IYPT Australia

Selected problems for the 9th IYPT Australia Challenge

IYPT Australia is organised by AuScience.

Full 17 problems of IYPT2012 in Germany.

1. Bright waves
Illuminate a water tank. When there are waves on the water surface, you can see bright and dark patterns on the bottom of the tank. Study the relation between the waves and the pattern.

2. Woodpecker toy
A woodpecker toy (see picture) exhibits an oscillatory motion. Investigate and explain the motion of the toy.

3. Drawing pins
A drawing pin (thumbtack) floating on the surface of water near another floating object is subject to an attractive force. Investigate and explain the phenomenon. Is it possible to achieve a repulsive force by a similar mechanism?

4. Rocking bottle
Fill a bottle with some liquid. Lay it down on a horizontal surface and give it a push. The bottle may first move forward and then oscillate before it comes to rest. Investigate the bottle's motion.

5. Cutting the air
When a piece of thread (e.g., nylon) is whirled around with a small mass attached to its free end, a distinct noise is emitted. Study the origin of this noise and the relevant parameters. Changed for legal reasons - paper lanterns are illegal to manufacture or use in Australia

6. Granular splash
If a steel ball is dropped onto a bed of dry sand, a "splash" will be observed that may be followed by the ejection of a vertical column of sand. Reproduce and explain this phenomenon.

7. Rising bubble
A vertical tube is filled with a viscous fluid. On the bottom of the tube, there is a large air bubble. Study the bubble rising from the bottom to the surface.

IYPT Australia 2012

The 9th IYPT Australia Challenge will be held at All Saints Anglican School in March 2012.