The Second Asian
Physics Olympiad
April 22 - May 1, 2001
The Great Science Celebration of the New Century Friendship
and Hope for the Youth of Asia!
2001 II APhO Award Winners
Minutes of The Second
Asian Physics Olympiad
The Second Asian Physics Olympiad was held in Taipei from
the 22nd of April to the 1st of May, 2001. (The third
APhO will be held in Singapore, 6-14 May 2002). The physics community
as well as the people of Taiwan warmly welcomes representatives from all countries
to visit Taiwan and participate in the competitions. Under the joint supports
of the Ministry of Education and the National Science Council of Taiwan, this
Olympiad will be planned and organized by National Taiwan Normal University,
assisted by the Taiwan's Physics Society and the Physics Education Society.
National Taiwan Normal University was established in 1946 and is famous for
its special expertise in training and producing high school teachers. Behind
Taiwan's impressive development in education, this university had played an
important role, and made significant contributions. In 1998 it also served
as the organizer of the International Mathematics Olympiad.
The APhO Office
88 Ting-chou Road Section IV
Department of Physics
National Taiwan Normal University
Taipei 116, Taiwan
Tel: +886- 2- 2934 6630 ext. 127
Fax: +886- 2 -2930 7124
e-mail: apho@phy03.phy.ntnu.edu.tw |
The Organizing Committee of the Second Asian Physics Olympiad
Executive Secretary: Professor Ming-Juey Lin, Ph.D. (mjlin@phy03.phy.ntnu.edu.tw)
Brief Introduction to Taiwan (Asia
Map)
Taiwan is situated on the edge of the Western Pacific Ocean,
as a key point in East Asia. Immediately across the Taiwan Strait from Mainland
China, it served for centuries as a fulcrum in maritime transport and trade.
While in the past, tea and sugar from Taiwan used to be sold world wide, today
Taiwan's scores of industrial products, especially computer hardwares including
silicon wafers, laptop computers, motherboards and scanners have come to rank
first in the world. In sheer quantity, Taiwan's production occupies thirty-percent
of the entire world's capacity (where scanners have captured a whopping 67%),
making Taiwan the world's third largest in computer-manufacturing industry,
and the world's fourteenth largest in overall trade. In the past decade our
direct overseas investments in Asian regions has exceeded seventy billion USD
in volume. As a principal country with overseas capital investments, Taiwan
has been playing a vigorous and positive role in providing revenues as well
as technical aid internationally, and in promoting the economic growth of developing
nations.
In the modern world, there have been extremely few nations that could, under
rapid economic and democratic development, also achieve social harmony, political
stability and popular satisfaction. Taiwan is one such example. Over scores
of years, in creating the famous Taiwan Experience, Taiwan firmed up her economic
prowess, pursued political freedom in democracy, gradually transforming herself
into a progressive and open society. The people of Taiwan, with a population
of 23 millions, have summoned traditional diligent work ethics as well as their
job-respecting life attitudes to solidify such a deep and firm foundation. Even
though in recent years we have experienced the trauma of financial crises in
many parts of Asia, and recently the devastating earthquake of September 21,
1999, The people of Taiwan have adjusted swiftly and risen as one to the challenges
of new reconstruction, and today continue to play an important role on the world's
stage. Looking forward to the new century, the people of Taiwan have the confidence
to create an even better tomorrow, and are ready and willing to contribute their
shares for the Global Village.
A Brief History of Taiwan (GIF)
In ancient times more than two thousand years ago, Taiwan was
called Penglai, Island of the Immortals, and for her spectacular scenery and
abundant produce, Portuguese mariners passing by in the sixteenth century called
her Ilha Formosa (Beautiful Island). "Taiwan" became the official name in 1685
under the Ch'ing (Manchu) emperor K'ang-hsi.
According to historical accounts and archaeological findings, Taiwan was first
occupied by at least nine different aboriginal tribes (whose artifacts dating
back sometimes to the fourth millennium BCE have been excavated around the island.)
In the seventeenth century streams of immigrants from China's southern coastal
provinces of Kuang-tung and Fu-chien settled here, as one after the other the
Portuguese, the Spanish, and then the Dutch occupied the island. In 1661 Cheng
Ch'eng-kung (known to the West as Lord Koxinga) led troops and drove out the
Dutch, recapturing Taiwan. He initiated intense clearing for settling and contributed
hugely to the island's development. Most of the settlement over the island was
completed during the Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1911) when the government vastly expanded
the areas of arable land and established schools, railroads and highways. As
a result of the the Sino-Japanese War of 1895, the Treaty of Shimo-no-Seki was
signed where the Ch'ing government ceded Taiwan to the Japanese, under whose
dominion the island remained over the next fifty years. At the end of the Second
World War, the defeated Japan yielded control of Taiwan once more to China.
In 1949, the ruling government (KMT or Kuo-min-Tang) of China retreated to Taiwan
as a result of the great civil war, and the history of Taiwan began to reflect
a new tendency to evolve unaided, transforming herself gradually from a colony
to a society governed by self-rule. Over the past fifty years, Taiwan rose from
island status to world presence, and this by dint of the diligence of her sea
people. Taiwan has dealt successfully with her difficult international situation,
with her recent background of ethnic chaos and conflict, also with the basic
conditions of impoverished natural resources and managed to attain remarkable
feats in democratization of the political process, in popular education, and
in economic construction.
Host of the Olympiad: Taipei City
Taipei is situated in the bowl-shaped terrain in the north surrounded
by high mountains, and is the political, economic, financial and cultural center
of Taiwan. Looking north, two large and beautiful mountains rise in majesty
toward the northeast; they are Ta-tun-shan and Ch'i-hsing-shan respectively.
Both being volcanic in origin, they are thus round and lovely in form. Yangming-shan
National Park is accordingly established here.
Not long ago, the English periodical Asian Week published a list of the ten
large cities in Asia with the best living conditions, where Taipei rose from
the fifth place of last year to the second place. In the wake of lively developments
in cultural and commercial activities, Taipei has already become a modernized
international city.
With a population of 2.7 million, the infrastructure provides convenient public
transport services. Aside from the buses that criss-cross the city, a new rapid
mass-transit rail system (MTR) has been completed with four large arteries linking
most corners of the metropolis.
Reaching and Leaving Taipei
On the 22nd of April, 2001, our Reception Committee will be
ready at Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport to pick up representatives from
each nation and escort all visitors by special coaches to their respective lodgings.
The CKS Airport is our largest international airport and the key point of entry
into and departure from Taiwan. All the world's major airlines have direct flights
to Taipei, while others enter via Hong Kong, Bangkok or Singapore. It is about
a forty-minute drive from the airport to the city. On the morning of the 1st
of May, the Reception Committee will again have special coaches ready to take
representatives to the Chiang Kai-Shek Airport for the trip home after the competition.
Lodgings
Student representatives of all nations will be accommodated
at the Teacher Training Center on the Main Campus of National Taiwan Normal
University whilst team leaders, observers, and visitors will be lodged at four-
or five-star hotels. The Teacher Training Center is a modernized building equipped
with public telephones (where phone cards can be used for domestic and international
dialings), conference rooms, and reading rooms.
The main campus of the university is situated in the cultural-educational district
of the city, but within easy walking distance to the commercial district. Each
morning the organizers will provide special coaches to convey members to the
competition site or to other planned activities.
Meals
The Chinese food of Taiwan comprises one of the world's top
three cuisines. We shall provide for our guests the most typical local fare.
However, we shall also take into consideration, of course, the different tastes
of the various Asian cultures, and strive to provide pleasure for all.
We must remind all representatives and distinguished guests to let us know in
advance of any special food requirements such as vegetarian, diabetes diets
or those that must be free of salt, beef, pork, or fowl. Please make your needs
known to the organizers during registration, or immediately upon arrival in
Taiwan.
Medical Insurance
There is a small clinic on the main campus of National Taiwan
Normal University that can provide for minor emergencies, and two first-rate
major hospitals within ten minutes' drive of the competition site. Organizers
of the Olympiad are not responsible for medical expenses of delegates, observers
or visitors. It is important that each representative group be adequately insured
before coming to Taiwan.
Religious Services
The more popular religions in Taiwan are Buddhism and Taoism,
but Christianity in the form of Protestant and Catholic churches too have a
great many believers. There are many Buddhist and Taoist temples in Taipei city,
and quite a number of Christian Churches of various denominations. Close to
the competition site there is a fairly well known Islamic Temple, the Ch'ing-chen-ssu.
Our Reception Committee is willing to help delegates contact their respective
religious institutions and to attend services.
Before and After the Competitions
Should any team arrive early and wish to spend some extra time
sightseeing, there are convenient buses and the MTR rapid transit system for
all destinations within the city. In the immediate environs there are Yangmingshan
National Park on beautiful Mount Yangming which also boasts wonderful sulfur
hot spring facilities, the National Palace Museum with its unrivalled treasures
spanning centuries and the Ch'ing Dynasty temple, Lung-shan-ssu, with its traditional
wood and stone-carving as well as the bustling market life around it. For sampling
various regional tastes the legendary night-markets are sure to provide a memorable
experience.
After the Olympiad, some delegations may wish to have a tour of Taiwan. Although
Taiwan is an island, it offers vastly different scenery from north to south
and at different heights above sea level. One can view the endless ocean from
the northern coastal highway, the mysterious stone-groups at Yeh-liu where over
the centuries crashing waves and ceaseless winds have caused phantasmagoric
erosions in the rocks. The east coast is full of beautiful cliffs and outlooks,
and the legendary Taroko Gorge, entirely made of green marble, provides a stunning
passage. In the center there is Alishan mountain, home of the thousand-year-old
sacred woods, In the south, Kenting National Park with beautiful tropical fishes
and sea-views is entirely paved with risen coral and is host to the complex
ecology of a tropical forest.
Tourist Spots
1.Yangmingshan
National Park(¶§©ú¤s°ê®a¤½¶é)
At a height of 200-1,120 meters above sea level,in the middle of the
Tatun Mountain range, covering 11,456 hectares, is the volcanic rock formation
which is Yangminhshan National Park. Each spring cherry, azalea, and camellia
bushes blossom and bud. In the autumn the silvery white pampas grass covers
the slopes, and in winter their color is the red of maple trees, Yangmingshan
National Park charms in any season. Buses: small bus No.9, yellow 508,
tourist buses 108, 109, 110, 111 |
2.Hell
Valley(¦a¥ö¨¦)
Located beside Peitou Park in north Taipei, Hell Valley is a scalding
hot spring on Tatun Mountain. The eater here is acidic and said to have
medicinal properties. The temperature reaches 90 C, so care is needed
not to get burnt. Buses: 216, 217, 218, 219, 223, 230, 266, 516 MRT: Hesinpeitou
Station, MRT Tamshui Line |
3.The
National Palace Museum(¬G®c³Õª«°|)
Covering an area of 19.4 hectarcs, and built in Chinese vernacular,
this building houses treasures, porcelain, paintings, enamelware, jade,
Ching dynasty costumes, carvings and cabinets. Buses: small bus No.18,
213, 255, 304, tourist buses 101 |
4.Taipei
Fine Aarts Museum(¡«¡ß¬ü³NÀ])
Located near Yuanshan in the Shihlin district this modern building,
built on Chinese design principles, is equipped with exhibition galleries,
lecture halls, and picture room. Its spaxious and light interior make
it particularly suitable for exhibitions of modern art. MRT: Yuanshan
Station, Mrt Tamshui Line |
5.Shrlin
Night Market(¤hªL©]¡«)
Tipei's biggest night market lies north of the Grand Hotel. At the Shrlin
Night Market you can hunt about for food and souvenirs till about midnight.
Area restaurants serve beer, snacks, and full meals until around three
in the morning. One speciality, hot pot, is served at several restaurants
on Wenlin Road. |
6.Jaoho
Night Market(ÄǪe©]¡«)
Alive with colored lanterns and games for kids, a festerns and games
for kids, a festive atmosphere is packed into narrow, single-lane Jaoho
Street near the Sungshan Railway Station. Beginning with the historic
Tzuyu Temple, dedicated to Matzu (Goddess of the Sea), numerous stores
and stands selling clothing, fruit, and toys can be seen. Food vendors
offer a variety of local snacks. Traditional folk crafts, such as rice-dough
figurines and sugar sculptures, are sold to amuse kids and serve as decorations.
The night market is open 5:00 p.m. to midnight on weekdays, and noon to
midnight on holidays. |
Climate
Taiwan is located in the subtropical zone. During the competitions,
the average daily temperature ranges roughly between 20 to 25 degrees Celsius.
As the competitions fall between spring and summer during the 'Plum Rain'
Season, there will be greater temperature variations with the mornings and
evenings on the cool side, and a higher chance of afternoon showers than yearly
average. It is delightful to visit the Taipei suburbs at the end of April
as flowers burst forth in the light breeze.
Electrical Appliances
Taiwan's electricity supply works at 110V 60Hz. There are (American)
standard (two flat-pronged) sockets. If bringing your own electrical appliances,
please ensure you have the necessary transformers and adaptors.
Currency and Rate of Exchange
The local currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (NTD), and is the
only legal tender in Taiwan. NT$ bills come in four denominations of $50, $100,
$500, $1,000, with four hard coins including $1, $5, $10 and $50. The current
rate of exchange is around NT$30 to one US dollar. Most larger shops accept
credit cards (MASTER CARD, VISA, AMERICAN EXPRESS, etc). Banks are open Mondays
through Fridays 09:00-15:30. Most hotels will cash travelers checks on weekends.
Visas for Taiwan
Visas for Taiwan are available through the consular services
provided by the TECRO (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative's Office)
nearest you. Tourist Visas are valid for three months.
Observers and Visitors
We warmly welcome the observers and visitors from all nations
who accompany the various national delegations. They are asked to pay a voluntary
fee of US$1,000 (Visitors) and US$1,100 (Observers) respectively. With regard
to lodging and meals they enjoy the same privileges as the team leaders. They
are equally welcome to attend the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, farewell banquet,
and the various other activities planned by the organizers. Visitors are not
permitted to attend meetings related to the competitions. Observers may attend
work-related meetings, and will each receive formal APhO documents.
Those interested in joining the Olympiad as Observers or Visitors should apply
to the Organizing Committee as soon as possible.
Voluntary Fee
The Organizing Committee will cover
all the costs of travel, lodging and meals during the Olympiad, for two team
leaders and eight student competitors from each country. In order to expedite
efficiency, each national team will contribute to the effort with the customary
donation of US$1,000.
Competitions and Meetings
According to the APhO regulations,
English is the working language for the Asian Physics Olympiads. All papers,
questions and answers, are presented in English.
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4/ 22
|
Sunday |
Arrival and Registration |
|
4/23
|
Monday |
10:00-12:00
|
Opening ceremony |
| 14:00-18:00 |
International Board Meeting (discussion of
theoretical problems). |
| 20:00- |
Translation of the theoretical problems.Opening
Ceremony Discussion of theory examination |
|
4/24
|
Tuesday |
09:00-17:00 |
Excursion (sightseeing northern coast scenic spot and
a sculpture museum) |
| 19:30-21:30 |
Enjoy the performance of the top dancing
troupe of Taiwan at National Theater. |
|
4/25
|
Wednesday |
09:00-12:00 |
Visiting the world-renowned National Palace Museum. |
| 14:00-18:00 |
International Board Meeting (discussion of experimental problems) |
| 20:00- |
Translation of the experimental problems. |
|
4/26
|
Thursday |
09:00-12:00 Visiting National Synchrotron
Radiation Research Center |
| 14:00-17:00 Visiting the new-built Ceramic
Art Museum. |
|
4/27
|
Friday |
09:00-20:00 |
Excursion to Central Taiwan, including Visiting the scene
of 1998 Earth quake, Visiting the National Museum of Natural Science,
Shopping in a big department store. |
|
4/28
|
Saturday |
09:00-17:00 Theoretical and Experimental
Moderation |
| 19:00- |
Host family(under arrangement) or free activity |
|
4/29
|
Sunday |
09:00-18:00 Free activity (touring
Taipei) |
| 19:00-20:30 |
Science colloquium by members of Academia Sinica |
| 20:30-21:30 |
International Board meeting (final grade announcement) |
|
4/30
|
Monday |
09:00-12:00 Sightseeing
Yangmin National Park |
| 16:00-18:00 Closing ceremony |
| 19:00-20:30 Farewell banquet |
| 20:30-22:30 |
Night of Asian Students We are encouraging students from
each participating country to perform(any kind of entertainment, singing,
dancing, .....) at the Night |
|
5/1
|
Tuesday |
Departure from Taipei. |
The above programs are not final and subject to later change.
National
Taiwan Normal University
National Taiwan Normal University is situated in the central
area of Taipei City, with two campuses, five colleges, (i.e. the College of
Education, College of Liberal Arts, College of Fine and Applied Arts, College
of Technology, College of Science), twenty-three departments offering MA and
PhD degrees, and seven independent research institutes. With around eight
thousand students, Taiwan Normal University has always been at the forefront
of the educational world. Most NTNU graduates serve in Secondary Schools and
contribute enormously to education in Taiwan.
Department
of Physics
Our department offers B.S., M.S., as well as Ph.D. degrees.
At present we have thirty one full-time faculty members and fifteen full-time
teaching assistants. Typically we have 300 undergraduate and 50 graduate students.
Major topics of research currently conducted by faculty members include experimental
and theoretical condensed matter physics, atomic and molecular optics, biophysics,
statistical physics, theoretical particle and high energy physics, and science
education. The Department has eight undergraduate teaching laboratories and
fourteen research laboratories.
Virtual Physics Laboratory
We have developed more than 60 physics related java applets.
There are more than 30 mirror sites around the world. We hope you will find
those java applets enjoyable.
General
- The extensive use of the calculus (differentiation and
integration) and the use of complex numbers or solving differential equations
should not be required to solve the theoretical and practical problems.
- Questions may contain concepts and phenomena not contained
in the Syllabus but sufficient information must be given in the questions
so that candidates without previous knowledge of these topics would not
be at a disadvantage.
- Sophisticated practical equipment likely to be unfamiliar
to the candidates should not dominate a problem. If such devices are used
then careful instructions must be given to the candidates.
- The original texts of the problems have to be set in the
SI units.
Theoretical Part
The first column contains the main entries while the second
column contains comments and remarks if necessary.
- Mechanics
- Foundation of kinematics of a point mass
Vector description of the position of the point mass, velocity and acceleration
as vectors
- Newton's laws, inertial systems
Problems may be set on changing mass
- Closed and open systems, momentum and energy, work,
power
- Conservation of energy, conservation of linear momentum,
impulse
- Elastic forces, frictional forces, the law of gravitation,
potential energy and work in a gravitational field
Hooke's law, coefficient of friction (F/R = const), frictional forces
static and kinetic, choice of zero of potential energy
- Centripetal acceleration, Kepler's laws
- Mechanics of Rigid Bodies
- Statics, center of mass, torque
Couples, conditions of equilibrium of bodies
- Motion of rigid bodies, translation, rotation, angular
velocity, angular acceleration, conservation of angular momentum
Conservation of angular momentum about fixed axis only
- External and internal forces, equation of motion of
a rigid body around the fixed axis, moment of inertia, kinetic energy
of a rotating body
Parallel axes theorem (Steiner's theorem), additivity of the moment
of inertia
- Accelerated reference systems, inertial forces
Knowledge of the Coriolis force formula is not required
- Hydromechanics
No specific questions will be set on this but students would be expected
to know the elementary concepts of pressure, buoyancy and the continuity
law.
- Thermodynamics and Molecular Physics
- Internal energy, work and heat, first and second laws
of thermodynamics
Thermal equilibrium, quantities depending on state and quantities depending
on process
- Model of a perfect gas, pressure and molecular kinetic
energy, Avogadro's number, equation of state of a perfect gas, absolute
temperature
Also molecular approach to such simple phenomena in liquids and solids
as boiling, melting etc.
- Work done by an expanding gas limited to isothermal
and adiabatic processes
Proof of the equation of the adiabatic process is not required
- The Carnot cycle, thermodynamic efficiency, reversible
and irreversible processes, entropy (statistical approach), Boltzmann
factor
Entropy as a path independent function, entropy changes and reversibility,
quasistatic processes
- Oscillations and waves
- Harmonic oscillations, equation of harmonic oscillation
Solution of the equation for harmonic motion, attenuation and resonance
- qualitatively
- Harmonic waves, propagation of waves, transverse and
longitudinal waves, linear polarization, the classical Doppler effect,
sound waves
Displacement in a progressive wave and understanding of graphical representation
of the wave, measurements of velocity of sound and light, Doppler effect
in one dimension only, propagation of waves in homogeneous and isotropic
media, reflection and refraction, Fermats principle
- Superposition of harmonic waves, coherent waves, interference,
beats, standing waves
Realization that intensity of wave is proportional to the square of
its amplitude. Fourrier analysis is not required but candidates should
have some understanding that complex waves can be made from addition
of simple sinusoidal waves of different frequencies. Interference due
to thin films and other simple systems (final formulae are not required),
superposition of waves from secondary sources (diffraction)
- Electric Charge and Electric Field
- Conservation of charge, Coulomb's law
- Electric field, potential, Gauss' law
Gauss' low confined to simple symmetric systems like sphere, cylinder,
plate etc., electric dipole moment
- Capacitors, capacitance, dielectric constant, energy
density of electric field
- Current and Magnetic Field
- Current, resistance, internal resistance of source,
Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's laws, work and power of direct and alternating
currents, Joule's law
Simple cases of circuits containing non-ohmic devices with known V-I
characteristics
- Magnetic field (B) of a current, current in a magnetic
field, Lorentz force
Particles in a magnetic field, simple applications like cyclotron, magnetic
dipole moment
- Ampere's law
Magnetic field of simple symmetric systems like straight wire, circular
loop and long solenoid
- Law of electromagnetic induction, magnetic flux, Lenz's
law, self-induction, inductance, permeability, energy density of magnetic
field
- Alternating current, resistors, inductors and capacitors
in AC-circuits, voltage and current (parallel and series) resonance
Simple AC-circuits, time constants, final formulae for parameters of
concrete resonance circuits are not required
- Electromagnetic waves
- Oscillatory circuit, frequency of oscillations, generation
by feedback and resonance
- Wave optics, diffraction from one and two slits, diffraction
grating, resolving power of a grating, Bragg reflection
- Dispersion and diffraction spectra, line spectra of
gases
- Electromagnetic waves as transverse waves, polarization
by reflection, polarizers
Superposition of polarized waves
- Resolving power of imaging systems
- Black body, Stefan-Boltzmann's law
Planck's formula is not required
- Quantum Physics
- Photoelectric effect, energy and impulse of the photon
Einstein's formula is required
- De Broglie wavelength, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
- Relativity
- Principle of relativity, addition of velocities, relativistic
Doppler effect
- Relativistic equation of motion, momentum, energy,
relation between energy and mass, conservation of energy and momentum
- Matter
- Simple applications of the Bragg equation
- Energy levels of atoms and molecules (qualitatively),
emission, absorption, spectrum of hydrogenlike atoms
- Energy levels of nuclei (qualitatively), alpha-, beta-
and gamma-decays, absorption of radiation, halflife and exponential
decay, components of nuclei, mass defect, nuclear reactions
practical Part
The Theoretical Part of the Syllabus provides the basis for
all the experimental problems. The experimental problems given in the experimental
contest should contain measurements.
Additional requirements:
- Candidates must be aware that instruments affect measurements.
- Knowledge of the most common experimental techniques for
measuring physical quantities mentioned in Part A.
- Knowledge of commonly used simple laboratory instruments
and devices such as calipers, thermometers, simple volt-, ohm- and ammeters,
potentiometers, diodes, transistors, simple optical devices and so on.
- Ability to use, with the help of proper instruction, some
sophisticated instruments and devices such as double-beam oscilloscope,
counter, ratemeter, signal and function generators, analog-to-digital converter
connected to a computer, amplifier, integrator, differentiator, power supply,
universal (analog and digital) volt-, ohm- and ammeters.
- Proper identification of error sources and estimation
of their influence on the final result(s).
- Absolute and relative errors, accuracy of measuring instruments,
error of a single measurement, error of a series of measurements, error
of a quantity given as a function of measured quantities.
- Transformation of a dependence to the linear form by appropriate
choice of variables and fitting a straight line to experimental points.
- Proper use of the graph paper with different scales (for
example polar and logarithmic papers).
- Correct rounding off and expressing the final result(s)
and error(s) with correct number of significant digits.
- Standard knowledge of safety in laboratory work. (Nevertheless,
if the experimental set-up contains any safety hazards the appropriate warnings
should be included into the text of the problem.)
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In recognition of the growing significance of physics
in all fields of science and technology, and in the general education
of young people, and with the aim of enhancing the development of international
contacts between countries of the Asia region in the field of school
education in physics, an annual physics competition has been organized
for High School Students; the competition is called the "Asia Physics
Olympiad" and is a competition between individuals. By the term
"countries of the Asia region" one should understand countries
whose capitals are localized in the region traditionally recognized
as Asia. The Asia Physics Olympiad should be conducted not later than
months prior to the International Olympiad should be conducted not later
than two months prior to the International Physics Olympiad.
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| 2 |
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The competition is organized by the Education Ministry
or another appropriate institution of one of the participating countries
on whose territory the competition is to be conducted. Hereunder, the
term "Education Ministry" is used in the above meaning. The
organizing country is obliged to ensure equal participation of all the
delegations, and to invite all the participants of any of the last three
competitions. Additionally, it has the right to invite other countries.
The Asia Physics Olympiad is a purely educational event.
No country may have its team excluded from participation on any political
grounds resulting from political tensions, lack of diplomatic relations,
lack of recognition of some country by the government of the organizing
country, imposed embargoes and similar reasons. When difficulties preclude
formal invitation of the team representing a country students from such
a country should be invited to participate as individuals.
Within five years of its entry in the competition a
country should declare its intention to be the host for a future Olympiad.
This declaration should propose a timetable so that a provisional list
of the order of countries willing to arrange Olympiads can be compiled.
A country which refuses to organize the competition
may be barred from participation, even if delegation from that country
has taken part in previous competitions. Any kind of religious or political
propaganda against any other country at the Olympiad is forbidden. A
country which violates this rule may be barred from participation.
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| 3 |
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The Education Ministries of the participating countries,
as a rule, assign the organization, preparation and execution of the
competition to a physics society or another institution in the organizing
country.
The Education Ministry of the organizing country notifies
the Education Ministries of the participating countries of the name
and address of the institution assigned to the organization of the competition.
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| 4 |
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Each participating country sends a team consisting of
students of general or technical high schools, i.e. schools which cannot
be considered technical colleges. Also students who finished their school
examination in the year of the competition can be members of a team
as long as they do not start the university studies. The age of the
participants should not exceed twenty on June 30th of the year of the
competition. Each team should normally have 8 members. In addition to
the students, two accompanying persons are invited from each country,
one of whom is designated delegation head (responsible for whole delegation),
and the other - pedagogical leader (responsible for the students). The
accompanying persons become members of the International Board, where
they have equal rights. The members of the International Board are treated
as contact persons in participating countries on the Asia Physics Olympiad
affairs until the next competition.
The competition is conducted in the friendly atmosphere
designed to promote future collaborations and to encourage the formation
of friendships in the scientific community. To that effect all the possible
political tensions between the participants should not be reflected
in any activity during the competition any political activity directed
against any individuals or countries is strictly prohibited.
The delegation head and pedagogical leader must be
selected from specialists in physics or physics teachers, capable of
solving the problems of the competition competently. Normally each of
them should be able to speak English.
The delegation head of each participating team should,
on arrival, hand over to the organizers a list containing personal data
on the contestants (given name, family name, date of birth, home address,
type and address of the school attended)
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| 5 |
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The working language of the Asia Physics Olympiad is
English. Also the competition problems and their solutions should be
prepared in English; the organizers, however, may prepare those documents
in other languages as well.
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| 6 |
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The financial principles of the organization of the competition
are as follows : ¨ The Ministry which sends the students to the competition
covers the return travel costs of the students and the accompanying
persons to the place at which the competition is held. ¨ All other costs
from the moment of arrival until the moment of departure are covered
by the Ministry of the organizing country. In particular, this concerns
the costs for board and lodging for the students and the accompanying
persons, the costs for excursions, awards for the winners, etc.
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| 7 |
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The competition is conducted on two days, one for the
theoretical competition and one for the experimental competition. There
should be at least one day of rest between these two days. The time
allotted for solving the problem should normally be five hours. The
number of theoretical problems should be three and the number of experimental
problems one or two.
When solving the problems the contestants may make
use of tables of logarithms, tables of physical constants, slide-rules,
non-programmable pocket calculators and drawing material. These aids
will be brought by the student themselves. Collections of formulae from
mathematics or physics are not allowed.
The theoretical problems should involve at least four
areas of physics taught at high school level (see Appendix). High School
students should be able to solve the competition problems with standard
high school mathematics and without extensive numerical calculation.
The host country has to prepare one spare problem which
will be presented to the International Board if one of the first three
theoretical problems is rejected by two thirds of members of the International
Board. The rejected problem cannot be considered again.
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| 8 |
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The competition tasks are chosen and prepared by the
host country.
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| 9 |
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The marks available for each problem are defined by the
organizer of the competition, but the total number of points for the
theoretical problems should be 30 and for the experimental 20. The laboratory
problems should consist of theoretical analysis (plan and discussion)
and experimental execution.
The winners will receive diplomas or honorable mentions
in accordance with the number of points accumulated as follows:
- The mean number of points accumulated by the three
best participants is considered as 100%
- The contestants who accumulate more than 90% of
points receive first prize (diploma).
- The contestants who accumulate more then 78% up
to 89% receive second prize (diploma).
- The contestants who accumulate more than 65% up
to 77% receive third prize (diploma).
- The contestants who accumulate more than 50% up
to 64% receive an honorable mention.
- The contestants who accumulate less than 50% of
points receive certificates of participation in the competition.
The mentioned marks corresponding to 90%, 78%, 65%
and 50% should be calculated by rounding off to the nearest lower integers.
The participant who obtains the highest score will receive a special
prize and diploma.
Special prizes can be awarded.
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| 10 |
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The obligations of the organizer:
- The organizer is obliged to ensure that the competition
is conducted in accordance with the Statutes.
- The organizer should produce a set of "Organization
Rules", based on the Statutes, and send them to the participating
countries in good time. These Organization Rules shall give details
of the Olympiad not covered in the Statutes, and give names and addresses
of the institutions and persons responsible for the Olympiad.
- The organizer establishes a precise program for
the competition (schedule for the contestants and the accompanying
persons, program of excursions, etc.), which is send to the participating
countries in advance.
- The organizer should check immediately after the
arrival of each delegation whether its contestants meet the conditions
of the competitions.
- The organizer chooses (according to # 7 and the
list of physics contents in the Appendix to these Statutes) the problems
and ensures their proper formulation in English and in other languages
set out in # 5. It is advisable to select problems where the solutions
require a certain creative capability and a considerable level of
knowledge. Everyone taking part in the preparation of the competition
problems is obliged to preserve complete secrecy.
- The organizer must provide the teams with interpreters.
- The organizer should provide the delegation leaders
with photostat copies of the solutions of the contestants in their
delegation before the final classification.
- The organizer is responsible for the grading of
the problem solutions.
- The organizer drafts a list of participants proposed
as winners of the prizes and honorable mentions.
- The organizer prepares the prizes (diplomas), honorable
mentions and awards for the winners of the competition.
- The organizer is obliged to publish proceedings
(in English) of the Olympiad. Each of the participants of the competition
(delegation heads, pedagogical leaders and contestants) should receive
one copy of the proceedings free of charge not later than one year
after the competition.
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| 11 |
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The scientific part of the competition must be within
the competence of the International Board, which includes the delegation
heads and pedagogical leaders of all the delegations.
The Board is chaired by a representative of the organizing
country. He is responsible for the preparation of the competition and
serves on the Board in addition to the accompanying persons of the respective
teams.
Decisions are passed by a majority vote. In the case
of equal number of votes for and against, the chairman has the casting
vote.
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APHO Circular and News
The operation system for the computer is "Microsoft
Windows 2000"
- Language support: "Arabic, Chinese-Traditional,
English, French, Hebrew, Russian".
- Printer: HP6P
- Microsoft office 2000: Word with "equational editor"
Two Computers will be available at the hotel for you to check out
the OS/software on Apr. 22.
You may want to bring office CD in case you need other
options.
Bring keyboard stickers to show letters for your language will
be more convenience.
