Physics Bowl

AAPT Physics Bowl 2024

SDMC will host the 2024 Physics Bowl.  The date will be EITHER Sunday, March 24 OR Sunday March 31 at 1:00PM.  We have reserved space on each date and are open to adjusting the choice of date based on feedback.  We sometimes discover that a conflict unknown to us impacts a date, limiting student participation; we are trying to avoid that.  If you are aware of some significant conflict impacting one of these dates, please contact us to let us know.  Such feedback may ultimately decide the final choice of date.

Only a limited number of spaces will be available - we need your signups to estimate the size of our interest group.  Use the text box in our signup form (see below) to give us a very brief description of your prior physics coursework to inform placement in either Division 1 or Division 2.

Date Sunday, March 24  - OR -  Sunday, March 31  (pending feedback)

Arrive 1:00PM Receive scantron and fill in personal information

Exam start 1:20PM Late arrivals may be seated but will not be allowed extended time

Exam end 2:05PM

Location Applied Physics and Mathematics Building, Room B402A (basement), UCSD

SDMC's security code will be needed to enter the building

Parking The closest parking is in the Scholars underground parking structure north of Muir Lane near the APM.  

     Parking is not free and is limited to marked Visitor spaces.  See maps.ucsd.edu .

Bring Old school #2 wooden pencils (scantron), a quality eraser,  a scientific calculator (non-graphing, non-programmable).

Traditional geometry tools are not prohibited, but generally are not helpful, except possibly a ruler.

Don't bring Books, notes, or any of your own paper (we supply all that), any personal electronics, disallowed calculators,

backpacks, opaque water bottles (clear is ok), phones must be turned off and given to proctor.


Click through to SDMC's signup form.

(Use the event drop down menu and select "Physics Bowl".)

The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) has authorized SDMC to make the AAPT Physics Bowl competition available to San Diego area students. 

The Physics Bowl consists of a 40-question, 45-minute sit-down multiple choice exam that ranges broadly over many topics in physics.  While the exam contains problems that vary in difficulty, the exam as a whole is very challenging.

Students participate in one of two divisions based on present and prior experience with physics education.  Students who are currently active in their first physics course or have completed a first physics course participate in Division I.  Students who are in their second physics course or have completed a second physics course participate in Division II.

Students receive individual scores, and special recognition is possible for top-scoring students in certain regional classifications.  The top five scores in each division are aggregated to produce two team scores that also may earn special recognition.  The students comprising the teams are not chosen in advance - they are those five in each division who happen to score highest on the day of the competition.

Students do not need to be regular participants in SDMC to participate in the Physics Bowl.

Further information about the Physics Bowl can be found at

AAPT Physics Bowl