This page describes the FYKOS physics correspondence competition. Information about the FYKOS group, which organizes this competition as well as many other events, can be found here.

The FYKOS correspondence competition is an individual contest for high-school students (ISCED 3; usually aged 14-19) from anywhere in the world with the desire to solve interesting problems and to gain an in-depth understanding and insights about physics and our world. Any high-school student or a bright and motivated primary student can take part. The competition is focused on learning through individual feedback, example solutions and publishing study texts. So, it is not necessary to solve all of the problems, even one of them counts! (Although participants DO get points for correct and/or thoughtful solutions for motivation, which can also win them small prizes.)

• FYKOS is an all-year-round online individual correspondence competition in physics.
• We publish 6 series of 8 problems every year. You have time to solve the problem from each series before its deadline (which is usually also the start of a new series).
• Each series has different kinds of problems
  • 5 theoretical (the first two are the easiest so that even students from the lowest grades of high-school can solve them, the fifth problem is the hardest),
  • 1 open where research (from google, books etc.) and thought are necessary rather than pure calculations,
  • 1 experimental (to solve an experimental problem means to do the experimental problem – a theoretical solution to an experimental problem is not acceptable; we also have a guide on how to do the experimental tasks),
  • 1 “serial problem” connected to an advanced study text called “serial” published with each series with a different topic each year.
• You can join the competition at any time of the year simply by registering and submitting a solution to any of the problems from the current series. More information on submitting the solutions can be found below.
• We will evaluate the methods you use to solve the problem, not so much the numerical results (anyone can make a mistake in those).
• There are four categories: fourth category for students expecting to graduate this year, third category next year and so on. All categories have the same problems; the ranking is separated. The students from the lowest two categories get double points for the first two problems.
• It is not necessary to solve all problems. We also appreciate incomplete solutions, every idea and every new thought counts and you can learn from it!
• After you submit the solutions, we will mark them and send them back to you with helpful feedback, which will let you improve your skills and learn.
• The correspondence competition is an individual competition which serves for you to improve in and gain more interest in physics. For that reason, plagiarizing or significant cooperation between the participants will not be tolerated (unless it is explicitly allowed).
• For each solution, you get points depending on how correct or well-thought-through the solution is. Each problem has a fixed maximal number of points you can get. We also give bonus points for original or (highly) elaborate and thought-through solutions..
• For any general questions use fykos@fykos.org. For questions regarding submitting the solutions, use fykos.solutions@fykos.org
• The participation is free of charge.

• Click on the Sign In button.
• Choose Register to create a new profile.
• Fill in your email address, name, date of birth, school name, and year of study.

• Send your solutions via web form.
• Write in English, Czech or Slovak. Each solution should be in a separate file. Do not submit an answer to more than one problem to each field in the web form. Write your name and the problem number at the top of each page of the solution. If there are more pages in a solution to a single problem, put them in one file and add the page number and the total number of pages to each page.
• The only accepted format is pdf because it can be displayed and printed on all operating systems in the same layout.
• If you have written your solution by hand, you should scan it and send it as a pdf as well. You can also use apps like Adobe Scan. If you are sending a scanned hand-written solution, make sure it is easily readable and the scan is properly cropped.
• If the system doesn’t accept your solution, it’s possible it has the wrong format or is too large (e.g. 30 MB).
• If you cannot fulfill our requirements, please send an e-mail to fykos-solutions@fykos.cz. We will try to find some way.
• You will receive the marked solutions via the same system where you submitted the solutions.

By participating you gain valuable experience in solving physics problems and a better insight into physics. It is a great preparation for other physics competitions (for instance local Physics Olympiads or International Physics Olympiad, alternatively Asian Physics Olympiad). Furthermore, (former) FYKOS participants usually excel at university.

A lot of further value comes from going to our in-person events like Fyziklani, where you can learn about further opportunities and meet plenty of new friends with whom you have a common interest – physics.

At least 30 best participants will be rewarded at the end of the year with valuable and attractive prizes (technical and popular books, board games, FYKOS T-shirts and the like). Roughly 40 best participants are invited to a FYKOS camp which takes place twice a year somewhere in the Czech Republic. The camps are currently only for students who speak Czech, however, in case of high interest, we may start accepting English-speaking participants as well.