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Igniting Curiosity: Using IYPT Problems on the DP Physics course

Dear readers of the Think IB Physics blog,

My name is Sam Edgecombe, and I've been a physics teacher at Malmö Borgarskola since 2011. I have had the privilege of being introduced to the IYPT (International Young Physicists' Tournament) by a colleague, and now it's my turn to inspire you. I want to share how this incredible resource can inspire your students' Internal Assessments (IAs) and Extended Essays (EEs) and even open the door for them to compete internationally.

What is the IYPT?

The IYPT is a prestigious pre-university competition often called the "Physics World Cup." At its core, the IYPT involves students tackling one of 17 open-ended physics problems, spending nearly a year investigating their chosen topic. They then orally present their findings in a "Physics Fight".

During a Physics Fight, students take on three distinct roles:

  • Reporter: Presents their solution, which involves a strong theoretical foundation and a comparison of their controlled experiments to that theory. This aligns perfectly with the requirements of a strong EE or IA.
  • Opponent: Critically analyzes the Reporter's presentation, asking clarifying questions, and leading a scientific discussion on the report's strengths and weaknesses. This role is excellent practice for the evaluation skills needed in an IA.
  • Reviewer: Evaluates the performances of both the Reporter and Opponent.

The open-ended nature of the problems means there's no single "correct" answer, encouraging creativity and deep inquiry. This makes them ideal starting points for student-led investigations.

Inspiring IA and EE Topics

At Malmö Borgarskola, I present a selection of the new problems to my first-year DP students each August. This gives them time to explore a topic, and by December, they can choose to continue with it as their IA or EE, submit it for the IYPT, or move on. (I even introduce the IYPT to interested students in year 10 - our Pre-DP - which helps to ignite their interest.)

The full list of problems for IYPT 2026 is on the official IYPT website, however, I recommend starting with the following problems because their setups are simple and inexpensive, and their theory is accessible to DP students.

  • 1. Invent yourself: Investigate a self-starting siphon. How do parameters like the tubing's geometry affect the siphoning process?
  • 2. Electrical damping: Explore how a magnet's simple harmonic motion is damped when it oscillates inside a coil connected to a resistor. What factors affect this damping?
  • 5. Elastic wave dynamics: Observe standing waves on a rubber band by twisting it and releasing a suspended metal ball. How do the waves depend on relevant parameters?
  • 6. Flipo Flip: Analyze the motion of a Flipo Flip toy. How does its unique shape allow it to roll for multiple turns, and how does its motion depend on geometry and initial conditions?
  • 11. Sweet monochromator: Build a "sweet monochromator" using a column of sugar solution and polarized white light. How can you optimize the setup for the narrowest light wavelength bandwidth?
  • 13. The singing ruler: Investigate how the characteristic sound produced by a clamped ruler depends on various parameters.

These problems provide a perfect scaffold for a student's research journey, from formulating a research question to designing a controlled experiment and performing a thorough analysis.

How to Get Involved

If your students are interested in competing, their school's country must be an Member Organization (IMO) of the IYPT. You can check the current list of National Tournaments on the IYPT website. There are about 40 countries currently involved.

If your country isn't on the list, don't worry! Contact the Executive Committee, and they can help you start the process.

Yes, preparing for IYPT is more challenging than other physics contests, but I believe that students get a lot more out of it. If they are thinking of doing their EE in physics, IYPT problems provide the perfect scaffold for this.

I highly recommend the IYPT to all DP physics teachers and hope to see you at an IYPT (or other YPT tournament) in the near future.

Yours,

Sam Edgecombe

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