LASTEST UPDATE ▪️ COMPETITION INFORMATION
The U.S. Physics Team won 5 Gold medals at the 2024 EuPhO in Kutaisi, Georgia
F=ma exam
The F=ma Competition is an annual physics competition for high school students in the United States. It is sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers and is designed to test students' knowledge of classical mechanics.
Interested in the competition?
Competition Overview
11-19 years old
Eligibility
$75 per school and $15 per student
Entry fee
January 22, 2024
Submission deadline
February 8, 2024
Test date
Competition Details
1. Introduction
The F=ma Competition is an annual physics competition for high school students in the United States. It is sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers and is designed to test students’ knowledge of classical mechanics. Participants are given multiple-choice questions covering topics such as kinematics, forces, energy, and momentum. The top performers in the competition are recognized with awards and prizes.
2. Eligibility
Middle and high school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents or currently attending a U.S. school.
3. Competition Timeline
- January 22, 2024 – F=ma Registration Deadline
- February 8, 2024 – F=ma Exam
- April 2, 2024 – USAPhO Exam
- May 31 – June 11, 2024 – U.S. Physics Team Training Camp, University of Maryland
4. Competition Progress
After students take the F=ma exam, 400 students will be invited to take the USA Physics Team (USAPhO) exam (please note that international students can’t take this exam). Then, 20 students who performed well in the USAPhO and F=ma exams will be invited to be a part of the U.S. Physics Team. For 2024, the F=ma cut-off score is 14 points. This year, there were 500 students who score 14 points and above.
F=ma and USAPhO 2023 Exams & Solutions
F=ma Exam Details
Exam Date: February 8, 2024
1. Rounds
There is a total of 2 rounds: the F=ma exam round and the USAPhO exam round to qualify for the U.S Physics Team and represent the team at the International Physics Olympiad.
2. F=ma Exam
The F=ma exam is a 75-minute exam with 25 multiple-choice questions focusing on mechanics, including kinematics, statics, Newton’s laws, momentum and energy, oscillations, orbital mechanics, rotational dynamics, fluids, dimensional analysis, and elementary data analysis.
3. F=ma Cutoff for USAPhO
The cutoff point for F=ma to be qualified for USAPho is 14 points.
