Read a wide range of books, articles, journals and academic websites to get an impression of the various weight and mass experiments that you can carry out easily and safely at home or in the science classroom. Where possible, print out a sheet of experiment instructions and follow them strictly, at this will help you conduct an accurate and educational experiment. Read about the health and safety implications of your study before making any necessary provisions. Note the items required when constructing your own balance using two paper cups, for example, before gathering them together ahead of starting your experiment.
Form a hypothesis based upon your reading about an experiment. A hypothesis is a short, one-or-two sentence statement outlining what you think will happen during an experiment and, if possible, why you think it will happen. For example, if you were going to replicate Galileo's experiment and drop two same-size, different weight items from the same height, you would write a hypothesis predicting which object would land first and second, or whether they would land at the same time.
Carry out your experiment following guidelines and procedure as strictly as possible. When exploring the relationship between weight and mass, it is key that you know the weight and size of the items you are experimenting upon. If you carry out a replication of Galileo's experiment using a tennis ball and a shotput, it is crucial that you first weigh and measure the circumference of the two spheres before dropping them for your experiment.
Health and safety is also critical when completing projects, such as the project to make a balance using two paper cups. Make sure you handle the wooden skewer safely, including when poking holes in the base of the two paper cups, and that you do not add too much weight to your balance as this could cause it to topple over.
Show a strong set of results and conclusions once you have carried out the hands-on part of your weight and mass experiment. It is extremely useful to your project if you can quantify and display results in the form of a chart or graph, for example, as your viewing audience can read and interpret your results very quickly. When you cannot graph your results, you can display photographs or even video footage of your experiment in action, such as footage of a Galileo's experiment using a basketball and a bowling ball. The strength of your conclusion will be delivered through your speech, which you should use to accompany your pictorial aids and deliver an excellent presentation to a viewing audience.