Science Fair 2010 February 17 Registration forms due: January 28

The Scientific Method Choose a topic What are your favorite things to read, watch, or do? Look at science books, search internet sites, ask your teacher, search the books on the science fair table in the library.

#1 Purpose (Question?) What do you want to find out? What is the bests position for the accelerator weights on a Pinewood Derby car?

#2 Research Background information: BooksBooks ArticlesArticles Authorities consultedAuthorities consulted Internet sites visitedInternet sites visited EncyclopediasEncyclopedias (Written in your own words, not copied)

#3 Hypothesis What do you think will happen? Weights in front of the car will give it a quick start and make it go faster.

#4 Materials What do you need to use? 1.Pinewood Derby car kit 2. Pinewood Derby track (30 foot incline) 3. Olympic style timer 4. Weights

# 5 Procedures What will you do to find out? 1.Build or borrow at least two Pinewood Derby cars of different designs: one with an aerodynamic and one with a non-aerodynamic design. 2.Place no more than 5 ounces of weight on the front of each car. 3.Using a derby track, run and time the cars five times each. 4.Calculate the average times for each car and then calculate an overall average for cars with the weights in front. 5.Move the weights to the back of each car. 6.Repeat step 3, then calculate the average times for each car and an overall average for all cars with the weights in the back. 7.Compare all the times and chart the results.

#6 Results What happened?  This is where you will place all of your charts and graphs to show the results of your tests.

#7 Conclusion What did you learn? The hypothesis was wrong. The cars with the weights in the back were faster on average than the cars with the weights in the front.