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NorCal Science Olympiad -
Regional & State Tournament
Rules Clarifications
Questions
& Answers
DISEASE DETECTIVE, DIV B/C
-An Update
from the Event Supervisor
STUDY AREAS - The
information below is the only information needed for
this year's event
1.
Influenza pandemics from the past and
present, with an emphasis on the present 2009 H1N1
pandemic
2.
Infectious disease epidemiology and
control:
Disease identification, agent, occurrence, reservoir,
mode of transmission, incubation period, period of
communicability, susceptibility and resistance, and
methods of control. Students should understand general
principles and be able to apply them to the influenza
virus. Recommended reference: Control of
Communicable Diseases Manual, 19th
edition, ISBN 978-0-87553-189-2.
3.
Outbreak investigation:
The topic is the 2009 H1N1 influenza
pandemic.
In this year’s event, as
it was last year, the focus is on the effects of
population growth on public health outcomes. This focus
is reflected in questions about the virus’s rapid global
spread and efforts aimed at controlling person-to-person
spread.
ELEVATED BRIDGE, DIV B/C
- An
Update from the Event Supervisor
In
the Rules Manual for both division B and C for
Elevated Bridge the following statement appears
in Event Parameters 2c in bold
clean, dry sand
or similar dry free-flowing material
. Based on that reference the Event Supervisor
will use rice for the Norcal State Finals event.
Question:
Elevated bridge, paragraph 5, sections e and f deal
with set-up and loading. (I understand that rice
will be used instead of sand) Will competitor's be
loading the bucket with a cup or can, or will a
hopper be used? Can competitors bring their own cup
or can? Can competitors bring a hopper device
to use instead of a cup or can?
Answer: Paragraph 2. line c.
Event Parameters states: The assessment
devices, testing apparatus, hardware, and clean dry
free-flowing material will be provided by the Event
Supervisor. “No other items or materials may be used
for assessment or testing.”
The Event Supervisor will provide the same apparatus
to be used by all teams to load the rice.
IT'S ABOUT
TIME, DIV C
- An
Update from the Event Supervisor
Question:
It's About Time, Paragraph 3, construction, item e
States that "At impound , the device and all
components must be able to fit into an 80 cm cube...
Can the device and components be impounded
unassembled, inside a box (with dimensions of 60cm x
40cm x 18cm), and then assembled at the competition?
It is understood that when assembled, the device
must fit into a 80cm cube. Or, does the device need
fully assembled at impound?
Answer:
Paragraph 1. Description states: Students
will use a non-electrical device, which they have
“constructed prior to the event."
See rule 2g & h, and rule 3e for information
regarding impound.
MISSION
POSSIBLE
- An
Update from the Event Supervisor
The Mission Possible Task Sequence List
must be turned in at
registration on event day. Each task
intended to earn points from section 4 of the rules
must
be numbered and lettered on the Task Sequence List
and on the device. Please see the Mission Possible
rules, scoring section for the possible number of
points regarding the Task Sequence List.
SOLAR
SYSTEM, DIV B -
Reminders from the Event Supervisor
Based
upon analysis of student performance at regional and
prior NorCal
tournaments, the event supervisor advises students
to be mindful of the
following topics listed in the rules for the 2010
Solar System event:
2010 Rules, 3b: "Objects of the solar system: Sun, 8
planets, 5 dwarf
planets, satellites." This will definitely be a
component of the
event. Students should be well versed in the
identification of
objects, their location, and current classification.
2010 Rules, 3l: "Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
and Newton's Laws of
Motion and Gravitational Attraction." This topic
will be included.
2010 Rules, 3n: "Identification of the
constellations containing all
planets visible on the evening of the day of the
competition, either
with the unaided eye or a telescope." Students will
be expected to do
this. In the past, real sky photographs / slides
have been used from
which to identify the constellations.
The 2010 Solar System event at NorCal will include
as many of the
topics listed in the event rules as are feasible
within the time
limitations of the event. Students should be
familiar with all of the
topics from the rules. The suggestions above are
meant to address
areas that have been "areas of relative weakness"
for some teams in the
past, and are intended to help all our teams do
their very best. Good
luck to all.
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