Search for Science Fair Projects

1000 Science Fair Projects with Complete Instructions

Sine Function

Sine function is a math rule that turns steady spinning into a smooth wave shape.

Think of it this way

A clock hand spins at a steady pace around its center. The tip moves up to the top, then back down past the middle. It dips to the bottom and rises again. Track that up-and-down path over time, and you get a sine wave.

Explaining sine function by grade level

Think of a dot on a spinning wheel. As the wheel turns, the dot goes up and down. If you track how high the dot is, you draw a smooth wave. That wave comes from the sine function.

Projects that explore sine function

Sine Waves Added to Circles

What happens when you add a sine wave to the equation of a circle? Using graphing software, you overlay a modified circle on top of the original — and the sine function creates bumps that bulge outside the curve. You count the bumps for each period value up to 25, and the number is always odd. As the period increases, the count either stays the same or jumps by two or four, following a formula tied to the radius. When you increase the amplitude instead, the bump count stays the same but the shape begins to break apart.

Hard