F=ma Physics • 2021

This is a course at the San Diego Math Circle preparing students for the F=ma contest offered by the American Association of Physics Teachers, to select for the USA Physics Olympiad.

The course runs from 1 PM to 2:30 PM Pacific Time on numerous Sundays from November 1, 2020 to February 14, 2021:

1. November 1, 2020
2. November 8, 2020
3. November 15, 2020
4. December 6, 2020
5. December 13, 2020
6. January 10, 2021
7. January 17, 2021
8. January 24, 2021
9. January 31, 2021
10. February 7, 2021
11. February 14, 2021

The official schedule is kept in the San Diego Math Circle Master Calendar.

Whiteboards and notes are toward the bottom of the page.

Discussed in class –

• 2018A #2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 14, 19 & 25.

Old exams – here.

• Please save the 2019 exams and the 2018B exam for later!

HW – for November 8th

• None!

Discussed in class –

• 2018A #6, 8, 12, 16, 18, 21, 22 & 24.

HW – for November 15th

• Read about and/or derive the Gaussian error propagation formulas discussed in 2018A #12.

Prepare for a practice test on November 15th.

Discussed in class –

• Practice exam! 2018B.

HW – for December 6th

• Derive the formula circled in blue on slide 1 of this week's whiteboard.

Discussed in class –

• Most difficult problems from 2018B: #6, 7, 13, 16, 17, 19, 23, 24.

HW – for December 13th

• Derive the relative uncertainty propagation formula circled in green on slide 6 of this week's whiteboard.
• Request topics to discuss on December 13 using the form below.

Discussed in class –

• Rotational motion. See Rotation notes below.
• Problems relating to rotation from 2017: #3, 11, 12, 14, 18.

HW – for January 10th

• None! Enjoy your winter holidays.

Discussed in class –

• Orbits and Kepler's Laws. See Orbits notes below.
• Problems relating to rotation from 2017: #1, 6, 25 and 2016: #4, 8, 9.

HW – for January 17th

• Generalize Kepler's Third Law for elliptical orbits – slide 2.
• Read about the vis-viva equation, and try solving 2017 #25 that way – slide 6.
• Prepare for a practice exam.

Discussed in class –

• Practice exam! 2019A. See form link below.

HW – for January 24th

• None!

Discussed in class –

• Most missed on 2019A: #5, 8, 10, 14, 17-20 & 25.

HW – for January 31st

• Request topics to discuss next time! See form below. Please submit your requests by Jan 28th so I have time to prepare.

Discussed in class –

• Most difficult problems from 2016: #7, 13-15, 20 & 23-25.

HW – for February 7th

• None!

Discussed in class –

• Interesting medium and hard problems from 2015: #3, 4, 17, 19, 21 & 23-25

HW – for February 14th

• None!

Discussed in class –

• Interesting medium and hard problems from 2019B: #3, 6, 10, 16, 17 & 23.

Thanks for participating! Good luck on the exam!

The 2021 F=ma exam will be administered on:

• February 18, 2021 at 1:00 PM PST

SDMC administration of this year's exam is now closed. I am not directly involved in the administration of the exams, so all questions should be directed to the SDMC administration.