South African Young Physicists' Tournament

What is the SAYPT?

The South African Young Physicists' Tournament (SAYPT) is a newly established national-level competition modelled on the IYPT, open to all high school learners across South Africa. It provides an opportunity for students to engage with real-world physics phenomena through experimental investigation, modelling, and scientific communication.

The Problems for the 1st SAYPT 2026

A subset of 8 problems from the official 17 IYPT 2026 problems have been carefully selected for this year's tournament.  They are:

1. Invent yourself

A self-starting siphon can be made using a piece of rigid tubing bent into a specific shape. When the siphon is partially immersed in water, it begins siphoning water without the need for initial suction. Investigate how the relevant parameters, such as the geometry, affect the siphoning process.

2. Electrical damping 

A magnet suspended by a spring will display simple harmonic motion when displaced. If the magnet oscillates within a coil connected to a resistor, its motion will be damped. Investigate the factors that affect the damping.

4. Oil flow 

A thin layer of cooking oil on a flat metal surface flows outwards when heated. Investigate the phenomenon and its dependence on relevant parameters.

12. Autumn coin 

The motion of a coin falling to the bottom of a tank filled with liquid can be remarkably similar to the fluttering and tumbling of a falling autumn leaf. Investigate how the motion of the coin depends on relevant parameters.

13. The singing ruler 

When a ruler is clamped at one end and struck, it oscillates and emits a characteristic sound. Investigate how the sound depends on relevant parameters.

14. Crystal Critters 

Observe the evaporation of a drop of table salt solution on a warm hydrophobic surface. After the water evaporates, a variety of characteristic crystal shapes remain. Research and explain this phenomenon.

15. Magnetic Newton’s cradle 

Repulsing, non-touching magnets are used instead of colliding balls to make a new type of Newton’s cradle. The new cradle can act in a similar way to a regular cradle, but can also exhibit other interesting behaviour. Explain and study the movement of this magnetic cradle.

16. Twisted spaghetti 

When a bundle of spaghetti is twisted, it might withstand higher transverse (side) forces than a straight, untwisted bundle. Investigate the response of a twisted bundle to transverse stress and identify the optimal twist that maximises tolerance to transverse stress.

Prizes

First, second and third places will be awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates and medals respectively along with small monetary prizes.