Department of Physics

UNI/AEA267 Regional Physics Olympics

The next UNI/AEA 267 Regional Physics Olympics competition is scheduled to take place on April 1st (Tuesday), 2008 at the UNI-DOME with registration beginning at 8 am and the competition ending about Noon. Over 200 high school students representing about 20 different schools participated in last year's competition. The regional competition, which is coordinated by the UNI Physics Department (contact person, Larry Escalada, Lawrence.Escalada@uni.edu) and AEA 267 (contact people, Laurie Hayzlett, lhayzlett@aea267.k12.ia.us), Dee Dienst, ddienst@aea267.k12.ia.us) features five events that give students the opportunity to apply basic physics principles in designing and constructing devices or laboratory set ups from everyday materials within required specifications to perform specific physical tasks or procedures.

The events for the 2008 competition include the following:

• self-propelled catapult,

• mouse trap car,

• optical slalom,

• student powered water heater, and

• challenge problem

Bridge Building

Self-propelled Catapult

The students will use a variety of everyday, inexpensive materials includingmousetraps, compact discs, rubber bands, stationary bicycles, etc. to build their devices to accomplish specific tasks (catapult, mouse trap car, and water heater); place mirrors in an optical maze to navigate a laser beam around obstacles to a desired target (optical slalom); and use existing physics laboratory equipment to determine the mass and uncertainty of an unknown object (challenge problem). Schools can field school teams up to 10 students or event teams with pairs of students participating. The top two school teams and event winners who are not part of the top school teams are invited to participate at the state competition at Drake University in Des Moines in April. The regional competition has included team competition activities which provide students with opportunities to be engaged in fun team activities and to compete with one another for prizes between events.

2008 UNI/AEA 267 Regional Competition Information

• Certification of Compliance Form (only one teacher/students form)

• School Team Registration Form

• Event Team Registration Form

• UNI AEA267POInfo (Specific information about the 2008 competition including registration, parking, and a request for help with scoring and judging.)

2008 State Competition

The 2008 State Competition will be held at Drake University, Des Moines, IA on Wednesday, April 23. Information about Iowa Physics Olympics including rules and state forms may be found at the following website: Iowa Physics Olympics Competition.

Gum Drop Tower

Student Powered Water Heater