Science Olympiad 2014 Knowledge-based & Lab-

based Events

Knowledge-based Events

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Lab-based Events

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

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)

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

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)