EXAMPLES OF SAFES PREVIOUSLY ENTERED INTO THE WEIZMANN PHYSICS TOURNAMENT BY UK TEAMS

2012 5th Place There are 3 problems to solve before a binary code appears on the transparent screen. The first problem is to read the diagram of logic gates and work out which switches need to be on or off in order to get a high value output at the output of the gates. A correct arrangement of the switches turns on a laser. The diffraction grating needs to be moved until the laser light highlights all the boxes on the transparent screen. Next a problem requires connecting the correct leads into the correct holes in order to drop a screen which obscures the laser light. A mathematical problem will give a hint as to the angle that is required between the leads. The transparent screen only has some squares lit up, and these can be interpreted as a code which is hinted at with a description on the side of the box. The code can then be used to open the lock.

Curie Romantic (2011) 1st Place A tea light needs to be placed in the Perspex turntable chamber, the handle is rotated until the flame plays on the key which is held in place by a button magnet. When hot enough the magnet loses its magnetism (Curie temperature) and the key drops into a tray at the side. The key is then used to switch on the laser light. A transparent beaker is placed on the turntable, in place of the tea light. The beaker must be pierced at the same height as the horizontal laser beam. The beaker is then filled with water and placed on the turntable with is rotated so that the stream of water falls on a LDR. The light from the laser follows the water stream due to Total Internal Reflection. The LDR sensing circuit triggers a LED digital display which reveals the code for the digital padlock and hence the safe is cracked. The safe was set out as part of a romantic meal prepared by Pierre Curie for Marie with a gift for her locked inside.

High Charge (2010) 18th Place A Perspex rod needs to be charged and then inserted in a tube in the safe. Water is poured through the top. If the rod is charged sufficiently, then the stream of water is deflected enough to fall on to electrodes. The electrodes are connected to a sensing circuit which latches and turns on the laser in the right hand chamber. Various transparent Perspex sealed containers with different fluids must be used to refract the laser light by the exact amount needed so that it falls on the LDR. If successful, then the LDR triggers the LED digital display which reveals the code needed for the digital padlock. The trick here is that in the second part, the whole safe must be turned upside down so that the marbles in the correct Perspex chamber do not obstruct the laser light.

Chess Master (2009) 6th Place Solve the puzzle and place the correct chess pieces in the right positions on the board. The chess positions are detected by electronic circuitry below the board. Success on the board, switches on the rotating capstan below the chess board and it also turns on a lap. The safe cracker must alter the speed of the capstan. If rotated at the correct speed a code would be projected onto the inside of the safe and the digital padlock could be opened and therefore the safe.