The 2021 University Physics Competition began on Friday, November 5, 2021, at 6pm MDT (Mountain Daylight Time), which was Saturday, November 6, 2021, 1am GMT/UTC, when the contest problems below were posted.
Problem A: A Thicker Martian Atmosphere
Suppose that we could increase the atmospheric pressure on the surface of Mars to 0.2 bar, by vaporizing the polar caps and subsurface ice. This atmosphere would then likely decrease over time, as a result of several processes, such as escape into space, and erosion by the solar wind. How would the surface pressure decrease as a function of time? How much time would it take until the pressure is only 0.1 bar?
Problem B: Asteroid Ocean Impact
Consider the impact of an asteroid in the ocean, 1,000 km from a coastal city. What is the minimum mass the asteroid would require in order to cause substantial damage to this city?
Problem A: A Thicker Martian Atmosphere
Suppose that we could increase the atmospheric pressure on the surface of Mars to 0.2 bar, by vaporizing the polar caps and subsurface ice. This atmosphere would then likely decrease over time, as a result of several processes, such as escape into space, and erosion by the solar wind. How would the surface pressure decrease as a function of time? How much time would it take until the pressure is only 0.1 bar?
Problem A: A Thicker Martian Atmosphere
Suppose that we could increase the atmospheric pressure on the surface of Mars to 0.2 bar, by vaporizing the polar caps and subsurface ice. This atmosphere would then likely decrease over time, as a result of several processes, such as escape into space, and erosion by the solar wind. How would the surface pressure decrease as a function of time? How much time would it take until the pressure is only 0.1 bar?
Problem B: Asteroid Ocean Impact
Consider the impact of an asteroid in the ocean, 1,000 km from a coastal city. What is the minimum mass the asteroid would require in order to cause substantial damage to this
Problem B: Asteroid Ocean Impact
Consider the impact of an asteroid in the ocean, 1,000 km from a coastal city. What is the minimum mass the asteroid would require in order to cause substantial damage to this city?
Results of the 2021 University Physics Competition were posted on January 13, 2022.
To download a printable pdf award certificate for your team, set your browser to: http://www.uphysicsc.com/certificates2021/*.pdf
Here * is your team number. For example if your team number is 200, this is: http://www.uphysicsc.com/certificates2021/200.pdf
Full results announcement and complete listing of all medals in the 2021 University Physics Competition
We are very pleased to announce the results of the twelfth
annual University Physics Competition. The
University Physics Competition is an international contest for undergraduate
students, who worked in teams of up to three students at their home colleges
and universities all over the world, and spent 48 hours during the weekend of
November 5, 6, & 7, 2021, analyzing a scenario using the principles of
physics, and writing a formal paper describing their work.
In this year’s competition 324 teams submitted
papers for judging. 127 teams selected “Problem
A – A Thicker Martian Atmosphere” and 197 teams selected “Problem B – Asteroid
Ocean Impact.”
For Problem A, the Gold Medal Winning Teams were:
Team 200: Wang Hanlin, Zhang Zeyu, & Liu Shiqiang
Institution: Tongji University,
China
Faculty Sponsor: Ma Yan
Team 200's 2021 Problem A Gold Medal Winning Paper
Team 349: Zonghan Wen, Hongyan Shi, & Shikun Zhou
Institution: Qingdao University, China
Faculty Sponsor: Yanqiang Li
Team 349's 2021 Problem A Gold Medal Winning Paper
For
problem B, the Gold Medal Winning Teams were:
Team 216B: Lucien Tsai & Kevin Kim
Institution: Harvey Mudd College, United States
Faculty
Sponsor: Theresa Lynn
Team 216's 2021 Problem B Gold Medal Winning Paper
Team 385: Tang Jierong, Li Ying, & Li Yaqin
Institution: National University of Defense Technology,
China
Faculty
Sponsor: Yu Tong Pu
Team 385's 2021 Problem B Gold Medal Winning Paper
Team 442: Sara Łukasik, Szymon Michniak, & Zuzanna
Jezierska
Institution: University of Warsaw, Poland
Faculty Sponsor: Paweł Sidorczak
Team 442's 2021 Problem B Gold Medal Winning Paper
Team 445: Jan Nowosielski, Mateusz Kapusta, & Antoni
Skoczypiec
Institution: University of Warsaw, Poland
Faculty
Sponsor: Paweł Sidorczak
Team 445's 2021 Problem B Gold Medal Winning Paper
Of the 324 papers submitted in this year’s University
Physics Competition, 6 teams (1.9%) were ranked as Gold Medal Winners, 60 teams
(19%) were ranked as Silver Medal Winners, 85 teams (26%) were ranked as Bronze
Medal Winners, and 173 teams (53%) were ranked as Accomplished Competitors.
We extend our sincerest congratulations to each of
the competing teams for their excellent work and their enthusiasm for physics!
Kelly S. Cline
Carroll College; Helena, MT
Director of the University Physics Competition
www.uphysicsc.com
