F=ma Prep and Resources for High School Students

[physicsferret]

Hi all. This is the first time I am using this forum, so please forgive me if this has been said before already.

I am a high-school sophomore and I took the AP Physics 1 course last year. I really enjoyed it because I had an amazing teacher and next year I will be taking AP Physics 2 and AP Physics C: E&M. I am trying to prepare for the F=ma contest since I have avidly done math contests in the past and really appreciate the creativity behind contest problems, and so I would like to try the physics contest as well.

I have found the website with the past F=ma tests from the past ten years or so. I was wondering if there are any other resources you all use such as other websites or really great mock test sites. I understand that this physics contest will go deeper and require a higher degree of understanding and creativity than the AP Physics classes probably will cover, which is why I would like to practice the problems this summer. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much,

physicsferret

 

[pinball1970]

Hi all. This is the first time I am using this forum, so please forgive me if this has been said before already. I am a high-school sophomore and I took the AP Physics 1 course last year. I really enjoyed it because I had an amazing teacher and next year I will be taking AP Physics 2 and AP Physics C: E&M. I am trying to prepare for the F=ma contest since I have avidly done math contests in the past and really appreciate the creativity behind contest problems, and so I would like to try the physics contest as well. I have found the website with the past F=ma tests from the past ten years or so. I was wondering if there are any other resources you all use such as other websites or really great mock test sites. I understand that this physics contest will go deeper and require a higher degree of understanding and creativity than the AP Physics classes probably will cover, which is why I would like to practice the problems this summer. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much,

physicsferret

Hi
Have a read of the pf rules and one of the mentors will stick this in the intro section @berkeman

Cheers

 

[berkeman]

one of the mentors will stick this in the intro section @berkeman

Academic Guidance, actually.

 

[pinball1970]

Academic Guidance, actually.

Oops thought it was pfs first post.

 

[LucasQuan]

Hi all. This is the first time I am using this forum, so please forgive me if this has been said before already.

I am a high-school sophomore and I took the AP Physics 1 course last year. I really enjoyed it because I had an amazing teacher and next year I will be taking AP Physics 2 and AP Physics C: E&M. I am trying to prepare for the F=ma contest since I have avidly done math contests in the past and really appreciate the creativity behind contest problems, and so I would like to try the physics contest as well.

I have found the website with the past F=ma tests from the past ten years or so. I was wondering if there are any other resources you all use such as other websites or really great mock test sites. I understand that this physics contest will go deeper and require a higher degree of understanding and creativity than the AP Physics classes probably will cover, which is why I would like to practice the problems this summer. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much,

physicsferret

I would highly suggest doing Halliday, Resnick, Krane. Chapters 1-17 of Volume 1 will cover all the mechanics necessary for F=ma. If you're on a time crunch, only do the Problems, and just skim through the other questions. For USAPHO prep, finishing all of HRK volumes 1 and 2 covers all the necessary theory and knowledge. I would recommend doing Morin Blue book for F=ma practice, and Morin Red for USAPHO. Also, you can try competitive physics by Wang and Ricardo.

 

[Muu9]

Read "advice for introductory physics" by IPhO winner Kevin Zhou.

How is your math? I suggest learning the basics of calculus (e.g. https://www.3blue1brown.com/lessons/essence-of-calculus, , https://www.everaise.org/static/media/Physics.11838194.pdf) and then going through this course with the exercises/exams: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/8-01sc-classical-mechanics-fall-2016/