Challenges

2023 Event Descriptions

(Please read the descriptions and rules carefully. Most events change each year. Event descriptions may be revised at any time. The judge's decisions are final.)

Senior Challenges

Biology	Students will perform a simulation of an ELISA, a test that is widely used in research and diagnostic laboratories. Invading pathogens, such as bacteria or viruses, cause the human immune system to produce and release antibody proteins. The ELISA procedure can test for the presence of these antibodies in blood, and thus determine if a patient has been exposed to a given pathogen and launched an immune response. Each group will be provided with written material describing the scientific principles underlying the procedure, the details of a disease, and the clinical history of several hypothetical patients. There will be questions to answer on the written material. To prepare for this exercise it would be useful to read units covering proteins, enzymes, white blood cells, and antibodies.
Chemistry	Students will investigate the properties of an unknown acid using titration, melting point analysis, and molecular model kits. Advance preparation. Students should review: • Titration technique and related calculations • Empirical and molecular formulas, and related calculations • Lewis structures • Functional groups Students will be given a periodic table to use in the activity. The teams should bring a scientific calculator to use.
Design	Given two D cells, your task is to move as many paper clips as possible over a 4-minute time period from a start zone, up and over an exclusion zone, to a scoring zone. The trial will be stopwatch timed. For the dimensions of the zones and for the detailed rules, please see the attachment: Senior Design Challenge Additional notes: 1. permanent magnets are not allowed for picking up clips. 2. if teams use an electric motor in some way which contains permanent magnets, that is allowed 3. wire leads are allowed to carry current from the D cells (or from a hand controller) to the system as long as that is the only function of the wires, ie. wires cannot be used to pull/push or in any way assist the system beyond carrying current to it. If the wires become tangled in some way, they cannot be untangled in any way once the trial has begun. 4. when the trial begins the system cannot be touching any of the clips 5. the system and moving clips can pass above the exclusion area, but cannot touch the 2' square flat surface. 6. the system and moving clips can occupy space beyond the 6 foot by 2 foot event area(three 2'by2' squares), within reason (we will be running the event in a relatively open lounge space) 7. the 1"by2" rims are not part of the exclusion zone 8. it is acceptable to use a container of sorts to collect clips but in order to count towards the event score, paper clips must be either i) touching the wood surface directly or ii) atop other clips which are touching the wood area.
Jeopardy	Do you watch Jeopardy religiously? Are you the go-to guy during Trivial Pursuit get togethers? Then compete in our Science version of Jeopardy! Work with your team mates to come up with the correct response. There will be one buzzer per team. Advance preparation: review the Grade 11 & 12 Math and Science curriculum. Calculators, PDAs, and other electronic devices are not allowed. Notes - electronic, written, or otherwise - are not allowed. Pens and blank paper will be provided.
Sustainable Agriculture	Due to the fact that sustainable agriculture does not use conventionally applied pesticides as per the BCARA organic certification, there is a lot of interactions with pests. Identification of pests is the first step in finding a solution to the problem. In this challenge the students will identify different common agricultural insect pests by observing their unique physical characteristics.

Junior Challenges

Design	Students will build a boat that uses a provided propeller to race down an artificial pond in the least time possible. For more details, see the attachment: Junior Design Challenge https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/home/toys-and-games/toys/110489-make-your-own-motor-boat?item=45K1204
Geology	Students will be given an unfinished, simplified weather map of BC based on the summer of 2023, and answer questions regarding wildfire. Students should bring pens, pencils and a calculator to the event. 1) Students should briefly review basic weather map symbols that show (i) cloud cover (the filled in circle), (ii) temperature (the number in the upper left) and (iii) atmospheric pressure (the number in the upper right). The following website may help: https://wxobservation.com/how-to-read-a-weather-station-model/#:~:text=… 2) Students should review drawing isobars (lines of equal pressure) using atmospheric pressure at weather stations shown on a map. In Canada pressure is given in hPa (hectopascals). Isobars are typically drawn every 4 hPa, for example at 996, 1000, 1004… hPa etc. The following Environment Canada site may help: https://ec.gc.ca/meteoaloeil-skywatchers/default.asp?lang=En&n=664F561F… 3) Students should briefly review (i) the atmospheric conditions that make for hazardous wildfire conditions (such as the 30/30/30 rule), (ii) the difference between High (H) and Low (L) pressure systems and (iii) the direction of wind around high and low pressure centers in BC (i.e. northern hemisphere). Familiarity with the general geography of BC will help you in this exercise. The following websites may help: https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/synoptic/origin-of-wind (wind around H and L) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/interpreting-fire-danger-sca… (30/30/30 rule)
Jeopardy	Do you watch Jeopardy religiously? Are you the go-to guy during Trivial Pursuit get-togethers? Then compete in our Science version of Jeopardy! Work with your teammates to come up with the correct response. There will be one buzzer per team. Advance preparation: review the Grade 8/9/10 Math and Science curriculum. Calculators, PDAs, and other electronic devices are not allowed. Notes - electronic, written, or otherwise - are not allowed. Pens and blank paper will be provided.
Math	Students will make and calculate the volume of objects. A calculator will be needed, and a formula sheet will be provided. Advanced preparation: students should practice making three dimensional objects from nets and calculating their volume.
Physics	Students will work in teams to predict outcomes of demonstrations of physics phenomena. Facilitators will have equipment ready to run the demos after the predictions are made. Students can use paper, pencil and calculator, but no other outside resources or help.