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This event includes activities and questions related to geometric and physical optics.

Added 03/06/12 Rule clarification that will apply to our State Competition...

Question: If the laser is split into 2 distinct beams by a mirror, which beam is used to determine accuracy? Or is the average of the beams taken since the rules say "the horizontal distance to the center of where the laser strikes the wall?"
 (section: 4 / paragraph: b / sub-paragraph: iv / line: 2)
Answer: The stronger beam will be used for measurement purposes

Question: May mirrors be placed on top of premade template(s) on/in the LSS and remain in that configuration while the event supervisor turns on the laser and measures the accuracy or would leaving the premade template(s) in place be modifying the LSS?
 (section: 3 / paragraph: d / sub-paragraph: xv / line: 1)
Answer: Yes, mirrors may be placed and left on top of or under the premade template(s)during set up and testing. Putting templates on/in the LSS is not considered modifying it.

Question: May students bring in a blank template (clean sheet of paper), put a hole in the template (for the barrier), place the template in the box then draw on their template within the 4 minutes?
 (section: 2 / paragraph: a / sub-paragraph: 1 / line: 1)
Answer: Yes, students may modify their templates and/or measuring tools in any way during their allowed 4 minutes.

Question: My partner and I use a grid template for the laser shoot. In competition, are we allowed to lift up a barrier to place the grid?
 (section: 3 / paragraph: d / sub-paragraph: xii / line: 1)
Answer: No, teams may not move the barriers. They may place the templates around the barriers or on top of the barriers. Teams may cut their templates to fit during their 4 minute set up time.

Question: The rules state that "A barrier is placed somewhere along the line between emitting tip of the laser and the Target Point". Does this mean that the barrier can be placed very close tho the laser or to the Target Point?
 (section: 3 / paragraph: d / sub-paragraph: xii / line: 1)
Answer: The barrier (barriers for Div. C) will be placed in the same position for all teams. The chosen position for the barrier will be at the Event Supervisors discretion.

Question: Can the premade template remain in the box during the laser shoot?
 (section: 2 / paragraph: a / sub-paragraph:  / line: 1)
Answer: Yes

Question: If the laser is split into 2 distinct beams by a mirror, which beam is used to determine accuracy? Or is the average of the beams taken since the rules say "the horizontal distance to the center of where the laser strikes the wall?"
 (section: 4 / paragraph: b / sub-paragraph: iv / line: 2)
Answer: The stronger beam will be used for measurement purposes.

Question: May mirrors be placed on top of premade template(s) on/in the LSS and remain in that configuration while the event supervisor turns on the laser and measures the accuracy or would leaving the premade template(s) in place be modifying the LSS?
 (section: 3 / paragraph: d / sub-paragraph: xv / line: 1)
Answer: Yes, mirrors may be placed and left on top of or under the premade template(s)during set up and testing. Putting templates on/in the LSS is not considered modifying it.

Question: May students bring in a blank template (clean sheet of paper), put a hole in the template (for the barrier), place the template in the box then draw on their template within the 4 minutes?
 (section: 2 / paragraph: a / sub-paragraph: 1 / line: 1)
Answer: Yes, students may modify their templates and/or measuring tools in any way during their allowed 4 minutes.

Added 01/29/12 National Rule Clarification:
The templates may remain under the mirrors and stay when the laser is turned on.

Added 01/26/12 Event clarification: 2.a and 2.b. – These two paragraphs make a distinction between reference material in a 3-ring binder and “any measuring tool, premade templates, writing utensils,….calculators….”   Therefore, students may bring notes or any other information they want as long as it is secured in the 3-ring binder.  They may ALSO bring measuring tools, pre-made templates, pens and pencils, and any type of calculators.  It would be very nice if the stuff other than the binder were secured in some way or another so that they don’t fall all over the floor.

Added 01/24/12 Question: Which version of primary colors should the students know?  An article on the internet on primary colors mentions all the color models RGB, CMYK and RYB and says the choice of primary colors is arbitrary.
Answer: When Light is projected, the RGB primaries are appropriate (projectors, computer screens, laser display devices, Floodlights on a stage etc.)
When dealing with printed or painted materials the Cyan/Magenta/Yellow model is appropriate (think about the toner cartridges in your laser printer).
The students need to know when to use each set based on the description of the problem.
Another Answer – same content, other event captain:
Primary colors are not just the RGB; they are also the CMYK and anything you want it to be.
I know that sounds vague but that’s the way it is.
By definition primary colors are the color combinations that can cover the entire visible spectrum
Secondary is what you get when you mix your primary colors.
Complementary is when you add two colors and produce black or white
Ie.... R+G+B = White = R+(G+B) = R + Cyan   Therefore red and cyan are
Complementary.

*****Note that the maximum set up time for both Optics B & C is four minutes for the Laser Shoot.  Since there is no scoring that takes the time into consideration, we will have the teams stop after 4 minutes.

Added 01/22/12 Reminder: Teams may use templates (which must arrive secured in their binders) to set up their laser shoots.  The templates must be removed before the laser shoot.

Added 01/18/12 You may bring templates for the laser shoot as long as they are in a pouch that is secured in the rings of a 3-ring binder.  You may use them to set up the Laser Shoot Surface (LSS) at the Competition.  The templates must be taken out of the LSS before the laser is turned on.
The photos of the LSS that are posted on our website do not include:
1.  3.d.ix the line that will be drawn from the “point directly below the … laser to a point directly below the center of the of the laser beam where it strikes the opposite wall” and
2. 3.d.xi. the metric scale

Of course, those things will be on the LSS at both B & C Competitions.
Question:  “Can students bring a flat template to lay on the surface of the LSS for reference? Can the mirrors and barriers be placed on the template during set-up time?”
Answer:  2.a. of the event description says that templates are OK.  So, yes, students may bring templates but only if they are in something that snaps into the 3-ring binder so that they are not loose. 
The students may use the templates during set up by placing mirrors on them. 

Added 01/16/12 Photos of the Laser Shoot Surface (LSS), laser, mirrors and barriers...

Added 01/13/12 Information from the Coaches & Event Captain Meetiing Jan. 11, 2012 
Photos of the testing device, mirrors and block will be on the website.
3” mirrors are mounted on wood blocks.
The more mirrors students use, the higher the score.
Maximum set-up time = 4 minutes.  It is not a race.  They have plenty of time.
2.b. – all reference materials, including a template if they want to have one, must fit in notebook (binder) and stay secured in notebook (binder) when students enter the room.
Test all multiple choice, True or False test except for tie-breaker.

Added 12/17/11 From the Regional Event Captain:
The Laser Blocks are made from the same 1x4 Stock (so nominally 3 ½ inch tall and ¾ Inch thick)  that the walls of the box were made out of , and they are 3.5 cm wide.  [spec 2-4 cm]
The mirrors are 3 inch square flat rear surface glass mirrors mounted to blocks cut from the same 1x4 stock and are 7.5 cm wide [spec 5-8 cm]

Added 10/19/11 The event description in this year’s Rules Manual trumps all other information.  3. xiii. – 1 – 5 mirrors means that the teams are required to use only 1 mirror, but they may choose to use up to 5 mirrors.
Another confusion that might pop up on message boards is that Divs B & C have different numbers of barriers even though the LSS diagram is the same.  Div B has one barrier.

Added 09/21/11 - Build Events - from the Regional Director

Resources:

• National SO Optics web page.
• scioly Wiki
• scioly Forum
• scioly Test Exchange

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Note:  Content from sites outside of www.sandiegoso.org  are included for your use, but the information on other web sites may not be official. Always review all official rules and regulations in the current Rules Manual, on the national web page www.soinc.org, and check with Liz Jablecki if you are still in doubt.