At SUIS Qingpu, students learn to not be fearful when it comes to experiencing new things or when faced with new challenges. A testament to their learning attitudes and approaches was our recent Science Fair and Exhibition. Brimming with excitement and scientific curiosity, the high school gymnasium was transformed into a bustling hub of discovery as students proudly showcased their experiments and projects, as well as took part in various competitions at the annual science fair during science week.
The LEGO Sumobot Competition
Teacher: Mr. Sushil Lamba
Attention all thrill-seekers and tech enthusiasts! Our school recently hosted the electrifying LEGO Sumobot Competition, and it was an absolute blast! For three weeks straight, students dove headfirst into the world of robotics, crafting, coding, and competing like never before.
Teams of two or three students banded together during CCA time, turning their classroom into a robotics lab of epic proportions. Armed with LEGO kits and boundless creativity, they built and programmed their own Sumobots from scratch, mastering the art of teamwork and problem-solving along the way.
But it wasn’t just about serious business – there was plenty of fun to be had too! Laughter filled the air as students tested their robots’ mettle against each other, with every victory and defeat celebrated in true high-five fashion.
The climax of the competition? The Science Fair, of course! Ten teams, ten robots, and one epic showdown. The arena crackled with excitement as Sumobots clashed, manoeuvring and outsmarting their opponents in a battle for robotic supremacy.
In the end, while only one team could claim the top spot, every participant emerged a winner. They gained invaluable hands-on experience in robotics, coding, and teamwork, setting them up for success in the fast-paced world of STEM.
And now, without further ado, let’s unveil the champions of the 2024 LEGO Sumobot Competition!
First Place:
Samuel Cai, Jerry Zhao& Kiven Shi
Second Place:
Jerry Cao, Baren Rui & William Qin
Third Place:
Penny Luo & Andy Zhang
These incredible teams have not only showcased their technical prowess but also their ability to collaborate, innovate, and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Congratulations to all participants – you are the true heroes of the 2024 LEGO Sumobot Competition!
The ethanol rocket experiment is a demonstration where ethanol is used as a fuel that, upon ignition, rapidly vaporises and generates a large volume of gas. This buildup of pressure within the bottle forces the gas to escape through the bottle’s opening, creating thrust that propels the bottle upward like a rocket. This experiment showcases the principles of energy conversion during chemical reactions and Newton’s laws of motion, making it a classic scientific experiment that is both educational and entertaining.
Teacher: Mr. Guillaume Domas
The project, “Build a Letter Press,” aimed to harness the power of machines and tools to create a DIY letterpress, a vital tool historically used in printing. We wanted to show how letterpresses were used in the past for printing. Additionally, our experimentation with Lino-Gravure, from crafting simple stamps to more complex compositions, provided an interactive and hands-on experience for participants, offering them a glimpse into the creative possibilities of printmaking techniques. Other students at the science fair got to try these things, too. We hoped to show how cool and interesting printing techniques can be!
Building Optical Spectrometers
Teacher: Dr. Neale O. Haugen
In this project the students built and tested optical spectrometers. A spectrometer is a device to measure the differences in how various materials and light sources absorb or emit light of different colours. The students measured a chlorophyll solution for biological applications, a copper sulphide solution for chemistry applications, and the emission spectra of several atomic gas lamps. The gas lamp spectra demonstrated that light emitted from atoms has specific energies because of the transitions between the various electron shells in the atoms. This helped the students to gain their first introduction to quantum theory.
Chemical Reactions behind Electric Cars
This project offered a research opportunity for students. By participating in this project, students applied their chemical knowledge to explain how electric cars work and understood the advancements in chemical technology that contribute to environmental protection. Throughout the project, students conducted research on electric cars, gathered information about the chemical reactions involved in their operation and their environmental benefits, and organised the gathered information to create posters about the chemical reactions behind electric cars. Additionally, students created a model of an electric car that converts chemical energy into mechanical energy.
The emergence of steam engine led to the industrial revolution in the 18th century. In this project, students constructed a model of a steam engine. Water was heated to the point of vaporisation by an alcohol lamp, causing the volume to expand and generate pressure that drove the piston movement. This movement was converted into mechanical energy, which, controlled by a flywheel, propelled the reciprocating piston. The motion was then transferred through a geared motor to generate electricity.
A low-carbohydrate diet is currently a hot topic. By simulating the kidney’s filtration process and demonstrating the sugar content in beverages, students were informed about the importance of making healthy choices.
Midas’ Touch (Gold Rain Experiment)
For centuries, man has tried to turn lead into gold. This is nearly impossible, as science has not advanced to that stage. However, it is chemically possible to change a dull coloured lead into gold appearing crystal. By mixing lead nitrate with potassium iodide, a product of lead sulphide is produced which has a bright yellow colour. The mixture was heated to dissolve most of the lead sulphide prior to it being allowed to cool and recrystallise. The results were mesmerising!
Electrostatic Can Race Competition
The gym echoed with the cheers and laughter of spectators as students competed in the thrilling electrostatic metal can race. Each participant, armed with just a PVC rod and a leather cloth, expertly navigated their metal can across the finish line in record time using nothing but the invisible force of static electricity. The winners of this race, separated by a mere fraction of a second, were:
First Place:
Richard Zhen
Joint Third Place:
Webber Tang & Ruby Xu
Finally, after visiting the various science fair projects, students were presented with the opportunity to showcase what they had learned in the science fair quiz. Students needed to answer several questions, each related to one of the science fair projects. If their answers were correct, they were presented with a small gift.
