Physics Research for High School Students

Physics research offers some of the most elegant and powerful opportunities for high school students. From building devices to analyzing data from space telescopes, physics spans from the practical to the cosmic.

This guide covers how to do physics research in high school—from finding topics to publishing your work.

Why Physics Research?

Strengths of Physics

Rigorous and Quantitative:

• Clear mathematical frameworks
• Reproducible experiments
• Precise measurements
• Strong analytical skills developed

Diverse Opportunities:

• Computational physics (no lab needed)
• Tabletop experiments (affordable)
• Data analysis (telescope, particle data)
• Engineering applications

Competition Presence:

• Strong at ISEF and Regeneron
• Physics olympiad connections
• Clear judging criteria

Research Areas in Physics

Classical Mechanics

Topics:

• Projectile motion optimization
• Friction and material properties
• Fluid dynamics
• Oscillations and waves

Example Projects:

• Optimizing catapult design using physics
• Measuring terminal velocity of different shapes
• Analyzing bouncing ball energy loss
• Modeling traffic flow dynamics

Optics and Light

Topics:

• Lens design and optimization
• Diffraction and interference
• Fiber optics applications
• Solar concentrators

Example Projects:

• Building and testing a spectrometer
• Measuring material refractive indices
• Designing optimal solar collectors
• Analyzing polarization in nature

Electromagnetism

Topics:

• Electric circuits
• Magnetic field applications
• Electromagnetic induction
• Wireless power transfer

Example Projects:

• Optimizing electromagnetic launchers
• Building efficient motors
• Wireless charging optimization
• Electromagnetic shielding effectiveness

Thermodynamics

Topics:

• Heat transfer optimization
• Thermal insulation
• Phase transitions
• Energy efficiency

Example Projects:

• Comparing insulation materials
• Building and testing heat engines
• Solar thermal energy collection
• Thermoelectric generator optimization

Astrophysics

Topics:

• Exoplanet detection
• Variable star analysis
• Galaxy classification
• Asteroid tracking

Example Projects:

• Analyzing transit data for exoplanets
• Measuring star brightness variations
• Spectroscopic analysis of stars
• Calculating asteroid orbits

Modern Physics

Topics:

• Quantum mechanics applications
• Particle physics data
• Relativity effects
• Semiconductor physics

Example Projects:

• Analyzing LHC open data
• Measuring cosmic ray flux
• Testing quantum concepts with polarization
• Solar cell efficiency optimization

Getting Started

Required Background

Essential Math:

• Algebra and trigonometry
• Basic calculus helpful
• Geometry and vectors
• Graphing and data analysis

Essential Physics:

• Kinematics (motion)
• Forces and Newton's laws
• Energy and momentum
• Basic electromagnetism

Skills to Develop

Project Ideas by Resource Level

Low-Resource Projects (Home-Based)

1. Projectile Motion Analysis

   • Film projectiles with phone
   • Analyze with free tracking software
   • Compare to theoretical predictions

2. Pendulum Studies

   • Test period vs. length, mass, amplitude
   • Measure damping coefficients
   • Model chaotic double pendulum

3. Acoustic Experiments

   • Measure speed of sound
   • Analyze resonance frequencies
   • Build and test instruments

4. Thermal Insulation Comparison

   • Test different materials
   • Measure temperature over time
   • Calculate thermal conductivity

Medium-Resource Projects

5. Electromagnetic Experiments

   • Build electric motors
   • Measure magnetic field strength
   • Test electromagnetic shielding

6. Optics Projects

   • Build spectrometers (diffraction gratings)
   • Measure refractive indices
   • Study polarization

7. Electronics Projects

   • Build sensors (Arduino-based)
   • Measure circuit properties
   • Design efficient power systems

High-Resource Projects (Lab Access)

8. Precision Measurements

   • Use oscilloscopes and function generators
   • Measure fundamental constants
   • Test advanced phenomena

9. Particle Detection

   • Build cloud chambers
   • Measure cosmic ray flux
   • Analyze particle tracks

Computational Physics

Many physics projects can be done entirely on a computer.

Data Analysis Projects

Available Data:

• NASA telescope archives
• CERN open data
• LIGO gravitational wave data
• NOAA weather data

Example Projects:

• Exoplanet detection from Kepler data
• Particle identification from LHC data
• Galaxy classification with machine learning
• Climate pattern analysis

Simulation Projects

Topics:

• N-body gravitational simulations
• Fluid dynamics simulations
• Quantum system modeling
• Monte Carlo methods

Tools:

• Python (NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib)
• MATLAB/Octave
• Specialized physics packages

Example: Exoplanet Detection

Data Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive

Method:

1. Download light curve data
2. Search for periodic dimming (transits)
3. Calculate planet properties
4. Compare to known exoplanets

Skills Needed: Python, basic statistics, astronomy concepts

Experiment Design

Key Principles

Control Variables:

• Change only one variable at a time
• Keep all others constant
• Document everything

Precision and Accuracy:

• Use appropriate measuring tools
• Repeat measurements multiple times
• Calculate and report uncertainties

Error Analysis:

• Identify sources of error
• Calculate statistical uncertainties
• Propagate errors through calculations

Example Design

Question: How does launch angle affect projectile range?

Variables:

• Independent: Launch angle (15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°)
• Dependent: Horizontal range
• Controlled: Initial velocity, launch height, projectile

Procedure:

1. Build consistent launcher
2. Measure initial velocity (video analysis)
3. Launch at each angle (5 trials each)
4. Measure range from video
5. Compare to theoretical predictions

Analysis:

• Calculate mean and standard deviation
• Compare to theory: R = (v²sin2θ)/g
• Account for air resistance

Data Analysis for Physics

Essential Statistics

Measurements:

• Mean: average value
• Standard deviation: spread of values
• Standard error: uncertainty in mean

Comparing to Theory:

• Percent difference
• Chi-square testing
• Residual analysis

Graphing Standards

Every Graph Needs:

• Clear axis labels with units
• Error bars on data points
• Best-fit line (if applicable)
• Title or caption
• Legend (if multiple datasets)

Common Graph Types:

• Scatter plot with fit line
• Log-log plots (for power relationships)
• Semi-log plots (for exponential)

Example Analysis

Data: Distance vs. Time for falling object

Time (s) | Distance (m) | Uncertainty (m)
0.0      | 0.00         | 0.01
0.2      | 0.19         | 0.02
0.4      | 0.78         | 0.03
0.6      | 1.76         | 0.04
0.8      | 3.13         | 0.05

Analysis:
- Fit to d = ½gt²
- Extracted g = 9.78 ± 0.15 m/s²
- Accepted value: 9.81 m/s²
- Percent difference: 0.3% (within uncertainty)

Writing Physics Papers

Physics Paper Structure

1. Abstract - Brief summary
2. Introduction - Context and question
3. Theory - Physics background
4. Experimental Setup - Apparatus and procedure
5. Results - Data and analysis
6. Discussion - Interpretation
7. Conclusion - Summary and implications

Physics-Specific Elements

Equations:

• Number equations for reference
• Define all variables
• Show key derivations

Uncertainty:

• Report all values with uncertainties
• Explain error sources
• Propagate errors correctly

Units:

• Use SI units consistently
• Check dimensional analysis
• Include units in all calculations

Competitions for Physics

ISEF Categories

• Physics and Astronomy
• Engineering (various)
• Materials Science
• Energy

Physics-Specific Competitions

Physics Olympiad:

• USAPhO → International Physics Olympiad
• Strong theoretical component
• Good preparation for research

Science Bowls/Olympiads:

• Quick problem-solving
• Broad physics knowledge
• Team-based

Getting Mentorship

Physics research benefits greatly from expert guidance.

Finding Physics Mentors

University Faculty:

• Search physics department websites
• Look for experimental groups
• Computational groups often welcome students

Research Labs:

• National labs sometimes host students
• Local university labs
• Industry R&D (rare but possible)

The YRI Fellowship

The YRI Fellowship provides:

• 1:1 PhD Mentorship in physics and related fields
• Project Design support
• Publication Guidance
• Competition Preparation

Apply to YRI Fellowship →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do physics research without advanced math? Yes, especially for experimental projects. Many successful projects use algebra and basic trigonometry. More advanced math opens more options but isn't always required.

What equipment do I need? It varies widely. Some projects need only a phone (for video analysis), a ruler, and free software. Others need oscilloscopes, lasers, or specialized sensors. Choose projects matching your resources.

Is computational physics "real" physics? Absolutely. Computational physics is a major branch of modern physics. Analyzing real data or running sophisticated simulations is genuine physics research.

How do I access telescope or particle physics data? Many datasets are publicly available: NASA's MAST archive, CERN Open Data, LIGO data releases. These provide real research-quality data for student projects.

What's the best physics area for competitions? There's no "best" area—judges evaluate quality, not topic. That said, projects with clear applications (energy, health, environment) often resonate with judges.

Related Guides

• Science Fair Project Ideas
• How to Win Science Fairs
• How to Do Research in High School
• How to Publish Research