USAPhO Advanced course reviews all necessary topics required for the USAPhO including mechanics, thermodynamics (heat capacity, laws of thermo, gaseous processes, heat transfer, entropy), electricity and magnetism (electric fields, potentials, circuitry, magnetic fields, Lorenz force law, Maxwell’s equations, nature of light, magnetic induction), waves (wave equation, intensity, sound, Doppler shift), optics (refraction, lenses, mirrors, diffraction), relativity (Einstein’s postulates, time dilation, length contraction, simultaneity, relativistic quantities). Focus will be on practice and drilling.

Target Competitions

• USAPhO Exam

Target Grades

9-12

Who should Take This Course

• Students who can solve around 3/6 questions on the USAPhO Semi-final in the time given

Who should Skip This Course

• Students who have qualified for USAPhO Team

A scientific calculator is required and preferred over a graphing calculator.

Exam Weeks

Practice Exams will be given/solved.

Homework

There are weekly homework sets.

Resources

Lecture/Homework problems and solutions will be available on the course management system.

Curriculum

Fall course is not required for the spring course, nor is the spring course required for the fall course.