Science Olympiad event catalog.
Browse build, study, and hybrid events across Division B and C, archived as reference resources from past seasons.
10 events
Trajectory
Teams build a device that launches a projectile at a target placed at an unknown distance revealed on competition day. Scoring rewards accuracy and consistency across multiple launches.
Scrambler
Teams construct a vehicle powered only by a falling mass that must travel a specified distance and stop as close to a target line as possible. Precision engineering and braking system design are key.
Elastic Launched Glider
Students build and fly a glider that must stay airborne for the maximum amount of time after being launched with a rubber band. Aerodynamics and balance are everything.
Wright Stuff
Teams build an indoor rubber-band-powered aircraft that must fly for as long as possible within a gymnasium. Competitors must understand propeller design, wing geometry, and power storage.
Astronomy
Students answer questions and solve problems on topics including stellar evolution, cosmology, exoplanets, and observational techniques. One of the most content-heavy study events.
Anatomy & Physiology
Teams answer questions on human body systems. The topic rotates each year (e.g., nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular). Depth of understanding matters more than breadth.
Fermi Questions
Students estimate answers to unusual quantitative questions using order-of-magnitude reasoning. The event rewards scientific reasoning and number sense, not memorization.
Experimental Design
Teams design and conduct an experiment on a mystery topic on competition day. They must write a complete scientific report including hypothesis, method, data, and conclusions within the time limit.
Forensics
Students analyze physical and chemical evidence to solve a simulated crime scene investigation. Covers chromatography, flame tests, soil analysis, and logic-based reasoning.
Geologic Mapping
Teams interpret topographic and geologic maps to answer questions about rock formations, structural geology, and Earth history. Spatial reasoning and earth science knowledge are tested.