The 2011 Western Kentucky Physics Olympics – Saturday, February 26th

Power Puzzle

Western Kentucky Physics Olympics is a half-day competition consisting of a pentathlon of challenging problem-solving activities that reward teamwork, creativity, and communication. The WKU Department of Physics & Astronomy invites each high school to send one or more teams of four to compete in the 2011 Western Kentucky Physics Olympics. This year's event will be held Saturday, February 26 from 8:30 a.m. until about 2:00 p.m. in the Thompson Center, Central Wing on WKU's Bowling Green campus.

The competition will commence with two activities that involve competitors arriving at the event ready to compete with devices they have designed, constructed, and tested. The competition entitled Solar Photovoltaics requires each team to design and construct an energy generation circuit using provided solar photovoltaic cells. The Raingutter Regatta event requires each team to bring to the competition a sailboat that they designed and constructed. The sailboats will compete in head-to-head races down a short indoor course. This year's "Calculation/ Communication Challenge" is entitled Alternative Energy Generator, and will have participants cooperating to design and construct a device to generate electrical energy from some other energy source.

Registration

Teams can register online at http://physics.wku.edu/olympics/registration.htmlThe registration deadline is Thursday, February 17.

Schedule of Events

Time

Activity

Location

8:00

Mandatory check-in for all teams

TCCW 201

8:30

Results announced for Solar Photovoltaics

TCCW 201 

8:45

Raingutter Regatta competition begins

TCCW 129

11:00

Order-of-Magnitude Quiz begins

TCCW 201

11:30

Lunch

TCCW 238/239

12:15

Calculation/Communication Challenge begins

TCCW 201

1:10

Impromptu Team Activity begins

TCCW 236

1:45

Awards Ceremony

TCCW 201

Prizes

Each of the four contestants on the team with the best score in the overall competition will receive a $500 scholarship to attend Western Kentucky University. The scholarship is to be used during the freshman year and is awarded above and beyond any other scholarships the student might otherwise earn.

Medals for the team members and a plaque for the school will be awarded to the top 3 teams in the overall competition. Certificates will be awarded to the top three teams in each event.

Snow Date

In case of cancellation due to inclement weather, Physics Olympics will be rescheduled for the same times on an alternate Saturday to be announced.

 

  WKU Physics Olympics Overview  |  Event Descriptions  |  Online Registration  |  Directions to WKU
  Frequently Asked Questions  |  Physics Olympics Archive  |  WKU Physics Homepage 


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 Last modified on January 21, 2011.

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