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Dermatology Science Fair Project

Sunscreen SPF and UV Protection

Hard
Sunscreen SPF and UV Protection | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Do higher SPF sunscreens actually block more ultraviolet radiation? You coat glass sheets with sunscreens of different SPF values and brands. Then you place each sheet over a UV meter in direct sunlight. The meter reads how much UV passes through each coated sheet. You compare five brands at SPF 15, SPF 30, and SPF 50 against a plain glass control. Results show a big drop in UV between SPF 15 and SPF 30. Between SPF 30 and SPF 50, the difference is surprisingly small.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that sunscreen products with a higher SPF value are able to block a larger amount of UV radiation from the sun, and are thus more effective.

Method & Materials

You will divide sunscreen products into 3 groups according to their SPF value, clean 16 sheets of glass, coat the glass sheets with a layer of the sunscreen, place the wooden box in a suitable open area that has direct sunlight, and measure the UV index readings.
You will need 16 sheets of glass, 5 brands of sunscreen with SPF 15, 5 brands of sunscreen with SPF 30, 5 brands of sunscreen with SPF 50, 1 UV meter, 1 bottle of glass cleaner, a box of disposable gloves, 1 piece of cloth, a pair of thick safety gloves, and 1 wooden box with no covering on the top.

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Results

After comparing the UV index of the 15 test groups, it was observed that there was a significant difference in the level of UV radiation detected for sunscreen products that had SPF 15 and SPF 30 protection. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the UV level detected for the SPF 30 and SPF 50 sunscreen products.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it allows students to test the effectiveness of different sunscreen products in blocking UV radiation. It also teaches students about the different types of UV radiation and how they can be harmful to our skin.

Also Consider

Variations of this project include repeating the experiment at different times of the day, repeating the experiment indoors using a UV lamp, and comparing the difference in UV radiation emitted by old CRT (cathode ray television) screens and LCD (liquid crystal display) screens.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

Related videos

These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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