Articles on Competitions

A selection of papers on competitions and problem-solving, published in reputable academic journals.

2025

• Development of soft and hard skills of high-school students via Young Physicists’ Tournament
  • accepted manuscript
  • https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6404/adedd6
• Incorporating IYPT problems into large-enrollment introductory physics labs for inquiry-based learning
  • Xiantao Wei et al 2025 Eur. J. Phys. 46 025804
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/adb66a
• Instability in sugar–salt double-diffusive systems
  • Xian Wei Chua 2025 Phys. Educ. 60 055010
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6552/adebd5
  • Connected to an IYPT problem

2023

• Study on the magnetic levitation of a magnetic flea
  • Yuchen Jiang et al 2023 Eur. J. Phys. 44 064001
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/acfd23
  • Connected to an IYPT problem

2022

• Research on the Synchronization Problem in the Combustion of Candles
  • Desheng Cheng et al 2022 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 2185 012011
  • DOI 10.1088/1742-6596/2185/1/012011
  • Connected to an IYPT problem

2021

• Hurricane Ball Movement Analysis
  • Ruilin Long 2021 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1985 012049
  • DOI 10.1088/1742-6596/1985/1/012049
  • Connected to an IYPT problem
• Theoretical and experimental study of the looping pendulum
  • Yujing Wang and Yujun Shi 2021 Eur. J. Phys. 42 045006
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/abf022
  • Connected to an IYPT problem
• Study for a lab-made Moiré pattern-based thread counter
  • Yifan Liu et al 2021 Eur. J. Phys. 42 034001
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/abc091
  • Connected to an IYPT problem

2020

• The IYPT and the ‘Ring Oiler’ problem
  • Martin Plesch et al 2020 Eur. J. Phys. 41 034001
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/ab6414
  • Connected to an IYPT problem
• Investigating chirping steel balls: a novel set-up
  • Xian Wei Chua 2020 Phys. Educ. 55 063005
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6552/abaea7
  • Connected to an IYPT problem

2019

• Determination of the Boltzmann constant by the equipartition theorem for capacitors
  • T M Mishonov et al 2019 Eur. J. Phys. 40 035102
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/ab07e0
  • Connected to a problem of the Experimental Physics Olympiad

2018

• PLANCKS 2017—Physics League Across Numerous Countries for Kick-Ass Students
  • Gerhard Dorn et al 2018 Eur. J. Phys. 39 064001
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/aac74a
• The International Young Physicists’ Tournament 2017
  • Martin Plesch et al 2018 Eur. J. Phys. 39 064003
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/aaa889

2017

• The German Physics Olympiad—identifying and inspiring talents
  • S Petersen and P Wulff 2017 Eur. J. Phys. 38 034005
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/aa538f
• The International Young Physicists’ Tournament
  • M Plesch et al 2017 Eur. J. Phys. 38 034001
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/38/3/034001
• Focus on Physics Competitions 2016
  • Angela Fösel and Leopold Mathelitsch 2017 Eur. J. Phys. 38 030201
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/aa6724

2016

• Physics League Across Numerous Countries for Kick-ass Students (PLANCKS)
  • Irene Haasnoot 2016 Eur. J. Phys. 37 014002
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/37/1/014002
• Hysteresis in the phase transition of chocolate
  • Ruilong Ren et al 2016 Eur. J. Phys. 37 014003
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/37/1/014003
  • Connected to an IYPT problem
• An undergraduate laboratory experiment for measuring ε0, μ0 and speed of light c with do-it-yourself catastrophe machines: electrostatic and magnetostatic pendula
  • Todor M Mishonov et al 2017 Eur. J. Phys. 38 025203
  • DOI 10.1088/1361-6404/38/2/025203
  • Connected to a problem of the Experimental Physics Olympiad

2014

• The microjet-film interaction: the interaction and resulting shapes of a liquid microjet impacting a soap film
  • Jau Tung Chan et al 2014 Eur. J. Phys. 35 064002
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/35/6/064002
  • Connected to an IYPT problem
• Physics competitions
  • Mayr Helmuth and Mathelitsch Leopold 2014 Eur. J. Phys. 35 064001
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/35/6/064001
• International Physicists’ Tournament—the team competition in physics for university students
  • Vladimir Vanovskiy 2014 Eur. J. Phys. 35 064003
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/35/6/064003

2013

• The ‘Physics Cup’: interesting problems are difficult
  • J Kalda 2013 Eur. J. Phys. 34 S3
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/34/4/S3

2012

• Sound analysis of a cup drum
  • Kun ho Kim 2012 Eur. J. Phys. 33 S25
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/33/6/S25
  • Connected to an IYPT problem

2011

• The vertical oscillations of coupled magnets
  • Li Kewei et al 2011 Eur. J. Phys. 32 S1
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/32/4/S01
  • Connected to an IYPT problem

2010

• Physics competitions
  • H Jordens and L Mathelitsch 2010 Eur. J. Phys. 31 E01
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/31/4/E01
• Tic-tac: accelerating a skateboard from rest without touching an external support
  • M Kunesch and A Usunov 2010 Eur. J. Phys. 31 S25
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/31/4/S03
  • Connected to an IYPT problem
• The first 15 years of the International Conference of Young Scientists
  • Zsuzsanna Rajkovits 2010 Eur. J. Phys. 31 S17
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/31/4/S02

2009

• IYPT problems as an efficient source of ideas for first-year project laboratory tasks
  • Gorazd Planinsic 2009 Eur. J. Phys. 30 S133
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/30/6/S04
• The Kaye effect
  • J M Binder and A J Landig 2009 Eur. J. Phys. 30 S115
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/30/6/S03
  • Connected to an IYPT problem
• Physics competitions
  • H Jordens and L Mathelitsch 2009 Eur. J. Phys. 30 S101
  • DOI 10.1088/0143-0807/30/6/E01

2003

• The 16th International Young Physicists’ Tournament
  • Steve Adams 2003 Phys. Educ. 38 371
  • DOI 10.1088/0031-9120/38/5/301