(Submitted photo)

By Josh Hall

to sweep or not to sweep?

Bowden student’s project questions curling science

Jun 16, 2020 | 6:00 PM

Does the temperature of the ice affect the curl of the rock?

That is the question Bowden Grandview grade seven student Demareece MacKenzie sought to answer as part of this year’s Youth Science Canada Online STEM Fair.

The fair featured more than 600 projects from Canadian students, coast to coast to coast.

“The conclusion was not what I expected, which was for the friction from sweeping the ice to affect the number of revolutions made by the rock; causing it to curl more,” says MacKenzie, a member of the Olds Curling Club.

“What I found was that pushing off the hack is what makes the rock go further, and that the curl is related to how far you twist your wrist.”

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McKenzie, whose project earned a second place ribbon in her class, admits she could find different results if the thermometer she used was calibrated differently, and if she could create an apparatus to allow for consistent release of the rock.

She also consulted with the ice keeper in Olds about the steps of maintaining curling sheets.

“Without science, there wouldn’t be inventions, cures for illness, or technology,” she says, alluding to her interest in science. “Science must remain important for people to continue to learn.”

Two students from Red Deer also collaborated on a project for the YSC fair, focusing on graphene.