Third Day / Theoretical Competition of Olympiad
Theoretical Competition lasted close to five hours. The exam was held at Nazarbayev University Atrium Hall, making it witness one of the most international physics exams ever held in the history of mankind. IPhO staff and volunteers ensured proper seating, quiet environment, and academic honesty. The long silence was eventually broken at 2 pm and students began discussing the questions on their walk to lunch.
Some students found the exam extremely difficult, while others reported relative easiness of the questions. Some actually had enough time to sleep through the exam. We are not surprised at anyone, because the participants represent the most advanced teenagers in the field of physics.