'F=ma' Physics competition preparation help

[mathisrad]

TL;DR Summary: How should I study for the F=ma competition as a total newby to competition physics?

Hi, next year I'm hoping to do the F=ma physics competition. I wanted to start preparing beforehand so Im not too panicked a day before the competition. Does anybody with experience in this competition know any good places to start? Should I just learn AP Physics C well? Or should I look at the competition differently than the school system's way of teaching physics? I know most of Calculus 1 and some Physics but not many of the formulas memorized, I'm also experienced in competition math and science olympiad.

 

[kuruman]

I think that the best preparation is to know what to expect. Go to the F=ma competition site and download one of their actual exams. This one from 2025 has 25 problems to be completed in 75 minutes. Use it as a self-test and see how many you can do within the allotted time. Solutions are provided, but I wouldn't peek if I were you. The idea is to expose your weaknesses under field conditions and see where you need to concentrate your efforts towards improving your performance.

I think that mastery of AP Physics C will be very useful. It seems that calculus is not expected but you should know that rate of change of a parabola is a straight line and conversely when the rate of change of a function is a straight line, the function itself is a parabola.

Also you need to memorize the basic equations that should serve as starting points for constructing your solutions. My guess about their number is 20-30. If you have to look up an equation when you do the self-test, then that is an equation that you need to memorize.

 

[Muu9]

https://knzhou.github.io/writing/Advice.pdf

 

[mathisrad]

I think that the best preparation is to know what to expect. Go to the F=ma competition site and download one of their actual exams. This one from 2025 has 25 problems to be completed in 75 minutes. Use it as a self-test and see how many you can do within the allotted time. Solutions are provided, but I wouldn't peek if I were you. The idea is to expose your weaknesses under field conditions and see where you need to concentrate your efforts towards improving your performance.

I think that mastery of AP Physics C will be very useful. It seems that calculus is not expected but you should know that rate of change of a parabola is a straight line and conversely when the rate of change of a function is a straight line, the function itself is a parabola.

Also you need to memorize the basic equations that should serve as starting points for constructing your solutions. My guess about their number is 20-30. If you have to look up an equation when you do the self-test, then that is an equation that you need to memorize.

Thanks so much, I'll definitely try doing a practice test or two to see what I need to work on

 

[mathisrad]

https://knzhou.github.io/writing/Advice.pdf

This helps a lot thanks

 

[qm11]

https://www.ezchen.org/Physics-Olympiad-Advice-26569cd0ac8c804fa750e269b61a4183

 

[berkeman]

https://www.ezchen.org/Physics-Olympiad-Advice-26569cd0ac8c804fa750e269b61a4183

Very helpful resource! Welcome to PF.

 

[sbrothy]

Haha. I'm a genius!

Also:

USAPhO

EDIT: Got here late I see. Ah well.