Mystery Architecture B

Pup327
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by Pup327 »

I am new to Science Olympiad this year and am coaching my son’s Mystery Architecture team. Does anyone have any good practice challenges for a cantilever? So far we haven’t had any in competition but it is my understanding that they are no longer reserved for state and finals, correct? We practiced once and I gave them a cup of coins for the counterbalance, a soda can for the load, and the table was used as the fulcrum. Is this generally how they are done? Any guidance would be much appreciated.
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by IsabellaC92343 »

Hello!
At the last invitational (Bayard) my partner and I struggled with making an arch, especially one that is rounded. We eventually came up with an idea but that only gave us 15cm in height. Any tips or ideas on how to make an arch that is both study and tall as well as rounded. Thanks!
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by IsabellaC92343 »

Pup327 wrote:I am new to Science Olympiad this year and am coaching my son’s Mystery Architecture team. Does anyone have any good practice challenges for a cantilever? So far we haven’t had any in competition but it is my understanding that they are no longer reserved for state and finals, correct? We practiced once and I gave them a cup of coins for the counterbalance, a soda can for the load, and the table was used as the fulcrum. Is this generally how they are done? Any guidance would be much appreciated.
I haven't done a cantilever yet in competition but we've practiced multiple times using a golf ball for the load. A golf ball was used for the load at one of our competitions for a bridge. You can use a 200 g weight for counterbalance. From my understanding, you cannot use the table as a fulcrum because the cantilever is not allowed to dip below table level. You can use a small cup or book as the fulcrum.
A practice test you can do for cantilever is
fulcrum: book or 8-ounce cup
load: golf ball
counterbalance: 200 g weight
Materials: 5 rubber bands, 2 sheets of paper, 30 cm of tape, 2 pipe cleaners.
Best of luck!
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by Pup327 »

IsabellaC92343 wrote:
Pup327 wrote:I am new to Science Olympiad this year and am coaching my son’s Mystery Architecture team. Does anyone have any good practice challenges for a cantilever? So far we haven’t had any in competition but it is my understanding that they are no longer reserved for state and finals, correct? We practiced once and I gave them a cup of coins for the counterbalance, a soda can for the load, and the table was used as the fulcrum. Is this generally how they are done? Any guidance would be much appreciated.
I haven't done a cantilever yet in competition but we've practiced multiple times using a golf ball for the load. A golf ball was used for the load at one of our competitions for a bridge. You can use a 200 g weight for counterbalance. From my understanding, you cannot use the table as a fulcrum because the cantilever is not allowed to dip below table level. You can use a small cup or book as the fulcrum.
A practice test you can do for cantilever is
fulcrum: book or 8-ounce cup
load: golf ball
counterbalance: 200 g weight
Materials: 5 rubber bands, 2 sheets of paper, 30 cm of tape, 2 pipe cleaners.
Best of luck!

This is very helpful. Thank you!
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by mvsomacoach »

hi,
in one of trial events in my local area, the event was to build a tower with cups, straws, etc.
i was surprised as i know tower was removed from the list this time around and we mostly focused on bridges, cantilever, etc.

when asked, i was told that raised bridge is essentially a tower.
i don't see how this is the case as a tower is used to raise something and a bridge is used to cross something. maybe i am not being imaginative enough?

help me understand, is tower still part of this years competition, albeit in disguise?

appreciate any response. thanks.
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by sciolyperson1 »

mvsomacoach wrote:hi,
in one of trial events in my local area, the event was to build a tower with cups, straws, etc.
i was surprised as i know tower was removed from the list this time around and we mostly focused on bridges, cantilever, etc.

when asked, i was told that raised bridge is essentially a tower.
i don't see how this is the case as a tower is used to raise something and a bridge is used to cross something. maybe i am not being imaginative enough?

help me understand, is tower still part of this years competition, albeit in disguise?

appreciate any response. thanks.
Yep, that really shouldn't be allowed. A bridge isn't a tower, and a tower isn't a bridge. Bridges aim for the longest length, but never tallest height.
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by waffletree »

sciolyperson1 wrote:
mvsomacoach wrote:hi,
in one of trial events in my local area, the event was to build a tower with cups, straws, etc.
i was surprised as i know tower was removed from the list this time around and we mostly focused on bridges, cantilever, etc.

when asked, i was told that raised bridge is essentially a tower.
i don't see how this is the case as a tower is used to raise something and a bridge is used to cross something. maybe i am not being imaginative enough?

help me understand, is tower still part of this years competition, albeit in disguise?

appreciate any response. thanks.
Yep, that really shouldn't be allowed. A bridge isn't a tower, and a tower isn't a bridge. Bridges aim for the longest length, but never tallest height.
Would it have been an elevated bridge, where they tell you how long the bridge has to be, and you make it as tall as possible, and they might have a weight to put on it too. Elevated bridges are in the rules this year.
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by heiber »

sciolyperson1 wrote:
mvsomacoach wrote:hi,
in one of trial events in my local area, the event was to build a tower with cups, straws, etc.
i was surprised as i know tower was removed from the list this time around and we mostly focused on bridges, cantilever, etc.

when asked, i was told that raised bridge is essentially a tower.
i don't see how this is the case as a tower is used to raise something and a bridge is used to cross something. maybe i am not being imaginative enough?

help me understand, is tower still part of this years competition, albeit in disguise?

appreciate any response. thanks.
Yep, that really shouldn't be allowed. A bridge isn't a tower, and a tower isn't a bridge. Bridges aim for the longest length, but never tallest height.
Agreed - they did not run it correctly. My son had a similar issue with an invite this year when they used a test from last year for Meteorology so it had different topics. A lot of times these are volunteers who do not always know all of the rules.

BUT ALSO, in my coaching, we've discussed how towers, bridges, arches, and cantilevers have many similar elements (supports, cross bracing / platforms, tension, compression) and it is the constraints and objectives that make them different. I think that helps to simplify the problem solving.
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by mvsomacoach »

i appreciate the replies to my question.
i read through all the posts (from before as well) and there is lot of good information here. thanks for that.

i also have few other questions. if anybody has answers for any of them.

. other than the file SO_B_2019.pdf is there any other place where the rules are listed?
i just saw one item in the faq that somebody linked to. maybe i missed others?

. is there a restriction that the parts provided in the bag have to be used whole, in other words without trimming them?
of course sticky tape is trimmed to length, but i was referring to things like sticks/straws/paper that are members of the structure?
i don't think there is such a restriction but i had there was some disqualification done in one of the events due to this. this was last year though.

. is the time flexible? is the overall event duration 50 minutes (when rules are explained, questions are answered, etc.), or is it just the construction time?
for example can the construction time itself be just 30 minutes or so?

thanks again!
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Re: Mystery Architecture B

Post by heiber »

mvsomacoach wrote:i appreciate the replies to my question.
i read through all the posts (from before as well) and there is lot of good information here. thanks for that.

i also have few other questions. if anybody has answers for any of them.

. other than the file SO_B_2019.pdf is there any other place where the rules are listed?
i just saw one item in the faq that somebody linked to. maybe i missed others?

. is there a restriction that the parts provided in the bag have to be used whole, in other words without trimming them?
of course sticky tape is trimmed to length, but i was referring to things like sticks/straws/paper that are members of the structure?
i don't think there is such a restriction but i had there was some disqualification done in one of the events due to this. this was last year though.

. is the time flexible? is the overall event duration 50 minutes (when rules are explained, questions are answered, etc.), or is it just the construction time?
for example can the construction time itself be just 30 minutes or so?

thanks again!
All events are typically 50 minutes to allow time to get to the next event. So for MA, it is usually about 25-30 minutes of build time plus time at the beginning to get settled and explain instructions and time at the end to test, clean up, etc. The exact time is up to the event coordinator and it also depends on if they test all at the end or as people finish.
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