Technical Problem Solving C

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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by tangentline »

At some regionals the topics aren't just limited to the rules...

I ended up getting a density problem (was the easiest) but also a circuit problem w/ a multimeter before either teammate learned about it in physics... Just putting it out there that it may be different than just these limited topics.
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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by EastStroudsburg13 »

If the supervisor goes outside the topics listed, then they're not following the rules. This year, the topics are explicitly defined as being limited to the ones listed in the rules (Harmonics and Enzymatic Reactions). You can't do much about it now, but if that were to happen again you could probably appeal, because density and circuits are nowhere on the rules.
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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by soccerkid812 »

Does anybody have any resources for enzymatic reactions, decomposition rates, or reaction types? I am having a hard time finding information on some of these topics.
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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by FlyingDickcissel »

U ALL NEED TO HALP US CUZ WE DONT GET THIS EVENT :ugeek: :geek:
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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by hscmom »

FlyingDickcissel wrote:U ALL NEED TO HALP US CUZ WE DONT GET THIS EVENT :ugeek: :geek:
It's a tough one to study for. I suggest exhausting all the links at the soinc site and then simply doing web searches on enzymes, harmonics, how instruments work (physics of sound), etc.

I don't know what others doing/coaching this think, but to me it seems like SO took the old event name "Tech Problem Solving" and reworked it to the point where it probably should have a different name, but doesn't. The old TPS had the "flavor" of "anything goes" but now it's different and there just aren't too many things out there.

I'd say to simply be comfortable with probes, read up on the subjects, and hope for the best. In our team, we've got one student specializing in the enzymes and one in the physics of sounds. They both are learning both topics, though...

The lack of posts on this thread (and the lack of real "meat" in this thread) indicate that everyone is a bit confused on what to do.
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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by Dragonshark »

If anyone has already competed in this event for states, I (and many others) would greatly appreciate it if you gave an overview of the test, the labs that you had to do, etc.
The main problem for our team is the usage of probes, since my school is too poor to afford them. (The lab portion was also cancelled at regionals for some reason.)
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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by flyingwatermelon »

Dragonshark wrote:If anyone has already competed in this event for states, I (and many others) would greatly appreciate it if you gave an overview of the test, the labs that you had to do, etc.
The main problem for our team is the usage of probes, since my school is too poor to afford them. (The lab portion was also cancelled at regionals for some reason.)
Our Socal State Science Olympiad Technical Problem Solving was, in my opinion, rather difficult.

Three portions: Biochemistry, Harmonics and Lab.
Biochemistry: Aminotransferase on pyruvate and oxaloacetate. Had to draw molecules and name them. Cis and trans molecules. Other enzyme reactions (like formation of double bonds, hydrolysis) and graphs. Had to explain an experiment for differentiating between ternary-complex and ping-pong equilibrium.
Harmonics: Basic equations. Basic formulas. Was given four graphs of frequencies and told to differentiate them (1. Obama's yes we can speech, 2. electronic music, 3. march by john philip sousa (full orchestra), 4. phone call on radio station). Also had to explain why.
Lab: Vibrating ruler. Closed or open?
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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by fourLoko »

flyingwatermelon wrote:
Dragonshark wrote:If anyone has already competed in this event for states, I (and many others) would greatly appreciate it if you gave an overview of the test, the labs that you had to do, etc.
The main problem for our team is the usage of probes, since my school is too poor to afford them. (The lab portion was also cancelled at regionals for some reason.)
Our Socal State Science Olympiad Technical Problem Solving was, in my opinion, rather difficult.

Three portions: Biochemistry, Harmonics and Lab.
Biochemistry: Aminotransferase on pyruvate and oxaloacetate. Had to draw molecules and name them. Cis and trans molecules. Other enzyme reactions (like formation of double bonds, hydrolysis) and graphs. Had to explain an experiment for differentiating between ternary-complex and ping-pong equilibrium.
Harmonics: Basic equations. Basic formulas. Was given four graphs of frequencies and told to differentiate them (1. Obama's yes we can speech, 2. electronic music, 3. march by john philip sousa (full orchestra), 4. phone call on radio station). Also had to explain why.
Lab: Vibrating ruler. Closed or open?
That's kind of ridiculous. Were you expected to draw things like Pyruvate and OAA from memory? I've also never heard of ping-pong equilibrium and google isn't yielding any results.
Camas/Regionals/State
Astronomy (4/2/2)
Fermi (1/2/6)
Tech Problem Solving (1/3/4)
Circuits (2/4/1)
Experimental (7/1/2)
MagLev(-/2/8)
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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by flyingwatermelon »

Caltech students made the tests...so ridiculous is all part of it.

They gave you the pyruvate and OAA molecular structure and expected you to determine what amino acids are formed when they bind to aminotransferase. Points were given for both the correct molecular structure and the name of the amino acid. It technically wasn't "from memory" because we were allowed a double sided page of notes, but amino acids were not our focus so we only had notes on enzymatic reactions. We hadn't expected that level of biochem on our test otherwise we would have sent in our biochem dude who knows all that stuff.

Ping-pong equilibrium/mechanism/reaction as defined by the test was the enzyme + substrate -> the enzyme in its changed conformity + substrate -> enzyme in changed conformity + product ->enzyme in normal conformity + product
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Re: Technical Problem Solving C

Post by fourLoko »

flyingwatermelon wrote:Caltech students made the tests...so ridiculous is all part of it.

They gave you the pyruvate and OAA molecular structure and expected you to determine what amino acids are formed when they bind to aminotransferase. Points were given for both the correct molecular structure and the name of the amino acid. It technically wasn't "from memory" because we were allowed a double sided page of notes, but amino acids were not our focus so we only had notes on enzymatic reactions. We hadn't expected that level of biochem on our test otherwise we would have sent in our biochem dude who knows all that stuff.

Ping-pong equilibrium/mechanism/reaction as defined by the test was the enzyme + substrate -> the enzyme in its changed conformity + substrate -> enzyme in changed conformity + product ->enzyme in normal conformity + product
That actually sounds pretty interesting, my partner and I are USABO semifinalists so I think we would have had fun with that.
I don't like how they've narrowed down the focus of TPS the past few years, I enjoyed it more when it was a kind of "anything goes" format, especially because the rules this year are SUPER limiting, so I don't blame supervisors for venturing out of the standards.
Camas/Regionals/State
Astronomy (4/2/2)
Fermi (1/2/6)
Tech Problem Solving (1/3/4)
Circuits (2/4/1)
Experimental (7/1/2)
MagLev(-/2/8)
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