For my third grade science fair project I wanted to see what was the most important predictor of grip strength for rock climbers. I did this by testing a bunch of people with them hanging onto one hold for as long as they could.
For my 3rd grade science fair project I had to create a hypothesis, collect data, develop a conclusion, and compare my hypothesis to that conclusion.
My Science Fair Hypothesis – Experience Matters Most
My hypothesis was that experience would be the most important thing linked to grip strength because experienced climbers have been practicing for longer and have had a longer time to develop their muscles.
Even though I have not been climbing very long, I’ve been practicing a lot and my experience has been improving rapidly.
Collecting Data
In order to collect data I needed people to test. I wasn’t able to walk around with a clipboard, so I put a form at the front desk of my local rock climbing gym, Island Rock.
On the form I asked people to record their weight, age, experience/ability level, route level and climbing years. They were also asked to record how long they could hold themselves on a big grip hangboard.
By the time I finished collected data for my third grade science fair project I had results for 15 people. About 1/4 of them were under 20, while the rest were between 20 and 50. There were climbers of all experience/ability levels and it was pretty clear from the data my hypothesis was good, although not perfect.
Conclusion and Results of my 3rd grade science fair project
After examining all of the data, I found that my hypothesis was correct and that experience/ability level was the most important factor. However, I also found that route level was similar to experience and they matched well. The other factors like age, weight and climbing years did not predict the hang time as well. I think this is because you can be really strong and experienced while being young or old and that