Annual AP Physics 2 Recyclable Watercraft Race Excites and Ignites
October 20, 2023
The Challenge:
Again this year, upper school science teacher Matt Varvir challenged his AP Physics 2 students to construct a watercraft from recyclable materials that could float independently.
The Requirements:
Using cardboard, aluminum, or plastic, the raft should support at least 150 lbs of weight when floating in the quarry. Further requirements included making the watercraft 1) as small of a volume as possible and 2) as buoyant as possible.
The Demonstration of Skills:
Yesterday, many upper school students and teachers gathered outside to watch the resulting watercraft while Mr. Varvir and Director of Outdoor Education Davis Felder ’06 supervised from the water.
"All of the participants deserve congratulations," said Varvir. "The biggest goal was to be able to support 150 lbs of weight on their watercraft and they all blew that out of the water, supporting anywhere from 265 to over 450 lbs!"
Results from the race:
Quarry Race:
- 1st -- The Pink Panther (Andrew Akhtar, Ben Guerriero, Christopher Inglis, Barrow Solomon)
- 2nd -- The Barrel Boys (Miles Bates, Grant Francis, Ben Rochon, Wheeler Wood)
Smallest Volume:
- 1st -- The Pink Panther (Andrew Akhtar, Ben Guerriero, Christopher Inglis, Barrow Solomon)
- 2nd -- Team Boats (Morgan Amison, Abby Baughman, Ava Loftus, Hannah Davisson)
Highest Buoyant Force (i.e., ability to support the most weight):
- 1st -- The Barrel Boys (Miles Bates, Grant Francis, Ben Rochon, Wheeler Wood)
- 2nd -- The Quarry Conquerors (Kieran Awbrey, Tanner Crispin, Alex Ramirez, Slaton Strey)
Most Recyclable:
- 1st -- Team Boats (Morgan Amison, Abby Baughman, Hannah Davisson, Ava Loftus)
- 2nd -- The Quarry Conquerors (Kieran Awbrey, Tanner Crispin, Alex Ramirez, Slaton Strey)
The students did a great job designing their rafts, and everyone enjoyed watching the race. We love getting to take learning outside on our beautiful campus!
