In a bioassay, a living organism serves as a detector for toxins-the same way canaries were used in coal mines to detect invisible toxic gases. In this project, water fleas (Daphnia magna), a freshwater crustacean, are used in a bioassay...

Water is a valuable resource many often take for granted. This exercise however gives you the opportunity to learn about and discover how greywater (water that has been used for washing or bathing) can be used for watering ornamental...

The career of hydrologist could become more and more important as the use of water increases. Find out about the education needed to become a hydrologist and read the Science Buddies profile about the many areas hydrologists use their...

Use this science fair project to learn how to test your soil to see if it is getting the right amount of water from the sprinklers. Project is set up beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction, followed by a section on...

PBS and the Online NewsHour have created this multimedia website about water recycling. You can see how this process is different than other waste water treatments by reading interviews, watching a slideshow or investigating a map of...

Harmful algal blooms occur when algae, which form the base of the ocean food web, grow in massive numbers and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. In this project you will learn how to...

A collection of downloadable, ready-to-use lessons and student worksheets aimed to raise awareness of the need for safe drinking water. Lessons are investigative in nature and utilize inexpensive materials that can be purchased at most...

This U.S. Geological Survey website explains a variety of uses for saline water. Pie graphs and bar graphs are used to illustrate the various uses. Click Home to access the site in Spanish.

Here is a cool project about making fresh water from salt water using solar power, also known as water desalination. The apparatus is made from readily available materials, and the power source is free. As an inventive thinker, you will...

It's hard to believe that the same water that you use every day to quench your thirst, cook with, bathe in, swim in, and wash your clothes and dishes, is capable of another trick-it can make electricity. Electricity can be generated...

In this project, water fleas (Daphnia magna), a semi-transparent freshwater crustacean, are used to study the effects of caffeine on heart rate. You do not have to learn how to take a crustacean's pulse though, because you can actually...

We've all heard that hurricanes draw their immense power from warm ocean waters. Of course, many factors contribute to the formation and growth of a hurricane, but can we expect to find that the warmer the water, the stronger the...

In this science fair project you'll discover how to turn the ocean into a source of freshwater by using the power of the Sun, and the water cycle. You will ultimately find just how salinity affects this process.

Baby Beluga may swim in the deep blue sea, but the song doesn't mention how cold it is out there. Find out in this short project how a bit of blubber can be a useful adaptation when the water is ice cold.

Chromatography is a method used to separate mixtures of compounds and to identify each compound in the mixture. You may have separated the different inks in a black marker by using a strip of paper and water. There are many different...

Here's a career profile for a career you perhaps have not considered. Captains of ships and boats used for moving cargo or passengers are considered part of the merchant marines. Read about the type of work involved with this career as...

Describes the basic properties of chlorine and lists examples of how it is used in water treatment, medicine, industry, and inside the human body.

In this experiment, students will learn how to make a battery with a water solution and two types of metal. This is then used to power an LED light. Includes video demonstration.

Wells are extremely important to all societies. Find out how wells are dug today and peruse the list of the different types of wells and the methods used to dig them. Click Home to access the site in Spanish.

Gives examples of chemical interactions occurring in the human body, in the world around us, in foods, and in products we use.

Describes the multitude of plastic trash scientists have found on a beach in Hawaii and in the oceans. Explains what a gyre is, and how plastic trash gets trapped in the eye of a gyre. Looks at the serious impact plastic materials have...

This U.S. Geological Survey website explains the desalinization method used by some communities to change sea water into drinking water. Click Home to access the site in Spanish.

Potassium chlorate acts as a catalyst to produce oxygen. Read about some of its uses, including in fireworks and as a water disinfectant.

In this learning module, students learn to differentiate between renewable and nonrenewable resources, and identify resources that fit into each category. It explains the environmental effects of using nonrenewable resources, such as...