Recommended list of problems

In what follows is a list of problems, selected on the basis of my personal

preferences and sorted by topics. If you don't find your favourite problems
here, please nominate!

Mechanics (incl. celestial mechanics)

From IPhO-s:

IPhO-1982-Pr2 - excellent problem on physical pendulum.

IPhO-1984-Pr2 - open-ended problem on oscillations dealing with an interesting
natural phenomenon (seiches).
IPhO-1985-Pr3 - a problem on Kepler's laws with a real practical significance.
IPhO-1988-Pr2 - the physics of Maxwell's disc (note that the figure illustrating
question 4 is disorienting and the respective official solution is wrong; assuming a
long rope, a correct solution is reasonably simple).
IPhO-1989-Pr2 - a short problem on planetary dynamics requiring mathematical
insight.
IPhO-1990-Pr3 - an excellent short problem on rotational dynamics requiring
insight.
IPhO-1991-Pr1 - this will teach you the basics of the collision of bodies.
IPhO-1992-Pr2 - coupled oscillators in a physically meaningful context.
IPhO-1997-Pr1-Q5 - a problem on scaling laws; note: this problem was also on
the Physics Olympiad of Soviet Union-1978.
IPhO-1998-Pr1 - a neat analysis of a rolling pencil.
IPhO-2000-Pr1-Q1 - straightforward physically, but teaching useful technical
skills (tailoring solutions).
IPhO-2012-Pr1-Part-A - will test your physical and mathematical insight (about
ballistic motion).
From APhO-s:

APhO-2005-Pr1-Part-B - shows how to make use of the separation of fast and

slow processes, and models reasonably a real-life situation (swinging).
APhO-2010-Pr1-Part-B - shows how to make use of a superposition of linear
waves.
APhO-2011-Pr2 - a nice model of a real-life problem (creaking door).
APhO-2011-Pr3 - a (relatively) simple model of phase transition (for a birday
balloon); tests your physical insight.
Physics Cup:

Physics Cup 2012 - Pr1 - a tricky problem on Kepler's laws.

Physics Cup 2012 - Pr4 - will test your physical and mathematical insight,
including vector analysis (dynamics).
From Estonian-Finnish Olympiads:

Est-Fin-2003-Pr5 - separation of fast and slow processes (vibrating surface).

Est-Fin-2005-Pr3 - tests your understanding of Kepler's laws in several ways.
Est-Fin-2005-Pr4 - something for polishing your skills in hydrodynamics
(centrifugal pump).
Est-Fin-2006-Pr5 - tests your insight when dealing with pressure forces (air-filled
bag).
Est-Fin-2006-Pr6 - geometrical approach to static equilibrium problems.
Est-Fin-2007-Pr2 - linear stability analysis for a slightly tricky geometry (stressed
elastic rod).
Est-Fin-2009-Pr7 - develops model building and qualitative estimation skills
(breaking soap film).
Est-Fin-2011-Pr6 - very similar to the APhO-2011 Pr2 (violin vs creaking door).
Est-Fin-2012-Pr1 - a many-part problem testing your understanding of planetary
dynamics, skills in kinematics, and separation of long and short time-scales.
Est-Fin-2014-Pr6 - tests your physical insight (kinematics).
Electromagnetism
From IPhO-s:

IPhO-1985-Pr2 - quite straightforward problem, but you'll learn what is the Hall
effect.
IPhO-1987-Pr3 - this simple model of waveguides tests your skills of dealing
with AC and building electro-mechanical equivalence.
IPhO-1993-Pr1 - a problem testing your insight in electrostatics and making use
of the characteristic time scales (RC).
IPhO-1994-Pr2 - a nice problem dealing with currents in superconducting
circuits.
IPhO-1996-Pr1-Q5 - teaches useful tricks with superposition principle (Ampere's
law).
IPhO-1996-Pr2 - teaches how to deal with unusual conservation laws
(generalized angular momentum).
IPhO-2000-Pr2 - an excellent problem on the motion of charged particles in E
and B fields.
IPhO-2002-Pr2 - teaches dealing with current densities, vector analysis and
superposition principle; you can also try to prove the validity of the suggested
equivalent circuit (using the method electrical imaging, i.e. constructing the current

distribution as a superposition of known valid solutions of the Maxwell equations).

IPhO-2004-Pr1 - tests your understanding of electrostatics (ping-ponging disc
inside a capacitor).
IPhO-2011-Pr3 - scattering of an ion by an atom (tests your capability of
selecting physically appropriate solutions and interpretation of the lack of
solutions).
IPhO-2012-Pr1-Part-C - dealing with magnetic fields in the presence of
superconductors (Q3 is really tricky).
IPhO-2012-Pr2 - tests your understanding of electrostatics (Kelvin water
dropper).
From APhO-s:

APhO-2001-Pr2 - a problem on the generalized momentum of charged particles

with an emphasis on vector analysis (part 2 can be solved geometrically, simpler
than in the official solution).
APhO-2009-Pr2 - a problem on magnetic dynamo and linear instability.
APhO-2011-Pr1 - a nice problem testing your insight in electrodynamics
(Shockley-James Paradox).
APhO-2013-Pr1 - electrical imaging in cylindrical geometry (approach to the
calculation of the RC-time is unnecessarily long).
Physics Cup:

Physics Cup 2012 - Pr2 - teaches how to calculate the magnetic fields in the
presence of ferromagnetic materials.
Physics Cup 2012 - Pr5 - calculation of natural frequencies while making use of
the separation of time scales.
Physics Cup 2012 - Pr6 - a nice problem covering electrical imaging, electrostatic
pressure, and electrostatic energy.
Physics Cup WoPhO-2013 - Pr5(10) - dealing with magnetic fields in the
presence of superconductors.
From Estonian-Finnish Olympiads:

Est-Fin-2006-Pr7 - tests your basic knowledge of cyclotron motion and ability of

making appropriate approximations.
Est-Fin-2007-Pr3 - teaches about time focusing (phenomenon similar to wave
breaking); a problem rooting from the IPhO-2001-Pr1-Q1.
Est-Fin-2010-Pr1 - somewhat artificial, but still a useful exercise (on using
optimal reference frames).
Est-Fin-2012-Pr7 - a non-trivial problem on Ampere's force.
Est-Fin-2014-Pr1 - tests your understanding of circuits containing L and C in

various ways.

Thermodynamics
From IPhO-s:

IPhO-1987-Pr1 - not too tricky problem teaching nice physics (raining).

IPhO-1992-Pr2 - a solid problem on heat radiation with real-life implications
(satellite in sunlight).
IPhO-1996-Pr1-Part-d - a small but useful exercise (triple-wall-thermos).
IPhO-1998-Pr2 - a problem dealing with the basics of mechanics and
thermodynamics (ice flow and melting).
IPhO-2008-Pr3 - with a mathematical emphasis and with a prescribed approach,
but teaching important atmospheric physics (adiabatic atmosphere).
IPhO-2010-Pr2 - a nice problem on chimney physics.
IPhO-2012-Pr1-Part-B - tests your insight into the physics of gas flows (turned
out to be surprisingly difficult, with only one full solution among the contestants).
IPhO-2012-Pr3-Q4&6 - tests your understanding of the I law of thermodynamics
and adiabatic processes (those familiar with standard protostar evolution models
need to read the text carefully: the model is slightly modified).
From APhO-s:

APhO-2007-Pr3-Task-A - quite mathematical, but teaches you that the

conduction electrons do not form an ideal gas.
APhO-2010-Pr3-PartB - somewhat mathematical, but with a nice physics
(sonoluminescence).
APhO-2014-Pr1 - an excellent problem on atmospheric circulation.
Physics Cup:

Physics Cup 2012 - Pr3 - teaches the basics of kinematic theory of gases.
Physics Cup WoPhO-2013 - Pr4(9) - a challenging problem on the laws of
thermodynamics.
From Estonian-Finnish Olympiads:

Est-Fin-2004-Pr7 - on Bernoulli law and heat balance (passive air cooling; similar
to IPhO-2010-Pr2).
Est-Fin-2005-Pr7 - physics of the ventilation system of your zero-energy house.
Est-Fin-2006-Pr1 - on the humidity and mixing of cold and hot air.
Est-Fin-2008-Pr7 - a simplified version of the Pr3 from IPhO-2008 (rising

smoke).
Est-Fin-2010-Pr2 - somewhat similar to IPhO-1996-Pr1-Part-d, but with a trickier
geometry (thermos bottle).
Est-Fin-2011-Pr8 - a tricky problem on heat conduction.
Est-Fin-2013-Pr7 - an ordinary problem on heat radiation, but with a useful
conclusion (a limit to the F-number of a lens).

Wave optics and quantum mechanics

From IPhO-s:

IPhO-1990-Pr1-PartD - the basics of Bragg reflection (you can skip parts a, b,

and c as these are not needed for solving d).
IPhO-1993-Pr3 - teaches several important concepts and techniques (electrostatic
biprism).
IPhO-2003-Pr3-PartB - there are other similar problems, as well (e.g. IPhO1993-Pr2), but this should be enough to get the idea (of radiation pressure).
IPhO-2005-Pr3 - while the whole problem is worth solving, the highlight is the
last task (one can guess the right answer quite easily, but doing it properly requires
a thorough understanding of the basic quantum mechanics - stationary states and
line widths).
IPhO-2006-Pr1 - a MachZehnder interferometer for neutrons.
From APhO-s:

APhO-2010-Pr3-PartB - somewhat similar application of the uncertainty

principle was at IPhO-1988 (Pr 3), but this problem is neater.
Physics Cup:

Physics Cup 2012 - Pr3 - this turned out to be the most difficult problem of
Physics Cup 2012 (laser speckles pattern).
Physics Cup WoPhO-2013 - Pr3(8) - a beautiful problem in various ways
(bubbles in laser light).
From Estonian-Finnish Olympiads:

Est-Fin-2003-Pr7 - a challenging problem on diffraction (stars through telescope

in daylight).
Est-Fin-2004-Pr4 - tests your understanding of the interference on thin films.
Est-Fin-2005-Pr5 - on 2-dimensional interference patterns.

Relativity, geometrical optics, etc

From IPhO-s:

IPhO-1984-Pr1 - a relatively simple problem on geometrical optics (mirage

effect).
IPhO-1994-Pr1 - a nice problem on ultrarelativistic particles.
IPhO-1995-Pr1-PartC - a small exercise on relativistic dynamics (although parts
A and B are useful, too, these can be skipped).
IPhO-1995-Pr2 - a somewhat mathematical problem on geometrical optics (for
sound), with an interesting physics.
IPhO-1999-Pr3 - a simple relativistic analysis of a nice astrophysical effect.
IPhO-2003-Pr3-PartA - a challenging problem on relativistic dynamics requiring
either a lot of experience, or a flash of inspiration.
From APhO-s:

APhO-2007-Pr1-PartA - a nice problem on negative coefficient of refraction.

APhO-2007-Pr3-PartB - an exercise for mastering relativistic dynamics (inverse
Compton scattering).
APhO-2014-Pr3 - on gravitational lenses.
Physics Cup:

Physics Cup 2012 - Pr7 - a really challenging problem on geometrical optics

(constructions).
Physics Cup 2012 - Pr9 - on relativistic inelastic scattering - turned out to be the
simplest problem of Physics Cup.

From Estonian-Finnish Olympiads:

Est-Fin-2006-Pr2 - tests your insight to the geometrical optics.

Est-Fin-2012-Pr6 - a problem abut uranium decay and heat balance.
Est-Fin-2013-Pr9 - another problem for testing your skills in geometrical optics.