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A group of students and faculty holding up general chemistry competition banner
Students working hard on questions
President Scroggins and the student winners of the general chemistry competition
Image of audience members looking at screen
Faculty members at the general chemistry competition
Students working hard on questions
Students working hard on questions

General Chemistry Competition

The annual General Chemistry Competition is an event hosted by the Mt. SAC Chemistry Department to encourage and promote chemistry knowledge. All current Mt. SAC students are encouraged to participate where they may win prizes.

  • General Chemistry Competition 2024 

    The General Chemistry  Competition will return to Founder's Hall on Wednesday, May 15th, 2024 from 4pm to 7pm! 

    The competition is a pub-trivia style format where students will form groups of 4 and compete with other teams to win the top prize! Click the link below to see past year's winners. See the video below for last year's competition highlights!

    Click to see last year's winners!

    Students registering as individuals will be placed on a team. Click the link below to register your team. Please note that EVERY team member will need to register.

    Chemistry Competition Registration

    The General Chemistry Competition is sponsored by the Mt. SAC Chemistry Department, Mt. SAC Associated Students, Mt. SAC Foundation (with support from Edison International), the American Chemical Society-San Gorgonio Section, and Wiley. This event would not be possible without their support.

    • Rules

      The competition is held over several rounds of trivia in two parts: 

      Part 1
      Part 1 is a “pub trivia” style set of six rounds (five questions each round). The questions in each round share the same category, e.g. “around the house” or “the periodic table.” Competitors work in teams of four to answer the questions. The questions will be provided in written form to  the participants as well as read out loud to the room. Each round will last ~8 min. Correct answers are worth one point each unless otherwise indicated. 

      Part 2
      The three highest scoring teams from Part 1 will move on to Part 2, with scores re-set to zero. Part 2 is a series of five fast-paced lightning rounds (4 questions each round). Each team will have a buzzer; when a question is asked, the first team to buzz in will have the chance to answer the question. If the team answers incorrectly, the next team to have buzzed in will have the chance to answer. Correct answers are worth one point. Incorrect answers are worth -1 points. 

      Tie-breakers:
      In the case of a tie after Part 1, the team who answered the most number of questions correctly will move on. If this determiner does not break the tie, then there will be 4 teams in Part 2. In the case of a tie after Part 2, the team who placed higher in Part 1 will win the tie.

    • Prizes
      • The top six teams will win gift cards and other prizes.
        • 1st place- $160 (4x $40 gift card)  + Au element pin + Klein Access code
        • 2nd place- $140 (4x $35 gift card) + Ag element pin + Periodic Table Pen
        • 3rd place- $120 (4x $30 gift card) + Cu element pin
        • 4th place- $100 (4x $25 gift card) 
        • 5th place- $80 (4x $20 gift card) 
        • 6th place- $60 (4x $15 gift card)
      • Participation certificates and door prizes will be awarded to ALL participants.
      • Participants MUST be present at competition AND have paid their A.S. student activity fees in order to receive prizes. Participants will have their fee payment status verified. 
    • Questions?
      • Contact Professor Cuiwen He at che@mtsac.edu with any questions, or to request reasonable disability accommodations (must be requested at least 5 business days in advance of the event).