Physical sciences are natural sciences that deal primarily with non-living objects, such as chemistry, astronomy, physics and geology. There are many methods that can be used to get ideas for research topics, whether that research is for a school paper or involves time in the lab or with home equipment. Science journals, science books and textbooks, newspapers, magazines and the Internet are valuable tools for inspiring research ideas.
Chemistry
One chemistry research topic is hydrogen fuel cells. Extracting power from hydrogen is an environmentally friendly solution because water vapor is the main byproduct. The chemical energy in hydrogen can be converted into electric energy for powering small devices that use batteries and larger machines such as vehicles. Fuel cells also have an advantage over combustion-based power plantsin being two to three times as efficient as traditional combustion technologies.
Astronomy
An astronomy topic is the study of other galaxies. Astronomer Edwin Hubble categorized galaxies into four types: spiral, elliptical, barred spiral and irregular. Angular momentum and star formation of galaxies are possible research topics, since it is theorized that a galaxy's type is determined by the angular momentum it contains and the star formation rate. Another topic idea is dwarf galaxies, the smallest and most common type of galaxy.
Physics
A topic of physics exploration is carbon nanotubes, which are long, thin cylinders of carbon about 10,000 times thinner than a human hair. They can be pictured as a sheet of carbon in a hexagonal lattice that is rolled into a cylinder. They have potential for use as tiny wires or in miniature electronic devices. Nanotubes are tricky to manipulate in a controlled way. Their physical properties change dramatically with adjustments to length, diameter and twist.
Geology
A geology research topic is the study of the effects, history and mechanics of earthquakes. Active tectonics is the study of tectonic movements that are expected to occur in the future. Paleoseismology is the study of prehistoric earthquakes. It differs from other aspects of earthquake geology because it focuses more on deformation of landforms and sediments during individual earthquakes. This permits the study of earthquake distribution over time periods of hundreds to tens of thousands of years.
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