The Library of CompetitionsTian2 EditionsVolume I · MMXXVIPhysicsBowl
The Library of CompetitionsTian2 EditionsForty multiple-choice questions in forty-five minutes. The American Association of Physics Teachers' annual high-school exam — split into Division 1 (less coursework) and Division 2 (more advanced).
The AAPT PhysicsBowl is the AAPT's annual high-school physics MCQ. Forty answered questions in forty-five minutes — almost exactly one question per minute. The AAPT reserves Division 1 for students taking their first physics course; Division 2 is for students in a second-or-later course, or for any student wanting a challenge. Each student answers forty questions; the divisions draw their forty from a single shared paper.
The PhysicsBowl is the most accessible physics paper for US schools that already participate in some AAPT programming. The cost is low ($10/student), the time commitment is minimal, and the format is familiar.
Per-year exam + solution PDFs for 2021–2025 confirmed by filename at printexams.cfm. 2020 was cancelled. 2007–2019 are referenced en bloc but per-year hrefs not yet enumerated. The AAPT publishes practice and past exams free on its own past-exams page ↗ — read them at the source. Tian2 is the independent analysis layer and does not reproduce official questions or solutions. Always verify this year's dates, fee, and rules against the official source.
One question per minute. There is no time to think; there is only time to recognise.— Editor's note