SINGAPORE: Seventy-one teams from local schools, ranging from primary to university levels, took part in a science competition in Singapore.

Nineteen teams emerged as winners in the inaugural Amazing Science-X Challenge.

The aim of the competition is to get the contestants to explain physics in a simple yet creative manner.

To explain the scientific concept of resonance simply, the team from Raffles Institution (junior college) took pains to swing Tarzan and Jane into the picture.

"Our exhibit might look really simple but it actually requires a lot of precision. We have to make sure the lengths (of the pendulums) are very accurate, because if not, the phenomenon won't work with even the smallest discrepancy," said Raffles Institution (junior college) student Ramyia Elangovan.

Two teams from Greenview Secondary School won special mention awards for their experiments. They used design and technology or D&T to make science concepts like centripetal force easier to understand.

Teacher Muhammad Nazir said: "One thing that was exclusive about this project is that they could link up D&T and science together. We are from the Normal Technical stream, so we don't do very well in the theory kind of science lessons.

"But by merging it with D&T, we sort of have a practical approach to learning science and we're able to show our creativity in science through our
D&T projects."

Students enjoyed working on their projects.

Greenview Secondary School student Caleb Ho Zhi Qian said: "We had fun making this because we actually have D&T and science put together. I'm very surprised that we actually won this (award)."

Award winners received their prizes from Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean at the Singapore Science Centre on Saturday.

- CNA/ir

Photo Caption: Exhibit from Raffles Institution (junior college) team that uses pendulums to explain the scientific concept of resonance.