Contests

The \(F=ma\) exam is the first of a series of exams that determine the USA team that attends the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO). For more information on the USA selection, click here. You can find more physics competitions here, and the higher-quality competitions include

The KMHS physics club will focus on \(F=ma\)-level preparation. The topics covered by the \(F=ma\) are

  • kinematics
  • dynamics
  • gravity
  • rotation
  • collisions
  • oscillations
  • fluids
  • dimensional analysis.

Preparation for the \(F=ma\) exam starts with a solid understanding of classical mechanics, which can be obtained from AP Physics 1, AP Physics C Mechanics, or textbooks such as Halliday and Resnick or the Feynman Lectures. The following resources have been listed by difficulty of problems or by difficulty of exposition, when applicable. Note that some of these sources may include topics that are not covered by the \(F=ma\) exam. Overpreparing for exams is a good strategy, so we have provided an advanced section. The advanced section may also be used for USAPhO and IPhO training.

Resources

Easy

Intermediate

Advanced