On Sunday 2nd February, Mr Clements and Mr Yates accompanied a team of 5 LVI Physics students who travelled to Dulwich College to compete in the annual Weizmann Safe Cracking Competition. Katie G was kind enough to share her highlights from the day:

“This was a project that we had been working on since September, aiming to construct a safe using two key physics phenomena, with ours’s being the polarisation of light and electrical resistance. Whilst building the safe we learnt many new skills, such as the use of power tools, which only resulted in a few minor injuries. Despite our workshop taking the form of a kitchen table, we had a working safe to bring to the competition bright and early on a sunny Sunday morning, alongside 21 other teams from 15 schools spanning the Southeast, from Sevenoaks to High Wycombe .

With dead batteries and a lock that kept on resetting itself, we were presented some early challenges. So, after a few phone calls home and very generous parents running in with emergency supplies, we were ready to go. Throughout the day, we attempted to crack some of the other ingenious safes and defended as teams came to try and crack ours, learning more about the physics principles behind all the safes. Our efforts were rewarded as, when we all gathered for the prize-giving, we were very honoured to have won the award of Best Newcomer. Overall, we learnt so much by attending and in the construction process prior to it and are looking forward to what the next A-Level Physics class will make next year!”

Mr Clements, Teacher of Physics