RULES CLARIFICATIONS

general rule clarifications Last update february 14

Pre-Purchased Kits and Student Design

There has been some confusion regarding the rules in build events that deal with kits and how they relate to student designs.

Kits may be purchased and used for all Science Olympiad building events. The caveat is that any purchased kit must be assembled by student(s) on the 15 person competition team. The use of prebuilt kits or using a device that was not built by members of the competition team is prohibited.

The process of building a device, be it from scratch or a kit, requires many decisions from the student. The order of assembly, types of glue being used, how to sand, how to trim, etc. are all determined by the student and are considered part of the design process.

Seniors that Graduate at Semester

If senior chooses to graduate at the semester they will not lose their eligibility to compete on their school's Science Olympiad team for the remainder of the season. If a senior does choose to graduate at semester and continue to participate on their school's Science Olympiad team they will still count toward the seven senior limit.

DIVISION B event clarifications

Boomilever B (2/14/25) Missouri Rule Clarification

This is to clarify part of rule 4.c.i 

Rule 4.c.i

...If necessary, participants may disassemble the Loading Assembly but must reassemble in the same order as presented by the Event Supervisor (6.c..."

Clarification

Based on 4.c.i, participants are allowed to disassemble the Loading Assembly for the purposes of attaching it to their boomilever. Once attached to the Boomilever, the Loading Assembly must be reassembled in the same manner that it was presented to them. Participants are allowed to complete this during their 6 minute set up time.

Helicopter B (10/13/25)

This rule correction is to correct the omission of a word from the original text.

Original rule

3.f.(sentence 1) The helicopter may use up to three fixed rotors. 

Corrected Rule

3.f.(sentence 1) The helicopter may use up to three fixed pitch rotors.

Hovercraft B (2/9/26) Missouri Rule Clarification

This is to clarify rule 3.b

Rule

3.b.(sentence 1) The vehicle must levitate on a cushion of air as it moves down the track.

Clarification

In order to avoid violating rule 3.b the hovercraft must be levitating on a cushion of air, and not on an inflated sack or bag. The hovercraft skirt must be open on the bottom to allow the escape of air. 

An additional section states Continuous contact of the inflated skirt with the base surface, occasional contact of other vehicle components with the base surface, or any contact with the inside edge of the side rails is permitted.

Note that this rule specifies inflated skirt and not base of hovercraft. The purpose of the skirt is to trap the air that suspends the hovercraft, not to support the hovercraft itself. If the skirt provides the actual support, then the craft is no longer levitating on a cushion of air, but is instead levitating on a fabric skirt that is inflated with air. At the state competition, we will make this distinction.

A team that violates 3.b and uses an inflated, closed sack for support will still be allowed to run their device. Rule 6.h does indicate that teams that violate rule 3.b will have their distance score, time score, and bonus scores each multiplied by .8 for the construction violation.

Machines B (12/06/25)

This rule correction is to detail which time is to be used in calculating the Time Score. 

Original Rule 

Rule 6.c. Time Score (TS) = ((240-team's part II time in seconds)/240)x 15 points

Corrected Rule

Rule 6.c. Time Score (TS) = ((240-team's part II Device Test time in seconds)/240) x 15 points

Metric Mastery B (10/13/25)

This rule correction fixes miscalculations with incorrect multipliers in the scoring examples.

Original rule

4.d.iii.(three point scoring example) For three points: within-0.20: 13.25 cm x 22.12 cm = 293.0 cm2, within +0.20: 13.65 cm x 22.52 cm = 307.4 cm2.

4.d.iii.(one point scoring example)  For one point: within-0.30: 13.25 cm x 22.02 cm = 289.6 cm2, within +0.20: 13.75 cm x 22.62 cm = 311.0 cm2.

4.d.iii.(range bullet)  Measurements outside the range 289.6 cm2 to 311.0 cm2 will receive zero points

Corrected Rule

4.d.iii.(three point scoring example) For three points: within-0.17: 13.28 cm x 22.15 cm = 294.2 cm2, within +0.17: 13.62 cm x 22.49 cm = 306.3 cm2.

4.d.iii.(one point scoring example)  For one point: within-0.22: 13.15 cm x 22.10 cm = 290.6 cm2, within +0.22: 13.67 cm x 22.54 cm = 308.1 cm2.

4.d.iii.(range bullet)  Measurements outside the range 292.4 cm2 to 308.1 cm2 will receive zero points

Water Quality B (11/06/25)

This rule correction to remove an incorrectly classified organism (Water Scorpion) from the Class I indicator column.

Original List

Class I - Pollution Sensitive:  Mayfly, Caddisfly, Stonefly, Dobsonfly, Gilled Snails, Water Penny, Riffle Beetle, Water Scorpion

Corrected List

Class I - Pollution Sensitive:  Mayfly, Caddisfly, Stonefly, Dobsonfly, Gilled Snails, Water Penny, Riffle Beetle

DIVISION C event clarifications

Boomilever C (2/14/25) Missouri Rule Clarification

This is to clarify part of rule 4.c.i 

Rule 4.c.i

...If necessary, participants may disassemble the Loading Assembly but must reassemble in the same order as presented by the Event Supervisor (6.c..."

Clarification

Based on 4.c.i, participants are allowed to disassemble the Loading Assembly for the purposes of attaching it to their boomilever. Once attached to the Boomilever, the Loading Assembly must be reassembled in the same manner that it was presented to them. Participants are allowed to complete this during their 6 minute set up time.

Bungee Drop C (10/13/25)

This rule correction is to correct the omission of a word from the original text.

Original rule

6.c.i. The Drop Distance is defined as the distance between the lowest point of the mass and the landing surface on its initial descent.

Corrected Rule

6.c.i. The Drop Distance is defined as the distance (in centimeters)between the lowest point of the mass and the landing surface on its initial descent.

Helicopter C (10/13/25)

This rule correction is to correct the omission of a word from the original text.

Original rule

3.f.(sentence 1) The helicopter may use up to three fixed rotors. 

Corrected Rule

3.f.(sentence 1) The helicopter may use up to three fixed pitch rotors.

Hovercraft  C (2/9/26) Missouri Rule Clarification

This is to clarify rule 3.b

Rule

3.b.(sentence 1) The vehicle must levitate on a cushion of air as it moves down the track.

Clarification

In order to avoid violating rule 3.b the hovercraft must be levitating on a cushion of air, and not on an inflated sack or bag. The hovercraft skirt must be open on the bottom to allow the escape of air. 

An additional section states Continuous contact of the inflated skirt with the base surface, occasional contact of other vehicle components with the base surface, or any contact with the inside edge of the side rails is permitted.

Note that this rule specifies inflated skirt and not base of hovercraft. The purpose of the skirt is to trap the air that suspends the hovercraft, not to support the hovercraft itself. If the skirt provides the actual support, then the craft is no longer levitating on a cushion of air, but is instead levitating on a fabric skirt that is inflated with air. At the state competition, we will make this distinction.

A team that violates 3.b and uses an inflated, closed sack for support will still be allowed to run their device. Rule 6.h does indicate that teams that violate rule 3.b will have their distance score, time score, and bonus scores each multiplied by .8 for the construction violation.

Engineering CAD C (11/06/25)

This rule correction is to correct a missing minus sign in the original formula in rule 4.c. for the delta mass calculation.  There should be a minus sign between mass(student) and mass(correct).

Machines C (12/06/25)

This rule correction is to detail which time is to be used in calculating the Time Score. 

Original Rule 

Rule 6.c. Time Score (TS) = ((240-team's part II time in seconds)/240)x 15 points

Corrected Rule

Rule 6.c. Time Score (TS) = ((240-team's part II Device Test time in seconds)/240) x 15 points

Robot Tour C (10/13/25)

This rule correction fixes a typo in the original text.

Original rule

5.h.ii. No 2x4 Obstacle Penalty: 50 points added to all Run Scores when a team chooses to to run with the 2x4 Obstacles.

Corrected Rule

5.h.ii. No 2x4 Obstacle Penalty: 50 points added to all Run Scores when a team chooses to to run without the 2x4 Obstacles.

Water Quality C (11/06/25)

This rule correction to remove an incorrectly classified organism (Water Scorpion) from the Class I indicator column.

Original List

Class I - Pollution Sensitive:  Mayfly, Caddisfly, Stonefly, Dobsonfly, Gilled Snails, Water Penny, Riffle Beetle, Water Scorpion

Corrected List

Class I - Pollution Sensitive:  Mayfly, Caddisfly, Stonefly, Dobsonfly, Gilled Snails, Water Penny, Riffle Beetle