AAPT.org - American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT PhysicsBowl

How the Contest Works

Each year, approximately 10,000 students take a 40-question, 45-minute timed, multiple-choice test under their school’s supervision. The 2013 exam will be given between April 3 and April 17, 2013. Exam questions are based on topics and concepts covered in a typical high school physics course.

To enhance the distribution of awards, Division I is for first-year physics students and Division II is for second-year physics students. Each Division has 14 regions that have been established across the country to allow schools in each region to compete against one another. Specialized math and science schools compete in their own region.

Note: School Team scores are determined by the sum of the scores of the top five students competing.

Proctoring Requirements for the Physics Bowl Contest

The Physics Bowl exam MUST be proctored. Ordinarily, the proctor would be the teacher or equivalent substitute.

The requirements for the proctor are that they not be a relative, employer, fellow employee or fellow student, and that they have at least a 2 year degree, though this degree does not need to be related to physics. Librarians would make a suitable proctor, and a candidate may take the test at a library, assuming that the librarian will be able to observe the test taking to ensure the integrity of the process.

Unfortunately, the immediate parents of a home schooled student are not acceptable proctors; in such cases, parents will need to arrange for a non-relative proctor. This individual could be someone from within a home schooling co-op, assuming that they also meet the above criteria.

(PLEASE NOTE: Students cannot register for the exam. A faculty member from the host site must register for students to take the exam).

To Enter:

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2013 PHYSICSBOWL CONTEST HAS CLOSED!

Simply complete the short registration form online, or if paying by check or purchase order, you can download a PDF, complete and send to the AAPT National Office.  We encourage online registration.

You have two options for how you may receive the exam:

  1. A PDF version of the exam is sold in packets of five at $20.00 per packet (includes shipping and handling of the scantrons that you will receive for each student).  You will receive a password code sent to your school email address to download the PDF, you will need to make a copy for each student. PLEASE NOTE: If you order the PDF version of the exam, the scantrons that your students will use to fill in their answers, will need to be mailed to a PO Box in Texas. Federal Express and UPS do not deliver to PO Boxes.
  2. You can register students to take the exam via WebAssign at $4.00 per student (you may enter one or more students via WebAssign, but you will need 5 students to qualify for team competition).  You do not need to have an account with WebAssign to use this method.

Teachers should reserve a room and arrange for supervision of the test between April 3 - 17, 2013. 

AAPT will ship instructions and scantrons (and email link for downloading PDF) mid March. Notify AAPT if you have not received your test packets by March 27, 2013.
Additional information and past exams can be found at http://www3.delta.edu/michaelfaleski/PhysicsBowl/

School, Teacher, and Student Awards

  • T-shirts awarded to the five top students in the top scoring school in each region.*
  • Certificate of Participation provided as a printable PDF for all teachers and students competing.*
  • Additional awards to be announced.

* School team scores are determined by the sum of the scores of the top five students competing.

WebAssign Practice Exams

WebAssign practice exams are open to everyone without a fee. In order to take the practice exam, see the following instructions:

  • Go to www.webassign.net
  • Click the Log In button
  • Click "I have a Class Key"
  • Enter aapt 6098 2240 as your class key. Anyone can use this key to access the class.

  • Click Yes, this is my class (Instructor will be John Risley)

  • Follow the instructions.

Students will need the following information to register for the Physics Bowl Contest:

Faculty Member's AAPT ID Number

  • Members - Find your 5 digit ID number on Journal Label.
  • Non-members - Go to www.aapt.org to set up a record or join.

Pre-College Host Sites

Home School

If you are home schooled a list of CEEB codes for your region is available on The College Board's PSAT/NMSQT Codes for Home-School Students page.

Practicing & Administering the Exam

Students will be able to take three different sample tests to practice how to answer questions in WebAssign. When the exam dates are open, none of the practice exams will be available.

The student's instructor or person proctoring the exam will have the password for the "Physics Bowl" exam and should administer the test verifying that the student took the exam. Students will get just one attempt to answer all 40 questions.

PhysicsBowl Results (PDFs)