Preparation for Bangladesh Physics Olympiad [Preparation Guideline]

Hello readers! My name is Munirul Alam, and I was a national champion of the Bangladesh Physics Olympiad in 2018 and regional champion in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

I’m writing this blog post in order to share my experience, which I hope will be helpful to guide you in your preparation.

So let’s come to the main point. In order to win a medal at the Physics Olympiad, you don’t have to be a superhuman or something. People who participate in PhO and win there are all normal people just like you. So, how do they manage to triumph over the battle?

In this post, I will try to answer your question. First of all, there are three categories in BDPhO, and I will divide my post in three segments based on each category. 

Three categories in the Bangladesh Physics Olympiad are Category A (Class 7-8), Category B (Class 9-10) and Category C (Class 11-12).

Category A


It’s very nice to know that you are fascinated about physics at such an early age! Usually people who start early end up as one of the most successful ones. পদার্থবিজ্ঞান প্রথম পাঠ by Dr. Muhammamad Zafar Iqbal will be a nice and easy book to start off. It contains a lot of good problems, and the text is more accessible to beginners. You can also going through the class 9-10 physics textbook. But I personally prefer the first book. 

As a beginner, you can also start with non-calculus physics textbooks like "College Physics by Alan Giambattista, Betty McCarthy Richardson, and Robert C. Richardson” or "Physics by John D. Cutnell, Kenneth W. Johnson”.

Category B

If you are in Category B, your first and foremost task will be finishing the class 9-10 Physics textbook properly. You can also have a look at the older version of the textbook, which used to be little more comprehensive. When you’re done with 9-10 textbook, you can move on to building up good problem solving skills. You can find previous problems here (Click Here). Pause.

Now that you’re done with your physics textbook, you should aim higher and start reading either “Physics by Halliday, Resnick, Krane (HRK)” or “University Physics by Young and Freedman”.  Keep in mind that these books are calculus-based physics texts, and a prior knowledge of Calculus will give you an upper hand. This note by Emroz Khan (one of the past problem setters of Physics Olympiad) will be helpful in this regard (Click Here).

Or, you can read any good Calculus textbook or take online course to solidify your mathematical knowledge. You can use MIT OCW Single Variable calculus course taught by Prof. David Jerison(https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mathematics/18-01-single-variable-calculus-fall-2006/). Watch the first 20 lectures and you will know most of the basic stuff you need.

Category C

Now it’s time for Category C. Well, if you are in category C and wish to do well in BDPhO, you should have finished HRK or University Physics by now. You should start studying An Introduction to Mechanics (Kleppner and Kolenkow), Electricity and Magnetism Third Edition (E.M Purcell and David Morin), and Thermal Physics (Schroeder) to strengthen your understanding on particular topics.

While books are essential lecture series might be more helpful to master stuff. Walter Lewin’s video series is a gem of any physics lover. My most favorite physics teacher and favorite of most physics students. 

Here are Walter Lewin's Lecture Series 8.01(Mechanics)[Link], 8.02(Electromagnetism)[Link], 8.03(Vibrations and Waves)[Link] Ramamuri  Shankar’s lectures are very handy to master topics. His lecturer series Mechanics [Link], Electromagnetism and Quantum Mechanics[Link].

Also, you should start solving the past IPhO Problems , which can be found here (Click Here). A lot of other stuffs can be found at the BdPhO website (Website) and Science Olympiad Blog's server (Click Here). Quora (Link) has a lot of nice answers on Physics Olympiads ranging from national to IPhO. You may want to check those.

If you want to ask any questions you can reach me at my mail(munirulalam15@gmail.com) or Facebook(www.facebook.com/munirul15)

Hope that you’ll rock on the Physics Olympiad! All the very best.

Science Olympiad Blog is proudly sponsored by Adroit Education - a Boutique College Consulting Firm that aides the gifted STEM Students to become the Next-Generation Researchers, Scholars, and Innovators by attending the finest American Universities.

Bangladesh Physics Olympiad (BdPhO) 2018 [Registration]

Registration for Bangladesh Physics Olympiad 2018 is going on. 

There will be three categories in this year. Students who are studying at class 7 and 8 will be in the 'A' category; Students who are studying at class 9 and 10 will be in the 'B' category; Students from 11th and 12th grade will be in the 'C' category. 

Students who appeared H.S.C or A Levels exam this year will not be able to participate in any circumstances. Based on the performance of training camp, top 5 students will be selected for next year's International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) 2018 to be held in Portugal.

For online registration, Click Here.
Check these Preparatory Materials and Books.
Past papers from IPhOs and National Physics Olympiads: Click Here.

Science Olympiad Blog is proudly sponsored by Adroit Education - a Boutique College Consulting Firm that aides the gifted STEM Students to become the Next-Generation Researchers, Scholars, and Innovators by attending the finest American Universities.

Bangladesh Physics Olympiad (BdPhO) 2016 [Registration]

Registration for Bangladesh Physics Olympiad 2016 is going on. 

There will be three categories in this year. Students who are studying at class 7 and 8 will be in the 'A' category; Students who are studying at class 9 and 10 will be in the 'B' category; Students from 11th and 12th grade will be in the 'C' category. Students who appeared H.S.C or A Levels exam this year will not be able to participate in any circumstances. Based on the performance of training camp, top 5 students will be selected for next year's International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) 2016 to be held in Switzerland.

For online registration, Click Here.

Check these Preparatory Materials.
Past papers from IPhOs and National Physics Olympiads: Click Here.

Science Olympiad Blog is proudly sponsored by Adroit Education - a Boutique College Consulting Firm that aides the gifted STEM Students to become the Next-Generation Researchers, Scholars, and Innovators by attending the finest American Universities.

United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO) Papers (2007-2014) [Past Olympiad Papers]

The United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO) is run by the American Association of Physics Teachers and American Institute of Physics to select the team for representing United States at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO). 

The selection process is done through many stages. The preliminary round is known as the "F = ma" contest, then semi-final contest and finally a rigorous training camp at the University of Maryland (previously there used to be a Quarter-final round).

I've compiled the past USAPhO problems ("F=ma" contests, Quarter Finals, Semi Finals) with solutions. You can download the papers here.

Source: U.S. Physics Team.

Science Olympiad Blog is proudly sponsored by Adroit Education - a Boutique College Consulting Firm that aides the gifted STEM Students to become the Next-Generation Researchers, Scholars, and Innovators by attending the finest American Universities.

International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) 2015 Papers [Past Olympiad Papers]

46th International Physics Olympiad has taken place in Mumbai, India from 5th to 12th July, 2015. 

Here are the final problems from theoretical and experimental rounds.

Click here for the final individual Ranking.

 
Science Olympiad Blog is proudly sponsored by Adroit Education - a Boutique College Consulting Firm that aides the gifted STEM Students to become the Next-Generation Researchers, Scholars, and Innovators by attending the finest American Universities.

Estonian-Finnish Olympiad in Physics (2003-2014) Papers [Past Olympiad Papers]

Estonian-Finnish Olympiad in Physics contains some IPhO level physics problems, and obviously helpful for Regional or National Level Physics Olympiad preparation. 

Here is the compilation of previous papers (along with solutions) of Estonian-Finnish Olympiad in Physics.

Bonus: "Physics by Example - 200 Problems and Solutions" by W.G. Rees

Science Olympiad Blog is proudly sponsored by Adroit Education - a Boutique College Consulting Firm that aides the gifted STEM Students to become the Next-Generation Researchers, Scholars, and Innovators by attending the finest American Universities.

British Physics Olympiad (BPhO)

British Physics Olympiad website contains a selection of BPhO questions by topic area, past papers and important notes to upgrade physics problem solving skills. 

Here you'll find sample problems ranging from astronomy to particle physics. It's a really good resource for physics olympiad preparation.

British Physics Olympiad Question Bank.
British Physics Olympiad Past Papers.
British Physics Olympiad 'Upgrade Your Physics'.

Science Olympiad Blog is proudly sponsored by Adroit Education - a Boutique College Consulting Firm that aides the gifted STEM Students to become the Next-Generation Researchers, Scholars, and Innovators by attending the finest American Universities.

International Physics Olympiad Papers (IPhO) (1967-2010) [Past Olympiad Papers]

The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is an annual physics competition for high school students. 

The first IPhO was held in Warsaw, Poland in 1967. Here are the question papers of IPhO from 1967 to 2010. Hope this will be a helpful source for Physics Olympiad preparation.

Science Olympiad Blog is proudly sponsored by Adroit Education - a Boutique College Consulting Firm that aides the gifted STEM Students to become the Next-Generation Researchers, Scholars, and Innovators by attending the finest American Universities.

How to win a Gold Medal at International Physics Olympiad (IPhO)?

What is required to be able to grasp the ideas of physics and solve problems so well that you could get a gold medal at IPhO? Do you need just to be gifted? Of course not, there are other students, who have solved a lot of problems – while you are thinking hard trying to "invent a bicycle", they are already writing the solution, because they had solved a similar problem earlier. Is it enough to solve a lot of problems and read a lot of problem solutions? Most often, no. Just solving or reading solutions, of course, will increase your technical skills, but you also need to think over, what were the main ideas which made it possible to solve the problem, and take these ideas into your permanent arsenal; if you solve too many problems, you don't have time to think over. Is it possible to learn "the art of problem solving" and if yes then how? Well, 99% of the Olympiad problems are solved using a rather limited set of ideas (for mathematics, that set is somewhat larger). So, if you acquire those ideas well enough – so that you can recognize them even if they are carefully hidden – then the IPhO gold will be yours! Do not worry, no-one expects you to discover a solving technique which has been never seen before, because that would be an achievement worth of a Nobel Prize!

World Physics Olympiad (WoPhO)

World Physics Olympiad – Beat the Champion, a secondary school level individual physics competition, started in 2011. It is a unique competition.

This competition lasts for a full year in three rounds:

1. Selection round
2. Discussion round
3. Final round

Each round has its respective mission, i.e.:
1.      Selection round:  provides an opportunity for as many students as possible to participate in this physics competition based on internet technology.  Problems presented in the selection round will encourage students to study high-level physics.  Indirectly, the students will enhance their knowledge on physics. 
-> This round will run from February 1st to July 31st of each year. 
-> Participants solve the problems and submit the solutions via the internet.
-> Students not yet at university level by June 30th of the competition year.
-> Students under 20 years old by June 30th of the competition year. 

Physics Olympiad: Preparation

The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is an annual physics competition for high school students. Each national delegation is made up of at most five student competitors plus two leaders, selected on a national level.

Bangladesh Physics Olympiad

Bangladesh Physics Olympiad Committee organizes BDPhO every year, and selects Bangladesh team for International Physics Olympiad (IPhO). Bangladesh Physics Olympiad usually takes place between November to January. Bangladesh Physics Olympiad has 3 Phases.

Phase I : Divisional Round.
Phase II : National Round.
Phase III: IPhO Team Selection Camp.

Important Links:
Bangladesh Physics Olympiad Website.
Bangladesh Physics Olympiad Facebook Group.
Syllabus of the BDPhO.
Past Papers of the BdPhO. 

If you want to compete at the national or upper level physics olympiad, you should at least complete the book "Physics, Volume 1 & 2 by David Halliday, Robert Resnick and Kenneth S. Krane"

This is an undergraduate level textbook, and you need to have a decent knowledge of univariate calculus to sink your teeth into it. If you can solve 80% of the problems of Halliday, Resnick and Krane - you can start with the Past IPhO Question Papers. Note: As the scope of the syllabus has changed, it is a waste to try to handle question papers from pre-1998 era.

Suggested By: Professor Arshad Momen, Coach, Bangladesh Physics Olympiad Team.

International Physics Olympiad : Preparation 

•  Syllabus of the IPhO.

If you are a beginner you can start with non-calculus physics textbooks:

• "College Physics" by Alan Giambattista, Betty McCarthy Richardson, and Robert C. Richardson
• "Physics", 7th Edition by John D. Cutnell, Kenneth W. Johnson

Study first year level university physics.

• "Physics", Volume 1 & 2 by David Halliday, Robert Resnick and Kenneth S. Krane
•  "University Physics with Modern Physics with Mastering Physics™", 12th edition, by Hugh D. Young and Roger A. Freedman
• "Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics" by Raymond A. Serway and John W. Jewett, Jr.
• Upgrade Your Physics by The British Physics Olympiad

Interesting Resources for General Physics and Mathematics:

• "Street-Fighting Mathematics" - The Art of Educated Guessing and Opportunistic Problem Solving
• Project PHYSNET PDF Modules - Concise summaries of physics topics with exercises
• Jaan Kalda Resources
• KoMaL Magazine Resources
• Online Physics BRAWL

Textbooks on specific topics:

• "An Introduction to Mechanics" by Kleppner and Kolenkow
• "Classical Mechanics" by John R. Taylor
• "Introduction to Classical Mechanics with Problems and Solutions" by David Morin
• "Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems" by Jerry B. Marion and Stephen T. Thornton
• "Special Relativity" by A.P. French
• "Vibrations and Waves" by A.P. French
• "Introduction to Electrodynamics, 3rd ed." by David J. Griffiths
• "Electricity and Magnetism" by Edward M. Purcell
• "Electromagnetic Fields and Waves" by Paul Lorrain and Dale Corson

Practice working out theoretical problems

• Past IPhO Papers with Solutions Compilation (1967-2010)
• Past IPhO papers (From 1967 to 2014 - Separated)
• Past APhO papers
• Samples and Past Papers from The British Physics Olympiad
• POPTOR Past Problems and Solutions
• US Physics Olympiad Exams Documents
• BAUPC Exams and Solutions
• Estonian-Finnish Olympiad in Physics
• Hong Kong Physics Olympiad Training Materials
• FYKOS, Charles University, Prague 
• "Problems in General Physics" by I. E. Irodov
• Solutions to I. E. Irodov's "Problems in General Physics"
• Physics Problems
• Problem of the Week by David Morin - Harvard Physics
• "Cavendish Problems in Classical Physics" by A.B. Pippard
• "Cambridge Problems in Physics and Advice on Solutions" by P.P. Dendy, R. Tuffnell and C.H.B. Mee
• "200 Puzzling Physics Problems with Hints and Solutions" by Peter Gnadig, Gyula Honyek and Ken Riley
• "Physics by Example - 200 Problems and Solutions" by W.G. Rees
• Selected problems from "A Guide to Physics Problems", Part 1 and Part 2 by Sidney B. Cahn and Boris E. Nadgorny
• "Problems and Solutions on Mechanics" by Yung-Kuo Lim
• "Problems and Solutions on Atomic, Nuclear and Particle Physics" by Yung-Kuo Lim
• "Problems and Solutions on Electromagnetism" by Yung-Kuo Lim
• "Problems and Solutions on Optics : Major American Univ. PhD Qualifying Questions and Solutions" by Yung-Kuo Lim
• "Problems and Solutions on Solid State Physics, Relativity and Miscellaneous Topics" by Yung-Kuo Lim
• "Problems and Solutions on Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics" by Yung-Kuo Lim
• Useful Hints for Solving Physics Olympiad Problems

Practice doing experiments

• Past IPhO papers
• Past APhO papers
• Practical Physics, 4th Edition by G. L. Squires
• Student Laboratory Handbook
• An Introduction to Error Analysis, 2nd Edition by John R. Taylor
• Data and Error Analysis Note

Courtesy: How to Prepare for Physics Olympiad

Physics Olympiad Interesting Textbook/Course Download Links

Physics Olympiad: Basic to Advanced Exercises

This book contains some of the problems and solutions in the past domestic theoretical and experimental rounds of Japan Physics Olympiad. Through the exercises, this book aim at introducing the appeal and interest of modern physics to high-school students. 

In particular, the problems for the second-round of competition are like long journey of physics, beginning with fundamental physics of junior-high-school level, and ending with the forefronts of updated physics and technology.

You can download the book from here.

MIT OCW: Physics I and II

Physics I is a first-year physics course which introduces students to classical mechanics. This course has a hands-on focus, and approaches mechanics through take-home experiments. Topics include: kinematics, Newton's laws of motion, universal gravitation, statics, conservation laws, energy, work, momentum, and special relativity.

Physics II is the second semester of introductory physics. The focus is on electricity and magnetism.

MIT OCW has selected relevant material from MIT's introductory physics courses to support students as they study for the AP Physics curriculum. The videos are extremely helpful for beginner level understanding of Physics. 

To download all the videos, click here DOWNLOAD LINK.

Science Olympiad Blog is proudly sponsored by Adroit Education - a Boutique College Consulting Firm that aides the gifted STEM Students to become the Next-Generation Researchers, Scholars, and Innovators by attending the finest American Universities.