Campfire chill. Why do I feel cold when I walk away from a campfire?
Haven't I been warmed? How can I test this?
Sled runners. What did people use before plastic sled runners,
and what were the impli-ca-tions? Compare traditional runners and modern
technology for the coefficient of friction.
Time by stars. How can you tell time by the big dipper during
the winter nights?
Dog snaps. Old timers had a simple loop and stick arrangement
for hooking sled dogs to a towline. We now use metal snaps. Can you discover
their method? It must be able to attach easily, stay attached under all
conditions, and be disconnected without great trouble. However, it doesn't
swivel.
Sled runners. Why do some sled runners run better on drifted
snow, and others on powder snow? What is the existing color code for plastic
dog sled runners? What does the difference have to do with the effectiveness
of the sled runners under different snow conditions?
Laminating runners. Some people laminate sled runners. Other
people bend a solid piece of wood. Which is stronger or better? Why?
Steaming. Steam different kinds of wood. Does this make bending
sled run-ners and handlebars easier? Which is better: The inside of the
tree on the outside of the bend, or the outside of the tree on the inside
of the bend?
Steaming. Steaming makes bending easier. Does it effect the
strength of the wood later? How can you test this.
Types of snow. Observe the different types of snow under a microscope.
What are the differences in their appearance, density and texture? In the
the Yupik/Inupiat languages there are separate words for each.
Dogs' feet. Some dogs feet "snowball" easily and others don't.
Why? This has always been criti-cal when mushers select sled dogs.
Snowshoe bindings. Compare traditional snowshoe bindings with
modern bindings made out of modern materials. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of each under all conditions?
Wind. Why is it hard to breathe in a strong wind? What effect
does Bernouli's principle have to do with emergency snow shelters in survival
situations?
Morning chill. In the winter, why is the temperature lower at
sunrise than in the middle of the night?
Trail sets up. Why does a trail get hard in the winter several
hours after the person or animal makes the tracks? How do people use this
to determine the di-rection an animal is traveling in deep snow?
Snow blind. What is snow blindness? Why is snow blindness more
of a problem on a cloudy day, and what did old timers do to prevent it?
Explore this in terms of reflection and wavelengths of light energy.
Runny nose. During cold days in winter, our noses are often
runny. When we wipe them on store-bought mittens or gloves they quickly
freeze up. When we use beaver mits, they don't freeze at all. They remain
clean all day. Why is this? Is this also true of other furs like seal,
otter, mountain squirrel etc.?
Snowmachine suspension. Snowmachine suspension. What are the
advantages of soft/stiff sus-pension?
Oil thickness. What is the viscosity of different oils/greases
at different tempera-tures. Polar vs. nonpolar grease. What effect
does this have on the life of equipment operated in severe cold temperatures?
Some two cycle oils are made for fuel injected snowmachine engines
and some are not. Test all kinds of two cycle oils for their ability to
pour in very cold weather. Is there a danger of using some oils that are
not made for fuel injected engines?
Mixing oil. What is the miscability (ability to mix) of 2 cycle
engine oils at different tempertures? How much agitation is necessary to
thoroughly mix gas and 2 cycle oil at different temperatures?
Lower unit grease. Test lower unit grease in water. How is this
grease different from other greases, such as wheel bearing grease?
Boat repair. What is the best method/material to repair a hole
or crack in an aluminum boat?
Gasoline additives. Some gasoline additives that remove water
from gasoline destroy the seals on 2 cycle engines. Put identical seals
in gasoline solutions containing Heet, Ban Ice and other additives. After
a period of time, test the seals for flexibility, and durability. Are the
seals damaged by the additives?
Waves forming. Why do waves form on the ocean? What is the relationship
between waves, wind and current?
o Why do waves form on some bends of the river and not on others? Is
there a relationship between the direction of the wind and the direction
of the current? Why are the waves smaller next to the bank?
Outboard props. How much more efficient is a new prop on an
outboard? With a worn prop but the same driver, boat and load, time a trip
from point A to point B. Put a new prop on the motor, and time the same
trip. Does the new prop make a difference? If so, how much?
Boating mystery. Boats seem to travel faster after the sun goes
down. This might be a trick of our eyes, but it might have something to
do with other factors. Experiment to see if our eyes are playing tricks
or whether there are other variables working to make the motor go faster.
Walking in the tundra. It is much harder and slower to walk
on the tundra than it is on a boardwalk. Why is this so? The same effect
seems to be occuring when we walk on a soft winter trail. Is this so?
I have an idea now.
How do I present my experiment? Go.