[1] Competitors must attempt 40 physics-related multiple choice questions in a 45 minute long time period.
[1] The test can be administered physically on paper, but it is now also offered digitally by the online instructional application WebAssign.
[2] Originally based on the American Chemical Society's general chemistry test, PhysicsBowl was used as an external benchmark for physics teachers to assess student performance starting in 1983.
The contest was first administered nationally in 1985 as the "Metrologic Exam," named after its original sponsor, and was renamed to "Physics Bowl" in 1990.
The Division 2 contest contains more difficult questions and is made for students with advanced conceptual understanding of physics.