Technical Problem Solving

The information below should not be interpreted as an extension of the rules. The official rules in the Rules Manual take precedence. The winning team in Technical Problem Solving at the National Tournament wins a $1,000 prize package from the event sponsor, Texas Instruments! 

Resources for 2015

• Official Rules Clarification Posted 9/29/14
• List of Topic-Related Terms (PDF)
• Summer Institute Power Point 2014-2015
• Free Technical Problem Solving Webinar with National Event Supervisors Mike Smith and Tami Plein 9/23/14! Archived, watch now!

Resources for 2014

Science with Texas Instruments TI-Nspire Technology

• Technical Problem Solving Webinar 2/18/14 - archive coming soon!
• Technical Problem Solving Webinar 10/20/13 - archive coming soon!
• Power Point from Technical Problem Solving Workshop
• Overview for Challenge 1 - Energy Content of Food
• Overview for Challenge 2 - Determining Avogadro's Number

Resources for 2013

Science with Texas Instruments TI-Nspire Technology

• Overview: Using Vernier DataQuest on a TI-Nspire Handheld (Appendix B)
• Stay Tuned: Sound Waveform Models; DataQuest Activity using a TI-Nspire
• Enzyme Action: Testing Catalase; DataQuest Activity using a TI-Nspire

Resources for 2012

• Sample Station Exercise for Chemistry and Reaction Rates - 2012 - Beer's Law - Explains colorimetry and how concentration can be determined with light absorbance (PDF)
• Sample Station Exercise for Colligative Properties Determination - 2012 - Freezing and Melting of Water - Temperature Probe (PDF)
• Sample Station Exercise for Physics and Unbalanced Forces - 2012 - Ball Toss - for the CBR2 (PDF)
• Tips on Using the DataQuest on a Handheld or NSpire (PDF)
• Workshop Power Point from 2012 Sessions from Texas Instruments Instructors (PPT)
• Tips on Data Collection (PDF) - an excellent overview of the use of several data collection devices from Texas Instruments including sensors and probes; stations at tournaments may incorporate these devices
• Information about Texas Instruments Workshops and the Education Loan Program
• Sample Station Activities from Five Star Science (similar to Technical Problem Solving) from 2008
• More Sample Topics from the Five Basic Science Content Areas (PDF) from 2010-11
• Practical Data Gathering Power Point (as PDF)

Activity Overviews Using Technology & Probes

• EKG Activity (all MS Word)
• Heart Rate Activity
• Light Probe Activities
• pH Probe Activities
• Surface Area to Volume Activity
• Voltage Probe Activity
• Yeast Fermentation Activity