Science Olympiad: The Boomilever

In the competition known as Science Olympiad, there is an event build called “Boomilevers.” This event is comprised of building a structure to be attached on one side to a wall and bear the maximum weight possible on the other side, while the structure itself weighs as little as possible. The Boomilever is a long standing Olympiad Event and requires acute attention to detail and a critical mind in architecture in order to achieve the maximum efficiency score possible. There are many limitations and guidelines set forth in the Olympiad rules, defining how tall and long the boomilever must be and how the boomilever must attach to the wall. This leads to construction much like a real life situation, where resources must be utilized efficiently.

Before continuing much farther, there are a few terms needing defined. First and foremost are the two main forces that act upon the boomilever, tension and compression. Tension is the force acting upon the side of the boomilever that is being “pulled” away from the wall, or the top side. On the other end of the spectrum is compression, which is the force acting on the side of the boomilever being pushed toward the wall, or the bottom of the device. Generally, compression is the main concern in building. Boomilevers are most commonly built as right triangles, in order for them to withstand the most force. Naturally this creates a hypotenuse, and also helps to define the device. If the tension member is the hypotenuse, then the device is known as a “tension boomilever.” In contrast, if the compression member is the hypotenuse then it is known as a “compression boomilever.” When the testing of the boomilever begins, a weight is put on the side farthest away from the base, or the distal end. This ...

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All in all, this Science Olympiad event is much more than gluing some sticks together. There are many factors to consider, and simply putting together a boomilever on a whim and hoping for it to be efficient is not very realistic. There are many technicalities and terms associated with a successful device. Some of the main factors come from the materials used, and where they were used on the structure. Some are best used in one place, or another. All of this must be taken into consideration when deciding on how to best utilize the physics and forces applied to the boomilever. As it is a simple machine, it dominates in simplicity for a somewhat daunting task. Laws such as the lever law and Euler’s Buckling Theorem come into play when testing and competition begins. A structure of wood and glue surely has much more to offer than meets the eye.