International Physics Olympiad Syllabus
The IPhO syllabus is not a fixed list of topics but a broad framework based on physics taught in secondary schools. The host country may include specific topics, but they are generally expected to be solvable with fundamental principles.
A Syllabus of Skills
Success in the IPhO depends less on memorizing a vast curriculum and more on a deep, intuitive understanding of core physics principles. The problems are designed to test creativity, physical modeling, and mathematical fluency. While the topics are familiar, the application is far more advanced than in standard school examinations. The syllabus is a guide to the fields of knowledge from which problems will be drawn, not a checklist of facts to learn.
Theoretical Topics
- Mechanics Kinematics, dynamics, conservation laws, rigid body motion, gravitation, fluid mechanics, and oscillations.
- Electromagnetism Electrostatics, magnetostatics, DC and AC circuits, electromagnetic induction, and Maxwell's equations.
- Thermodynamics & Statistical Physics Laws of thermodynamics, kinetic theory of gases, phase transitions, and heat transfer.
- Oscillations & Waves Simple and damped harmonic motion, forced oscillations, wave propagation, interference, and diffraction.
- Modern Physics Special relativity, quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics, and particle physics.
Experimental Skills
- Measurement & Uncertainty Identifying sources of error and estimating the uncertainty of measurements.
- Data Analysis Processing raw data, linearizing equations, and plotting graphs with error bars.
- Error Propagation Calculating the uncertainty in a final result derived from multiple measurements.
- Experimental Design Devising a procedure to measure a physical quantity using the provided equipment.