Students enrolled in Farmingdale High School’s AP Physics C class participated in the annual Recycled Bottle Raft Regatta!
Six teams – The Invisible Boat Mobile, The H.M.S. Rubber Ducky, Lil Boat, Papa Jim, The Kev Boat, and Ophelia – were tasked with designing boats out of recycled materials that would support their weight and stay afloat while they raced back and forth across the high school pool. The teams even had to design their paddles.
Teachers, students, and the high school Pep Band filled the bleachers, cheering everyone on during the big race. Ultimately, Lil Boat came away with the 2022 championship trophy and bragging rights.
“This project teaches students about buoyancy and fluid mechanics and is such a great change of pace after the AP Exams, said Farmingdale High School physics teacher Adriana Wetzel. “The students endured a lot of trial and error and went through massive amounts of duct tape and plastic recycled bottles, but in the end, what I hope they will remember most is the fun they had!”
In conjunction with the project, each team submits an Engineering Notebook detailing daily tasks, photographs, initial design drawings, calculations, and final thoughts and conclusions.
Other awards were given, including The Titanic Award for Most Spectacular Sinking to The H.M.S. Rubber Ducky, Most Team Spirit to Ophelia, Best Dressed to The Invisible Boat Mobile, the People’s Choice Award for Most Likely to Win the Race to The Kev Boat, Best Design to Papa Jim, and The Pride of the Regatta to Lil Boat.
PHOTOS