IB Physics Detailed Topic-Wise Study Notes
Excellent Study Notes for IB DP Physics Prepared by Subject Matter Experts.
Big Ideas
- Essential Questions
- Cross-cutting concepts
- Recurring ideas that apply to many different standards
Content Objectives
- Student friendly language of the IB Guide that is unpacked to highlight details
- Actionable language (“I can” statements)
- Mapped to daily notes so that students can assess their understanding after each lesson and know where to find the information if there is something they need to review.
Shelving Guide
- Structured Notes – Notes prepared by Experts for your better understanding and reference.
- Worked Out Examples – Help you to understand concept better and practice for your exam.
- Online Help– Contact our experts for your doubt clarifying sessions
Unit 1. Measurements and uncertainties
Unit 2. Mechanics
Unit 3. Thermal physics
Unit 5. Electricity and magnetism
Unit 6. Circular motion and gravitation
Unit 7. Atomic, nuclear and particle physics
Unit 8. Energy production
Additional Higher Level (AHL) Topics:
Unit 9. Wave phenomena
Additional Higher Level (AHL) Topics
Unit 10. Fields
Unit 11. Electromagnetic Induction
Unit 12. Quantum and Nuclear Physics
IB Physics Online Test – HL/SL
Instructions to candidates
Answer all the questions.
For each question, choose the answer you consider to be the best and indicate your choice
A clean copy of the physics data booklet is required for this paper.
The maximum mark for each correct answer is 1 marks.
Unit 1. Measurements and uncertainties
Unit 3. Thermal physics
Unit 5. Electricity and magnetism
Unit 6. Circular motion and gravitation
Unit 7. Atomic, nuclear and particle physics
Unit 10. Fields
Unit 11. Electromagnetic induction
Unit 12. Quantum and nuclear physics
IB Physics Syllabus , Notes, Practice Papers etc.
IB Physics SL and HL Core
Both IB Physics SL and HL consist of the same core requirements that consist of the same number of hours. Both classes will cover the same 8 topics (requiring 95 teaching hours) in the order listed below with the same subtopics listed below:
Topic #1: Measurements and Uncertainties—5 Hours for Both SL and HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Measurements in physics | 1.1 | |
Uncertainties and errors | 1.2 | |
Vectors and scalars | 1.3 |
Topic #2: Mechanics—22 Hours for Both SL and HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Motion | 2.1 | |
Forces | 2.2 | |
Work, energy and power | 2.3 | |
Momentum and impulse | 2.4 |
Topic #3: Thermal Physics—11 Hours for Both SL and HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Thermal concepts | 3.1 |
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Modelling a gas | 3.2 |
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Topic #4: Waves—15 Hours for Both SL and HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Oscillations | 4.1 |
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Travelling waves | 4.2 |
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Wave characteristics | 4.3 |
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Wave behaviour | 4.4 |
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Standing waves | 4.5 |
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Topic #5: Electricity and Magnetism—15 Hours for Both SL and HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Electric fields | 5.1 |
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Heating effect of electric currents | 5.2 |
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Electric cells | 5.3 |
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Magnetic effects of electric currents | 5.4 |
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Topic #6: Circular Motion and Gravitation—5 Hours for Both SL and HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Circular motion | 6.1 |
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Newton’s law of gravitation | 6.2 |
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Topic #7: Atomic, Nuclear and Particle Physics—14 Hours for Both SL and HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Discrete energy and radioactivity | 7.1 |
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Nuclear reactions | 7.2 |
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The structure of matter | 7.3 |
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Topic #8: Energy Production—8 Hours for Both SL and HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Energy sources | 8.1 |
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Thermal energy transfer | 8.2 |
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Additional Higher Level Topics
These 4 topics are only for IB Physics Higher Level students—60 hours total for HL only
Topic #9: Wave Phenomena—17 Hours for HL Only
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Simple harmonic motion (HL ONLY) | 9.1 |
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Single-slit diffraction (HL ONLY) | 9.2 |
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Interference (HL ONLY) | 9.3 |
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Resolution (HL ONLY) | 9.4 |
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Doppler effect (HL ONLY) | 9.5 |
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Topic #10: Fields—11 Hours for HL only
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Describing fields (HL ONLY) | 10.1 |
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Fields at work (HL ONLY) | 10.2 |
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Topic #11: Electromagnetic Induction—16 Hours for HL Only
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Electromagnetic induction (HL ONLY) | 11.1 |
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Power generation and transmission (HL ONLY) | 11.2 |
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Capacitance (HL ONLY) | 11.3 |
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Topic #12: Quantum and Nuclear Physics—16 Hours for HL Only
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
The interaction of matter with radiation (HL ONLY) | 12.1 |
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Nuclear physics (HL ONLY) | 12.2 |
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Options
As a part of the IB Physics course, you cover additional subjects of your choosing from the list below (typically you don’t choose, but rather your teacher does).
Whichever option(s) you or your teacher chooses you will cover 3 or 4 topics (15 hours total) for SL and an additional 2 or 3 topics (25 hours total) for HL.
Option A: Relativity—15 Hours for SL and HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
The beginnings of relativity | A.1 |
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Lorentz transformations | A.2 |
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Spacetime diagrams | A.3 |
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Additional HL Relativity Topics—10 More Hours for HL
Subtopic | Subtopic Number | IB Points to Understand |
Relativistic mechanics (HL ONLY) | A.4 |
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General Relativity (HL ONLY) | A.5 |
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