Mission Possible
Division: Div C – High School
NC Essential Standards Alignment: Science as Inquiry
Event Rules: See the National rule manual
National Event Page: Here
Required Materials: All participants must properly wear eye protection at all times. Participants without proper eye protection must be immediately informed and given a chance to obtain eye protection if time allows. Participants without eye protection will not compete. Each device must pass a safety inspection before operation
Clarifications:
Since Mission Possible did not run at the Regional level, six actions will be used at the State Tournament. The target time will be 60 seconds and devices *do not* need to be impounded.
Teams should arrive 30 minutes prior to their assigned competition time.
Division: B – Middle School
Event Rules: See National Rules
National Event Page: Here
Required Materials:
All participants must properly wear eye protection at all times. Participants without proper eye protection must be immediately informed and given a chance to obtain eye protection if time allows. Participants without eye protection will not compete. Each device must pass a safety inspection before operation
Clarifications:
Since Mission Possible did not run at the Regional level, six actions will be used at the State Tournament. The target time will be 60 seconds and devices *do not* need to be impounded.
Teams should arrive 30 minutes prior to their assigned competition time.
Design Logs are *not* required for Mission Possible at States. An ASL IS required.
Description:
This is a building event. Prior to the competition teams will design and build a Rube Goldberg type device that starts in a specified way (a US Quarter dropped into the Device and must initiate the next action) and ends in a specified way (Device may release a golf ball attached to the end of a string that forms a pendulum to strike and release a Stop Sign) (see National Rules for Details). Additional points are earned for intervening energy transfers as outlined in the rules.
The device outer dimensions should be no greater than 60 cm x 60 cm x 100 cm.
Materials:
All participants must properly wear eye protection at all times. Participants without proper eye protection must be immediately informed and given a chance to obtain eye protection if time allows. Participants without eye protection will not compete. Each device must pass a safety inspection before operation. Devices with potential hazards or safety concerns will not be permitted to run unless safety concerns are resolved to the satisfaction of the Event Supervisor; otherwise, they must receive only participation points. Event Supervisors will need meter sticks, stopwatches, balance/scale, and measuring tape.
Scoring:
High score wins. Points are earned for completing action sequences and bonuses as outlined in the rules.
Common Mistakes:
Measure, measure, measure. Pieces sticking out around the back or sides of your device count in the size.
Chemical reactions, and electronics don’t always always go well together. Be sure that individual components are safe to operate near each other.
Recommendations:
In NC, we highly recommend that you do not try task 4 vi unless you have exhausted all the other points possible. There are very very few reactions where light will start a chemical reaction that can initiate something else. Just a suggestion.
There have been several questions about the ‘closed container’ for water. The container does not have to be fully enclosed. The top can be open but if any water spills it will not be considered to be closed and will not count.
Mission Possible -Timer Scoring
North Carolina
To receive any points for a successful designated timer, it must run for at least 30 seconds.
The designated timer must also successfully initiate the next action/task.
The final task must be successfully completed by the device for any timer points to be awarded.
One point will be awarded for each full second that a timer runs up to the target time if all conditions above and those in rules are met (i.e. no electricity is used). No timer points will be awarded after the target time. (Two points will be awarded if the timer is chemical.)
Examples:
- A qualifying timer starts at the 20-sec. mark and runs until the final task is completed at 65 seconds. The timer ran for 40 seconds prior to the target time of 60 seconds, so 40 points would be awarded.
- A qualifying timer starts at the 50-sec. mark and runs until the final task is completed at 81 seconds. Only 10 points would be awarded for the time up to the target time.
- A timer starts at 62 seconds and runs for 25 seconds until the final task is completed. No points will be awarded because the timer did not run for 30 seconds and all of the time it did run were after the target time
Event Resources:
Mission Possible 2019 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2020 Rules) Part 1
Mission Possible 2019 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2020 Rules) Part 2
2022 Mission Possible Score Sheet
Media:
None
Description:
This is a building event. Prior to the competition teams will design and build a Rube Goldberg type device that starts in a specified way (a US Quarter dropped into the Device and must initiate the next action) and ends in a specified way (Device may release a golf ball attend to the end of a string that forms a pendulum to strike and release a Stop Sign) (see National Rules for Details). Additional points are earned for intervening energy transfers as outlined in the rules.
The device outer dimensions should be no greater than 60 cm x 60 cm x 100 cm.
Materials:
All participants must properly wear eye protection at all times. Participants without proper eye protection must be immediately informed and given a chance to obtain eye protection if time allows. Participants without eye protection will not compete. Each device must pass a safety inspection before operation. Devices with potential hazards or safety concerns will not be permitted to run unless safety concerns are resolved to the satisfaction of the Event Supervisor; otherwise, they must receive only participation points. Event Supervisors will need meter sticks, stopwatches, balance/scale, and measuring tape.
Bring a Design log. Design Log must consist of a list of the materials used, labeled diagram, team name and number, and numerical values labeled with standard units. Check the national rules for details.
Scoring:
High score wins. Points are earned for completing action sequences and bonuses as outlined in the rules.
Common Mistakes:
Measure, measure, measure. Pieces sticking out around the back or sides of your device count in the size.
Chemical reactions, and electronics don’t always always go well together. Be sure that individual components are safe to operate near each other.
Recommendations:
In NC, we highly recommend that you do not try task 4 vi unless you have exhausted all the other points possible. There are very very few reactions where light will start a chemical reaction that can initiate something else. Just a suggestion.
There have been several questions about the ‘closed container’ for water. The container does not have to be fully enclosed. The top can be open but if any water spills it will not be considered to be closed and will not count.
Mission Possible -Timer Scoring
North Carolina
To receive any points for a successful designated timer, it must run for at least 30 seconds.
The designated timer must also successfully initiate the next action/task.
The final task must be successfully completed by the device for any timer points to be awarded.
One point will be awarded for each full second that a timer runs up to the target time if all conditions above and those in rules are met (i.e. no electricity is used). No timer points will be awarded after the target time. (Two points will be awarded if the timer is chemical.)
Examples:
- A qualifying timer starts at the 20-sec. mark and runs until the final task is completed at 65 seconds. The timer ran for 40 seconds prior to the target time of 60 seconds, so 40 points would be awarded.
- A qualifying timer starts at the 50-sec. mark and runs until the final task is completed at 81 seconds. Only 10 points would be awarded for the time up to the target time.
- A timer starts at 62 seconds and runs for 25 seconds until the final task is completed. No points will be awarded because the timer did not run for 30 seconds and all of the time it did run were after the target time.
Event Resources:
Mission Possible 2018 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2019 Rules)
2017 Coaches Clinic Presentation (2018 rules)
2019 Score Sheet
Media:
