IYPT 2017

IYPT 2017 was held in Singapore from 5th to 12th of July 2017, hosted by the National University of Singapore. The IOC meeting took place from 12th to 14th of July. Arrival and departure days were July 5th and 12th, for IOC meeting participants July 14th.

Problems, up to date results and schedule and schedule for currently running tournament.

New scoresheet created for IYPT 2017 is now available for Jurors and all participants! Explanation file describing motivation and aim of new scoresheet and a Quick guide to using new scoresheet were created to clarify its structure and let Jurors familiarise with new scoring method.

Current version of the IYPT regulations (accepted in Ayutthaya, July 2015)

The Contract between IYPT and the Local Organising Committee of Singapore can be found here.

Problems for the 30th IYPT 2017

Released by the IOC on July 4th, 2016

Please refer to the official and signed pdf as the authoritative source, that also includes pictures.

Any suggestion for a new IYPT Problem? Propose here.

Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things.
Isaac Newton

1. Invent Yourself

Construct a passive device that will provide safe landing for an uncooked hen’s egg when dropped onto a hard surface from a fixed height of 2.5 m. The device must fall together with the egg. What is the smallest size of the device you can achieve?

2. Balloon Airhorn

A simple airhorn can be constructed by stretching a balloon over the opening of a small container or cup with a tube through the other end (see Figure). Blowing through a small hole in the side of the container can produce a sound. Investigate how relevant parameters affect the sound.

3. Single Lens Telescope

A telescope can be built using a single lens, provided that a small aperture is used instead of an eyepiece. How do the parameters of the lens and the hole influence the image (e.g. magnification, sharpness and brightness)?

4. Magnetic Hills

A small amount of a ferrofluid placed in an inhomogeneous magnetic field forms hill-like structures. Investigate how the properties of these structures depend on relevant parameters.

5. Leidenfrost Stars

In the Leidenfrost effect, a water drop placed on a hot surface can survive for minutes. Under certain circumstances, such a drop develops oscillating star shapes. Induce different oscillatory modes and investigate them.

6. Fast Chain

A chain consisting of wooden blocks inclined relative to the vertical and connected by two threads (see Figure) is suspended vertically and then released. Compared to free fall, the chain falls faster when it is dropped onto a horizontal surface. Explain this phenomenon and investigate how the relevant parameters affect the motion.

7. Spiral Waves

Spiral waves and other types of wave patterns may occur on a thin liquid film flowing over a rotating disk. Investigate these wave patterns.

8. Visualising Density

Schlieren Photography is often used to visualise density variations in a gas. Build a Schlieren setup and investigate how well it can resolve density differences.

9. Ball in a Tube

A sealed transparent tube is filled with a liquid and contains a small ball. The tube is inclined and its lower end is attached to a motor such that the tube traces a conical surface. Investigate the motion of the ball as a function of relevant parameters.

10. Pulling Glasses Apart

Put a thin layer of water between two sheets of glass and try to separate them. Investigate the parameters affecting the required force.

11. Hair Hygrometer

A simple hygrometer can be built using human hair. Investigate its accuracy and response time as a function of relevant parameters.

12. Torsion Gyroscope

Fasten the axis of a wheel to a vertical thread that has a certain torsional resistance (see Figure). Twist the thread, spin the wheel, and release it. Investigate the dynamics of this system.

13. Resonating Glass

A wine glass partially filled with liquid will resonate when exposed to the sound from a loudspeaker. Investigate how the phenomenon depends on various parameter.

14. Gee-Haw Whammy Diddle

A gee-haw whammy diddle is a mechanical toy consisting of a simple wooden stick and a second stick that is made up of a series of notches with a propeller at its end. When the wooden stick is pulled over the notches, the propeller starts to rotate. Explain this phenomenon and investigate the relevant parameters.

15. Boiled Egg

Suggest non-invasive methods to detect the degree to which a hen’s egg is cooked by boiling. Investigate the sensitivity of your methods.

16. Metronome Synchronization

A number of mechanical metronomes standing next to each other and set at random initial phases under certain conditions reach synchronous behaviour in a matter of minutes. Investigate the phenomenon

17. Vacuum Bazooka

A ‘vacuum bazooka’ can be built with a simple plastic pipe, a light projectile, and a vacuum cleaner. Build such a device and maximise the muzzle velocity.

Authors: Cheong-Eung Ahn, Matej Badin, John Balcombe, Samuel Byland, Nicolas Chevalier, Timotheus Hell, Wee Wei Hsiung, Yung-Yuan Hsu, Dina Izadi, Karel Kolář, Stanislav Krasulin, František Kundracik, John Lukowski, Maciej Malinowski, Ilya Martchenko, Kerry Parker, Carmen Parton, Anton Rayner, Felix Wechsler, and Evgeny Yunosov

Problem selection committee: John Balcombe, Samuel Byland, Ilya Martchenko

Epigraph selected by Evgeny Yunosov

Important deadlines

The deadline for pre-registering a team was January 31st 2017, pre-registration is closed.

Applications for travel support for Experienced Jurors can be sent to registration no later than on February 28th.

The call for registration of Experienced Jurors in CURIIE was closed on March 31st.

The deadline for paying the registration fee of 1500 EUR per team was April 26th 2017.

All data regarding IYPT 2017 must be submitted to CURIIE latest on June 6th before the start of the competition.

Participating Teams at IYPT 2017:

1. Australia
2. Austria
3. Azerbaijan
4. Belarus
5. Brazil
6. Bulgaria
7. Canada
8. China
9. Chinese Taipei
10. Czech Republic
11. Georgia
12. Germany
13. Hungary
14. Iran
15. Korea
16. Macao
17. New Zealand
18. Pakistan
19. Poland
20. Romania
21. Russia
22. Serbia
23. Singapore
24. Slovakia
25. Sweden
26. Switzerland
27. Thailand
28. Ukraine
29. United Kingdom
30. USA

Guest Teams at IYPT 2017:

1. India