About

The F=ma exam is the first stage in the selection process for the U.S. Physics Team, which competes at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO). It is a demanding 75-minute multiple-choice exam focusing on mechanics. Students who perform exceptionally well on the F=ma exam qualify to take the second, more difficult stage, the USA Physics Olympiad (USAPhO).

The USAPhO is a three-hour, free-response, proof-based exam. Based on combined scores from both exams, the top 20 students are invited to the U.S. Physics Team training camp. This pipeline competition is rigorous and designed to identify the nation's most talented physics students for eventual representation at the international level. Only US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for the USAPhO exam and the subsequent training camp.