Physics olympiad
Encyclopedia
The United States National Physics Olympiad is a competition in physics
, usually among high school
students, where the participants solve problems and/or perform and analyze experiments. In many countries, physics olympiads are held annually on a national level, forming a team of students representing that country in the International Physics Olympiad
.
The national Olympiads are designed to test the most able Physics students and use more original problem solving than sub-university education in most countries.
.
The U.S. Physics Team will fulfill its mission by achieving the following goals:
A third test, student transcripts, and letters of recommendation are used as the basis for selection of the 24 members of the U.S. Physics Team. These students, from schools all over the United States, travel to the University of Maryland-College Park at the end of May for the annual U.S. Physics Team Training Camp. There they engage in nine days of intense studying, testing and problem solving.
At the end of that training camp, five students will be selected for the "Traveling Team." The Traveling Team will return for three additional days of intense laboratory work before they are ready for the International Event.
Begun in 1967 among eastern European countries, the International Physics Olympiad Competition gradually grew to include many western countries during the 1970s. In 1986, under the direction of the AAPT Executive Officer, Jack Wilson, the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) organized the United States Physics Team for the first time.
The 1986 team was made up of 20 talented high school physics students who had been nominated by their teachers. Following a rigorous program in the physics department of the University of Maryland, five students were selected to represent the U.S. in London. This team brought home three bronze medals—more medals than any team had ever won in their first competition. Since that time, the United States has consistently ranked near the top ten of all nations.
The International Physics Olympiad Competition now attracts teams from all over the globe.
Preliminary Exam: The F = ma contest. Multiple-choice only, focusing on mechanics. Exam time: 75 minutes (allow 90 minutes total to administer the exam). Administer the exam between January 19 and February 2. Deadline for AAPT Grader to receive scantron forms back is February 3. The cut-off was about 16 at 2008.
Quarterfinal Exam: Top 400 students based on preliminary exam score will be invited to take this free response exam with Mechanics and Electrostatics. Exam time: 60 minutes (allow 75 minutes total to administer the exam). Administer the exam between February 23 and March 4. Exam papers must be received back at AAPT by March 5. It was calculus based exam on 2008, but changed to non-calculus based exam on 2009. The cut-off was about 40 combined scores at 2008. It might be higher at 2009.
Semifinal Exam: Top 150 students based on the combined score on the preliminary and quarterfinal exams will be invited to take this exam. Also, free response exam. However it covers all topics in introductory physics: Mechanics, E&M, Thermodynamics and Fluids, Relativity, Nuclear and Atomic Physics, and Waves and Optics. Part A: 4 problems, 90 minutes. Part B: 2 problems, 90 minutes. Allow 3.5 hours to administer the exam. Administer the exam between March 12 and 19. Exam papers must be received back at AAPT by March 20.
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, usually among high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
students, where the participants solve problems and/or perform and analyze experiments. In many countries, physics olympiads are held annually on a national level, forming a team of students representing that country in the International Physics Olympiad
International Physics Olympiad
The International Physics Olympiad is an annual physics competition for high school students. It is one of the International Science Olympiads. The first IPhO was held in Warsaw, Poland in 1967....
.
The national Olympiads are designed to test the most able Physics students and use more original problem solving than sub-university education in most countries.
Mission
The mission of the U.S. Physics Team Program is to promote and demonstrate academic excellence through preparation for and participation in the International Physics OlympiadInternational Physics Olympiad
The International Physics Olympiad is an annual physics competition for high school students. It is one of the International Science Olympiads. The first IPhO was held in Warsaw, Poland in 1967....
.
The U.S. Physics Team will fulfill its mission by achieving the following goals:
- encourage excellence in physics education and to reward outstanding physics students
- expand awareness of and participation in the program
- provide a meaningful scientific and cultural experience for team members, including opportunities to network and meet new people, learn in intellectual and experiential ways, and gain international exposure
- win medals and compete successfully on an international level
Physics Team Selection
AAPT is responsible for recruiting, selecting and training teams each year to compete in the International Physics Olympiad Competition. This selection process begins in early Januarywhen high schools register their students to participate in the F=ma exam. Each year approximately 400 top scorers on this first test advance to the quarter-final round of competition.A third test, student transcripts, and letters of recommendation are used as the basis for selection of the 24 members of the U.S. Physics Team. These students, from schools all over the United States, travel to the University of Maryland-College Park at the end of May for the annual U.S. Physics Team Training Camp. There they engage in nine days of intense studying, testing and problem solving.
At the end of that training camp, five students will be selected for the "Traveling Team." The Traveling Team will return for three additional days of intense laboratory work before they are ready for the International Event.
Recognition - Semi & Quarter Finalists
Quarter finalist & Semi-finalists and will be given certificates to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of these bright, highly motivated students.History
The Olympiad is a nine-day international competition among pre-university students from more than 60 nations. At the International Physics Olympiad, the competitors are asked to solve challenging theoretical and experimental physics problems.Begun in 1967 among eastern European countries, the International Physics Olympiad Competition gradually grew to include many western countries during the 1970s. In 1986, under the direction of the AAPT Executive Officer, Jack Wilson, the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) organized the United States Physics Team for the first time.
The 1986 team was made up of 20 talented high school physics students who had been nominated by their teachers. Following a rigorous program in the physics department of the University of Maryland, five students were selected to represent the U.S. in London. This team brought home three bronze medals—more medals than any team had ever won in their first competition. Since that time, the United States has consistently ranked near the top ten of all nations.
The International Physics Olympiad Competition now attracts teams from all over the globe.
Awards
From 1986 to 2008, the United States Teams have brought home:- 36 Gold Medals
- 25 Silver Medals
- 27 Bronze Medals
- 11 Honorable Mentions
Exam Procedure for Selection of the U.S. Physics Team
Usually school teachers organize exams. There are TWO exams. In earlier versions of this contest, the preliminary exam contained a section of free response questions as well as a section of multiple-choice questions. However, they were separated into two exams: a preliminary exam and a new quarterfinal exam. For 2010, there will again only be the Preliminary and Semifinal exams.Preliminary Exam: The F = ma contest. Multiple-choice only, focusing on mechanics. Exam time: 75 minutes (allow 90 minutes total to administer the exam). Administer the exam between January 19 and February 2. Deadline for AAPT Grader to receive scantron forms back is February 3. The cut-off was about 16 at 2008.
Quarterfinal Exam: Top 400 students based on preliminary exam score will be invited to take this free response exam with Mechanics and Electrostatics. Exam time: 60 minutes (allow 75 minutes total to administer the exam). Administer the exam between February 23 and March 4. Exam papers must be received back at AAPT by March 5. It was calculus based exam on 2008, but changed to non-calculus based exam on 2009. The cut-off was about 40 combined scores at 2008. It might be higher at 2009.
Semifinal Exam: Top 150 students based on the combined score on the preliminary and quarterfinal exams will be invited to take this exam. Also, free response exam. However it covers all topics in introductory physics: Mechanics, E&M, Thermodynamics and Fluids, Relativity, Nuclear and Atomic Physics, and Waves and Optics. Part A: 4 problems, 90 minutes. Part B: 2 problems, 90 minutes. Allow 3.5 hours to administer the exam. Administer the exam between March 12 and 19. Exam papers must be received back at AAPT by March 20.