04. Information Search
2026 Topic: Human Impact on the Aqueous Environment
Water is fundamental to all life on earth, humans being no exception. We use it for drinking, cleaning, manufacturing, and many other activities. However, according to the World Health Organization and UNICEF, 1 in 4 people globally lack access to safe drinking water. Some contaminants in drinking water come from natural sources, but a growing number come from human activities. Due to their chemical structure, some of these chemical contaminants are not easily broken down or removed by natural processes. Their resilience to natural degradation and humankinds’ inability effectively prevent their release to the environment has caused them to build up in our water supply. This in turn has led to several health-related issues for not only humans, but the organisms in the environment we all share. This year’s Information Search event gives you a chance to investigate the structures of several chemicals that are persistent pollutants in our water ways.
Teams will construct one of the following monomers for plastic polymers:
Atrazine (CAS No. 1912-24-9) | Acetochlor (CAS No. 34256-82-1) |
Chloramine-T (CAS No. 127-65-1) | Dimethenamid (CAS No. 87674-68-8) |
Event-Specific Requirements:
- A team of 2 or 3 students must compete in this event.
- Schools with two teams Schools with two teams are required to choose different molecules for research and presentation. The two teams MUST compete in the same time slot.
- Before the day of the event, the team will select one of the molecules and make a molecular model according to this year’s guidelines.
- The team should be prepared to use the Internet to answer general knowledge questions about all the molecules in the Information Search portion of the event.
- On the day of the competition, the team must complete the Information Search portion of the event within 25 minutes.
- The team should be prepared to answer two oral questions about their molecule.
---> Questions will focus on molecular geometry (such as chirality, identifying co-planar atoms, hybridization, bond lengths, and angles).
Model: The molecular model should be made using painted Styrofoam balls (3” maximum) for atoms and wooden skewers for bonds. Besides glue, no other materials are permitted! COLOR CODE: Use black for carbon, white for hydrogen, red for oxygen, blue for nitrogen, green for chlorine, yellow for sulfur, and orange for fluorine. Points will be awarded both for technical correctness and design elegance. Your model will be judged as to how accurately it represents the molecule’s structure. The team must provide a key that includes information about atoms (key to atomic representations), bond angles, bond lengths, and hybridization in the molecule.
Event Day Information:
On Event Day, one team member should have a physical model prepared for judging. During the allocated session, each team will participate in the "Internet Search" and "Molecule Questioning" portions of the event.
Teams will be asked six Information Search questions. Teams must provide written answers to the six questions. At the end of the scheduled session, each team must submit its written answers to the questions.
Students may consult the List of Suggested Databases that has been developed for this event.
Student teams will face two questions about their model on the competition day. Teams will respond orally to the questions to demonstrate their knowledge and clarify their reasoning. Student responses should not exceed 3 minutes. Students may also be asked points of clarification if there is any confusion about their model.
Scoring Rubric:
Model Construction | 100 | 75 | 50 | 25 | 5 | Score |
Correctness of 3D model construction (including bond angles, 3D shape, and bond length) | 3D model is to scale | Most of the information displayed the model is correct | Some of the information displayed in the model is correct | Considerable amount of missing information and/or errors | Most information is missing and/or many errors in 3D model |
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Design Elegance | Model is neat, choices for “atoms” and “bonds” are high-level | Model is neat, choices for “atoms” and “bonds are good | Model is neat, some inconsistency in design. | Some inconsistency in design and lacks neatness | Much inconsistency in design and lacks neatness z |
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Key included (atomic code, bond angles, bond lengths, hybridization) | All keys included and are correct | The keys are mostly correct | The keys are somewhat correct | Most information is missing | Key not included |
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Oral Questions-Model | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | Score |
Correctness of Question 1 | Correct and thorough answer | Answer is mostly correct | Answer is somewhat correct | Answer is vague | Incorrect answer |
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Correctness of Question 2 | Correct and thorough answer | Answer is mostly correct | Answer is somewhat correct | Answer is vague | Incorrect answer |
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All team members participated | Evidence that all team members clearly understood their model | All members had a basic understanding of their model | All members participated, but had a wreak understanding of their model | Only one member, who had a weak understanding of the model participated in the discussion | No evidence that team members understood their model |
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Oral Questions-Information Search | 25 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 5 | Score |
Correctness of Question 1 | Correct and thorough answer | Answer is mostly correct | Answer is somewhat correct | Answer is vague | Incorrect answer |
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Correctness of Question 2 | Correct and thorough answer | Answer is mostly correct | Answer is somewhat correct | Answer is vague | Incorrect answer |
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Correctness of Question 3 | Correct and thorough answer | Answer is mostly correct | Answer is somewhat correct | Answer is vague | Incorrect answer |
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Correctness of Question 4 | Correct and thorough answer | Answer is mostly correct | Answer is somewhat correct | Answer is vague | Incorrect answer |
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Correctness of Question 5 | Correct and thorough answer | Answer is mostly correct | Answer is somewhat correct | Answer is vague | Incorrect answer |
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Correctness of Question 6 | Correct and thorough answer | Answer is mostly correct | Answer is somewhat correct | Answer is vague | Incorrect answer |
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