Physics Competition

F=ma ( Previous Years F=ma Exam )
F=ma is usually considered a screening exam. Students must be either U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents of the United States (green card holders), or currently attending a U.S. school to participate in the F=ma exam.  The exam is 75 minutes long and has a total score of 25 points. The exam consists of 25 multiple-choice questions, with 1 point for each question. According to the scores in recent years' exams, students who can score 15 points or higher will be selected to participate in the US Physics Olympic Semi-finals (USAPhO).

USAPhO ( Previous USAPhO Exam ) 

The top 400 candidates in the F=ma exam will be invited to participate in the USAPhO exam.  The purpose of this exam is to select members of the U.S. Physics Team. This exam is divided into two parts, with a total duration of 3 hours. The exam contains 6 questions, which may be divided into 4 questions in Part A, 2 questions in Part B, or 3 questions in each part. All questions are free response questions..

Physics Bowl
Each year, approximately 10,000 students take a 40 multiple-choice exam under the supervision of their school, with the exam duration of 45 minutes. Exam questions are based on topics and concepts covered by typical high school physics courses.


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