Q. Is there a time limit for the construction of the planes in Aerodynamics?

Yes. Teams will be limited to 15 minutes of construction time to create their two planes. Also, each plane that is built MUST be launched. One team member will launch one plane. The second team member must then launch the other plane. No team member will launch two planes, nor will one plane be launched twice. (1/15/01)

Q. Can we bring our own mirrors for Reflection Relay?

No. In a change for 2001, teams must use the mirrors supplied by Jacksonville High School for both parts of Reflection Relay. JHS will have three pocket mirrors for part I and three standing mirrors for part II. Schools may not use their own mirrors. (1/15/01)

Q. Can we use more than one rubber band in Can Race?

No. Only one rubber band may be used for your Can Race device. It must be a pre-made commercially available rubber band. (2/10/00)

Q. Are programmable calculators permitted?

Programmable calculators are PROHIBITED from all ESO at JHS events. Where calculators are permitted, only non-programmable calculators are allowed. Even if students are not aware of programmable functions, those teams found using programmable calculators in an event are subject to disqualification for that event.
(1/15/00)

Q. How are disqualifications scored for team points?

Teams which are disqualifed from an event will earn last place points based on the number of teams competing in the event. For team scoring, 1st place in all events will earn 17 points, 2nd place: 16 points, 3rd place: 15 points, and so on. In the event that only 10 teams compete in an event, 1st place still receives 17 points... last place or 10th would receive 8 points.

Teams are "disqualified" when, for example, their egg breaks in Crash Landing. For more serious rules violations (flagrant or unsportsmanlike), the tournament director may rule that the team receive NO points for that event.
(1/15/00)

Q. What will the running surface be for Can Race and Pastamobile?

Vehicles will be launched and run in the Jacksonville High School Gymnasium. The racing surface will be the basketball court.
(1/9/00)

Q. Where will the Crash Landing devices be dropped?

Crash Landing egg devices will be dropped from the second floor overlooking the atrium area near the entrance of Jacksonville High School. The drop is approximately 15 feet.
(1/9/00)

Q. There are no time limits for several events in the ESO Manual. Have you set any?

Although time limits have never been a problem in the past (A is for Anatomy has been run for 7 years with all teams completing the event with time to spare), we have established time limits for several events in attempt to avoid in future problems.
Students will have the indicated amount of time to complete the test. Time is not a scoring factor in any of the following events.

A is for Anatomy	45 minutes
Cranium Command	45 minutes
Food for Thought	45 minutes
Science Detectives	45 minutes*
What Are You Trying To Tell Me?	45 minutes

*In Science Detectives, teams will have 20 minutes to complete each part and an additional 5 minutes at the end to review their work.
Time limits are already outlined in the rules of several other ESO events.
(1/9/00)

Q. Must the can in Can Race be made of metal?

According to Webster's Dictionary, cans are generally metallic. Therefore, the can must be made of a metallic substance in your can racer. (11/24/99)

Q. Are 3rd graders permitted to compete in ESO at JHS?

Although Division A2 for the Science Olympiad is designed for students in grades 3 through 6, the Elementary Science Olympiad at Jacksonville High School only allows students from grades 4, 5, and 6 on its teams (with a limit of 8 sixth graders per team). These three grade levels were selected based on the structure of schools in east-central Alabama prior to the first ESO at JHS in 1993. The policy may be readdressed for future Olympiads based on need, however third graders may not compete in ESO 2000 at Jacksonville High School. (11/11/99)

Q. Has the preparation time been reduced for Reflection Relay?

Yes, because of the past history of our participants completing part I of Reflection Relay in much less than one minute, the preparation time has been reduced to 30 seconds for part I only. Therefore, teams which can align their mirrors to bounce the light beam off the target in part I in less than 30 seconds will receive a score of zero (0). Penalty time will begin at 31 seconds. For example, a team that takes 45 seconds to complete part one will receive a score of 15 (45 seconds - 30 seconds of allowed preparation time = 15 points). (10/22/99)

Q. Could you give some examples of the puzzles in Cranium Command?

SAMPLE PUZZLE

(1) List the 9 planets in our solar system.
Mercury	Venus	Earth	Mars	Jupiter	Saturn	Uranus	Neptune	Pluto
(2) Then using the last letter of each planet, spell out the name of a red flower (not all letters should be used).
Y	S	H	S	R	N	S	E	O
Ans. ROSE
(3) With the remaining letters, eliminate all those letters which could be the first letter of a personal pronoun.
Y	S	H	S	N
Ans. You, She, He.
(4) The remaining letter is used to indicate what direction on a compass?
Ans. N = North.

Then North is the answer to this "puzzle" and a clue to the master puzzle.
Other "puzzles" could yield the clues: State, Tennessee, & Directly. Students would place these clues into a phrase which would spell out "State Directly North of Tennessee." Thus, the master puzzle answer would be Kentucky.
In each case, the answer sheet will be formatted to assist the students in organizing and solving the puzzle. (1/28/98)

Last Updated: January 15, 2001

Copyright 2001, David Peters, ESO at Jacksonville High School.
Reproduction for educational use permitted.