Science Fair - Help!

[Guest JEFFakaMAX]

It's that time again and I'm at a loss this year. My daughter has shot down everything I have suggested so far as either being "too dangerous, or illegal". We are already committed to something in the field of magnetics. ie: a Maglev train (too simple) a Lifter, etc.

Any ideas? I have a decent supply of Neodyum (sp) magnets on hand already and a few relatively stout AC electromagnets (700-900 lb cap. variety). Several transformers from Tesla coils & Jacobs Ladders, and a slew of other goodies that might be useful. If not I'm more than willing to get whatever we might need.

 

So, who has ideas. Mind you it needs to be something prety impressive. I don't need to levitate a frog or anything of that caliber, but impresive.

 

Thanks!

[blike]

What grade is your daughter in, and what is your budget?

[Guest JEFFakaMAX]

She's in 5th Grade - budget, I'd say under 500 - unless it's really neat.

[YT2095]

make a "can crusher" they`re loads of fun and quite impressive! )

the most expensive part will be the capacitor bank, after that it`s just some simple heavy duty cable a few brass door knobs to make your sparkgap, and I`m sure you could make a heavyduty relay to to trigger it remotely, a polycarb protective case, and some good ear plugs

[DeoxyriboNucleicAcid]

hmmmmmm, maybe you could try making an electric motor?

The uses are very practical, its a relatively safe project, and pretty cheap.

Here is a small example, of course there are MANY variations (I did a project like this back in 5th grade as well)

http://fly.hiwaay.net/~palmer/motor.html

That one can be made with simple items, yet this one is a little more in depth.

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/HSCmotors.html

And

http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/electric_motors.html

Those have some interesting information if you want to do electric motors

Good luck:)

[Guest JEFFakaMAX]

Can crusher - very cool. I might have to build one of those just to have around. We already have a few of the motors just as eye-candy if you will. I was really hoping to do something with magnetic levitation???

[Lance]

Why not just build a magnetic levitater then. Is somthing like this what you had in mind? http://www.arttec.net/Levitation/Kit.html

[DeoxyriboNucleicAcid]

Howbout you build a mini mag-lev train (or small car)
You dont even need electromagnets.
just buy a strip of magnets (its like a ribbon), and glue it on to a plank of wood. Make sure one polarity is facing the wood, and the other the air. Then do the same on a small car that is a VERY SMALL fraction of an inch smaller in qidth then the wood. Buy some alumnum (or just take 2 more planks of wood, and glue them to the two sides of the original plank.) The car should be able to just fit between your big "semi-box:)" It should levetate if you have done everything correctly.

[Lance]

.

[YT2095]

in a can crusher the cans hover for a microsecond before being reduced

hence the need for the poly carb cage, they can/ or bits can fly off like bullets. the magnetic feild generated by skin effect of the can makes it crush itself, it has no real moving parts, just RAW EM power

larger versions can shrink coins too

[Dave]

The can crusher sounds the best so far - although the first time I read it, I thought you said car crusher The most impressive levitation you can get is a superconductor. This is mainly because you need liquid nitrogen to cool the metal/ceramic down to a point where it superconducts - this is often in the region of around about 10-20K for metals, higher for ceramics - and hence you get lots of nitrogen vapour coming from it. Not suggested for a science fair project though

[Guest Yoshmaista]

The can crusher sounds the best so far - although the first time I read it, I thought you said car crusher The most impressive levitation you can get is a superconductor. This is mainly because you need liquid nitrogen to cool the metal/ceramic down to a point where it superconducts - this is often in the region of around about 10-20K for metals, higher for ceramics - and hence you get lots of nitrogen vapour coming from it. Not suggested for a science fair project though

 

 

Unless you're BEGGING for first place.

[Dave]

Well, yes

[YT2095]

here`s a few websites that maybe of help:

 

http://www.powerlabs.org/pssecc.htm

 

and

 

http://hibp.ecse.rpi.edu/Can_Crusher/home.html

[sanjaygeorge]

go to scitoys.com