I'm attempting to think of good ideas for my physics project. I was thinking along the lines of measuring the speed of light using lasers or the optimum volume of water in a water rocket to provide the greatest height.

 

I'm not too sure about the laser experiment as to how to carry it out but it's something i'm definately interested in exploring.

 

Any comments or serious problems which i may run into? Any ideas?

 

Thanks alot guys!!

Are you in highschool?

Then you might be a little too ambitious trying to measure the speed of light.

Are you in highschool?

 

Yes i am. I wasn't sure if it would be too ambitious, i wanted to use lasers; but i didn't want to measure wavelengh. Any ideas?

drop some balls. Measure G.

get some toy cars, measure velocities etc using those laser things (dunno what they're claled, have them at my school thouh) and play with collisions.

Blow something up

Play with electronics?

Yes i am. I wasn't sure if it would be too ambitious, i wanted to use lasers; but i didn't want to measure wavelengh. Any ideas?

How about holography? You´ll need some equipment (laser, beamsplitter, a table that doesn´t vibrate, sensitive photo plates) but I think it can be an interesting (although perhaps a bit ambitious) project.

atheist buddy, thats really cool. I wanna try that too, would cost too much would it?

I have no idea to be honest. Main reason I proposed this was that you seemed like you were going to buy a laser anyways. And this is the part that I´d intuitively consider the most expensive anyways.

However, I´m not completely certain if you can produce good holograms without the conditions you have in a lab. Obtaining it´s information from an inerference pattern (that is: structures of size in the micro- to nanometer range) a hologram is very sensitive to outside disturbances (you better not breathe nor move when creating one ). On the other hand, I´d be very surprised if noone has allready posted his/her experiences with doing holograms at home at some internet page, so I´d say you best google around a bit for more information about the feasibility of this project.

you could try resonance. i done that and managed to "accidentally" shatter a window. It can be used to measure the speed of sound which is easier than light since its slower. Your physics teacher should think its a pretty good idea unless your like in university or something then he'll think of you as simplistic

drop some balls. Measure G.

get some toy cars' date=' measure velocities etc using those laser things.[/quote']

 

I've really done that all before. Holography sounds quite intreguing; i'll need to check the equipment and i'll get back to you. thanks alot guys, any more suggestions welcome.

design a really elaborate trick shotwith billiard balls-

a lot of conservation of momentum invloved and always something you can use later in life.

THAT'S A BRILLIANT IDEA!!!

Not sure my teacher would approve!

Build a nuclear reactor using only class materials...that'll get you an A!

 

Or do cold fusion, that's pretty impressive too.

hmm... an intreguing prospect.

Freeman, one kid tried to do that. The government raided his tool shed and basically stuffed it into radiation containment barrels.

Read about the stupid boyscout. (I forget the actual thread name)

If you search for "The Radioactive Boyscout" you'll find a thread on it, or you could click here.