Have you ever wondered what it would be like to race against Usain Bolt?
How much energy has gone into warming the planet?
An observer is on top of a lighthouse. How far from the foot of the lighthouse is the horizon that the observer can see?
Can you suggest a curve to fit some experimental data? Can you work out where the data might have come from?
The image in this problem is part of a piece of equipment found in the playground of a school. How would you describe it to someone over the phone?
Use your skill and knowledge to place various scientific lengths in order of size. Can you judge the length of objects with sizes ranging from 1 Angstrom to 1 million km with no wrong attempts?
Is it really greener to go on the bus, or to buy local?
PhysNRICH is the area of the StemNRICH site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of physics
To investigate the relationship between the distance the ruler drops and the time taken, we need to do some mathematical modelling...
When you change the units, do the numbers get bigger or smaller?
How does the time of dawn and dusk vary? What about the Moon, how does that change from night to night? Is the Sun always the same? Gather data to help you explore these questions.
chemNRICH is the area of the stemNRICH site devoted to the
mathematics underlying the study of chemistry, designed to help
develop the mathematics required to get the most from your study. . . .
Which dilutions can you make using only 10ml pipettes?
Which units would you choose best to fit these situations?
Many physical constants are only known to a certain accuracy. Explore the numerical error bounds in the mass of water and its constituents.
Estimate these curious quantities sufficiently accurately that you can rank them in order of size
Work with numbers big and small to estimate and calculate various quantities in physical contexts.
In which Olympic event does a human travel fastest? Decide which events to include in your Alternative Record Book.
Get some practice using big and small numbers in chemistry.
Explore the relationship between resistance and temperature
Examine these estimates. Do they sound about right?
Investigate how avalanches occur and how they can be controlled
Water freezes at 0°Celsius (32°Fahrenheit) and boils at 100°C (212°Fahrenheit). Is there a temperature at which Celsius and Fahrenheit readings are the same?
Make an accurate diagram of the solar system and explore the concept of a grand conjunction.
Use trigonometry to determine whether solar eclipses on earth can be perfect.
Making a scale model of the solar system
This problem offers you two ways to test reactions - use them to
investigate your ideas about speeds of reaction.
Make your own pinhole camera for safe observation of the sun, and find out how it works.
Many natural systems appear to be in equilibrium until suddenly a critical point is reached, setting up a mudslide or an avalanche or an earthquake. In this project, students will use a simple. . . .
Work out the numerical values for these physical quantities.
Explore the distribution of molecular masses for various hydrocarbons
Investigate the molecular masses in this sequence of molecules and deduce which molecule has been analysed in the mass spectrometer.
Design and test a paper helicopter. What is the best design?