USAPhO F=ma and Semifinal Training Classes

This class is to prepare students for the USAPhO F=ma test. The class will cover important mechanics concepts and problem solving skills.

This course includes 12 lectures, 12 homework, and 12 quizzes.  Before each class, the students will get a syllabus compiled by the instructor, and the homework is listed at the end.  After each class, a quiz will be sent to the students to test how well they grasp the knowledge covered in the class.  The recorded videos are also available for students to review the class again at any time. These procedures will effectively improve the students’ ability to solve USAPhO F=ma problems.  The contents of 12 classes (2.5 hours each lecture) are as the following:

1. General Knowledge
2. Kinematics
3. Dynamics
4. Work and Energy
5. Impulse and Momentum
6. Circular Motion and Rotation
7. Rotational Inertial and Angular Momentum
8. Gravitational Law
9. Oscillation and Waves
10. Static Mechanics
11. Fluid Mechanics
12. Advanced Knowledge

This course will cover the advanced knowledge and skills to help students to achieve the best score on USAPhO Semi-final examinations.  Most examples used during the lecture are from the previous real semifinal tests.

Starting in 2018, the USAPhO Semifinal Examination format was changed to:

• Part A, 3 problems: Mechanics (25); E-M (25); and Thermal Physics (25)
• Part B, 3 problems: E-M (25); E-M with Mechanics (25); and Modern Physics with Optics (25)

Correspondingly, the arrangement of our Semifinal Preparation 12 classes (2.5 hours each lecture) will be:

• Thermal Physics: Class 1 and 2
• Electricity and Magnetism, including E-M Waves: Class 3, 4, 5, and 6
• Mechanics:  Class 7, 8
• Combined Mechanics and EM: Class 9
• Mechanical Waves and Optics: Class 10
• Modern Physics: Class 11 and 12

Because students are already quite familiar with mechanics, we will assign harder reference books for Mechanics than other topics.

To help students fully understand each topic, we will instruct students the following procedures:

• Pre-class reading materials (need to finish before class starts)
• Warm-up practices (need to finish before class starts)
• Lectures  (during the class)
• Homework (include mechanics review and the learning topic)

(The class is on Sunday, so students may review the topic before class during the weekend)

We hope, through these intense training lectures, that the students may obtain the advanced knowledge and skills to achieve the best score on their USAPhO Semi-final examinations.

Wish all students to enjoy the classes, to work hard, learn a lot, and achieve a lot!

本课程将针对美国物理奥林匹克USAPhO的第2轮Semifinal竞赛的范围和特点，深入研讨一些有关物理力学, 电磁学，热力学和近代物理等的重要概念和解题技巧， 有效增强学生们解决物理奥林匹克竞赛程度难题的能力，使学生们能最大程度地准备好美国物理奥林匹克竞赛。本课程共12堂课，每次2.5小时。课前，老师会寄给学生们课程提要，每次课后，老师会给学生们布置适量的作业，做为学生们对所学内容的巩固和提高。课后学生可以反复看课堂录像。授课所用材料采用标准参考书和讲员自行编写相结合的方式，以期学生们在较短时间内取得最大成效。

This USAPhO F=ma Camp is specially organized to intensely train students for the F=ma test, providing a total of 20 practice tests combined with lectures after each test (5 hours for each camp day).
In the first session of each camp day, students will work on one previous real F=ma test, followed by the second session, a lecture about the difficult and confusing problems in the test.  The instructor will emphasize the important knowledge and concepts related to the test.
In the third session, the students will work on a mock F=ma test, which is compiled by the instructor, followed by another lecture session.

All of these efforts will help the students undergo intense practice on the F=ma tests, combined with lectures to help the students understand physics concepts in depth and effectively improve their abilities to solve F=ma problems. Through this class, students can maximize their chances of success on the F=ma test next January.

F=ma Camp是特别针对美国物理奥林匹克竞赛USAPhO F=ma考试。在10天里（每天5个小时）学生做完一共20套题，杨老师会在学生每做完一套题后有重点地讲解概念及难点，旨在帮助学生在深入理解物理概念的基础上，有效加强F=ma的解题能力。每天两套题包括一套以往的真题，一套模拟题。

This USAPhO Semifinal Problem Solving Skills class is specially designed for the students who have finished or are currently taking our USAPhO Semifinal Test Preparation class.  This 12-Sessions’ class (2.5 hours each lecture) will focus on the skills to solve the difficult USAPhO Semifinal examination problems, mainly focusing on the hard problems of the old semifinal tests, so students may further enhance their skills to solve difficult physics problems. Before each class, we will encourage students to work on one old real USAPhO Semifinal test, and then during the lecture, we will talk about the skills to solve the most difficult problems that happened in the test, and answer all the possible questions from students.  For the homework, we will encourage students write down a clear solution for each test problem.

USAPhO Semifinal 解题技巧培训课是特别为上过或正在上杨老师的USAPhO Semifinal Test Prep考试预备课的学生准备。共12堂课，每次2.5小时。主要集中讲解过去USAPhO Semifinal 中的难题，以帮助学生增强解决复杂问题的技巧。每次课前，鼓励学生做完一套老师布置的以前USAPhO Semifinal 考题，上课时老师会对那套考题中最困难的部分进行讲解，并回答学生提出的各种问题。课后，则鼓励学生对每道题写下清晰的完整解答。