Physical science events test knowledge of electricity, circuits, heat transfer, food chemistry, and forensic science. The 2027 season features a mix of hands-on lab work, build components, and in-depth written tests.
Participants will demonstrate their understanding of electricity and magnetism through a combination of a written test and hands-on lab tasks involving circuits, measurements, and electrical components.
Given a scenario, teams will perform a series of lab tests on evidence collected from a crime scene — including chemical tests, chromatography, and microscopy — to identify suspects and solve the mystery.
Teams will answer questions and complete lab tasks related to the science of food — including food chemistry, nutrition, preservation, safety, and the physical and chemical changes that occur during food preparation.
Teams construct a self-propelled, air-levitated hovercraft vehicle prior to the tournament and complete a written test on physics concepts such as force, motion, energy, and Newton's laws, with the vehicle run scored on speed and control.
Teams will construct an insulated device prior to the tournament and use it to answer questions and complete tasks related to heat transfer, temperature change, and the laws of thermodynamics.