Meaning of Rules

[goodcheer]

The reason we added the flashlight and photocells in between the switch the golf ball hits and the buzzer was we were trying to include another bonus sequence but I don't want to get the points for that and lose the points for the final task. Do you guys think this is acceptable per the rules or something that needs changed?

I agree the ETS probably won't count without the second golf ball. Also, the final task might not count with this set-up. It seems the last golf ball must trigger a switch and the switch activates a buzzer with nothing else between the switch and the buzzer. This is just my opinion, but my opinions have been over-ruled a lot this year. Submitting an FAQ might be good idea.

[ScienceNerd27]

I thought I read that there was a limit on the number of motors we could use but now I can't find it in the rules. So is there a limit or did I imagine reading this????

[Phys1cs]

I thought I read that there was a limit on the number of motors we could use but now I can't find it in the rules. So is there a limit or did I imagine reading this????

There was a limit in the original rules for 2014, but not this year (2015)

[TXScioly]

What counts as a "Unique ETS"?
Are "M - E - M - M" and "M - E - M - M - M" unique?
I think this depends on the definition of "transfer" in the rules. Does it mean a change from one energy type to a different one? Or just a transfer of energy (A ball colliding with another ball "transfers" its Kinetic Energy to the 2nd ball).
I'm ASSUMING they mean the former definition, where the transfer must involve a CHANGE of type of energy, since this is what counted for points last year (M -> M was just counted as a duplicate and ignored last year). If we use this definition, I would say those two ETS's above are NOT unique, since, without the duplicate M->M's, they are both "M-E-M".

Any thoughts?

[blakinator8]

I agree with your interpretation of the rules, based on the phrase "has a sequence of 2 or more transfers from one Energy Form to a different Energy Form"

[bearasauras]

I think it's allowed based on this FAQ: http://soinc.org/node/1611