IB Diploma · session May 2027
Physics
Guide first taught September 2023 and first assessed May 2025.
24 subtopics199 diagrams129,950 words
0 of 24 read
The higher-level subtopics are hidden, and so is the higher-level material inside the rest.
Theme A Space, time and motionTest setThe theoryWorked examplesPractice testMark scheme
- A.1 Kinematics how can the motion of a body be described with numbers and graphs, and how can we predict where it will be and when?
- A.2 Forces and momentum how can the forces on a body be drawn and added up, and how do forces and momentum let us predict what interacting bodies will do?
- A.3 Work, energy and power how can the transfer of energy by forces be used to predict what a system will do, and how quickly and how usefully it does it?
- A.4 Rigid body mechanics how can the understanding of linear motion be applied to rotational motion, and how does the way mass is spread out change the way a body turns?
- A.5 Galilean and special relativity how does special relativity change our understanding of motion compared with Galilean relativity, and how do space-time diagrams show it?
Theme B The particulate nature of matter
- B.1 Thermal energy transfers how do macroscopic observations give a model of the microscopic properties of a substance, and how is energy transferred within and between systems?
- B.2 Greenhouse effect how does the greenhouse effect keep the Earth warm enough for life, and how does human activity make it stronger?
- B.3 Gas laws how are the pressure, volume and temperature we measure in a gas related to the behaviour of the molecules we cannot see?
- B.4 Thermodynamics how can the energy stored in and transferred by a system be analysed, and what decides the direction in which the system will evolve?
- B.5 Current and circuits how do charged particles flow through materials, how do we measure how easily they flow, and what does resistance cost us?
Theme C Wave behaviour
- C.1 Simple harmonic motion what makes the harmonic oscillator model apply to so many different physical systems?
- C.2 Wave model how can a disturbance that stays local, particles jiggling in place, carry energy across a room, an ocean or empty space?
- C.3 Wave phenomena what happens to a wave when it meets a boundary, a gap, or another wave?
- C.4 Standing waves and resonance what makes a standing wave different from a travelling one, why do the ends of a string or pipe decide which notes it can play, and why does pushing at just the right frequency make something shake so hard?
- C.5 Doppler effect why does a wave arrive with a different frequency when its source or its observer is moving, and how can that shift be used to measure speed?
Theme D Fields
- D.1 Gravitational fields how is a gravitational field measured and described, and how does that description let us put satellites in orbit and send spacecraft across the solar system?
- D.2 Electric and magnetic fields how can the properties of fields be understood using both an algebraic approach and a visual representation?
- D.3 Motion in electromagnetic fields what can be deduced about the nature of a charged particle from observations of it moving in electric and magnetic fields?
- D.4 Induction what are the effects of relative motion between a conductor and a magnetic field, and how can the power output of an electrical generator be increased?
Theme E Nuclear and quantum physics
- E.1 Structure of the atom what is the current understanding of the nature of an atom, and what role did evidence play in building it?
- E.2 Quantum physics how can light be used to create an electric current, and what is meant by wave–particle duality?
- E.3 Radioactive decay why are some isotopes more stable than others, how can a nucleus change, and how can the random nature of radioactive decay still allow predictions to be made?
- E.4 Fission in which form is energy stored within the nucleus of the atom, and how can the energy released from it be harnessed?
- E.5 Fusion and stars how are elements created, and what physical processes lead to the evolution of stars?
Nothing matches that.
The course in one page
The course in one page. Standard and higher level, for the guide first taught September 2023 and first assessed May 2025 — the guide May 2027 candidates sit.
What changed, and why it matters
Rewritten course. The old Topics 1–12, the options, and Paper 3 are gone. Content is now five themes, each running from SL into HL extensions rather than sitting in a separate HL block.
| Theme | What it covers | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Space, time and motion | kinematics, forces, momentum, energy; HL adds rigid bodies and relativity |
| B | The particulate nature of matter | thermal physics, gas laws, current electricity |
| C | Wave behaviour | oscillations, wave phenomena, standing waves, Doppler |
| D | Fields | gravitation, electric and magnetic fields, induction |
| E | Nuclear and quantum physics | structure of matter, radioactivity, fission and fusion, quantum |
A warning specific to this subject: most free physics revision sites online are still on the 2016 syllabus. They are numbered by topic and mention options. If what you are reading does not use themes A to E, it is the wrong course.
The papers
| Standard level | Higher level | |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 90 min, 45 marks | 120 min, 60 marks |
| Paper 2 | 90 min, 50 marks | 150 min, 90 marks |
There is no Paper 3 and there are no options.
Paper 1A is multiple choice. Paper 1B is data-based and is the part students under-prepare: an unfamiliar experiment, its data, and questions about gradients, intercepts, uncertainties and what the results actually support. Paper 2 is short and extended response across all themes.
The data booklet is provided in every paper and contains every equation you need. This changes what revision means: you are not memorising formulae, you are learning which equation applies and what each symbol stands for in the situation in front of you.
How it is marked
Point-based schemes. Four habits decide grades in physics specifically:
Substitute before you solve. Write the equation, then the numbers in it, then the answer. A substitution mark is available even when the arithmetic fails.
Units, always. A number without a unit is not a physical answer, and the final accuracy mark is routinely lost this way. Watch prefixes: km to m, g to kg, cm² to m².
Vectors have direction. For momentum, force and velocity, define a positive direction and state it. Most momentum errors are sign errors.
In "explain" questions, quote the physics. Naming the law or principle you are applying — Newton's third law, conservation of momentum, Lenz's law — is often a mark in itself.
Assessment objectives
| Roughly | ||
|---|---|---|
| AO1 | Knowledge | state, define, outline |
| AO2 | Application | apply to an unfamiliar situation; most calculations |
| AO3 | Analysis and evaluation | interpret data, assess uncertainty, evaluate a method |
Command terms, and what each one obliges you to write
| Term | What must appear on the page |
|---|---|
| State | The answer alone. |
| Define | A precise statement, usually including the quantities involved. |
| Outline | A brief account, main points only. |
| Describe | What happens. No why. |
| Explain | The reason, quoting the relevant physical principle. |
| Determine | A value found from data or by calculation, working shown. |
| Calculate | A numerical answer with working and units. |
| Estimate | An approximate value, with the assumptions stated. |
| Show that | A derivation ending at the printed result. All marks are in the steps. |
| Sketch | Correct shape, axes labelled, key features (intercepts, asymptotes, gradients) marked. |
| Draw | An accurate diagram or plotted graph, with a ruler where appropriate. |
| Suggest | A plausible explanation for an unfamiliar situation. |
| Discuss | A balanced account of more than one factor. |
Educerie · written from the published IB Diploma Programme structure for Physics, first assessment 2025. Original text. Paper durations and mark totals checked against the May 2027 examination schedule. Last reviewed 5 September 2026.