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Testing Sunscreen Effectiveness and Water Solubility

Testing Sunscreen Effectiveness and Water Solubility
Contributors
Science Buddies
Non-profit organization offering free STEM resources for hands-on learning | Science Buddies
Top of a female's back, wearing swimsuit with letters 'SPF' written in sunscreen on skin
Summary
What should you NOT forget when going outside on a sunny day? To put sunscreen on! Sunscreen is important because it protects your skin from sunburn. But there are so many sunscreens to choose from: different methods of application (sprays and lotions), different Sun Protection Factors (SPFs), and different ingredients. Which one is best? In this science project, you will test the effectiveness of different sunscreens and find out how water-soluble they are.

This project idea was developed and written by Svenja Lohner, PhD, and Andrew Olson, PhD, scientists with Science Buddies.

Lohner, Svenja, and Andrew Olson. "Testing Sunscreen Effectiveness and Water Solubility." Science Buddies, 29 Apr. 2023, https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/GreenChem_p007/green-chemistry/sunscreen-effectiveness-water-solubility.
Keywords
STEM
Chemistry
Chemistry Education
Chemical Engineering
Science Project
Hands-on Learning
Sunscreen
Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
Ultraviolet Light
Ultraviolet Index
Sunburn

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Moderation state
Published
Object Type
Laboratory experiment
Activities/Technology (e.g., in-class activities, online games, hands-on activities/manipulatives, outreach, virtual tools, etc.)
Audience
Middle School
High School (Secondary School)
Published on
Green Chemistry Principles
Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses
Designing Safer Chemicals
Real-Time Pollution Prevention
U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Good Health and Well-Being
Responsible Consumption and Production
Life Below Water
Learning Goals/Student Objectives
To measure the effectiveness of different sunscreens for blocking ultraviolet (UV) light and to assess their water solubilities. With so many different sunscreen choices, how do you know which sunscreen is the best? In this science project, you will put different sunscreens to the test to look at how well different types of sunscreen fit the green chemistry principles by evaluating their effectiveness at blocking harmful UV rays and how reef-safe they are. Do you think physical and chemical sunscreens will perform the same or differently? Grab a UV meter, a few sunscreens, and some water, and find out!
Common pedagogies covered
Hands-on learning
Time required (if applicable)
Short (2 - 5 days)

Submitted by

Science Buddies
Safety Precautions, Hazards, and Risk Assessment
N/A
Teacher Recommendations or Piloting Data (if available)
N/A
Link to external
Science Buddies: Testing Sunscreen Effectiveness and Water Solubility
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.