IB Physics HL 2025

While there are core skills and activities common to both SL and HL, students at HL are required to study some topics in greater depth, to study additional topics and to study extension material of a more demanding nature in the options. The distinction between SL and HL is one of breadth and depth.

HL Paper 1

Duration: 2 hour
Paper 1 is presented as two separate booklets.
Paper 1A and paper 1B are to be completed together without interruptions
Paper 1A : 40 marks
- 25 multiple-choice questions on standard level and additional higher level material
- No marks are deducted for incorrect answers.
Paper 1B: 20 marks
- data-based questions
CALCULATOR ALLOWED
Data booklet provided
36 % weight
Marks: 60

HL Paper 2

Duration: 2 hour and 30 minutes
Weighting: 44%
Marks: 90
Short-answer and extended-response questions on standard level and additional higher level material.
CALCULATOR ALLOWED
Data booklet provided

Assessment pattern in new syllabus for IB Physics HL 2025

The new IB Physics HL 2025 course was introduced in February 2023. Teaching for this course began in August 2023. The current syllabus will remain in effect until November 2024, after which the first assessment will take place in May 2025.

Paper 1 will be of 2 sections

· Paper 1A: MCQ covering entire syllabus

· Paper 1B: Data Analysis Question mainly with Graph related and units and uncertainty

Paper 2 Will also have two sections

· Shorts response questions and

· Extended response questions – One for SL and 2 for HL

4 Options topics are removed. These are distributed in core syllabus

Internal Assessment

Students will be encouraged to work in small group. However, students will be submitting individual reports of maximum word count of 3000. More weightage is given for higher order thinking. 50 % for conclusion and evaluation.

Data booklet

The IB Physics Data Booklet is a valuable resource for students studying the IB DP Physics course. It contains a collection of electrical symbols, mathematical equations, constants, and physics equations that are relevant to the course.

Key features of the IB Physics Data Booklet:

Comprehensive reference: The booklet provides a comprehensive reference for students, covering a wide range of topics and concepts.
Essential information: It includes essential information that students will need to know for their studies, such as electrical symbols, mathematical equations, and physical constants.
Support for interpretation and application: The booklet is designed to support students’ understanding of physics by emphasizing interpretation and application rather than memorization of symbols, constants, and equations.

It is essential for students to have access to a copy of the IB Physics Data Booklet throughout the course. By familiarizing themselves with its contents, students can use it as a valuable tool to aid their understanding and problem-solving skills.

IB Physics HL 2025 New Syllabus Key Features

The new DP Physics syllabus will be assessed for the first time in May 2025. While the content is generally similar to the previous syllabus, there are some key changes:

Reduced number of papers:
Elimination of optional topics: All previously optional topics are now included in the core syllabus.
Increased core content: The core syllabus has been expanded to incorporate material from the former optional topics.

Overall, the new syllabus aims to provide a more focused and streamlined learning experience for students while maintaining the high standards of the IB Physics program

Five Core Themes

The new syllabus is organized around five core themes: Space, Time, and Motion; Particulate Nature of Matter; Wave Behavior; Fields; and Nuclear and Quantum Physics

Source: IBO- IB Physics 2025 updates

Structured Learning

The syllabus is structured into five levels, encompassing 24 topics and subtopics. To promote a thorough understanding, each topic includes guiding and linking questions

Is physics HL in ibdp very hard?

For physics, math etc. you have to practice, preferably every day, in order to improve. Solve question to understand the subject because just studying it doesn’t really help, physics is all about practice and understanding tricks if u could get a private teacher as well it would be good.

The average grade for IB Physics HL in 2023 was 4.8 out of 7.

How to Get 7 in IB Physics HL?

Follow the below Steps to get close to 7 in IBDP Physics HL

Prepare a note for each topics. Do not forget to include past years questions pertinent to respective Topic
Make sure to improve your notes , each time you get a new concept for that topic
Practice past years Questions multiple times for that topic
Revise your notes just before the exam

IB Physics HL 2025