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Resource Library

Curated books, videos, problem sets, past papers and tools for olympiad preparation. Use the search and filters to narrow the library by stage, topic, type and difficulty. Guides walk through a skill step by step.

Guides

Short, practical guides for the skills that appear again and again in olympiad papers.

  • Graphing and linearization for NePhO

    A practical walkthrough of linearization, scale choice and graph marking for NePhO experimental questions, with a worked pre-selection example.

    By Prabhakar Kafle and Sanam Limbu

    GuideIntermediatePre-selectionSelection roundsExperimental
    Prabhakar Kafle and Sanam LimbuRead guide →

22 resources found

  • The Feynman Lectures on Physics (free online)

    The complete three-volume classic, free and legal online. Excellent for building physical intuition beyond the school syllabus.

    BookIntermediateAll levelsMechanicsElectromagnetismThermodynamicsModern physics
    Caltech / Feynman, Leighton, Sandswww.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu ↗
  • Problems in General Physics, I. E. Irodov

    A classic collection of hard problems. Try it after finishing a university-level textbook.

    Problem setAdvancedSelection roundsGeneral
    I. E. IrodovBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore
  • Concepts of Physics — H. C. Verma (Parts 1 & 2)

    The most popular bridge between school physics and olympiad-level problem solving. Strong mechanics and modern physics sections.

    BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismModern physics
    H. C. VermaBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore
  • Fundamentals of Physics — Halliday, Resnick, Walker

    A complete calculus-based physics course in one book. Use it as your main textbook if school classes feel too slow.

    BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamics
    Halliday, Resnick, WalkerBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore
  • Olympiad Physics notes and problem sets (oppenheimer.fysics)

    Community-collected olympiad-style notes and graded problem sets. Check the difficulty tags before starting.

    NotesIntermediateSelection roundsNational campMechanicsElectromagnetismMath methods
    Community archive
  • MIT OCW 8.01 & 8.02 — Classical Mechanics / Electromagnetism

    Full university lectures with problem sets and solutions. Watch at 1.25× and do the tutorials — passive watching is not enough.

    VideoIntermediatePre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetism
    MIT OpenCourseWareocw.mit.edu ↗
  • Yale PHYS 200/201/202 — introductory physics lectures

    Gentle, well-paced university lectures that assume very little background. A good first step if school physics feels overwhelming.

    VideoBeginnerPre-selectionMechanicsElectromagnetismOptics
    Open Yale Coursesoyc.yale.edu ↗
  • Physics Cup — online physics contests archive

    Multi-round online contest with beautiful, hard problems. Archive rounds are excellent national-camp practice.

    Past paperAdvancedSelection roundsNational campMechanicsElectromagnetismMath methods
    Physics Cup
  • IPhO & Asian Physics Olympiad past papers (official compilations)

    Theory and lab papers from past international olympiads, with marking schemes where published. The single best indicator of final-round style.

    Past paperAdvancedNational campInternationalMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physicsExperimental
    IPhO / APhO organizing committees
  • Nepal Physics Olympiad past papers

    Official NePhO pre-selection papers listed year by year, with links to the Nepal Physical Society page.

    Past paperIntermediatePre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physics
    Nepal Physical Society/past-papers →
  • Khan Academy — Calculus and Linear Algebra

    If maths is your bottleneck, fix it here first: derivatives, integrals, vectors and simple linear algebra cover most olympiad needs.

    VideoBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMath methods
  • Mathematical methods for physics olympiads (lecture notes)

    Compact notes on the maths an olympiad actually needs: expansions, complex numbers, vectors, differential equations basics.

    NotesIntermediateSelection roundsNational campMath methods
    [TO VERIFY — author]
  • Classic experimental physics setups: error analysis guide

    A practical primer on uncertainty, significant figures, graph linearisation and how to write a lab report that earns marks.

    NotesIntermediateSelection roundsNational campInternationalExperimental
    [TO VERIFY — source]
  • Measurement tools simulation — PhET Interactive Simulations

    Free simulations for circuits, waves, forces and more. Useful to build intuition when you have no lab equipment at home.

    ToolBeginnerPre-selectionMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamics
    University of Colorado Boulderphet.colorado.edu ↗
  • Desmos graphing calculator (+ GeoGebra)

    Free browser tools for plotting and checking functions. GeoGebra adds geometry and 3D. Both work on low-end phones.

    ToolBeginnerAll levelsMath methods
    Desmos / GeoGebrawww.desmos.com ↗
  • Selected Problems in Physics — Savchenko (2000+ problems)

    Soviet-style graded problem collection with short answers. Great for drilling one topic per week with timed sessions.

    Problem setIntermediateSelection roundsNational campMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamics
    A. P. Savchenko
  • University Physics with Modern Physics — Young & Freedman

    13th edition. Widely used university textbook with strong worked examples and end-of-chapter problems at several difficulty levels.

    BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physics
    Young, Freedman, FordBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore
  • Cambridge International A-Level Physics past papers

    Clean, well-structured papers with published mark schemes. A realistic first timed-test experience before attempting olympiad papers.

    Past paperBeginnerPre-selectionMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physics
    Cambridge International
  • SymPy Live — symbolic maths in the browser

    Free computer-algebra system for checking long derivations. Learn it after your algebra is solid — it is a check, not a crutch.

    ToolAdvancedNational campInternationalMath methods
    SymPy projectlive.sympy.org ↗
  • Principles of Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Hafez A. Radi and John O. Rasmussen (Springer, 2013)

    A university-level course covering mechanics, thermodynamics, sound and light, electricity and magnetism, with worked examples and exercises with answers.

    BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsThermodynamicsOpticsElectromagnetism
    Springerdoi.org ↗
  • OpenStax University Physics (free open textbook)

    A free, openly licensed university physics textbook you can read online.

    BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physics
  • Graphing and linearization for NePhO

    A practical walkthrough of linearization, scale choice and graph marking for NePhO experimental questions, with a worked pre-selection example.

    GuideIntermediatePre-selectionSelection roundsExperimental
    Prabhakar Kafle and Sanam LimbuRead guide →