FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 25, 2003

CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119

STUDENTS TO BUILD RACE CARS OUT OF MOUSETRAPS AND BRIDGES OUT OF TOOTHPICKS AT PHYSICS OLYMPICS

Hundreds of Iowa high school students will use toothpicks, mousetraps and soda straws to test the laws of physics at the 25th Annual Physics Olympics at Drake University.

The Physics Olympics will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, in Parents Hall in Olmsted Center, 29th Street and University Avenue. The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Drake's School of Education and the Heartland Area Education Agency.

Using only household items and their creative minds, students will be asked to construct devices for the following events:
Toy racecar mousetraps: Students design race cars out of mousetraps using only the spring to power the cars. The fastest and farthest-moving car wins.

• Falling mass-powered cars: Students raise a 1,000-gram weight 50 centimeters above a toy car to create energy that, when released, will move the car. The farthest-moving car wins.
• Toothpick bridges: Students use toothpicks and Elmer's glue to build bridges. The bridge that flexes least under weight is the winner.
• Ping-Pong catapult: Students create a catapult that will travel two meters and carry a Ping-Pong ball to be launched at a target at the end of the course. The catapult that sticks closest to the course and lands the ball closest to the target wins.
• Soda straw arm: Teams of two receive 20 jumbo plastic straws, 20 straight pins and 30 minutes to build an "arm" that will hold weight. The longest "arm" that can hold 100 grams for 10 seconds wins.
• Student-powered water heater: Teams are given a measured amount of water and have five minutes to raise its temperature using only human power. The team with the warmest water wins.

Winners in each event will advance to the state competition, which will be held at Drake on April 9.

For more information, contact Jack Gerlovich, professor of science education at Drake, at (515) 271-3912.