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50 pts
Knowledge Challenge
Solve questions about heat, temperature, gases, phase changes, energy, thermodynamic processes, engines, efficiency, and more.
2 • What are we doing?
Part science. Part engineering. All teamwork.
Thermodynamics is the science of heat, temperature, energy, and how energy moves from one place to another.
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50 pts
Engineering Challenge
Build a device that collects heat from a lamp, warms 100 mL of water, and lets us predict the final water temperature accurately.
3 • Our Challenge
Heat the water — and predict exactly what will happen.
At competition, our device sits under a 100–125 W heat lamp. At Regionals the heating time is 10 minutes. We want a big temperature gain, but we also want repeatable data so we can predict the final temperature.
50% understand the science
30% collect heat effectively
20% use data to predict
4 • Required
Before our first meeting
Please complete all four activities. Total time: about 30 minutes. No memorizing yet — just come curious.
1
Meet thermal energy & heat
Watch Khan Academy’s middle-school lesson. Focus on one big idea: heat is energy transferred because of a temperature difference.
Open Khan Academy ↗2
Learn the 3 ways heat travels
Watch this middle-school introduction to conduction, convection, and radiation. While watching, think: which one is especially important for a heat lamp?
Watch the video ↗3
Rules scavenger hunt
Skim the official Thermodynamics page/rules. You do not need to read every line. Find the answers to these five questions:
- How much Device Setup Time does the team get before the water is inserted?
- During the Heating Time, are competitors allowed to touch or adjust the device?
- How much water does the team heat?
- What is the maximum device size?
- Name one material or component that is not allowed.
Hint: The answers are in the Construction Parameters, Competition Area, and Competition sections.
Official Thermodynamics page ↗4
Think like an engineer
Imagine a heat lamp above a clear plastic cup containing 100 mL of room-temperature water. You have 10 minutes to make the water as warm as possible.
Sketch a device idea on paper. Think about:
- Where should the lamp’s energy go?
- Would you use something dark, shiny, insulating, or reflective?
- How might you reduce heat escaping to the room?
5 • First meeting
What to bring / be ready for
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Your device sketch
It can be rough! We want ideas, not perfect drawings.
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Questions
Anything you didn’t understand from the videos or rules is fair game.
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Ready to experiment
We’ll investigate heat transfer and begin thinking about our first prototype.
You do not need to know thermodynamics already. The coaches will teach it step by step. Your job is to be curious, try ideas, collect evidence, and improve.
6 • Optional
⭐ Bonus Zone: want to explore more?
Nothing below is required. Pick anything that looks fun or interesting.
Go deeper with Khan Academy
Explore more of the middle-school Thermal Energy and Heat unit, including heat capacity and phase changes.
Explore the unit ↗Metal spoon vs. wooden spoon
Put a metal spoon and a wooden/plastic spoon into a cup of comfortably warm water. After a few minutes, which handle feels warmer? Why?
Safety: use warm—not boiling—water, and ask an adult for help if needed.
Upgrade your device sketch
Label where light enters, what absorbs energy, what reflects energy, where the cup goes, and where heat might escape.
Super bonus: What single experiment could test whether one feature actually helps?
Topics we’ll eventually master
Temperature • heat transfer • specific heat • phase changes • ideal gases • First Law • Second Law • thermodynamic processes • engines & efficiency • famous scientists.
You do not need to study all of this before Meeting #1.
7 • Season Roadmap
We’ll improve one competition at a time.
Early invitationals are chances to learn. By Berkeley and Regionals, we want our science knowledge, device, teamwork, and prediction method to feel polished.
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Sept. 20 — First Team MeetingLearn the challenge, experiment with heat transfer, and start designing.
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Oct. 17–31 — LASSO InvitationalGoal: first full competition experience + a working first-generation device.
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Nov. 7–14 — DW InvitationalGoal: improve from LASSO and begin making data-driven predictions.
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Dec. 5 — Mira Loma InvitationalOur first major in-person benchmark.
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Jan. 9–16 — LASO InvitationalGoal: near-final device architecture and much stronger test performance.
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TBD — Berkeley InvitationalRegional dress rehearsal.
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Feb/Mar — RegionalsOur main target: reliable device, accurate prediction, fast test work, zero avoidable penalties.
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April — NorCal State (if we qualify)A wider range of device conditions plus State-only test topics.
8 • Resources
Useful places to learn and check the rules
We’ll keep this list small on purpose. The official current-year rules always take priority over older material.
Science Olympiad — Thermodynamics BOfficial event page and current-season resources.
Khan Academy — Middle School ChemistryLook for the “Thermal energy and heat” unit.
Conduction, Convection & Radiation — Middle School VideoA short introduction to the three heat-transfer mechanisms.
The Physics Classroom — Thermal PhysicsUseful explanations when you want more detail later in the season.