Physics Fair

The Henry A. Rowland Department of Physics & Astronomy

at the Johns Hopkins University

announces the

5th Annual Physics Fair!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

12 noon until 5:00

Schedule for JHU Physics Fair, Saturday, April 26, 2008

12:00	Bloomberg doors open
12:30-1:00	All Three Challenge Contests Held Science Challenge (Grades 1-8) Science Challenge (Grades 9-12) Physics Challenge (Gradess 9-12)
1:10-1:40	Hopkins "High Rise" Construction Project Contest
1:45-2:15	Professor Extraordinaire Show
2:30-3:00	Science Bowl Contest - Grades 1-8
3:00-3:15	Award Ceremony for Science Challenge & Bowl - Grades 1-8
3:15-3:45	Science Bowl Contest - Grades 9-12
3:45-4:00	Award Ceremony for Science Challenge & Bowl - Grades 9-12
4:00-4:30	Physics Bowl Contest - Grades 9-12
4:30-4:45	Award Ceremony for Physics Challenge & Bowl - Grades 9-12
5:00	Bloomberg doors close - We hope you enjoyed the day!

For further enjoyment, the following activities will be held throughout the day:

Scavenger Hunt ~ Balloon Rocket Contest ~ Over 200 Active Science Demonstrations ~ Liquid Nitrogen Frozen Ice Cream ~ Talks on Physics, Astronomy and Global Warming ~ Interactive Astronomy Exhibits and Activities ~ Sunspot Observations with the Morris Offit Telescope ~ The National Virtual Observatory Exhibit ~ Phreaky Physics...

...and much more!

Physics Challenge and Science Challenge

This individual competition is now offered to Elementary and Middle School students (8th grade and below) as well as High School students (grades 9-12). For highschoolers, the questions in this 30-minute-long multiple-choice written test are similar to the SAT, and can be used to prepare for it. The elementary school challenge is aimed at 5-8 graders and will cover general science rather than strictly physics. The problems are quantitative (so bring a calculator), but also require common sense. For practice, download a sample Physics Fair Challenge problem set. This year we are awarding cash prizes in the amounts of $50, %75 and $100, each of which will be given to the individual winners of the challenges.Anybody can enter and compete, however only K-12 students (regular or home-schooled) are eligible for awards. The top three scorers from K-12 schools will win in each contest. If you are a K-12 student, please be prepared to furnish a student ID.

Physics Bowl and Science Bowl

Unlike the Challenges, the Physics Bowl and Science Bowl are team competition. Resembling competitions like "It's Academic", each team can have up to four players, all of whom must be K-12 students. Multiple teams compete simultaneously. Each chair in the Shafler Auditorium in Bloomberg is equipped with the CPS system, allowing the contestants to press buttons and choose the answer. There will be one set of buttons per team. The results are displayed in real time. Winning prizes include trophies for the schools of the students teams. Here are some sample High School Physics Bowl questions.

The Physics Bowl is limited to 30 teams, so please pre-register by sending an email to pam@pha.jhu.edu or by printing This Form and mailing or faxing it to:


                  Pam Carmen
                  Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
                  Johns Hopkins University
                  3400 N. Charles St.
                  Baltimore, MD 21218
                  Fax: 410-516-7239

Registering on-site is possible (it closes at 12:30 pm), but only if the maximum number of teams has not already been reached. (If you have any questions, please call Pam Carmen at 410-516-7346.)

We are also offering a teacher incentive award of $50 to the first ten eachers who register and bring a team of four students to either of the Bowl Competitions

Demonstrations

During the fair, hundreds of demonstrations will be set up throughout the Bloomberg building. Exhibits will be grouped by area and are in separate rooms. In addition, tours of the building will stop by several research labs and demonstrate the use of some of the most advanced research tools.

Scavenger Hunt

Follow the trail through the fair and solve physics mysteries! Start with a list of questions, and walk around the demos in Bloomberg to find the answers. Anybody can enter, and anybody who answers all questions correctly will win a prize.

Hopkins Construction Project Competition

This competition will let visitors use materials supplied by JHU for a construction project appropriate for kids as well as great grand parents.

Special Demo Show

A popular demo show by a Johns Hopkins professor. See and understand physics principles in action!

Observations through the Morris W. Offit Telescope

The Maryland Space Grant Observatory will be open. Visitors will be able to observe sun spots and activity of the sun's corona using a special filter.

Directions and Parking

Detailed directions with maps. More maps of the Homewood campus.

Below is a map of the campus including the Bloomberg building, home of the Physics Fair. The parking lots are indicated by red arrows. Note that North is to the right!

Below is a detailed map of the area surrounding the Bloomberg building (Department of Physics and Astronomy) and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). Both Bloomberg and STScI's parking lots are reserved for Physics Fair visitors.

The parking structure has three levels. Each level uses a different entrance along San Martin Drive (as indicated on the map). The top-level (Physics and Astronomy Dept. Lot) is accessed from a driveway a few hundred feet north of STScI. The entrances to the STScI Lot are across the street from STScI (which is the beige brick building on the west side of San Martin Drive).

	Last modified: February 25, 2008
	Site Administrator