High School Science Experiment Ideas

By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on July 08, 2019

Try these ideas for science experiments targeted at the high school educational level. Perform a science experiment and explore different hypotheses to test.

Caffeine Experiments

Hispanic woman sitting on bed drinking tea and using laptop

JGI / Jamie Grill / Getty Images

You've probably heard that caffeine acts as a stimulant and may increase your concentration when you are under its influence. You can test this with an experiment.

Sample Hypothesis:

  1. Caffeine use does not affect typing speed.
  2. Caffeine does not affect concentration.

Student Conformity Experiments

Teenage students with arms raised in a classroom

Caiaimage / Sam Edwards / Getty Images

You are in a large group of students and the instructor asks the class what 9 x 7 is. One student says it is 54. So does the next. Do you fully trust your answer of 63? We are influenced by the beliefs of the people around us and sometimes conform to what the group believes. You can study the degree to which social pressure affects conformity.

Sample Hypothesis:

  1. The number of students will not affect student conformity.
  2. Age does not affect student conformity.
  3. Gender has no effect on student conformity.

Smoke Bomb Experiments

A smoke bomb

Georgi Fadejev / EyeEm / Getty Images

Smoke bombs are fun for kids of all ages but are probably not appropriate experiment subjects for kids younger than high school level. Smoke bombs offer an interesting way to learn about combustion. They can be used as propellants in rockets, too.

Sample Hypothesis:

  1. The ratio of smoke bomb ingredients will not affect the quantity of smoke that is produced.
  2. The ratio of ingredients will not affect the range of a smoke bomb rocket.

Hand Sanitizer Experiments

Hands applying germ sanitizer gel

Elenathewise / Getty Images

Hand sanitizer is supposed to keep germs under control on your hands. You can culture bacteria to see if hand sanitizer is effective. You can compare different types of hand sanitizer to see if one works better than another. Can you make an effective natural hand sanitizer? Is hand sanitizer biodegradable?

Sample Hypothesis:

  1. There is no difference in the effectiveness of different hand sanitizers.
  2. Hand sanitizer is biodegradable.
  3. There is no difference in effectiveness between homemade hand sanitizer and commercial hand sanitizer.
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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "High School Science Experiment Ideas." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/high-school-science-experiments-604273. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). High School Science Experiment Ideas. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/high-school-science-experiments-604273 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "High School Science Experiment Ideas." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/high-school-science-experiments-604273 (accessed June 3, 2023).
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