Mission Possible B

[queenelf]

The rules say that hazardous liquids are not permitted. Seems a stretch to classify water as hazardous in such a small quantity.

I would agree- but keep in mind most competitive teams use electrical circuits. Water and electricity could seriously mess up your box if something spilled or went wrong....so maybe that's what they mean.

I was just thinking... What if you have a weight/mass, like one of those that science teachers put on their scales to demonstrate how to measure mass, and it is filled with small metal beads. I do not know if the beads are made out of lead or not. Will the judges give you the benefit of the doubt because there is no way to be sure if its lead or not? or will they automatically mark you for that?

I personally wouldn't take the risk. If the metal substance ended up being lead you would have a construction violation, and that would automatically result in a tier 3- regardless if you knew it was lead or not. Most judges (at least in my state) are not very lenient in this event and would defiantly count this against you. I recommend never going into competition with a possible violation, even if you might get more points or something for the weight.

[A Person]

I was just thinking... What if you have a weight/mass, like one of those that science teachers put on their scales to demonstrate how to measure mass, and it is filled with small metal beads. I do not know if the beads are made out of lead or not. Will the judges give you the benefit of the doubt because there is no way to be sure if its lead or not? or will they automatically mark you for that?

I personally wouldn't take the risk. If the metal substance ended up being lead you would have a construction violation, and that would automatically result in a tier 3- regardless if you knew it was lead or not. Most judges (at least in my state) are not very lenient in this event and would defiantly count this against you. I recommend never going into competition with a possible violation, even if you might get more points or something for the weight.

How would a event supervisor check to see the contents of a container to see if it was lead? Open it and check its density? I'm not advertising the use of lead as a weight or anything, but I just want to know, only because of my curiosity.

[penclspinner]

I was just thinking... What if you have a weight/mass, like one of those that science teachers put on their scales to demonstrate how to measure mass, and it is filled with small metal beads. I do not know if the beads are made out of lead or not. Will the judges give you the benefit of the doubt because there is no way to be sure if its lead or not? or will they automatically mark you for that?

I personally wouldn't take the risk. If the metal substance ended up being lead you would have a construction violation, and that would automatically result in a tier 3- regardless if you knew it was lead or not. Most judges (at least in my state) are not very lenient in this event and would defiantly count this against you. I recommend never going into competition with a possible violation, even if you might get more points or something for the weight.

How would a event supervisor check to see the contents of a container to see if it was lead? Open it and check its density? I'm not advertising the use of lead as a weight or anything, but I just want to know, only because of my curiosity.

If I were an Event Supervisor and I were taking extra precautions after reading in the rules that Lead was not allowed (listed under hazardous materials), I would be compelled to lay the burden of proof on the team.
If the team is unable to definitely proof to me, or at least somehow convince me, that this heavy container is not made of lead, I would not let them run their device.

[DatScienceKid]

The rules say that hazardous liquids are not permitted. Seems a stretch to classify water as hazardous in such a small quantity.

I would agree- but keep in mind most competitive teams use electrical circuits. Water and electricity could seriously mess up your box if something spilled or went wrong....so maybe that's what they mean.

Yeah, like, my team is using almost maximum battery usage, and there are certain kinds of batteries we aren't even ALLOWED to use. The rule on water, though, that's crazy. It's just water! Well, you know, hopefully everyone medals! (yes, I know it's impossible, but aren't we mission POSSIBLE? )

[A Person]

Yeah, like, my team is using almost maximum battery usage, and there are certain kinds of batteries we aren't even ALLOWED to use. The rule on water, though, that's crazy. It's just water! Well, you know, hopefully everyone medals! (yes, I know it's impossible, but aren't we mission POSSIBLE? )

I'm not sure what you mean by that, but be careful about them. Remember 10 volts for one circuit is max.

[Jkwashbourne]

An interesting point here: I was convinced the judges would come around with a volt meter and test the voltage, but they did not. They go by the labeled voltage on commercial batteries. I was talking to a team that had timed using a 9v cordless drill battery that they decided not to run because it put out 10.4 volts.

[Skink]

And that was the wise thing to do because that would give them a construction violation for being over 10.0V. It all depends on the supervisor and how thorough they are, though, whether that would actually get caught.

[duct tape]

Our team was at a regional competition this past week ( I'm advising on MP) and one team had 4 students and a parent helping setup during the 30 min window. I asked the event supervisor ( from that school) if that was allowed and he told me " we're just being relaxed here." Not wanting to be a " little league parent" I let it go. Any advice on how to handle this, I'm pretty new to all this. We were at an invite in Indiana last month, and the supervisor ( Uncle Fester) ran the event with admirable precision. Which way are these usually run?

[duct tape]

Any opinions on whether this event is more appropriate for Div C as opposed to Div B ? I'm new to this, but it seems like there is more parental involvement than appropriate , but mostly because it seems a little beyond even the really bright kids in SO. Am I just underestimating the kids?

[penclspinner]

Our team was at a regional competition this past week ( I'm advising on MP) and one team had 4 students and a parent helping setup during the 30 min window. I asked the event supervisor ( from that school) if that was allowed and he told me " we're just being relaxed here." Not wanting to be a " little league parent" I let it go. Any advice on how to handle this, I'm pretty new to all this. We were at an invite in Indiana last month, and the supervisor ( Uncle Fester) ran the event with admirable precision. Which way are these usually run?

That team was clearly in the wrong. I've run MP a few times and when I have I've marked off a competition area in which only the competing students are allowed to enter. The only time that I allow parents in the competition area is to help students drop off/pick up a device from impound. From your description it sounds like a violation. If I were you, I would have first brought in your coach and grabbed a copy of the rules to show the coach and ES why this was an issue. This should resolve the matter, if it should not be resolved, as a last resort have the coach file an arbitration. You shouldn't be afraid to raise your concerns over situations like this, just be polite and present your case using the rules to back yourself up.

Uncle Fester is an old hand (read "like a bauss") at this, he's been running this gig for quite some time. I'm sure at the State competition this will not be an issue.

Any opinions on whether this event is more appropriate for Div C as opposed to Div B ? I'm new to this, but it seems like there is more parental involvement than appropriate , but mostly because it seems a little beyond even the really bright kids in SO. Am I just underestimating the kids?

As with all building events, you're going to see some amazingly brillant and talented students who can explain every single portion of their device to you. You will also encounter students who have no clue how to run their device and look to adults on the sidelines for guidance.
MP was traditionally a Division C event but the rules have been tailored for a middle school event.