USAPhO & F=ma Past Papers & Solutions
USA Physics Olympiad and the F=ma Exam
F=ma and USAPhO past papers with solutions — mechanics-first selection, then the full free-response semifinal that leads to the US Physics Team.
- Eligibility
- US high-school students
- Format
- F=ma: 25 multiple-choice mechanics questions · USAPhO: long free-response problems
- Duration
- F=ma: 75 minutes · USAPhO: 3 hours
- Scoring
- F=ma is marked out of 25; USAPhO is marked on written working across two parts
The US physics ladder starts with F=ma, a mechanics-only multiple-choice paper that decides who advances, and continues to the USAPhO semifinal, where every answer is a written derivation. The two papers reward different things: F=ma wants fast, reliable mechanics, while USAPhO wants sustained symbolic reasoning across electromagnetism, thermodynamics and waves. Past papers are the only way to calibrate for both, and the F=ma archive in particular is deep enough to serve as a complete mechanics course.
USAPhO & F=ma past papers and solutions by year
Every link below opens the official AAPT PDF directly. Sit the paper timed, mark it against the solutions, then read the extended solutions once you have written up your own attempt.
Stuck on a USAPhO & F=ma question?
Send us the question number. A mentor who has sat and medalled in USAPhO & F=ma will reply with a step-by-step walkthrough and the faster competition method.
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What the paper tests
Kinematics & dynamics
Energy & momentum
Rotation & oscillation
Electromagnetism
Thermodynamics & waves
Derivation technique
Where it leads: Top USAPhO scripts lead to the US Physics Team training camp and IPhO selection. See our coaching programme.
Book personalised USAPhO & F=ma classes
Past papers show you the gap; a mentor closes it. Our USAPhO & F=ma mentors are medal winners who walk through every solution 1-to-1, then set targeted practice on the archetypes you lost marks on.
Want the full USAPhO & F=ma paper pack and score guide?
Tell us your target and we will send the USAPhO & F=ma paper list, the official scoring rules and a preparation plan built around the questions you keep losing marks on.
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Frequently asked questions
- What score do I need on F=ma to advance?
- The qualifying score is set each year by the AAPT based on the field, and it has typically sat in the low-to-mid teens out of 25. Consistently scoring above that on past papers is the goal.
- Where can I find F=ma and USAPhO past papers?
- The AAPT publishes past exams and solutions on its Physics Team pages. We link to the official archive and add worked walkthroughs and topic tagging.
- How much calculus do I need?
- F=ma is designed to be solvable without calculus, though calculus often makes problems faster. USAPhO effectively assumes it.