It's About Time C

User avatar
raxu
Exalted Member
Exalted Member
Posts: 41
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 6:54 pm
Division: C
State: NY
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: It's About Time C

Post by raxu »

How many of the 100 points in this event do you need for a top score? 96, or something? The 0.1 sec sounds pretty hard. Any tips for how to calibrate the device? 0.1 second is so short that I don't even know how I can get so accurate. :( My first year in division C, so very noob at this event.
Richard
Events done Div. B: Simple Machines <3, Shock Value.
Events done Div. C: Astronomy <3 , It's About Time, Forensics, Optics, Remote Sensing, Game On, Materials Science, Mousetrap Vehicle, Fermi Questions, Thermodynamics.
chalker
Member
Member
Posts: 2107
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 7:30 pm
Division: Grad
State: OH
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 56 times

Re: It's About Time C

Post by chalker »

raxu wrote:How many of the 100 points in this event do you need for a top score? 96, or something? The 0.1 sec sounds pretty hard. Any tips for how to calibrate the device? 0.1 second is so short that I don't even know how I can get so accurate. :( My first year in division C, so very noob at this event.
This event has 't been run since 2009, so pretty much everybody is a 'noob' in it. The points you need to get a medal will vary widely from tournament to tournament depending on the level of competition.

Student Alumni
National Event Supervisor
National Physical Sciences Rules Committee Chair
syo_astro
Exalted Member
Exalted Member
Posts: 619
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:45 pm
Division: Grad
State: NY
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 20 times

Re: It's About Time C

Post by syo_astro »

raxu wrote:How many of the 100 points in this event do you need for a top score? 96, or something? The 0.1 sec sounds pretty hard. Any tips for how to calibrate the device? 0.1 second is so short that I don't even know how I can get so accurate. :( My first year in division C, so very noob at this event.
Second on what chalker said. I would say depending on the level everyone will have fairly accurate time-keeping, so you definitely want to try and make sure you're solid on the test too. One thing in general you can do for builds is use excel or some function to figure out at what point the accuracy doesn't become so important (to not waste too much time getting it perfect...I just mean looking into the scoring formula a bit, which I don't know). As for device calibration, that varies COMPLETELY on the device. There are ways to mechanically build into the device something that makes it easier to tell the period, but those can be difficult/loud. In general, you can measure amplitude fairly precisely/accurately, and I thought you could just count periods and figure out the last bit from the amplitude (again, highly dependent on the type of clock you're using).
B: Crave the Wave, Environmental Chemistry, Robo-Cross, Meteo, Phys Sci Lab, Solar System, DyPlan (E and V), Shock Value
C: Microbe Mission, DyPlan (Fresh Waters), Fermi Questions, GeoMaps, Grav Vehicle, Scrambler, Rocks, Astro
Grad: Writing Tests/Supervising (NY/MI)
superblackcat
Member
Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2012 6:13 pm
Division: C
State: AZ
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: It's About Time C

Post by superblackcat »

Does anyone have anything more specific for the It's About Time test? From the rules, it seems that the proctor can include anything he wants as long as there are 3 questions that pertain to the 3 sections listed.
-----
[u]2012-2013[/u]       
1st - Gravity Vehicle               
2nd - Remote Sensing                   
[u]2013-2014[/u]
1st - GeoMaps : 2nd at Nats.
4th - Scrambler
[u]2014-2015[/u]
1st - GeoMaps
1st - IAT
1st - Math Apps
[u]2015-2016[/u]
1st - GeoMaps
1st - HydroGeo
1st - IAT
4th - Math Apps
User avatar
chinesesushi
Member
Member
Posts: 259
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2013 4:57 pm
Division: C
State: CA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: It's About Time C

Post by chinesesushi »

superblackcat wrote:Does anyone have anything more specific for the It's About Time test? From the rules, it seems that the proctor can include anything he wants as long as there are 3 questions that pertain to the 3 sections listed.
Exactly. I believe those 3 sections are the only limitations, from what I've seen. You should have someone who is experienced in Astronomy, because many of the questions will pertain to astronomical concepts. Also, look high and low from practice tests and if you see something you don't know, shove it into your binder. Same goes for Wikipedia articles, just follow the "Related" links at the bottom of the page and print all that stuff out. :D
Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way you'll be a mile away and he'll be shoeless.
You should only create problems, that only you know solutions to.
syo_astro
Exalted Member
Exalted Member
Posts: 619
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:45 pm
Division: Grad
State: NY
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 20 times

Re: It's About Time C

Post by syo_astro »

I made a test over the summer for SSSS to add to the test exchange ideas on what could be tested on. For my own team I had a whole ton of other (far harder muahahahah...beside the point) ideas on questions too. The event is definitely broad, but I try to put in the theme to my test that if you keep organized and split up the topics enough you can more or less be prepared enough for most questions. There are some that are a bit ridiculous I would say I wouldn't have wanted to put on there (the Feynman diagram axis thing I threw on as a joke), but there's plenty of that test alone to learn from I feel (and there's the past test from Tiger I believe on there too). Since the rules are what they are, just use google, books, whatever you use to collect the vast amounts of info for other events, etc. If you're having trouble finding sources on say quartz clocks, then have you googled them? Really a lot of these things there's plentiful information on, and if you just start searching up clock types, physics involving time, etc, you already have plenty to study. I agree some test makers are somewhat random, and the rules make it a bit difficult to study, but don't get intimidated. My only other recommendation is don't only focus on astro, time terminology, physics, etc (one aspect of the event). There could always be some random history you don't know, so make sure to keep some breadth to your studies.

Lastly, a proctor/testmaker can be a she too :P (I'm a he...but hey, still).
B: Crave the Wave, Environmental Chemistry, Robo-Cross, Meteo, Phys Sci Lab, Solar System, DyPlan (E and V), Shock Value
C: Microbe Mission, DyPlan (Fresh Waters), Fermi Questions, GeoMaps, Grav Vehicle, Scrambler, Rocks, Astro
Grad: Writing Tests/Supervising (NY/MI)
User avatar
elephantower
Member
Member
Posts: 97
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:36 pm
Division: C
State: AZ
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: It's About Time C

Post by elephantower »

Has anyone here tried using a cycloidal pendulum? How well do you think that would work? Also, what would be the best way to start 2 pendulums at the same time?
[S/N]
N/A = didn't compete

2013:
Geologic Mapping: 1, 2
Designer Genes: 3, :(
Astronomy: N/A, :(
2014:
Geologic Mapping: 1, N/A
Protein Modelling: 1, N/A
It's About Time: 1, N/A
Forensics: 9, N/A
2015:
Geologic Mapping: 1, ?
Hydrogeology: 1, ?
It's About Time: 1, ?
Forensics: 10, ?
gunhok
Member
Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 2:47 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: It's About Time C

Post by gunhok »

I have two questions about this event:
1. Is an electronic balance allowed? I am making a sand glass and we are going to measure the time by weight instead of approximate height.

2. How is this event going to work? Are they going to tell us a time we need to find or are they going to say go and stop and ask how much time has passed?
chalker
Member
Member
Posts: 2107
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 7:30 pm
Division: Grad
State: OH
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 56 times

Re: It's About Time C

Post by chalker »

gunhok wrote:I have two questions about this event:
1. Is an electronic balance allowed? I am making a sand glass and we are going to measure the time by weight instead of approximate height.

2. How is this event going to work? Are they going to tell us a time we need to find or are they going to say go and stop and ask how much time has passed?

Both of these are very clearly answered in the rules. While I could easily give you the answers, the fact you are asking these makes me think you haven't looked at the rules at all. There are a lot of other details in the rules you need to be aware of, so you should get a copy from your coach ASAP and review them closely.

Student Alumni
National Event Supervisor
National Physical Sciences Rules Committee Chair
User avatar
Toms_42
Member
Member
Posts: 143
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 6:57 am
Division: Grad
State: PA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: It's About Time C

Post by Toms_42 »

Anyone have a good source on the length of a jiffy, shake, glass, fortnight, lustrum, blink, etc? It was tested on the northview test, and I can't find much on them.
Image

Return to “2015 Build Events”