IB Physics: Starter guide

This will be the ultimate guide for IBDP physics, first assessment from 2025.

IBDP PHYSICS?

The IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) Physics course is a 2 year science program designed to challenge students intellectually, prepare them for STEM fields, and encourage critical thinking through inquiry based learning. Offered at both Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL), the course is part of the International Baccalaureate’s globally recognized curriculum.

At its core, IBDP Physics is about understanding how the universe works from the tiniest particles to the largest galaxies. It covers a wide range of topics as follows:

1. Space, Time and Motion
2. The Particulate Nature of Matter
3. Waves
4. Fields
5. Nuclear Physics

WHAT IS EXPECTED?
Thorough Understanding of Concepts

You’re not just learning what happens, but why. IBDP Physics emphasizes deep conceptual understanding over surface level knowledge. You’ll be expected to:

• Grasp the logic behind physical laws and relationships
• Apply concepts to unfamiliar situations (especially in Paper 2 and 3)
• Connect theory to real-world applications

💡 Tip: If you can explain a topic in your own words or teach it to someone else, you probably understand it well.

Consistent Review

Physics builds on itself. Topics like kinematics, energy, and forces are foundational and show up again in later units. Regular review is essential to avoid falling behind.

• Revisit notes weekly
• Summarize each topic as you go
• Use flashcards for definitions, units, and formulas

Extensive Practice with Problems

Solve as many as questions you can. After learning the concepts, use
Save My Exam to build to get "feel" for how questions are like,
Revision village or past paper questions to actually practice Paper 1&2 like questions.

EXAM BREAKDOWN
Paper 1
Section A, its multiple choice questions, there will be times where you can't solve the question, practice how to PREDICT what answer would be.
Section B is almost a free marks. You MUST get more than 50% correct in the tests.

I would recommend
->During 5 minutes reading time, after looking through the whole paper, solve the questions with your eyes until the reading time is over
->Going through all of the paper 1 questions in 60 mins while marking the questions that you don't know
-> move on the section B. Try finishing it by 40 mins
-> Go back to Section A and re-solve the questions in 10 mins
-> Go back to Section B and re-solve the questions in 10 mins

Paper 2
This might be challanging to students with weak understanding of concepts.
Make sure to have deep understanding for each topic.
Most of the times you will be stuck at some questions, not being able to figure out how to solve the questions.
DO NOT PANIC!
and its okay to move on the the next questions and come back later. Usually you will be able to solve them after solving other questions. 150 mins is really enough for solving all of the questions.

Internal Assessment
Choose a topic that you can fully invest your time on. It is pretty tiring and annoying when you chose a topic that you are not interested at.
And when you are writing reports, be professional as possible, avoid using words like "i", "think".

TMI
It is really funny that you have to work so hard to fail IBDP physics.
let's say you will get 30% of the Paper1, 2 and IA.
then your score would be:
20+30+8 = 58, (from total 58/178 = 32%, which is High-3.)
Still, if you are aiming for 7, you have to work hard to success.