From IYPT
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
What does "IYPT" stand for?
"IYPT" stands for "International Young Physicists' Tournament". It is a team-oriented competition for secondary school students, sometimes also referred to as the "Physics World Cup".
How do I pronounce "IYPT"?
As usual for acronyms, "IYPT" is pronounced letter by letter: I - Y - P - T. IPA: [a? wa? pi: ti:]
How can I participate in the IYPT?
Since the IYPT is a World Cup you must first contact the person responsible for Young Physicists' Tournament in your country. (See List of IOC Members.) Most countries have some sort of qualification tournament. If there is no such person (i.e. your country has never participated in the IYPT before) you should contact the IYPT officials for further information.
Who can participate in the IYPT?
Each country may be represented by one team, consisting of five high school (secondary school) students. The participation of university students is not allowed. Each team is accompanied by one or two teamleaders.
Is it possible for single students to participate in the IYPT
No, that is not possibe. The IYPT is a team-oriented competition. Teams must consist of three to five students.
Who formulates the problems for the IYPT?
The problems are formulated by the International Organizing Committee (IOC). Each participating country suggests possible problems. The IOC then chooses from this pool of problems, maybe rewording them partially. The IOC takes care that not all the problems come from the same fields of physics.
What kind of resources may be used by the students during the IYPT?
Generally speaking, all kinds of resources are allowed. It is customary for the teams to use things like pocket calculators, dictionaries, laptops, literature, notes, etc. Everything is allowed. The only thing which is explicitly forbidden is the communication between the students and non-participants during the fights.
Which means of presentation will be present at the IYPT?
It depends on what the Local Organizing Committee can provide. Authoritative information can only be obtained by the LOC. Usual means of presentation are data-projectors ("beamers"), sometimes also overhead projectors and blackboards.
Why are there always exactly 17 problems?
An experienced IOC member once explained it in the following way: "Well,... You see, 16 would be too few, but 18 would be too many."