Copley High School's Physics Boat Regatta is an exciting and educational event for all general and honors physics students. Now in its second year, the high school physics teachers have organized this event to challenge general and honor physics students. The event challenges students to build a boat from nothing but cardboard boxes and tape. They were armed with the knowledge of Archimedes Principle, which states that when something is put in a liquid, the liquid will push it up with force. This force is the same as the weight of the liquid that was moved out of the way. The students needed to construct a seaworthy vessel capable of holding one or two people and create their own paddles made from cardboard and tape.
Before splashing into the pool, all of the boats are wrapped tightly in plastic to ensure they stay waterproof and protect their cardboard pieces from floating away in the pool. After that, it was time for some friendly competition! Teams paddled across the pool seeing whose design was the best. Bragging rights went to the team that could paddle the length of the pool without sinking.
Physics students at Copley High School were able to put their classroom knowledge to the test with this thrilling, daring event. By applying what they know about the buoyancy and fluid dynamics of Archimedes' Principle in real-life situations, they gained invaluable practical experience while having fun learning. It's a lesson unit that every general and honors physics student looks forward to each year.
The Physics Boat Regatta was an engaging and educative experience, with good-natured competition among students and staff. Steve Gambaccini explained, "My students always adore this event; it's a great way for them to witness the theories we teach in class put into practice."
