Paperclip Physics Science Competition
Slinky springs, Christmas tree lights, cling film and tea bags - what do they all have in common? They have all been used to explain science in ‘Paperclip Physics’, an annual competition run by the Institute of Physics across Great Britain and Ireland.
Students from 11 schools in the Lancashire & Cumbria region have entered the ‘Paperclip Physics’ competition this year. Six of those schools will take part in the Cumbrian local heat on Wednesday, 11 February 2004 at the Westlakes Research Institute, Whitehaven. ‘Paperclip Physics’ is a challenging competition in which 15 to 17 year old students become teachers for a day and attempt to explain a concept related to physics to a non-scientific audience, in an ingenious way using everyday household items. Previous finalists have explained why static electricity makes your hair stand on end using cling film, and used tea bags to show why London’s Millennium Bridge swayed when it was first opened.
The winning team will be off to the 'Paperclip Physics' Grand Final at the Institute of Physics headquarters in London on 31 March 2004. Colin Dexter, the author of the Inspector Morse series, will be joined by a teacher and a physicist to judge the Grand Final. Winners of the Grand Final will each receive a substantial prize and a certificate from the Institute of Physics.