IPhyC problems draw on the core fields of physics and, in the Semi-Final, on a real research paper. Use this guide as a map—not a checklist you must finish before entering.
Motion, forces, and the rules of motion
From projectile paths to planetary orbits, mechanics asks how objects move and why. Expect Newton's laws, conservation principles, energy, and momentum.
Key equations
F = ma
Fields, charges, and light
Electric and magnetic fields, the forces they exert, and the electromagnetic waves that carry light and information through the modern world.
Key equations
∇ × E = −∂B/∂t
Where matter becomes a wave
The behaviour of matter and energy at atomic and subatomic scales, where measurement, probability, and wave functions reshape intuition.
Key equations
Δx Δp ≥ ℏ/2
Physics at the largest scales
Stars, galaxies, black holes, and the expansion of the universe. The same physical laws, applied to systems far beyond the laboratory.
Key equations
H² = (8πG/3)ρ − kc²/a² + Λc²/3
Heat, energy, and entropy
The laws that connect temperature, energy transfer, and probability—from ideal gases and heat engines to the arrow of time.
Key equations
PV = nRT
Space and time, reconsidered
Special relativity for fast-moving objects and general relativity for gravity as curved spacetime, from time dilation to black holes.
Key equations
E = mc²
The mathematics of flow
How liquids and gases move: continuity, pressure, viscosity, turbulence, and the equations behind weather, flight, and blood flow.
Key equations
∂ρ/∂t + ∇·(ρv) = 0
Light, lenses, and interference
Reflection, refraction, diffraction, and interference—the geometry and wave nature of light, and the instruments built around it.
Key equations
n₁ sin θ₁ = n₂ sin θ₂
The smallest constituents
Quarks, leptons, and the forces between them. The Standard Model describes the matter and interactions that underpin the visible universe.
Key equations
Γ = (2π/ℏ) |Mfi|² ρ(E)
The physics of materials
Crystals, electrons in periodic potentials, and collective excitations. This is the territory of semiconductors, magnets, and superconductors.
Key equations
ψₖ(r) = uₖ(r) e^{ik·r}
The fourth state of matter
Ionised gases in which charged particles move collectively—from fusion experiments and the solar wind to lightning and industrial plasmas.
Key equations
ωₚ = √(ne²/ε₀mₑ)
A note on preparation
You do not need to know every equation before you begin. The official training guide is a starting point, not an entrance requirement.
Problem zero
Every round mixes disciplines. The best preparation is to attempt problems, compare approaches, and learn from the gaps.
External links open the official IPhyC site
