| College of Sciences Newsletter | Edition 25 | June 15, 2005 |
      | Back to College News Physics OlympicsTeams of middle school and high school students from Hampton Roads squared off Saturday in the brain-teasing competitions of the 17th annual Tidewater Physics Olympics Saturday, March 19, at Ocean Lakes High School. The competition ran from 9 a.m. to noon. The event was organized by the Tidewater Teachers of Physics Society (TOPS) and sponsored by TOPS, Ocean Lakes High School and Busch Gardens. Challenges that have been met in the past by the contestants included: How slowly can a teenager ride a bicycle without stopping over a prescribed course? How high can a tower be built with 20 gumdrops and 30 pieces of spaghetti? Last year, about 35 teams of four or five students each competed in six events. The winner in the middle school division was a team from Ghent Montessori School. The winning high school division was a team from Maury High. Larry Weinstein, professor of physics, said the events are designed to be fun, active, include some knowledge of science and require group participation. Past events, other than slow bike riding and tower building, have included estimating how fast human hair grows, estimating the volume of water in Lake Trashmore, and target shooting with a laser. Saturday's competition was comprised of six events, each lasting 20 minutes. No prior preparation or construction is required of teams. Prizes included tickets to Busch Gardens and Water Country USA. Other stories in College News Section.. Phyllis Brown, Editor |