Science Bowl questions challenging

What obviously happens to a plant when its turgor is reduced?

It wilts.

Teams from 12 area high schools answered this question and others just like it at the annual RESA VII Science Bowl competition Thursday at Fairmont State.

Turgor, by the way, is the pressure within the plant cells.

The teams represented six of RESA VII’s 12-county area. Shannon Carnes, coordinator of the event, said all 12 counties were invited.

Two Marion County teams participated, Fairmont Senior High and North Marion High. Fairmont Senior High placed second at the competition.

Each team answered a series of questions on areas of chemistry, physics, biology, computer science, math and astronomy. The questions weren’t easy.

FSU biology professor Phil Yeager served up questions at the event.

“The questions are very hard if you don’t have a science background,” he said. “But the kids are doing well.”

Math professor Susan Goodwin kept score for several rounds.

“I’m amazed by what these kids know, and what they don’t know,” she said.

Carnes said each year, the regional competitions are held by the RESA in that area. The top two teams advance to the state Science Bowl competition. This year, the teams from first-place Bridgeport High and Fairmont Senior will head to the state competition Feb. 3, 2007 at the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morgantown.

University High placed third.

The top team in the state will then advance to the U.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl, held April 26 - 30, 2007.

In addition to the Marion County teams, the following schools that participated in the regional event: Bridgeport High, Lewis County High, Liberty High, Lincoln High, Morgantown High, Philip Barbour High, South Harrison High, Trinity High, Tygarts Valley High and University High.

E-mail Katie Wilson at kwilson@timeswv.com.