2010 Finalists
Harry Anderson
Lyneham High School ACT
Project title: Gaprite™ - A Simple Method for Setting Safe Gaps
between Vehicles when Driving
Harry investigated a method of assisting drivers to estimate
safe gaps between vehicles when driving in flowing traffic.
After collecting data that showed that drivers did not leave
adequate gaps between cars, Harry devised a series of
perspective images to assist drivers to estimate safe stopping
distances.
Lydia Brodie
Lyneham High School, ACT
Project title: Why Waste Water
Lydia tested which types of washing detergents were safer to use when the grey
water from the washing machine was used on the garden. Lydia also looked at
whether the type of washing machine had an influence on the composition of the
grey water. Lydia found that liquid detergents produce better quality water in
terms of pH, electrical conductivity and redox potential.
Pei Hung (Peter) Chou
The Queensland Academy for Health Sciences, Qld
Project title: The Effect of Hormonal Supplementation of Gibberellic Acid to
increase Essential Oil Production in Melissa Officinalis for use as an
Aromatherapy Oil for Pharmacognosy and Commercial Health applications
Peter showed that increasing the concentration of hormone application to an oil
yielding plant had a corresponding increase the oil yield. He found that the
highest concentration of hormone produced four times the oil volume of the
control.
Crystallene Fernando
Daramalan College, ACT.
Project title: The Effect of Shape (geometry) on the Efficiency of Trough Solar
Thermal Collectors
Crystallene investigated the ability of different parabolic shaped reflective
troughs to effect the amount of solar energy collected. She found that the
parabola with the focal point well inside the trough would absorb more heat from
reflected solar rays than more shallow parabolas with the focal point towards
the edge or outside the trough.
Ellenore Forrester
Redeemer Baptist School, NSW
Project title: Hot Plus Cold Equals Electricity
Ellenore investigated the use of a Peltier Heat Pump diode in reverse to see if
it would produce a power source. Creating a temperature difference between the 2
sides of the diode reversed the operation of the diode. The implication is that
an electrical power source is available anywhere a very large temperature
differential exists.
Jessica Jerome
The Queensland Academy for Health Sciences, Qld
Project title: The Effect of Automobile Workshops and Construction Sites on the
Concentration of Lead(II), Iron(II) and Cadmium(II) cations in Loders Creek
Jessica looked at the levels of cations in Loders Creek to see if they were
higher than health and environmental guidelines and if they were affected by the
locations of industrial sites. Water samples were collected and tested and the
cation concentrations calculated using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy
(Lead and Cadmium) and UV-Visible Spectroscopy (Iron). Lead, Iron and Cadmium
ions were found in greater concentrations at the industrial sites and the heavy
metal cations were above the value for recommended drinking water guidelines.
Balawyn Jones
Trinity Anglican School, Qld
Project title: The Effectiveness of a Lemna Minor Based Wastewater Sewage
Treatment System as Applied to Water Resources in Developing Countries
Balawyn looked at the effectiveness of duckweed in removing excess nutrients and
she explored the practical application of a duckweed sewage system. It was found
that the addition of duckweed to a polluted environment lowered chemical levels
through nutrient uptake. The duckweed was then used as fertiliser, boosting
growth of tomato plants. It was shown that using Lemna minor as a sewage system
was simple, cost effective and viable method which could be used in developing
countries.
Sam King
Trinity Anglican School, Qld.
Project title: Propelling into the Future with Magnetohydrodynamic Propulsion
Sam constructed a Magnetohydrodynamic propulsion device using plastic tubing
filled with saline solution containing a dye powered by an AC, variable output
transformer. He timed one revolution of the fluid for each recording to test for
the effects of electrolyte concentration, the performance proportional to the
magnetic intensity and the most powerful arrangement of magnets and electrolyte
concentration. The results were hampered by turbulence in the pipe and much of
the energy input being converted to heat but he was able to show that a balanced
arrangement of the magnets was the most efficient way to create this
propulsion..
Stephanie Parsons
Keebra Park State High School, Qld
Project title: Fluoride: The Double Edged Sword?
Stephanie looked at the effect of fluoride ions in waterways by seeing if it
inhibited the development of a marine alga, Tetraselmis species. She added
sodium fluoride in measured amounts to samples of nutrient-enriched seawater
which were them inoculated with the alga. Cell density readings were taken with
a UV-Visible Spectrophotometer and using counts under a microscope. Contrary to
her hypothesis, Stephanie found that increasing concentrations of fluoride ions
do not affect the growth of Tetraselmis sp.
Cary Wang
Redeemer Baptist School NSW
Project title: Groper Triangulation
Cary devised a system to detect gropers by sounds tracked using hydrophones in
water of low visibility. The project showed that it was possible to build a
triangulating system using hydrophones from inexpensive equipment. The accuracy
of the device was limited but Carey’s work points the way to further research.
Rachel Woodhouse
Roseville College, NSW
Project title: Flood Levies
Rachel researched a readily accessible alternative to sand to fill sandbags in
developing countries. Her hypothesis was that the greater the porosity and the
lower the permeability of the materials used, the more effective they would be
in blocking floodwaters. She found that while sand was the most effective
material, followed by soil, woodchips then gravel, the soil is readily available
to people in developing countries and would be quite effective.
Aowen Zhuang
The Queensland Academy for Health Sciences, Qld
Project title: Ironing Out the CO2 Problem:Growth of Phytoplankton in Addition
of Nitrates and Sulphates of Iron
Aowen looked at the science behind the proposal to pull CO2 out of the
atmosphere by dumping large amounts of iron into the ocean. By comparing the
effect of iron nitrate and iron sulfate in stimulating algal growth and
measuring growth rate it was found that both iron compounds when in low
concentration increased growth rate but that increasing iron nitrate
concentration inhibited growth. Increasing iron sulfate concentration produced
increased growth. The greatest growth increase was seen in a low concentration
of iron nitrate. The benefit of increasing algal growth would be that it would
remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and bury it on the ocean floor.
Finalist Camp
From all the projects received, 16 Finalists are selected to attend a four day camp in Melbourne and face the final judging process.
They make a poster summarising their project and prepare a speech to explain to the judges how they carried out their research and what they discovered. The camp provides opportunities to meet like-minded people, to visit scientific research centres and meet the scientists who work there and to meet distinguished members of the scientific, business and academic community at the awards presentation. Communication skills are an important focus of the camp, honed over dinner and while visiting Melbourne’s sights.