THERMODYNAMICS - Division C
Teams must construct an insulated device prior to the tournament that is designed to retain heat. Students must also complete a written test on thermodynamic concepts.
Thermodynamics C requires each team to impound its device, parts and any supplies (including notes) at the scheduled impound time. All of these materials should be placed in one box
with the school and team's name on the box.
EACH device MUST have the school name and the team name written permanently on the device.
Added 03/06/12 Rule clarification that will apply to our State Competition...
Question: Would it be permitted to bring a thermometer as a part/supply? The thermometer would only be used to take the temperature of the internal beaker when it is first entered in the device in order to make a more accurate prediction.
(section: 2 / paragraph: a / sub-paragraph: / line: 1-4)
Answer: Yes, as long as their own thermometer or probe is at room temperature, this is legal.
Question: Does the hole above the beaker have to be a consistent 1.5 cm in diameter or can it narrow as it approaches the beaker? May the opening be covered?
(section: 3 / paragraph: d / sub-paragraph: / line: 2)
Answer: The entire opening from top of the device to the water surface must be at least 1.5 cm in diameter and remain completely open during the competition.
Question: Are chipboard, particle board, hardboard, plywood, or engineered woods acceptable as wood?
(section: 3 / paragraph: a / sub-paragraph: / line: 1)
Answer: Yes
Added 02/14/12 Coaches,the National clarification says that the lid (if there is one during the device is being used) cannot be removed for the purpose of putting the thermometer in there.
In summary, if you bring in your device without a lid, that is okay. However, if you bring in your device with a lid and during the cooling period, the lid is on, the lid has to stay on for the portion when the thermometer is inserted into the device.
The lid, if there is one during the cooling period, cannot be removed.
So, you may have a lid or not have a lid for the device. If you have a lid, keep it on.
Added 02/08/12 National clarifications, this may affect your teams. We are planning to ask the students if they want us to transfer the beaker with water to their device – or would they rather do it. We did the transfer for Div B at the request of the coaches.
Added 01/26/12 Information from the Coaches & Event Captain Meeting Jan. 25, 2012
2.c. – “up to 4 plots” Versus 2.a. “Notes of any kind …in a 3-ring binder of any size….”
2.a. tells the students that they may bring “notes of any kind …in a 3-ring binder of any size….” The event captain will not check the notes. Therefore, the students may have as many plots as they like in their 3-ring binders. They will hand in 4 plots (either as 4 separate graphs or overlain on one graph) – 2.c.
Students have no advantage where they sit in the room – the same temperature water will come to the students.
Ice water will be measured in graduated cylinders.
At the end of the event the device must be able to be taken apart for examination by the event captain.
Plugs are NOT allowed!
Written test will be at the same time as device testing.
Written test: multiple choice
Students will decide if they want to lift the filled internal beaker and put it in the device – or if they want the people pouring the water to lift it in for them.
Ice water only goes into the internal beaker.
Added 01/22/12 What constitutes granular? A coach has just pointed out that the national SO website lists sugar as an organic granular substance that is acceptable for these events. So, we will try to figure it out. Forget the sieve. It’s gone.
From the national website: http://soinc.org/node/856
What is meant by organic granular material?
Organic material is matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or the product of decay, or is composed of organic compound. Granular material is a conglomeration of discrete solid, macroscopic particles characterized by a loss of energy whenever the particles interact (the most common example would be friction when grains collide). Thus, organic granular material could be described as a collection of pieces of organic material. Some examples of organic granular materials are rice, coffee, corn flakes, sugar, nuts, popcorn, coal, pieces of cork, leaves, etc.
“Granular material is a conglomeration of discrete solid, macroscopic particles characterized by a loss of energy whenever the particles interact”.
The event captain or one of her assistants will pinch a bit of the material and rub it between her fingers to determine its granular nature.
Added 01/21/12 2.c. line 1 – Each team may have a maximum of 4 plots. This question was asked at the Division B meeting last week.
3.a., line 1 – organic granular material. What constitutes “granular.” Many small pieces. Some teams may grind up already granular material into smaller pieces. That is fine, but they should not use the resulting powder that is also produced.
After the devices have completed the water testing, the event captain may ask to inspect the devices to make sure that the visible materials are not replaced by other materials underneath.
Added 01/20/12 Question:
(section: 4 / paragraph: a / sub-paragraph: v / line: )
[I did not see a question, but we have an answer.]
Answer: Teams may elect to add up to 100 mL of water from an ice bath to their
INTERNAL BEAKER (note: delete the "s") immediately after receiving the hot
water for bonus points.
Added 01/16/12 In the event description, Thermodynamics C 2.a. instructs each team to bring “2 identical 250 mL Pyrex beakers….”
The beakers should have the volumes etched on the sides from 50-150 ml in 25 ml increments. The beakers may have more than that, but we will need that much for the competitions. If the beakers do NOT have volume markings, please mark them on the outside.
Added 01/03/12 Students may place their "in air" (external) beakers directly on the counters or on things they bring along - like notebooks.
4.a.v. - If the students want to add the ice water option, they may choose what volume of ice water they want – up to 100 ml. The event captain – an assistant – will measure the requested volume of ice water in a graduated cylinder and hand it to the team.
Added 12/13/11 Clarification from Nationals:
Question: What is meant by organic granular material? (section: 3 / paragraph: a / sub-paragraph: / line: 1)
Answer: Organic material is matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or the product of decay, or is composed of organic compound. Granular material is a conglomeration of discrete solid, macroscopic particles characterized by a loss of energy whenever the particles interact (the most common example would be friction when grains collide). Thus, organic granular material could be described as a collection of pieces of organic material. Some examples of organic granular materials are rice, coffee, corn flakes, sugar, nuts, popcorn, coal, pieces of cork, leaves, etc.
Cork is organic, but it would need to be ground up to make it also granular.
For our Regional Competition, do not use dirt. Part of it is organic, but part of it may not be organic.
Clay and sand are conglomerations of organic and inorganic materials therefore are not allowed due to their inorganic components.
Added 12/08/11 Teams may bring (in their all-inclusive boxes) something on which they can place the external beaker – something like a paperback book, wascloth, whatever. However, reading 5.d.iii., the teams may want to place the external beakers directly on the lab benches.
Added 12/06/11 Score Sheets for San Diego Regional Competition on Thermodynamics C page 1 and page 2
Added 12/02/11 This will be a challenging event to run this year. It is fascinating that 2.d in the event description it says that, “The team’s device, parts and any supplies (beakers, tools, notes, plots, etc.) must be impounded before the event starts.”
*Each team has to impound everything for this event.
*We encourage every team to put all of its Thermodynamics stuff in ONE box that can be impounded.
*Put your school and team names on the box.
We are running endless tests on a great variety of equipment to find the best way to get every team water at the same temperature and to measure the final temperatures.
Added 11/17/11 Official Rule Clarification: (11/09/11): Teams may elect to add up to 100 mL of water from an ice bath to their internal beakers immediately after receiving the hot water for bonus points.
Added 11/08/11 3.a. of the event description (Thermodynamics C) lists the allowed materials. It includes “organic granular material.” Our event captain states that “organic granular material” means rice, beans, couscous, lentils, etc.
No sand, no salt. They are silica and HCl, respectively. They do not contain carbon and are not organic.
Added 10/20/11: There will be NO walk in time for device testing. Both written test and device testing will take place during the same scheduled time.
This change has been made to the Event Schedule.
Resources:
- National SO Thermodynamics web page.
- scioly Wiki
- scioly Forum
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