Do you love a good challenge that combines problem-solving with scientific knowledge?

If so, then physics competitions might be the perfect way for you to dive deeper into your passion and showcase your talent!

Some of these competitions also have significant prizes and recognition for those who succeed.

Rishab Jain, a Harvard student who has achieved success in numerous international competitions (ISEF, RSI, Coca Cola Scholars, Presidential Scholars) has made his STEM Student Guide public with a a list of 50+ more opportunities and competitions.

You should definitely check it out next.

No more having to search for top-quality programs. this guide has it all.

F=ma Exam The F=MA exam is a prestigious physics competition organized by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).

It's designed to test your understanding of classical mechanics and your ability to apply physics concepts to real-world problems.

Scoring highly in this exam will enable you to participate in the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO), which can later lead to representation for the US Physics Team at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) What's Covered: Mechanics: This is the core area of focus, including topics like: Kinematics (motion) Statics (forces and equilibrium) Newton's Laws of Motion Momentum and Energy Oscillations (wave motion) Basic concepts of fluids Data Analysis: You'll need to interpret graphs, charts, and tables to solve problems.

Exam Format: There are two versions of the exam, F=MA A and F=MA B.

Both versions cover the same topics but have different questions.

It is not advised to take both since you must earn a qualifying score in ALL exams you choose to take to participate in USAPhO.

It's a 75-minute multiple-choice exam with 25 questions.

No calculators are allowed There's no penalty for wrong answers, so it's best to answer every question to the best of your ability.

Who Can Participate: The F=MA exam is open to high school students in the United States and its territories.

You must be a U.

S. citizen, legal permanent resident, or currently attending a U.

S. school.

How to Prepare: There are past exams and solutions available on the AAPT website https://www. aapt. org/Common2022/pastexams. cfm.

Studying these can familiarize you with the question format and level of difficulty.

Physics Bowl The Physics Bowl is a physics competition organized by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT).

What's Covered: The Physics Bowl focuses on topics typically covered in high school physics courses, but there is some additional topics most people will need to self-study.

They include: Mechanics (motion, forces, energy) Electricity and Magnetism Optics (light) Thermodynamics Basic concepts of Atomic and Nuclear Physics Exam Format: There are two divisions: Division I: For first-year physics students Division II: For second-year physics students It's a 45-minute multiple-choice exam with 40 questions.

Calculators are not allowed.

There's no penalty for wrong answers, so it's best to answer every question to the best of your ability.

Who Can Participate: The Physics Bowl is open to high school students in the United States and its territories.

You can register either through your school or individually.

How to Prepare: There are sample exams and resources available on the AAPT website https://www. aapt. org/programs/physicsbowl/.

Studying these can familiarize you with the question format and level of difficulty.

Physics Brawl The Physics Brawl is an international online physics competition designed to test your problem-solving skills.

Unlike other competitions, it is a team-based competition What is it?

It's a team-based competition where you work together with other students to solve physics problems.

Teams can be formed by students from the same school or remotely.

What's Covered?

The competition focuses on topics typically covered in high school physics courses.

Specific topics may vary depending on the organizer's discretion.

Exam Format: It's an online competition held over a few hours There are seven questions displayed on the screen, and every time a question is answered correctly, it is replaced with a new question Teams work together to solve a set of physics problems.

Scoring is based on the number of problems solved correctly, as well as the number of attempts required to answer successfully Who Can Participate?

The Physics Brawl is open to high school students worldwide.

How to Prepare: Look for resources on high school physics, particularly mechanics, electricity and magnetism, optics, and thermodynamics.

Their website has more information as well as solutions to previous exam problems.

Work on your teamwork and communication skills, practicing with your team before taking the competition If, after reading this far, you find that you are not interested in taking exams, look into internship opportunities; I have linked a blog guide here.

Sir Isaac Newton Exam The Sir Isaac Newton (SIN) Exam is a physics competition for high school students in Canada and the United States.

What's Covered: The SIN Exam focuses on topics typically covered in introductory high school physics courses, including: Mechanics (motion, forces, energy) Kinematics (describing motion) Problem-solving using algebra and basic trigonometry Exam Format: It's a 2-hour multiple-choice exam with typically 12 questions.

Calculators are allowed.

There's a scoring system with points awarded for correct answers and penalties for incorrect answers.

Who Can Participate: The SIN Exam is open to all high school students in the US and Canada.

You can participate through your school or independently.

How to Prepare: There are practice problems and past exams available on the University of Waterloo website https://uwaterloo. ca/sir-isaac-newton-exam/.

Studying these can familiarize you with the question format and level of difficulty.

Look for resources on introductory high school physics, particularly the topics mentioned above.

Many physics textbooks and online courses can help you with these concepts.

Practice applying physics principles to solve word problems.

This will help you develop your problem-solving skills and critical thinking.

Physics Unlimited Premier Competition The Physics Unlimited Premier Competition (PUPC) is an international physics competition designed to test your problem-solving skills and understanding of high school physics.

Here's a breakdown of the key points: What's Covered: The PUPC focuses on advanced mechanics concepts, going beyond typical high school physics curriculums.

Expect problems that require creative thinking and a deep understanding of physics principles.

Exam Format: It's a 90-minute individual written exam offered online.

Scientific calculators are allowed, but check the list of approved models on the organizer's website.

The exam is given in English.

Who Can Participate: The PUPC is open to high school students worldwide who haven't graduated yet.

How to Prepare: Resources on advanced mechanics will be helpful, but the competition emphasizes creative problem-solving.

Practice applying physics principles to solve non-traditional problems.

Explore past PUPC exams (if available) to get a feel for the question format and difficulty level Additional Tips: The official website of the Physics Unlimited Premier Competition is your best source for the latest information, including registration details, format, schedule, and sample problems http://physicsu. org/premier: The competition is held annually in November, so you'll likely have a chance to participate again if you miss one.

Conclusions Rishab Jain, a Harvard student who has achieved success in numerous international competitions (ISEF, RSI, Coca Cola Scholars, Presidential Scholars) has made his STEM Student Guide public with a a list of 50+ more opportunities and competitions.

You should definitely check it out next.

No more having to search for top-quality programs. this guide has it all.

About Eashan Iyer: I am a founding member of The Qurios Institute (the company that runs this blog) and an incoming student at Brown University.

In 2023, I co-authored a research paper in the field of theoretical physics.

I am also an Eagle Scout and a senior at The Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering in Rockaway, NJ.

Learn more about me at my website and LinkedIn.