Science Olympiad 2014 Knowledge-based & Lab-based Events

1. Science Olympiad 2014 Knowledge-based & Lab-based Events

2. Knowledge-based Events

3. Anatomy • This event encompasses the anatomy (structure and function) of the nervous and integumentary systems. • Nervous System – The Brain, Sense Organs, Nervous disorders (Epilepsy, Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Shingles (Herpes Zoster), Cerebral Palsy, Glaucoma, Conjunctivitis) • Effects of the drugs: alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and marijuana on the nervous system • Integumentary System – Functions, Basic anatomy of skin, Components of skin, hair and nails, anatomy of integumentary glands, Diseases on each level from the cell to the whole person – burns, allergies, allergens, skin/nail infections, skin cancer

4. Disease Detectives • Students will use their investigative skills in the scientific study of disease, injury, health, and disability in populations of groups of people with a focus on Environmental Quality. • Topics include health as well as illness – mental, physical, infectious, chronic, environmental, societal, genetic, injuries and health behaviours. • Students will be expected to define basic epidemiological and public health terms like outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, surveillance, risk, vector, fomite, zoonosis, etc. • Recognize various categories of disease causing agents & give examples of illnesses caused by each • Recognize and understand differences among the major groups of infectious agents like viruses, bacteria, protistans, fungi and animals.

5. Dynamic Planet • Students will use process skills to complete tasks related to glaciation and long term climate change • Topics include - • Glacial formation, mass-balance, and flow • Glacier and ice sheet types and forms (alpine and continental) • Glacial erosion, erosional landforms, and sediment transport • Interpretation of glaciers and glacially altered landscape features shown on USGS topographic maps • Periglacial environment processes and landforms, Pleistocene and pre-Pleistocene glacial history, Milankovich cycles and other theories explaining glacial and ice sheet advance and retreat • Glaciers as indicators of modern global climate change

6. Heredity • Knowledge on basic principles of genetics • Topics include – • Monohybrid Cross • Dihybrid Cross • Dominant and recessive alleles • Multiple alleles • Genotype vs. Phenotype • Human sex determination • Gene: protein relationship • DNA Structure and replication • Mitosis & Meiosis • Human karyotypes analysis for nondisjunction disorders

7. Meteorology • Topics include – • Cyclones, anti-cyclones, weather maps, weather stations, global circulation patterns, mid-latitude cyclones, hurricanes, Saffir-Simpson Scale • Thunderstorms, supercell thunderstorms, dry line thunderstorms, squall lines, meoscale convective complexes • Straight line winds, downdrafts, downbursts, derechos, dust storms • Lightning strokes, sprites & jets, lightning direction finders • Tornados: life cycles, characteristics, Fujita & E-Fujita scales • Severe Storm Hazards: Flash flood, debris flow, mudslide, atmospheric river, winds, etc. • Observation Technologies including aircraft, satellite imagery, Doppler Radar, Stationary Radar, bow front and TVS

8. Road Scholar • Students will have to answer questions on state highway maps, USGS topographic maps, Internet-generated maps, road atlas or satellite/aerial images. • Map Testing Areas include – • Map location/series/scale/index/legend • Marginal information, contours, magnetic declination • Map symbols & features, Azimuths and bearings • Geographic coordinate system features and symbols • Public Land Survey System (PLSS), Graticule tick marks • Universal Transversal Mercator (UTM) • Map grid system, city/regional inserts on the highway map

9. Solar System • Students need to demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the properties and evolution of extraterrestrial ice and water in the solar system. • Topics include – • Mars: North Polar Ice Cap, South Polar Ice Cap, Equatorial Glaciers, Permafrost • Europa: Thrace Macula, Thera Macula, Conamara Chaos, Ridges, Cycloids, Plains, Ocean • Enceladus: Plumes, Jets, Tiger Stripes • Iapetus, Triton, Ceres, and Titan • Comets, The Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud • History and formation processes for the topics above • Physical, thermal, and chemical properties of potential habitats for life • Past, current and planned future missions to explore these objects

10. Water Quality • The event will focus on the evaluation and understanding of aquatic environments. • Topics include – • Aquatic ecology, water cycles, nutrient cycling, aquatic chemistry and it’s implications for life, potable water treatment, waster water treatment, aquatic food chains/webs, community interactions, population dynamics, watershed resource management issues, sedimentation pollution and harmful species. • Coral reefs, reef ecosystems, identification of Coral Reef organisms and their importance as indicators of reef health. • Knowledge of general ecology, life cycles and feeding habits of Banded Coral shrimp, Butterfly fish, Morey eel, long-spined black sea-urchins, Triton, Bumphead parrotfish, Humphead wrasse • Understand and interpret data related to salinity, pH, phosphates, temperature, nitrates, fecal coliform, total solids, aragonite saturation and their relationship to one another.

11. Lab-based Events

12. Can’t Judge a Powder • For testing at school level students will be asked to identify/write chemical composition of substances like baking soda, sugar, sodium chloride, sodium acetate, calcium carbonate etc. and their reaction with water, acids, if endothermic or exothermic & pH values. • Please note that for Regionals, State & Nationals this event will be more hands-on

13. Entomology • Students will be asked to identify an insect’s Order, Family or common name • Economic or health impact of the specimen upon the human race • Structure and function of internal and external anatomy, ecology, behavior, and history • Insects are limited to an Official Insect List which is based on the Audobon Insect and Spider Field guide (to be published later at the club meeting) • For school level testing, insects will be limited to the following – A. Protura-telsontails, proturans, B. Collembola-springtails, snow, fleas, C. Diplura-diplurans, D. Thysanura-bristletails, silverfish, E. Ephemeroptera-mayflies, F. Odonata-dragon/damselflies 1. Aeshnidae-darners, dragonflies, 2. Gomphidae –clubtails, 3. Libellulidae-skimmers, dragonflies, 4. Lestidae-Spreadwing, 5. Coenagrionidae-narrow winged (Letters refer to order and numbers refer to families)

14. Rocks and Minerals • Topics include – • Rock Cycle • Properties of minerals • Mineral groups • Formation and properties of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks • Bowen’s reaction series • Composition and structure of minerals

15. Shock Value • Topics include – • Basic electrical DC circuit theory (voltage, current flow & direction, electrical pathways, amperes, ohms, ohm’s law) • Basic electrical device concepts (battery polarity, parallel vs. series circuits, dry vs. wet cells, light bulb and motor connections) • Basic magnetic concepts (Earth’s magnetic field, electromagnet principles, magnetic vs. non-magnetic materials, magnet shapes/types)