Studying for physics olympiad (1 Viewer)

[jathu123]

So I heard that the physics Olympiad for yr 11 are really hard and tests the stuff that aren't even in the prelim and hsc course, if this is true then what's the best way to prepare and study for it other than the past papers? Any textbook recommendation?
I'm also planning on doing the chemistry one, so similar suggestion on how to study for this as well would greatly help
thanks

 

[Nailgun]

So I heard that the physics Olympiad for yr 11 are really hard and tests the stuff that aren't even in the prelim and hsc course, if this is true then what's the best way to prepare and study for it other than the past papers? Any textbook recommendation?
I'm also planning on doing the chemistry one, so similar suggestion on how to study for this as well would greatly help
thanks

This sounds fun lol
Gna go investigate how I could do this

Don't like some schools go really hard on the olympiads though
I remember reading that chinese schools spend an entire year on just olympiads

 

[Nailgun]

jks yr10 and 11 only

at any rate, here you go if you don't already have it
http://www.asi.edu.au/programs/australian-science-olympiads/past-exams/

perhaps reading up on elementary physics textbooks (first-ish year uni i think)
things im told are good/ive started to read out of interest

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Feynman_Lectures_on_Physics
This one is fairly easy to read and I think you shouldn't have trouble reading it but you might not understand everything but thats okay (have you learned integration yet lel)
disclaimer: ive only read a chapter or two though lel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentals_of_Physics
Much more formal text, but considered the gold standard for freshman physics ( I think)

 

[jathu123]

jks yr10 and 11 only

at any rate, here you go if you don't already have it
http://www.asi.edu.au/programs/australian-science-olympiads/past-exams/

perhaps reading up on elementary physics textbooks (first-ish year uni i think)
things im told are good/ive started to read out of interest

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Feynman_Lectures_on_Physics
This one is fairly easy to read and I think you shouldn't have trouble reading it but you might not understand everything but thats okay (have you learned integration yet lel)
disclaimer: ive only read a chapter or two though lel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentals_of_Physics
Much more formal text, but considered the gold standard for freshman physics ( I think)

haha unlucky it isn't for yr12 and yeah I glanced at one or two past papers and they all seem very challenging and fun, with one or two easy ones like pulleys and stuff. But my school doesn't bother teaching and preparing those who are doing it, so my best bet is doing the all the past papers in the holidays. Along with that I'll also take a look at Feynman's book you linked me haha, it seems really cool by looking at its contents over the three volumes haha. About integration, I kinda learnt the basics and some other stuff by watching random Eddie Woo videos. Even though the Feynman's book will have more advance integrals, I'll definitely try self-teaching most contents of integration in the holidays, as it seems very interesting and important, as well as other crucial math topics. So thanks a ton for those 2 books, both seem very interesting.

 

[ml125]

So I heard that the physics Olympiad for yr 11 are really hard and tests the stuff that aren't even in the prelim and hsc course, if this is true then what's the best way to prepare and study for it other than the past papers? Any textbook recommendation?
I'm also planning on doing the chemistry one, so similar suggestion on how to study for this as well would greatly help
thanks

I worked from "Fundamentals of Physics." I believe it's a 1st year textbook?

I studied for it like any other subject; created my own set of notes and did past papers lol

 

[ml125]

This sounds fun lol
Gna go investigate how I could do this

Don't like some schools go really hard on the olympiads though
I remember reading that chinese schools spend an entire year on just olympiads

Had about a year of preparation for this olympiad lmao, I don't think it was that intense though >.<

 

[Nailgun]

haha unlucky it isn't for yr12 and yeah I glanced at one or two past papers and they all seem very challenging and fun, with one or two easy ones like pulleys and stuff. But my school doesn't bother teaching and preparing those who are doing it, so my best bet is doing the all the past papers in the holidays. Along with that I'll also take a look at Feynman's book you linked me haha, it seems really cool by looking at its contents over the three volumes haha. About integration, I kinda learnt the basics and some other stuff by watching random Eddie Woo videos. Even though the Feynman's book will have more advance integrals, I'll definitely try self-teaching most contents of integration in the holidays, as it seems very interesting and important, as well as other crucial math topics. So thanks a ton for those 2 books, both seem very interesting.

Feynmans book is quite a bit more mathsy/calculusy than fundamentals of physics (plus a lot of fundamentals of physics maths is algebra)
But its way more fun as well, it actually has a sense of humour lele

edit: now you have me hooked on reading it again rip hsc

 

[hrithikroshan]

So howd you go in the olympiads? Is that the way to get into ISS (i saw on your other post)?