2024 Freedom Area High School Science Conference

Friday, May 3, 2024 - 7:40 a.m. - 2:40 p.m.

2024 Conference Schedule as of May 2, 2024

2024 Science Conference Seating Map

Post-Conference Feedback

Keynote Speaker - Dr. Jacob Beckey - Class of 2015

Student Presentations

BLOCK 1 - In Presenting Order

Lincoln Murphy - Roller Coaster Speed - 6th Grade

Roller coasters and amusement parks are a very fun summer activity. I love riding roller coasters! I built a model roller coaster and tested how the drop height affected the speed of the car.

Artie Evans - How does the angle of the face of a golf iron affect the distance of a tennis ball - Physical Science 

Do you know how different irons can affect your game? During my experiment I tried many things, including measuring the angle, weight, and length of a golf irons as well as using a complex apparatus to hit a tennis ball to measure the distance it traveled. With the data I collected I was able to make graphs and data tables to explain why there are different irons in golf.

Erica Young- Amount of Propellant vs. Time to Travel - Analytical Physics

Everything can be ammo, even a potato. I decided to find out if the more propellant used in a potato gun makes the potato travel faster. I tried this at multiple distances to see if the data would be consistent. Find out more during my presentation.

Logan Larrick - Vehicle Regenerative Braking - Physics II

As hybrid and electric vehicles flood the market, previously unfamiliar mechanisms are being utilized in daily travel. Regenerative braking uses the motor of a vehicle to slow down, recharging the battery in the process. In my tests, I investigated how much power is regained depending on the acceleration to a set speed and slowing down. This data will determine if how fast one steps on the pedal affects their power efficiency.

Chase Grable - Kinetic Molecular Theory - Physics II

Molecules are around us every second of our daily lives, and contribute largely to life on Earth. There are also countless different things that affect how the molecules behave in nature, and there are certain claims we can draw to find where the behavior of these molecules starts, and even when it stops.

BLOCK 2 - Auditorium

Harmony Martin -  Candle Diameter and Number of Wicks vs. Area and Weight of Melted Wax - Physical Science

Do your candles burn uneven? In this experiment, jar diameter and the number of wicks are varied to see the outcome of the melted wax area and weight. The information presented can be used to determine the diameter or amount of wicks to use for a candle to receive your specific wanted outcome.  

Hunter Munday- Wind Resistance-6th Grade

Have you ever wondered how planes actually fly?  Planes may seem like a mystery but are actually a very simple machine. Join me and learn how the pitch of a plane's wing affects its ability to fly.

Colton Blank - Circumference of a Needle - Analytical Physics
People are terrified of needles. However medical professionals use many different types, and they want to do the least amount of damage to their patients. I vary the heat, size, and salt concentration of the needles and test the effect on simulated body parts.

Logan Bickerstaff - LED Spectrum - Physics III

LED’s are in our headlights, our phone flashlights, and the ceiling above your head. The brightness of these lights with their low power draw is the main selling point. My investigation affects the intensity of these lights under specific voltages.

Block 2 - Library

Logan Ashbaugh - Arrow Drop vs Distance - Analytical Physics

Do you know how distance can affect the drop of your shot? I decided to test how much an arrow will drop at different distances. I shot 3 times at each distance so I could see if my data was constant or not. With the data I got from each distance I made graphs and tables. Find out how the distance of your shot can affect the drop of your shot at my presentation.

Malanna Chelak - Does ball pressure affect the shot of a basketball - Physical Science

I played basketball for years. Sometimes I feel that I have better accuracy and make more shots but was unsure why.  I decided to see how much ball pressure would affect the number of shots a person makes. Then I tested the standard of all pressure to see if the number of shots taken affect the amount of shots made. 

Lucas Verosky - Drying Out Markers - 6th Grade

People have been using Crayola Markers ever since 1978, but when you use markers for too long, they dry out. In my experiment, I will be testing how much markers dry out over 30 minutes and if color depends on it. To test this, I will be smearing marker colors after a certain amount of time and measuring the length of the smear.

Adam Rhoades - Needle Insertion Damage - Physics 2 

Did you know that healthcare workers are at risk of experiencing an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 needle stick injuries each year in the United States alone? In my experiment, I tested how the effects of a needle varied from different radius’s and temperatures of the skin. These results the show the perfect temperature and radius that will prevent damage to the skin.

Jesse Reinhardt - Funnel size vs Dissipation of Sound - Physics II

Funnels are seen everywhere around the world, whether it's in your garage, your kitchen, or a satellite dish on top of a building. For this experiment, I am testing how the sound differs from different funnels at various distances. I will then analyze how the sound dissipates due to the experiment.

BLOCK 3 - Auditorium

Isabella Evans - Amount of Mass vs. Number of Bounces - Analytical Physics

Rotation is something that is all around the world! Things like propellors, to even windmills. I took a look at how balance and different types of mass can affect the movement of rotation. I also took a look into bounce movement rather than rotation. My presentation will give you more information.

Kaylee Anderson - Softball Sweet Spot - 6th Grade

Have you wondered if the estimated softball sweet spot is accurate? I wanted to test everyone’s theory of the sweet spot being 5-7 inches from the end of the barrel. I simulated the softball being hit on different parts of the bat by dropping a softball on a bat and measuring the height of the bounce off the bat.

Thomas Ward - Photographic Blur - Physics II

Everyone has seen photos where a moving object looks blurry, but can the blur tell us the object's speed? To test this, I will complete several trials, varying the object I use as well as the size to best understand if this is possible. Once I see if this is possible, I will create an equation to predict the speed of the object in the image based solely on the blur.

Madalyn Black - Stitch Welding Strength - Physics II

Welding is the process of fusing two metals together to create a strong metallic bond. My model will show welds durability up against an increasing amount of weight. This experiment will both show the importance of welds and correct use of machinery. My results show how different welds have different amounts of strength.

Viktoria Glass - UV light Affecting Paint Hue - 6th Grade

The hue of paint can change the feeling of a painting, Paint gives life into anything you make, but how will it look over time? In my experiment, I made swatches to test how UV light affects the paint hue over time.

John Tatko - How The Length Of A Tunnel Affects The Diameter Of Light - Physics II

Light can be a confusing thing in physics. In this experiment, the length of a tunnel is used to show how light is affected when it goes through a circle. The diameter is measured over certain distances through different sized tunnels and the results were recorded. The information gathered can be used to predict the diameter of light through any tunnel.

Anthony Ricciardi - Guitar Pickups - 6th Grade

Everyone knows guitars, but not many know how the difference in decibels vary per guitar pickup. For my long term we tested the difference in decibels for each pickup. I found the difference of each pickup using a decibel meter and subtracting the maximum decibel to find the difference from each pickup.

Peyton Bickerstaff - How are stitches affected by strength? - Physics II

Doctors and physicians use several methods for stitching cuts and wounds, and they look for the one that is the most durable. I tested durability of a stitch through mass, distance, and seam strength all using paper to resemble skin. 

Wyatt Boyer - Spoon Drive Water Wheel - Physics III

The idea of reusable energy is a very hot topic in todays world. The steps we must take are small but necessarily. Learn about one of the beginning steps with my presentation on water wheels.

Block 3 - Library

Riley Tokar - Temperature vs. Soccer Ball - Analytical Physics 

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, but most do not realize the effect that temperature can have on the ball. I have been playing soccer for most of my life and have found that a couple of variables can have an effect on the game of soccer. Find out more about this in my presentation! 

Sam Giovengo - Examining the velocity and impact of different airsoft BBs - Physics

Airsoft A.E.G.'s are precision built machines designed to deliver high performance and consistency. I will examine how the weight of an airsoft BB affects its velocity and impact.

Hailey Stinar - Paint Temperature vs. Spread - Analytical Physics

It’s no secret within the art community that science is very important within every medium of art. My goal is to find out how the temperature of acrylic paint affects how it spreads. If I want to have a very thin but pigmented layer, would I want colder or warmer paint? Whatever the answer may be, this project will help myself and others to create better paintings, by manipulating the paint through its temperature.

Jaydyn Lewis - Heat From a Lightbulb Over Time - Physical Science

Have you ever had so many lights on in your house and it felt too hot. Lights produce heat over time in small amounts or great amounts.The bigger and brighter the light bulb that is used, the hotter it will be. So how much heat will your common lamp light bulb produce in your house after having your lights on for an hour.

Bryce Wagner - Rubik’s Cubes - 6th Grade 

Rubik’s Cubes have been universally known worldwide ever since 1974. Rubik's Cubes have had various designs over the years.  

Divon Cruz - Height  vs Splat  - Physical Science

Everybody likes jumping into a pool and making a big splash! But how does the dropping height affect the splash? I used a cup of water, a wooden ball, and a meter stick to model the splash. 

Cory Heckman - Circumference of a Straw vs. Distance to Travel - Analytical Physics

The circumferences of a circle can change the effectiveness of anything. Would the circumference of a straw change the effectiveness of the air blowing out of it much like gas exiting from the exhaust of a car? I also tested does the length of a straw have a factor. I looked into how to make a balloon car and ran multiple test runs to take data and see how it varies. Find out more during my presentation!

Landon Snodgrass - How Does the Distance of Heat Lamps Affect the Heat in Tanks? - Physical Science 

The distance of heat lamps from the bottom of a tank can affect the heat of the tank. This experiment will test how the distance of the lamp will affect the temperature inside of a 10 gallon tank and test the temperature of a reptile's basking spot. I will measure the distance in between the bottom of the tank and the lamp and measure the temperature.

Trenton Raso - How does the distance between the dominoes affect the speed - Physical Science

Everyone has played with dominos either the game or just knocking it over so for my project i’m measuring the speed that the domino will fall based on the domino distance apart from each other. This presentation will show 2 different sizes of domino a normal one and a giant one.

Lucas Specht - Soccer Ball vs Speed And Distance - 6th Grade

Soccer and running are amazing sports so I tested how long it takes for a soccer ball to travel a certain distance to see how the size affects how long it takes to roll.

Jarred Neely- Time (s) VS Circumference of a Balloon - Physical Science

Balloons are used commonly in America. I drop a balloon from the top of the meter stick and measure the circumference of the balloon by measuring a string and wrapping it around the balloon.  I then clip the balloon shut instead of tying it so I can shorten the circumference and see what falls faster or slower.

Austin Moreland - Basketball Bounce - 6th Grade                                             

Basketball is a contact sport and it is very easy to break your bones. You need to know how hard to pound the ball to get to your knee or waist. I dropped a basketball from 20cm and recorded it to see how high it bounced.

Jesse Dietrich - PSI Vs. Rotation of the Tire - 6th Grade 

Motocross is an exciting sport known for jumping and riding through dirt. Tire pressure during a race could make it or break it. In my experiment, the tire pressure was varied to get over an obstacle.

Juliet Pivik - Swimming Streamline - 6th Grade

Swimming is a very hard sport and the hardest part can be the dive or streamline. I simulated diving into water using a beaker of water and a container full of sand.

Block 3 - Waters Room

Izabella Brien - Area of Shadow (Photography) - 6th Grade 

Lighting matters the most in a photo. You have to have good quality lighting, but you also have to determine where to put the light. To figure out the best lighting I adjusted the height of the object closer and farther away from the light.

Kaydence Stang - Hurdle Distance and Landing Distance-6th Grade 

Have you ever wanted to know if your distance between your hurdles affects your landing distance? To test this out I changed the distance between my feet and did roundoffs to take data.

Gabriel Marsh - How does angle affect the aerodynamics of a car? - Physical Science 

Aerodynamics are a huge component of both gas mileage and top speed. I made a wind tunnel to test drag as my model car has an increased spoiler angle.

Stella McKevitt - How does pressure affect the width of a pencil tip? - Physical Science 

A pencil is a writing utensil we use in our day to day lives. When using a pencil everyone writes with a different amount of pressure. In this experiment I measured the amount of weight it takes for the width of the graphite on a pencil tip to get bigger.   

Madison Bair - Dog Toy Color - 6th Grade 

Will the different color of a dog toy change the time it will take your dog to get to the toy? To test this, I will be time timing my dog and seeing if it would take more or less time to get to the toy depending on the color. 

Nolan Andrews - Wrestling Contact Point - 6th Grade

I like wrestling and I wanted to find out the best way to knock someone over.   I changed the heights of contact on wrestling takedowns to find the most effective height to hit someone during a wrestling match.  

Lucas Miller-Complexity of Code- 5th Grade

Has your computer ever overheated because you are running a tab that is doing too many things? I am testing how the complexity of a code affects the temperature of my computer.

Ethan Marraffa- Rust and Oxidation- 6th Grade

Have you ever wondered how the rust on the road effects the rust on your car? I am testing the idea of the amount of oxidation that the salt produces. Join me and learn how salt on the salt on the roads can truly oxidize your car.

Emme Borrelli - Softball Bounce - 6th Grade

Everyone knows that a tennis ball bounces, but did you know a softball also bounces? For this experiment I am dropping a softball from different heights to figure out how high the softball bounces.

Nick Medwd -How does Distance Affect The  brightness of a light bulb - Physical Science

The farther away the light bulb is from the light meter, the lower the brightness would be. I took a light meter and a light bulb. I moved the light meter five centimeters away from the light bulb each time.

Joey Cook- Soccer Ball Temperature vs the Travel Distance - Physical Science 

Soccer is a sport that can be played during many seasons of the year. The temperature outside can vary the soccer ball’s temperature. I was interested in how the different temperatures of a soccer ball will affect how far it will travel.

Eli Bruce - Heat Spread - 6th Grade

Everybody knows metal conducts heat but at what rate? This experiment measures the rate that heat spreads through different thicknesses of metal. We heated pie pans with oil and popcorn kernels to test this.

Max Martin - Paper Insulation - 6th Grade

Getting packages intact is better than broken. During a shipment you might want your packages intact. In my experiments, I tested force with paper insulation to protect the products you ordered.

Alana Krepps - How does the distance affect the intensity of light? - Physical Science

I was interested in electrical and currently attend the BC-CTC to be an electrician. I just think it is interesting and useful to know how to do stuff with electricity. Everyone uses light bulbs, so I wanted to test how the distance affects the brightness of the light.

Maddox Schoy - Football Helmet Protection - 6th Grade

Football is a sport in which head injuries are common. I modeled a football helmet and water balloon to simulate the helmet and brain in actual tackle football.

Temprance Max & Tia Kaufman - Volleyball Pressure - 6th Grade 

Volleyball is a fun sport, but does the pressure of the volleyball affect the bounce? Tia and I are putting that to the test and seeing how the PSI actually affects the bounce of the volleyball. To test this we will drop the ball by the meter stick and record the height of the ball each time with different amounts of PSI. 

Tristan Betsch - How Does Temperature Affect the Speed of Paint Drops? - Physical Science

Paint drops are heated and cooled, and then are allowed to drip down a piece of board. Paint can help people know how fast different temps can move paint and to tell how different temp paint can be used for.

Shane Duncan - Lego Strength - 6th grade

Legos are the most popular toy created, but are there ways to make them stronger. I tested how much weight a 2x4 Lego brick can hold. I built a model out of Legos and put the bricks in the middle to test the weight it could hold.

BLOCK 4 - Auditorium

Helena Buli - Growth Rings of Lumber vs. PSI - Analytical Physics
All framing is done with 2x4 lumber, and finding the most durable wood is crucial to ensure the structure can withstand pressure from extreme weather. I selected pieces of wood with different growth rings and subjected them to extreme pressure. The results of several species will be examined.

Title - Bullet Drop vs Distance - Analytical Physics

Many hunters know that when shooting a bullet, the further you are from the target the more the bullet will drop. I am going to test how much a 22 caliber bullets will drop at different lengths if it is sighted in for 25 yards.

Wyatt Boyer - Toothpick Strength - Physics II

Have you ever wondered how strong your very own home is. The strength of the lumber holding your very own home can change drastically when water is introduced. Learn how the strength of wood will change when water is introduced and taken away.

Chris Denkovich - Grinding Propellant - Analytical Physics

Amateur rocket engines come in many different shapes and sizes. The most common of which, for small scale uses, combines potassium nitrate and powdered sugar. For my tests, I investigated how the granule size and therefore overall surface area of the potassium nitrate affects the burn time of rocket engines.

Chase Grable - Experimentation in Electrical Physics - Physics III

Experimentation can be an extremely difficult process when starting from scratch. Nonetheless, experimentation in electrical physics can be an amazing place to learn about a new field without traditional classroom learning. The real question still remains; How much can we really connect classroom learning to learning solely based on experimentation?

BLOCK 4 - Library

Alexandria Huselton - Angle of Stick VS Decibels- Physical Science

How does the angle that a stick drops from affect its sound in decibels?  I am doing this to help my way of drumming in the drumline and figure out if the way you hold your sticks affects how loud the hit is. I will measure this with an app and a drumstick placed in a hinge-like motion onto a drumhead so there will be no human error.

Layla Boyd - Angle of Wedges Vs. Puddy - 6th Grade

Chefs are very particular about their knives, but does the angle of the blade matter? For this experiment I modeled a knife with wooden wedges and food using putty. Some of the results are surprising.

Colten Ditmore - Bacteria Growth vs. Concentration of Soaps - Physics II

How exactly does bacteria get killed by your everyday soaps when washing your hands or face? I experiment with bacteria growth and how the different concentrations of soap affects how long it takes for bacteria to decrease and perish. The data shows how the concentration of soap contributes to the reduction of bacteria. 

Jason Mengel - 3D Printed Revamped Velcro - Physics II

Velcro is one of the most common and innovative fasteners in our industries today. It has several uses due to its practicality and reusability. The interlocking hooks can easily create a strong bond, making it optimal for many given situations. In my tests, I looked deeper into the ingenious engineering of velcro and searched for a way to make it stronger.

Alumni Talks - Auditorium

Alumni Talks - Library