of 644.951 cfu/ug. The 25 second heat shock resulted in an efficiency of 302.932 cfu/ug. The 100 second heat shock was unsuccessful because no transformed colonies grew. These results show that 50 seconds is the optimal heat shock time for this particular genetic transformation. Although other genetic transformations will differ in optimal heat shock times, it is incredibly beneficial to understand how to maximize the efficiency of genetic transformations because they have such important applications.

E2

In this project, the effect of light frequencies on plants was investigated. This is applicable to society because it could provide gardeners with better environments for their plants. This could improve the rate of photosynthesis for plants, and therefore create richer crops from food - improving the quality of produce. Different colored lights were tested, in search of the color that would reap the best results.

In order to test this, four plants were set up, each with their own “filter”. The colors tested were yellow, red, green, and no filter. They were all watered the same amount every day, and were all placed in the same spot with the same amount of sunlight. Each plant had two trials; one at day 11 and the other at day 18. The rate of photosynthesis of each plant was measured by using the floating leaf disc assay. From there, the E T 50 (estimated time of 50% of discs floating) was calculated and used to measure the rate of photosynthesis.

From these tests, it can be concluded that on average, the ivy with the red light performed the best with an average net rate of photosynthesis of 0.220. Yellow performed the second best at an average net rate of 0.190 followed by no filter at 0.121, and lastly green at an average net rate of photosynthesis of 0.090.

These results met the expectations – that green light will reflect that of the plant leaves/ chlorophyll. “Redhouses” could become the next big thing.

E3People often wonder about the effect that earth worms have on plant growth. Some people think

they help, while others think that it doesn’t make a difference. This experiment tested the hypothesis, If earthworms are put in the soil of radish plants, then the radishes will have a greater biomass. Six radishes where planted total, 3 have 4 earthworms in each and the other 3 didn’t have any. Results from this test were inconclusive because when the radish plants were pulled out there where no worms to be found and there were no radish bulbs, only roots where pulled out. The results of this experiment cannot help prove the hypothesis to be true or false.

E5

Bacteria can be very unpredictable, understanding bacterial growth is imperative to health and wellbeing. This project investigates the effect of fruit on the bacterial environment in the mouth. A total of 20 volunteers (5 for each fruit type) swabbed their mouths before and after ingesting fruit. Later each bacterial swab was grown in Agar growing solution, in order to observe an increase or decrease in bacterial colony number. An average increase of +32% in colony growth occurred in the more basic Strawberry data set with a PH of 5.3, an average decrease of -4.6% occurred in the Lemon data set with an acidic PH of 3.0, and -8.6% in the Banana data set with a PH of 6.0. My data supported my hypothesis as different fruits effect the bacterial environment significantly, however PH is not a deciding factor in bacterial colony growth.

E-6

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Cancer cells divide rapidly, and if they are not recognized in time, they can spread through the body through metastasis. This disease has no cure, and common treatment such as chemotherapy is expensive. However, natural substances such as green pepper, turmeric, and ginger have been considered by the scientific community for their anticancer properties. This project investigates the effect of turmeric in decreasing the growth and protein concentration of rapidly dividing cells in mung beans, chickpeas, and wheat germ. For a period of 12 hours, the mung beans, chickpeas, and wheat germ were soaked in different concentrations of turmeric solution and then were allowed to grow for 132 hours. At the end of the growth period, the percent germination, sprout length, and protein concentration of the various groups were measured. The percent germination, sprout lengths, and protein concentration of the sprouts of seeds that were initially soaked in higher concentrations of turmeric solution were overall lower than the sprouts of seeds that were not soaked in turmeric solution. These results support the fact that turmeric does inhibit the growth of rapidly dividing cells, and thus supports the fact that turmeric would have an effect against cancer cells. Thus, after further research and testing of the effect of turmeric against the growth of human cancer cells, turmeric could be considered as an anticancer drug in replace of or in addition to chemotherapy.

E7There are many signs and billboards that are differently colored. The signs vary from

primary colors to secondary colors. Ever wonder why these signs are those colors? This experiment tested the hypothesis that if primary colors are more visually dominant, then people will identify primary colors faster. During testing, participants were presented with a mixture of contrasting colored L’s and one designated T the participants had to find among the L’s. The participants were timed and the times were recorded. The times were averaged to determine if primary colors are more visually dominant. The secondary color times proved faster than primary color times. The hypothesis was proven incorrect.

E8

The purpose of this experiment is to demonstrate how acid affects organic materials. People should care about the results below because all organisms are made of organic materials. Air pollution creates acid rain, a type of precipitation that has a low ph balance and can cause serious damage to ecosystems by harming plants and animals. Humans create much of the acid rain due to machines that produce harmful waste; cars, factories, etc. In order to help create a cleaner Earth, humans need to produce less air pollution. It was hypothesized that liquids with lower ph balances will cause more harm to plants than liquids with higher ph balances.

In order to further investigate this hypothesis, 100% organic paper towels, with no bleaches, or dyes were cut into 1” squares and placed into vials of different liquids with various acidities. The paper towels were left in the vials for one minute before being taken out and weighed. The varying weights from the different vials and the paper towels before being experimented on were compared. The results showed that the hypothesis was correct as the weight of the paper soaked in lemon juice, the lowest ph, weighed on average 0.084g; water had the highest ph and weighed 0.096g. Orange juice and Monster had ph levels in between the two had corresponding weights. In conclusion, the lower the ph of a liquid, the more organic matter is harmed.

E9Your electricity in our house most likely comes from a nearby power plant. If you’ve ever

wondered how it works then now you can. In this experiment a generator will be built and will show how much energy is needed to light up a light bulb. The test is adding more coils to the generator to see if the amounts of coils affect the electrical output of the generator. The purpose of this project is to illustrate how much power is needed for one or two light bulbs. The brighter we make the bulb, the more energy it is using. This is to show people how much energy is wasted and we want to make people more aware to save and conserve energy when possible. The hypothesis we investigated is if you add more coils to a generator, it will increase the electrical

output. We built a generator and added coils one by one to see if it would increase the electrical output. We proved our hypothesis true and adding coils does indeed increase the output of electricity from the generator. In conclusion our results were as we anticipated them to be. We had hoped to prove that increasing the number of coils would increase the brightness of the bulb thus expending more energy.

E10

In today’s world, many people rely on battery operated devices such as flashlights, especially in emergency situations. However, there are many different brands of batteries to choose from. This project investigates how long different brands of batteries last in different temperatures. Over the course of ten days, four different brands of batteries (Energizer, Duracell, Rayovac and EverBrite) were put in flashlights and were exposed to different temperatures. The temperature changes were created by putting the flashlights in a refrigerator, a freezer, in a room at room temperature and under a lamp. At room temperature and in the freezer, there were no significant differences in brightness of the flashlights after the ten day period. Under the lamp, the flashlights with EverBrite and Rayovac batteries seemed to still have life to them while the flashlights with Energizer and Duracell batteries were completely dead. In the refrigerator, the flashlights with EverBrite and Rayovac batteries seemed to have experienced the most loss of brightness while the flashlights with Energizer and Duracell batteries were still at almost full brightness. These results don’t hold any strong evidence that a certain brand lasts longer in cold temperatures, but they do support that Rayovac and EverBrite last longer than Energizer and Duracell when exposed to heat.

E-11

The relationship between Einstein’s relativity and quantum mechanics (study of atoms and sub atomic particles) has been a mystery ever since the two were theorized. This project investigates the relationship between the mass of a black hole and its characteristics. To conduct my mathematical experiment I had to acquaint myself with a brief amount of quantum mechanics along with the details of black holes. I then used the formulas affiliated with the subject matter to collect my data and make a conclusion relating to the information that I collected. Based off of the data it seems that the greater the mass of the black hole the longer its lifespan and the colder its temperature. Also it seems that the greater the temperature the shorter lifespan which points to the idea that as the black hole radiates more heat it shrinks and eventually will fully dissipate due to its production of radiation. The results indicate that the radiation given off from black holes decreases its mass overtime and as the black hole shrinks the intensity of the radiation increases. The origin of this radiation seems to be an effect brought on by quantum mechanics.

E12

F1

F2

Athletes today rely on sports drinks with electrolytes such as Gatorade to refuel and perform better during games and events while others rely on caffeinated beverages such as coffee to perform

better during games and events. This project investigates the effects of electrolytes and caffeine on an athlete’s abilities such as speed, strength, and accuracy to prove if they really improve or deteriorate performance during games or events. Over the course of three days, 10 volunteers drank ¼ cup of water, Gatorade, and a caffeinated beverage and participated in three athletic trials such as running a 100 meter dash for speed, throwing a football as far as they could for strength, and putting a golf ball into 3 cups at different distances for accuracy on different days. The volunteers were timed as they ran, their distance thrown was marked and measured, and a chart was made to keep track of if they putt the golf ball into the cups. The Gatorade showed an increase in the volunteers’ speed and accuracy as their times improved and they putt the ball into the cup more while caffeine showed a slight decrease in speed as their times decreased but their accuracy improved even more as they putted the ball into the cup more. The Gatorade also showed an increase in strength as the distance thrown increased but in caffeine the distance thrown decreased. These results show that both Gatorade with electrolytes and caffeinated beverages improve an athlete’s abilities to some degree and can help athletes perform better during games and events.

F3

F4

Different genres of music have been linked to changing the heart rate, or beats per minute, of an individual. This project investigates the effect of listening to slower music to decrease heart rate, and listening to faster music to increase heart rate. Twenty volunteers sat and did nothing for five minutes, and then their resting heart rate was taken. After each song was done, we took the

volunteer’s heart rate. Every participant wore the same noise-cancelling headphones, had the music playing at the same volume, and the songs were played in the same order.

F6

Understanding the lung capacity of adolescents can prevent them from doing dangerous acts and possibly injuring themselves, for example, swimming underwater for too long could cause them to pass out and drown. This knowledge could also help doctors understand certain diseases within the lungs of youngsters. This experiment researches the difference in lung capacity of 9th grade males and females, and which gender would have larger lungs. Over a span of one week, participants were brought in from all over Union 61 (25 9th grade males and 25 9th grade females) to participate. Each participant blew into a full water jug, displacing different amounts of water within the jug. On the jug, there were marks every 250 ml. After each participant had emptied their lungs of air, the marks above the water level were counted, multiplied by 250, and then divided by 1000 (conversion into liters). The data concluded that males have a larger lung capacity, because the average of their results was higher than the females. The results concluded that the males average lung capacity in 9th grade was about 3.78 liters, the females about 3.43 liters.

F7Typical post workout drinks such as smart water and Gatorade advertise many post workout benefits however; these typical sports drinks may not be the only answer. We decided to compare the post workout effects of chocolate milk against typical sports drinks such as water and Gatorade. For a period of three weeks, five volunteers completed a series of different workouts. After completing their typical workout, they consumed one of the three post workout drinks each week. Each volunteer was given a 24-hour recovery period and then were interviewed to express the results of their recovery. Although the participants reported to have similar energy levels prior to 24-hours and after drinking all three post workout drinks, chocolate milk was shown to give a more efficient recovery period. These results show chocolate milk, which is filled with electrolytes, carbohydrates, proteins, and nutrients, is indeed a very effective workout drink. Chocolate milk proved to be superior over Gatorade and water because it had electrolytes and replaced fluids however; it had nutrients and benefits that Gatorade and water both lacked. Chocolate milk proved to reduce muscle irritation and discomfort in a more efficient manor when compared to the other drinks.

F8

Many students are unaware of how much bacteria the school’s desks they sit at house. This project investigates the amount of bacteria growth on the desks in relation to how many

people sit at the desks. To determine this relationship, we began by picking a random sample of five desks from a single classroom. We swabbed each of these desks, once in the morning before anyone sat at the desks and later in the afternoon after students had sat at the desks, and took two samples of bacteria for each one. When comparing the morning bacteria petri dishes to the afternoon petri dishes, we found that there were more bacteria colonies from the afternoon than the morning and that the more students that sat at each particular desk, the more bacteria that corresponding petri dish contained. Therefore, the more students that sit at each desk, the more bacteria that desk will accumulate.

F9My project goal was to test the effectiveness of micro-silver in cleaning cloths. The

results of this could dictate why we should or shouldn’t use micro-silver cloths to improve the cleanliness of our livelihoods. Clean environments could mean less sickness.

Does micro-silver kill bacteria? To find out, put different foods in containers. Those foods were salsa, beer, coffee grounds, milk, and moldy pepper. I then left these substances open to the air for 3 days to collect bacteria. After, I swabbed those surfaces before cleaning and after cleaning with a normal clean rag and a micro-silver rag to be able to compare. Then, I swabbed for bacteria on both halves of the surface and both rags, leaving the samples to incubate for 1 or 2 days for bacteria to become visible.

I did not receive results stating micro-silver or normal was better. For instance, in the beer sample, the total colony count for the surface and the rag together was approximately 2691 colonies of bacteria with micro-silver and 4592 colonies with normal. This was much better than the normal, but when milk was tested, about 5004 colonies of bacteria with micro-silver and 2940 colonies with normal were visible, making the normal rag was better than the micro-silver. There weren’t any colonies to count from the pepper samples because the moldy pepper produced penicillin to kill bacteria. From these results, I can’t prove that micro-silver or normal cleaning cloths are better. I can only conclude is that both are as good.

F10

It is widely reported the acidity level of beverages can have a negative effect on human tooth enamel, as well as ulcer and acid reflux syndromes. This project is investigating the effect of brewing methods on coffee acidity. The pH of six different brews of medium roast coffee were tested; cold brew, french press, pour over, automatic drip, “cowboy”, and keurig. When no trend appeared, the pH of six different brews of a light roast coffee, and six different brews of a dark roast coffee were also tested to compare. None of the three roasts created a complete trend among the six different brewing methods, except for one particular brew-- the cold brew, which had the lowest acidity in almost all the tests. Overall, the tests showed that dark roasts contained a higher pH (excluding cold brew), 80% of the time, whereas medium and light roasts are somewhat similar in their results apart from the automatic drip method. These results may help certain people who are worried about acid reflux, ulcers, or the erosion of tooth enamel choose which type of coffee to brew, and how, based on how much acid is in it.

F11

Air quality has a large impact on the health/longevity of humanity. Without the capability to recognize places with healthy air, people become powerless against cancerous diseases that transpire. By testing air quality in certain parts of Sturbridge, people acquire the knowledge of how polluted the air they’re breathing is. The procedure was tested, and obtained the predicted results. The hypothesis stated there would be less particles collected in Walker Pond compared to Tantasqua High School and Hobbs Brook Plaza. The conclusion, Walker Pond collected the least amount of particles, Tantasqua collected the second highest amount, and Hobbs Brook collected the most. To test this hypothesis, the procedure included cutting the sides of milk cartons into 75 squares. Next, 1x1 inch boxes were made on every square with permanent marker, and a thin layer of Vaseline was spread on each. The 75 squares were placed evenly amongst three different locations, and were left for two and a half days. Once the squares were collected, the amount of visible particles was counted and placed into a data table. The area with the highest average of visible particles collected, was the most polluted area. By conducting this experiment, the location with the greatest amount of pollution was identified. When people become aware of the large amounts of pollution in Hobbs Brook, there’ll be a significant desire to change the amount of contamination discarded. They might be more conservative and stop leaving garbage lying around. In doing that, air quality would improve greatly and provide healthier lives.

F12

The purpose of our project is to find out which type of candy is more acidic than others, andthe difference between sweet and salty. People react differently to candies, depending on how much acid or alkaline is in the candy.The results of our project proved that sour candies contain more acid than sweet, and the pHscale is used to investigate this proposal.Our approach was melting the candies, then testing the pH level by dipping a pH strip into themelted candy and our variables were the candy and the pH scale.The answers we obtained were that the sour candies were in fact more acidic than the sweetcandies. The sour candies were about 4-5 rankings on the pH scale, and the sweet candies were about 7-9 rankings on the pH scale .Our results prove which candy is more acidic than others.

G1

Dancers use their balance every single day when it comes to turning or even just for stability in poses. This research is scientifically important because it can help dancers be more stable and potentially balance longer and turn better if they know what is important to focus on. Knowing what impediments affect a dancer’s balance the most can also help with people that have disabilities. It was predicted that loss of sight would affect a dancer’s balance the most meaning that the dancer wouldn’t be able to hold their balance with their eyes shut as long as they would with their eyes open. To find which impediment would affect a dancer’s balance the most we timed how long six different dancers could balance, three times each with their eyes

closed, the use of only one arm, and with their ears plugged. This ended up being true, a dancer can balance less time with their eyes closed than with only using one arm, or with their ears plugged. The percent change from the average time a dancer can balance without an impediment to with their eyes closed it 67.93%, with only one arm 51.05%, and with their ears plugged only 25.18%. The results of this project should help everyday dancers make sure they focus on factors important to balancing.

G2

This experiment is important because Daphnia magna operate under similar conditions as humans which can be related to the body’s reactions under high altitudes. This gives insight into the hemoglobin synthesis within humans in similar conditions. If the oxygen levels are reduced in the Daphnia magna’s environment, then the hemoglobin synthesis will increase, turning them red, and the pulse will decrease. To investigate this hypothesis we wanted to create an environment that would slowly decrease the oxygen levels without harming the specimen. Everything was observed under a microscope at a magnification of 100 and was collected by snapping and comparing images of the Daphnia magna throughout the week. The pulse was seen under this magnification through it’s translucent body. After oxygen depriving Daphnia magna for three weeks they showed increased amounts of hemoglobin production and a decreased pulse. This was shown by a darkened red color and a decreased pulse. Through research and the original observation the organisms pulse on average is 180 bpm and after experimenting the pulse was an average of 96 bpm supporting our hypothesis. When organisms are placed in an environment where oxygen decreases, there are increased carbon dioxide levels in the body. Carbon dioxide triggers the production of hemoglobin that transports oxygen throughout the organism. The brain is programed to release more carbon dioxide with the production of hemoglobin while also decreasing the pulse of the heart to conserve more oxygen. This shows what occurs in the human body when the altitude shifts. When there is an increase in altitude the oxygen levels are decreased creating an impact on the human body. The hemoglobin is increased and the pulse is decreased. Hemoglobin synthesis is increased and the pulse is decreased when Daphnia magna are place in an oxygen deprived environments.

G-3

In America, the amount of sleep people get each night has been decreasing over the years. This project investigates the effect of sleep on short term memory. Twenty volunteers were given a short term memory test a total of 5 times on 5 separate days. Each memory test was administered after the subject had received a different amount of sleep than had been previously measured. Out of the 20 subjects, the majority showed no trend between short term memory and sleep. A few subjects showed a slight increase in short term memory with increasing amounts of sleep while a few subjects showed a slight decrease in short term memory with increasing amounts of sleep. These results demonstrate that sleep might have little to no effect on short term memory.

G-4

Electricity has been hypothesized to increase the rate at which plants grow when subjected to the force during their periods of proliferation. By using electricity to more efficiently influence the growth of plants, we can significantly improve our production of crops. As these crops become more available, prices are likely to lower, allowing families to purchase larger quantities of crops at a lower price, as well as allowing farmers to increase their yield of crops, aiding the economy. During our experiment we investigated for ourselves how electricity would affect the growth of radishes. For a two week period(time restraints restricted us from extending this period) we grew three groups of radishes- one exposed to electricity for 5 minutes per day, one exposed to electricity for 10 minutes per day, and one not exposed to electricity at all. Using a DC battery and copper rods to “shock” the plants, we measured and recorded the height of the plants as they grew daily. After the conclusion of the shocking two week period, we found that in fact, the plants exposed to electricity did grow faster. The average height of the three groups of radishes on day 14 of our experiment is as follows: Group A(no electricity) at 790 mm, Group B(5 mins/day electricity) at 941 mm, and Group C(10 mins/day electricity) at 998 mm. Although Groups B and C showed significantly more growth than group A, Group C did not exhibit as much of a difference in height over Group B. Overall, our results support our hypothesis that electricity increases a plant's rate of growth when they are being subjected to the force during their periods of proliferation, although the amount of increased growth exhibited doesn’t necessarily increase with the amount of electricity used after a certain point, as seen in our experiment.

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G6

Households throw away about 40% of the food that they buy due to the food expiring, but certain foods may be worth keeping a few days past the expiration date. This project investigates how the nutrients of expired foods have degraded compared to the nutrients of the fresh versions. Dilution series’ were made using the respective indicators to use as comparison to the experimental food solutions that were used. Fresh foods were tested for their protein, starch, sugar, and salt content. Then the foods were expired for one week and were tested for their protein, starch, sugar, and salt content and then compared to the fresh food solutions and the dilution series’. Bread dropped in sugar content, Milk dropped in protein and sugar content, the content of nutrients in the carrot stayed the same, Hot dog dropped in sugar and protein content, Banana dropped in the most categories being starch, protein and salt content. These results show that through all the nutrients tested, sugar was the most likely to degrade. This also showed that fruit degrades the quickest making it the least likely food group that you should keep past expiration. Vegetables degrade the least in nutrients making it the food group that you should keep a few days past expiration.

G-7

When bacteria is being tested, one of the first tests done is a gram-stain to determine the structure of the bacteria. The results of this test have an impact on the course of treatment a physician will take when treating an infected patient. Understanding the relationship between the structure of bacteria and antibiotics allows physicians to use the most effective antibiotics for a particular bacterial species. This experiment is designed to investigate the effects that the structure of bacteria has on their resistance to various antibiotics. Gram-positive (Staphylococcus epidermidis) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria cultures were grown on a number of petri dishes. Ampicillin, erythromycin, penicillin, and neomycin antibiotic discs were then placed on the petri dishes and the growth patterns were recorded after 24 hours and 48 hours. After 24 hours the gram-negative bacteria had an average zone of inhibition diameter of 0.56 centimeters and the gram-positive bacteria had an average zone of inhibition diameter of 1.53 centimeters. After 48 hours the gram-negative bacteria had an average zone of inhibition diameter of 0.60 centimeters and the gram-positive bacteria had an average zone of inhibition diameter of 1.96 centimeters. The gram negative bacteria also showed resistance to the erythromycin, neomycin, and penicillin while zones of inhibition were present with all four antibiotics on the gram-positive petri dishes. These results show that the antibiotics were more effective on the gram-positive bacteria than on the gram negative bacteria. The gram-negative bacteria’s higher resistance is due to its outer membrane which generally has a more complex structure and impedes the entry of the drugs.

G-9

The amount of painkillers sold in every store is over the hundreds depending on size, brand, and type of medication (acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen). This project investigates 4 different pain killers and which one dissolves the fastest based on size. In 64o Celsius water (two times the temperature of your stomach acid) in a clear glass bowl, pills were put in the bowl and were timed until the medication was

exposed from the pill with the casing dissolved. This test gives the data for average milligram released per second from each pill. Tylenol came out on top for my test by a large margin of over double the exposure speed of the next closest medicine. These results can be different depending on what the buyer or consumer is looking for but out of equate ibuprofen, equate acetaminophen, aspirin and Tylenol, Tylenol was proven to be the best option even though it is the more expensive choice.

G10

A breakthrough in biofuel research will be needed in order to end our dependence on fossil fuels such as petroleum and natural gas. This project investigates how the amount of catalyst affects the yield and quality of a homebrewed biodiesel. The quality of the biodiesel is dependent on the amount of glycerides which can damage engines and motors. By combining methyl alcohol (methanol), potassium hydroxide (catalyst), and vegetable oil and varying the amount of catalyst we expected a change in the yield and quality of the homebrewed biodiesel. For each tested amount of potassium hydroxide (0.100g, 0.700g, 3.00g) there was a visible difference in the glyceride content for each sample and the yield for each amount varied significantly. For the 0.100g of KOH, there was an average yield of 7.915g of biodiesel with the largest relative amount of glycerides. For the 0.700g of KOH, there was an average yield of 76.88g with a moderate relative amount of glycerides. For the 3.00g of KOH, there was an average yield of 31.00g with the least relative amount of glycerides. These results support the fact that varying the amount of catalyst when making a homebrewed biodiesel causes a distinct change in the yield and quality of the biodiesel.

G11Acids have been linked to the wearing of buildings and statues; however bases have not

been connected to anything major. This experiment inspects the affects differing pH have on corrosion. For two days, three cups of differing liquids, being water, bleach and vinegar, held the same three items: a piece of sheet metal, a penny, and a stick of chalk. Surprisingly, the basic bleach showed the most corrosion out of the three liquids, going against my prediction. The acidic vinegar also showed less corrosion than the water. These results support the fact that builders and planners have to worry less about acid rain and have to worry more about basic rain.

G12Homemade candles are an important source of light in countries without electricity. This project

shows how long the same amounts of different types of wax will last burning a useable flame. Finding out what type of wax takes the longest to burn out is important to find out because candles are an essential need in places that do not have lights. In this experiment, various different types of waxes were boiled until they solidified into candles, and then were lit up to see which candle wax would burn the longest. Over the course of almost 13 hours, the candles burned until they were extinguished by their own wax. Once they were out, they were relit once to see if it was truly out, and allowed to burn until

they went out again. The crayon candles lasted a very short time and the winner was that made of Soy because it burned the longest. However, it lasted for less time than the battery candles, proving homemade candles to be slightly less efficient and not necessarily worth it. These results prove that the candles made of soy are the best candles to use if you are to use a candle.

X1

Agriculture is an important component of society, contributing to the production of many goods and services. Because so many people are reliant on this industry for food, medicines, and employment, efficiency is crucial to yield maximum benefits. This project investigates the effects of plant crowding, specifically among various types of green beans. Two planting trays were planted with seeds of three different kinds of green beans (cow peas, bush blue, and contender) positioned close together in one and farther apart in the other. For a period of 20 days, the trays were watered and heights were recorded daily. No tray displayed a significant difference in plant growth. The spaced out tray sprouted faster, however the differences in the final heights were insignificant. One cow pea plant died in the crowded tray as well. These results don’t strongly support the fact that plant crowding effects plant growth, however spacing out seeds may be beneficial to overall efficiency.

X3The purpose of this experiment was to see what chemicals could alter the color of a

burning flame, to help discover the composition of stars and other burning materials. This investigates what colors the chemicals change the fire. This can help identify if there are chemicals present in a burning flame.

We used four chemicals in this procedure, them being; Boric Acid; Sodium Chloride; Strontium Chloride; Cupric Sulfate. Using a fire starter on a safe surface, we carefully inserted samples of each sample into the fire, and recorded what colors the fire changed into. Boric Acid turned the flame a weak green; Sodium Chloride turned the fire a rich gold; the Strontium Chloride infected the flame with a pulsing red; the Cupric Sulfate compromised the inferno to a dazzling emerald. Various combinations did not mix colors, but just took turns changing the flame’s color. The different textures of the chemical helped with the efficiency of the color change. The more powder like Boric Acid burned out quick and with a weak hue; Sodium Chloride and Strontium Chloride’s salt texture held a consistent color; Cupric Sulfate’s more crystalized texture also was efficient in holding a shade.

These results support the idea of using different chemicals to change fire, or be able to identify the presence of chemicals in a fire. These can help with identifying the composition of stars, or other substances in space.

X4Firefighting indoors can be very dangerous for many firefighters. So, by using handheld

sound devices the sound waves produced will be able to put out fires. This project investigates

the use of controlled sound to put out fire. Using a candle, speaker, and a frequency application (letting the user control the frequency produced). We measured height and distance of the flame from the speaker to discover the range of frequencies at which the flame was put out. When measuring heights with the candle flame, we found out that at a distance of 1 to 2.5 inches and a height of 2 to 4 inches the range of frequency was 45 to 250 Hertz would extinguish the flame. We also found that in drastic changes in frequency would extinguish the flame easily. The results show that when the speaker’s waves are concentrated and directed to the flames, the waves will put out the flames more efficiently at the specific ranges.

X5Have you ever taken notes from the board during class and not noticed what was going

on around you? In this case you were paying attention, but you were seeing without seeing. This psychological concept is referred to as inattentional blindness; the failure to notice a fully visible, but unexpected object because attention was engaged on another task, event, or object. This research is scientifically important because it will help show that people can fail to perceive very major things going on, right in front of their eyes. Research shows that we rarely see what we are looking at unless our attention is directed to it. Among the many questions that have been raised about inattentional blindness this specific project is focusing on “Will there be a high rate of people that display this behavior?” To establish data to confirm the question above a video was shown to each test subject. The fifty tested subjects between the ages of 10-50 were then asked a series of questions. The data was later taken in and averaged and put into reference by gender. Forty percent of the fifty saw the moving object. Out of that 40%, 60% of the subjects were boys and 40% were girls. In result to the experiment, according to the data recorded, there was a considerably low rate of people whom saw the object, however, by looking at the results it became clear that boys saw the object more often than girls.

X7

How many times have you noticed mold growing on your bread, if you have seen this occur numerously then it would be smart to look at this project. Mold causes many sicknesses and in general is a bad bacterium that should never be eaten. This project will determine the safest place to put your loaf of bread so mold will form slower and less. For period of 14 days, a slice of bread was placed into three separate plastic bags that were each put into their environments as labeled onto the bag. Pictures of the breads were taken and recorded on the growth of mold on the bread per square centimeter. As a result of the experiment the data showed that the moist and warm bread was most affected and showed a jump in mold growth with 84/cm squared, where as compared to the cool and dry environment showed the least mold growth with 12/cm squared. The normal slice of bread was just the control group to show what happened at room temperature so you would clearly see the difference between the mold growths on each slice. Based off these results it’s been proven to show that if you are struggling with growth of mold then maybe you should check your location. Your loaf of bread would be best off in a cool and dry area to help keep that sickening bacterium, mold, out of your food to help stay healthy.

X8The purpose of this experiment is to demonstrate the presence of artificial coloring dyes

in grape soda. The name, “grape soda” may make some people think that the purple color comes from a grape, however, the beverage itself has nothing to do with natural grapes. Chemicals, such as coloring dyes, have been deemed safe for human consumption by the Food and Drug Administration based on short-term safety studies in animals. Little is known about the long term effects of the chemicals on the health of the children. In this experiment, it was shown that the purple color in the soda is made up of two chemical dyes - a red #40 and blue #1. Both of these chemicals have been implicated in causing disease in some studies.

Column Chromatography is a laboratory technique used by the chemists to separate molecules based on their charge or hydrophobic properties. In this experiment, mildly hydrophobic sand was usedto capture the dye molecules from the soda. The dye was then eluted from the column with an alcohol solution. Red dye, being slightly less hydrophobic than the blue dye, elutes off the column in an earlier phase than the blue dye. Two types of hydrophobic sand were experimented with, and two types of commonly available grape soda. Observing the two dyes will be a visual demonstration for the audience not to assume that the term, “grape soda” implies presence of natural grape-derived ingredients.

X9

Some people believe that multitasking can affect your brain in different ways depending on your age. Multitasking may boost your efficiency or slow your pace. This project investigates multitasking’s effects on your brain.

For the project, data will be collected from two groups of participants. One group of participants took a universal exam with a series of simple questions as fast as they could while trying to complete everything correctly. The second group of participants took the same exam but were required to complete a 48 piece puzzle, listen to music, and have a conversation with someone via text.

After studying and graphing the results of the data, it was clear that it is less efficient for you and your brain to multitask. You may finish multiple tasks at the same time, but it takes longer than if you were to complete all of them separately. If you focus on one assignment without allowing yourself to be distracted, you will work much more efficiently.

Age has effect on the data that we gathered. In most cases, it took people around 10-14 minutes to complete their tasks. In a few cases, it took longer for older participants, but by various amounts. The fastest times were displayed by 14-16 year olds. These results support the fact that multitasking affects your brain in a negative way.

X10

The Chladni Plate experiment is one that shows the complex and unique patterns that sound frequencies can create. Our idea is that some patterns in nature are created due to the sound frequencies that they’ve been in contact with. We set this up on a small scale to test our

ideas. This project used the vibrations produced by an amplifier and subwoofer to demonstrate the intriguing patterns that can be produced by certain sound frequencies. After constructing our project, we used a sound application on our phone to generate a variety of sound frequencies through the amplifier and subwoofer. These frequency waves then hit a platform that contained sand, thus causing certain patterns to emerge. At lower frequencies, less complex shapes and patterns emerged and at higher frequencies, more intricate shapes and patterns appeared. At our lowest frequency, 4 individual shapes formed, opposed to our highest frequency where 9 shapes were made. The results from this experiment showed us that certain patterns could be created by different sound frequencies. At lower frequencies, less complex shapes seemed to form, contrary to higher sound frequencies where more complex shaped tended to form.

X11

This experiment tested how the texture of a soccer ball effects how much it curves. How could this research benefit society? Because it's a simple example of a curving effect on a rotating body through air. This could be used to study more complex aerodynamic applications such as the rotation of military missiles or other methods of lift or down force. The original hypothesis was that the rougher the texture of the ball the more curvature the ball would possess. To accomplish the experiment a way to consistently shoot the soccer balls was needed. Humans can't kick the ball consistently enough so I made a ball launcher. The launcher was the hardest and most crucial part of the project. The variable that that was being manipulated in the experiment was the different textures of the ball whether smooth, semi textured, or rough. The results of the experiment was as predicted. The ball with the rougher surface curved on average 3 yards of center from 25 yards out. The semi-textured ball curved on average 1.5 yards and then the smoothed surface ball curved about 1 yard. The experiment I run contributes useful information to many diverse fields such as sport balls design, military weapons, and even plane design. The experiment ran nicely and all of my objectives were met. The results show that the rougher the surface of the ball the more the ball will curve. The original hypothesis was proven and the data can help many others in their fields.

X12Installation of solar energy panels has recently escalated into wide spread homeowner

use. Solar panels cut the cost of electricity bills by obtaining energy from the sun. People who have solar panels want them to obtain the most sun so they can save the most money. This experiment was designed to help the people who are interested in using solar panels get their money’s worth. A 1.5 watt solar panel was used to see if its angle of incidence would affect the efficiency of solar cells. A 1.5 watt solar panel was placed outdoors and put a piece of wood on both sides that are cut so that make a 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 75° angle. A different angle was used each day. Then connect the solar panels to an amp meter and a volt meter, all while using a

220Ω resistor. Then set the volt meter to 20 mille volts and the amp meter 200 mille amps and watch the numbers go! Once the numbers stayed in a consistent range, record the findings and change the angle. This should be done in a maximum of ten minutes. The results were that 60° got the most volts, 30° got the most amps, and 45° got the most watts. These results show how much more there is into the process of placing solar panels and how people should do more research before their panels are installed.

Y1

Bubble blowing is an enjoyable and calming activity for not just children. The deep breathing that occurs while blowing bubbles is proven to remove stress, and the bubbles themselves have a relaxing nature, but the most satisfaction comes from making even bigger bubbles. This project investigates how different dish soap solutions affect bubble size. Six different dish soaps were each used in 15%, 20%, and 25% dish soap solutions. Ten bubbles were blown from each solution in a video recording, which was then played back to find a precise measurement of the bubbles. The solutions which were made of 15% dish soap tended to be bigger than the solutions made with 20 or 25 percent of dish soap. The results demonstrate that when more dish soap is used, the bubbles are weighed down and pop more easily, making smaller bubbles.

Y2The flex of a hockey stick has been directly linked to the power of a shot and also the

accuracy of a shot. We conducted this experiment in order to discover what flex is more appropriate for speed and which is more appropriate for accuracy.

This experiment investigates the effect of stick flex on the speed and accuracy of a shot.In this experiment we ran two separate tests, one testing the effect of flex on power and

the other one testing the effect of flex on accuracy. We used three sticks all with different flexes (a 50, a 70 and a 100) and took ten shots with each stick, five for accuracy, five for power.

After running this experiment, we found that the stiffest flex is best for accuracy and the middle flex is better for power. The stiffest flex shot 3 out of 5 shots accurately and the middle flex shot up to 67 mph.

Our results prove that stiffer flex stick is better for accurate shots and a middle flex stick is better for more powerful shots.

Y3

Eggs are thought of as being fragile but by natures design can be durable. This research has the possibility of a new form of air bags and all around protection of falling from heights, But for everyday use of this could yield a new type of egg crate that stops the cracking of eggs. This will eliminate sitting in the store looking for that on crate of eggs that isn’t cracked and it

will save eggs cutting down on wasted food, in other words saving time and helping to end world hunger.

The problem here is figuring out how much weight each egg can hold. in doing this I had the idea of using two pieces of foam one soft and one firm, the soft one is so that it conforms to the egg and distribute it evenly the firm piece gets placed on top and is use to spread the weight of a dumbbell. The most important variable was the weight place on the eggs because it determined the outcome of the experiment, but a variable was accounted for and I had changed the experiment because of it and that is the size of each egg. The average of the experiment yields that each egg hold an average of 10 pounds, a maximum of 20 pounds, and a minimum of 5 pounds. Because the average is ten bounds when weight is equally shared if an egg crate is modified it will stop almost all egg cracking because the whole of the egg will absorb the shock not just on spot.

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Y8

Aerodynamics has been an essential part to the construction of automobiles and various other vehicles and their efficiency both in gasoline consumption and speed. The research being conducted examines the effect of air on various shapes of mobile objects. Three mobile objects; a marble, a normally shaped car, and a block with wheels were sent down a track one at a time and recorded with a stopwatch. This test was done multiple times with the track lifted to different angles to test for the effect of height and gravity. The rectangular vehicle ended up being the least aerodynamic, with the marble being in the middle and the average car shape being most efficient.

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Y10

Many people’s houses are located on busy main roads that remain active through all hours of the night. This is no minor annoyance to some who find it exceedingly difficult to sleep with the noises of cars passing by seemingly nonstop. An easy and cheap solution is to have a soundproofing fence built.

When soundproofing fences are built, the wood that is used is just a matter of availability. In Massachusetts some of the most common lumber woods are fir, cedar, and Cyprus. The question then became, which of these woods is best for building soundproofing fences?

My approach to figuring out the answer was to build three wooden boxes, one of fir, one of cedar, and one of cyprus. I then placed a speaker inside each of the boxes and played middle C on the speaker. I used a decibel meter to measure the volume of the sound.

My results showed that while there is a difference in the volume of the sound, it isn’t significant enough to be picky about the type of wood that is used. On average, with a sound playing at 60 dB, fir suppresses 9.55 dB of sound, cedar suppresses 11.15 dB of sound, and cyprus suppresses 6.25 decibels of sound.

According to the results of this experiment these woods are not sufficient to help people sound proof their houses and back yards and further research needs to be done.

Y12