Thursday, November 18, 2010

Fizzix Funday 2010: Drop It, Launch It, Thrill It

Hawks Have ‘Fizzix Funday’ - physics students showcase their science skills

Seminole Ridge HS physics students showcased their skills Wednesday, November 17, 2010 testing their “Fizzix Funday” research projects. Students chose to either ‘Drop It,’ ‘Launch It,’ or ‘Thrill It’ creating the ideal container to protect an egg from a seven-story drop, blasting off the ultimate water bottle rocket, or building the best roller coaster model. President Obama remarked in 2009 speech at the National Academy of Sciences, "I want us all to think about new and creative ways to engage young people in science and engineering, whether it's science festivals, robotics competitions, fairs that encourage young people to create and build and invent -- to be makers of things, not just consumers of things." Physics teacher Erich Landstrom listened to the President, and challenges his students to design, construct, and compete.
Drop It
Launch It Thrill It

The Fizzix Funday began with ‘Drop It.’ The Palm Beach County Fire Department assisted in testing for the most efficient package to protect a raw large chicken egg from cracking after a seventy foot free fall from the ladder of the fire truck.

Congratulations to Arnold Banner, whose container creation weight was just 13 grams! Arnold Banner

At 11 AM, the students began ‘Launch It,’ aiming for a projectile put together around an ordinary 2 liter plastic soda bottle and fired using compressed air at 60 psi and 12 ounces of water with the greatest air aloft “hang time” launched by compressed air and water.
Congratulations to Yiro Shimabukuro and Moegamat Peck, whose “This Side Up” was airborne for 8.0 seconds! Yiro and Mo

After lunch, the students finished big with ‘Build It,’ creating a coaster with the longest ride time to go from the Start position to the Finish (with bonus points for loops and attraction). Thrill Coasters
Congratulations to Mark Blanar and Joseph Pavicic, whose “Collision Course” kept rolling along for an average of twenty two seconds! Mark Blanar and Joseph Pavicic