About IPT
How does it work?
Preparations for the tournament start many months in advance. Teams of up to 6 students receive a list of 17 open-ended problems, which haven't yet been described in the scientific literature. Solutions to the problems are expected to consist of both a theoretical model of the phenomenon and it's experimental verification. Each problem can thus be seen as a short, independent research project. The problems are usually taken from everyday life, like what is the maximum frequency at which a person can spin a PowerBall? Or what is the maximal speed for a burning arrow not to die out in flight? Simple questions do not necessarily have an easy answer!Physics Fight
A Physics Fight (PF) is a single encounter of three teams during which each team in turn takes on the role of the Reporter, Opponent and the Reviewer. The tasks of those being consecutively to present a solution, debate it and assess the merits of both performances. The whole fight is being watched over by a jury which gives out scores to all three teams. First part of the tournament consists of a series of preliminary PF rounds to select the finalists. The three teams which accumulated the most points then participate in the final PF resulting in the winner of the tournament. The most exciting thing about the format of the PF is that the teams do not only present their solutions, but also discuss them with opponents, learning to defend their point of view. Three different problems are discussed in each fight and the fact that the they are always chosen by the opposing teams makes it even more intriguing!History
International Physicists' Tournament was born in Ukraine in 2009 as a continuation of a long tradition of physics competitions in USSR. It brought together 16 teams from the leading universities of Ukraine and neighboring countries. In the following years, the tournament was held in Kiev and Moscow, while recently it moved to Switzerland where it was held twice at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. Over the years, more and more countries took part in the event. In the 2014 edition the tournament welcomed Ukraine, Denmark, France, Singapore, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom, Russia and Switzerland. We will be glad to welcome new participating countries to the 2015 edition!
