Problem solver from Upper Franconia at the German Physics Championships
13-year-old grammar school pupil wins bronze medal in regional competition for the German Physics Championships
From left Frederik Kraus, Niklas Brütting (both silver medallists), Viktoria Stülpnagel, Mara Forste (both gold medallists) and all four from Gymnasium fränkische Schweiz, Ebermannstandt). 5. from left: Danis Becic (bronze, Fankenwald-Gymnasium Kronach), Professor Walter Zimmermann (Regional Competition Director) and Magnus Bieswanger (bronze, Gymnasium Pegnitz). - © Uni Bayreuth | Prof. W. Zimmermann
On Saturday 20 January, participants from Upper Franconia were selected for the German Physics Championship at the regional competition for the GYPT (German Young Physicists' Tournament) at the University of Bayreuth. The final round will take place from 1 to 3 March at the Physics Centre of the German Physical Society in Bad Honnef near Bonn.
GYPT is a team competition. The team "Stray Kids World Domination" with Mara Forster and Viktoria Stülpnagel (both Gymnasium Ebermannstadt, year 10) received the gold medal, the team "Die Physikalischen Grabsteine" with Niklas Brütting and Frederik Kraus (also Ebermannstadt, year 12) received the silver medal. Danis Becic (Frankenwald-Gymnasium, Kronach) and Magnus Bieswanger (Gymnasium Pegnitz) were the youngest participants at 14 and 13 years old and received the bronze medal. The pupils are normally aged 14 and over and "we have never had a successful 13-year-old before", said Professor Walter Zimmermann, the long-time supervisor of the regional competition. "With this experience and the self-confidence he has gained, he is already well prepared for the new competition starting in summer 2024."
From July of each year, the participants in the GYPT select one of 17 challenging physics puzzles, which are advertised internationally in English, and investigate it experimentally and theoretically. They present the measurements and explanations they have developed over the past few weeks in English at the regional competition at the TAO student research centre at the University of Bayreuth. There, as at a scientific conference, they faced critical questions from other competition participants and a high-calibre panel of experts.
The TAO Student Research Centre at the University of Bayreuth (SFZB) with the GYPT Centre has set itself the task of discovering talented students at an early stage in cooperation with schools and teachers for competitions and getting them interested in science.
The Universities of Bamberg and Bayreuth and the Universities of Applied Sciences in Coburg and Hof have joined forces in the Technology Alliance of Upper Franconia (TAO). The talented students at the TAO-SFZB are also advised and mentored by former successful GYPT students and current physics students Tarek Becic, Berin Becic and Frederik Gareis. This competition, which is recognised by the Ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs, promotes young talent at an early stage with the support of the German Physical Society and the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Foundation.
Since 2014, the TAO-SFZB has been the only location in Germany to always provide 1-3 members of the five-member national physics team that represents Germany at the IYPT (International Young Physicsts' Tournament) physics world championships every year.
"The enthusiastic students learn teamwork in the competition, but they also gain experience and confidence in discussing and presenting in English. They train their problem-solving skills, perseverance and also develop their personality enormously. Our country needs many such confident problem solvers, because we won't be able to master our future with protests alone," says Zimmermann.
Mara Forster convincingly investigated and described how a beam of light from a sodium vapour lamp can be attenuated by a flame from a Bunsen burner if table salt is added to the flame. Viktoria Stülpnagel impressed with her investigations and explanations of a solar cell, a so-called Grätzel cell, whose function is based on the components titanium dioxide and blackberry juice.
Niklas Brütting was successful with his work on a magnetic gearbox. Frederik Kraus and Magnus Bieswanger presented their research on the table tennis ball rocket. This involves a table tennis ball in a falling water container being propelled far upwards when it hits the ground. Danis focussed on the ruler trick. This involves a ruler lying slightly more than halfway on a table. This part is covered with a sheet of paper. If a small ball falls onto the free-floating part of the ruler, the ruler doesn't always fall down, much to his amazement.
Danis Becic (left) and Magnus Bieswanger (right) were presented with the bronze medal for their team by Professor Walter Zimmermann from the University of Bayreuth as well as a winner's certificate and a book prize. - © Uni Bayreuth
Prof. Dr. Walter Zimmermann
Wilhelm und Else Heraeus-Seniorprofessur Theoretische Physik
University of Bayreuth
Department of Physics
phone: +49 (0)921 / 55-3181
e-mail: walter.zimmermann@uni-bayreuth.de
web: https://www.zimmermann.physik.uni-bayreuth.de/en