Investigating How Water Striders Float
Animal Science- Grade:
- 7
- Teacher:
- Alexandria Vaughn
1. What is your project about? My project is about how slightly modified versions of a water strider will float compared to other models of water striders. 1. Why did you choose this project? I chose this project because I wanted to learn how water striders float on water and how I can change a model of a water strider to 1. What was your result/ overall conclusion? My overall conclusion was that water strider models with fewer legs tended to perform the best because they were less heavy than models with more legs. 1. Why is your project important? My project is important because water buoys or some other water-bound structures could become much cheaper to make if they’re made by using thin, curved legs with hydrophobic material on them, like water striders.
This is a fantastic engineering project! You asked a great question, how do water striders float? and built actual prototypes to find out. I was impressed that you started by identifying criteria and constraints, just like real engineers do. Building three different prototypes, testing them carefully, and recording what worked and what didn’t showed excellent scientific thinking. Your idea to use butter as a hydrophobic coating was creative and resourceful. Even more impressive was your reflection on what went wrong (inconsistent butter, unstable legs) and your ideas for improvement. Connecting your project to making cheaper buoys shows you’re thinking about real-world impact. Wonderful work!
Nice project!!!!!