Eighteen teams from nine schools from across the North West took part in this year’s Physics Olympics at Bolton School. Each team, named after a famous physicist, comprised four Year 9 scientists who, during the course, of the day took part in a series of challenges, quizzes and tests.
The day allowed gifted and talented pupils from Stockport Academy, Parklands Academy, University Collegiate School Bolton, King’s Leadership Academy, North Halifax Grammar School, St Joseph’s and The Lowry Academy, as well as pupils from both Divisions of Bolton School, to indulge themselves in a day of fun but stretching Physics activities that their normal timetable might not allow for. Beginning at 9.30am, the teams took part in six half-hour tasks: Delayed Timing, Rainbow Babies, Bullseye, Sink or Swim, Jelly Baby Towers and, the hardest of them all, Fermi Quiz. After a buffet lunch, prizes were handed out to the six individual event winners and to the overall first, second and third placed teams. There was also a small memento of the day for all who have been involved.
Team Feynman from the Lowry Academy of Salford was the overall winners, in second place was Team Joule from Bolton School Boys’ Division and taking the bronze medal was Bernoulli, a second team from the Lowry Academy.