IB physics can be taken at both standard level (SL) or higher level (HL). With SL, you will have 3 hours of physics each week, while HL has five hours. HL will, therefore, touch upon more topics and more advanced fields than SL. Usually the subject is taught concurrently, meaning that both SL and HL students share the class for core subjects. When the further topics are being taught the SL students have study time.

What do you learn?

In physics, you learn about the fundamentals of the universe and the forces that act between them. You'll learn about natural laws and phenomenons you'd otherwise not know. You'll also learn about how to make calculations about energy and forces. Topics range from Mechanics through Electricity to Quantum Physics.

How do you learn?

Physics is a practical subject, in the sense that you will learn through solving problems and equations. You will also learn through conducting experiments and writing scientific reports. In addition there will sometimes be discussions between teachers and students, or between students.

How is the work assessed?

Grading differs between HL and SL. Higher level has longer exams and more difficult questions. Both SL and HL have an Internal Assessment (IA) component where one can choose to conduct an experiment or collect data and perform a scientific study. The student then writes a report from this. The IA is the same for both groups. There arethree papers in the Physics exam. Paper 1 is a multiple choice exam, where paper 2 and 3 are free-response exams. Paper 1 and 2 cover the general curriculum whilst paper 3 covers the option and experimental knowledge.

What is the workload?

Physics is seen as one of the most challenging subjects in the IB, even though the physics book is relatively small. This means that at lot of time will be spent understanding a smaller number of equations, including how to use them. Teachers will usually not give homework, but you'll be expected to study on your own.

Group Four Project in Physics

The group 4 project is a collaborative activity where students from different group 4 subjects, within or between schools, work together. It allows for concepts and perceptions from across disciplines to be shared while appreciating the environmental, social and ethical implications of science and technology. It can be practically or theoretically based and aims to develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas. The emphasis is on interdisciplinary cooperation and the scientific processes. The group four project is mandatory and usually undertaken at the end of 2IB.