Index of IB Physics guide topics

This page explains how each thematic unit in the scheme of work maps to the topics in the IB Physics guide.

The "syllabus roadmap" from the IB Physics guide is included below for reference.

Mechatronics 1 

SL: A.1 all, A.2 minus elastic restoring force, electric force, magnetic force, and momentum problems involving changing mass and/or energy considerations (plus density from B.1 and pressure from B.3), A.3 minus Sankey diagrams, elastic potential energy and energy density.

HL: A.4 minus angular momentum.

Space Exploration 1 

SL: D.1 (all SL understandings), momentum problems involving changing mass and/or energy considerations (from A.2)

HL: angular momentum from A.4, D.1 (all HL understandings).

Energy Sources 1

SL: Sankey diagrams and energy density from A.3, B.1 minus density, luminosity and the blackbody emission spectrum, B.3 minus pressure.

HL: B.4 all

Mechatronics 2

SL: C.1 (all SL understandings), elastic restoring force from A.2, elastic potential energy from A.3, C.2 minus electromagnetic waves (plus wave superposition and reflection from C.3), C.4 minus standing wave patterns in strings and pipes, D.2 (all SL understandings plus electric and magnetic force from A.2), D.3 minus forces on current carrying wires, B.5 minus forces on current carrying wires from D.3.

HL: C.1 (all HL understandings), D.2 (all HL understandings), D.4 all.

Space Exploration 2

SL: EM waves from C.2, C.3 (all SL understandings minus wave superposition and reflection), E.1 (all SL understandings minus the discovery of the nucleus and nuclear notation), standing wave patterns in strings and pipes from C.4 (leading to conceptual explanation of discrete electron energy levels), blackbody emission spectrum from B.1, B.2 all, C.5 (all SL understandings), E.5 all (minus fusion energy release calculations).

HL: C.3 (all HL understandings), E.1 (HL Bohr model understandings only), C.5 (all HL understandings), E.2 (minus matter waves), A.5 all. 

Energy Sources 2

SL: the discovery of the nucleus and nuclear notation from E.1, E.3 (all SL understandings), E.4 all, fusion energy release calculations from E.5.

HL: E.1 (all HL understandings other than the Bohr model), matter waves from E.2, E.3 (all HL understandings).