PHYSICS · IB Diploma Programme
Physics Exam Tips
In IB Physics, the battle is won or lost in the first few minutes of the exam. With Paper 1B and Paper 2 demanding deep analytical reading, top scorers do not dive straight into calculations. Instead, they scan the entire paper during the reading time to map out the physical conc…
Papers
3
Total marks
150
Time limit
4h 30min
Grade scale
Additional note
Calculator policy
A graphic display calculator (GDC) from the IB-approved list is required for most Mathematics and Sciences papers and must be set to examination mode. Note that some papers do not permit a calculator (for example Mathematics Paper 1 and the multiple-choice Sciences Paper 1).
3
Papers
5
Strategies
6
Mistakes
- In IB Physics, the battle is won or lost in the first few minutes of the exam. With Paper 1B and Paper 2 demanding deep analytical reading, top scorers do not dive straight into calculations. Instead, they scan the entire paper during the reading time to map out the physical concepts at play. This is particularly vital for multi-part questions where a single system (such as an oil droplet rising in a column of water or a star's emission spectrum) is studied across several sub-parts. For example, when analyzing a terminal velocity problem, noticing the progression from net force calculations to Stokes' law Fd=6πηrv F_d = 6\pi\eta rv Fd=6πηrv helps you identify the core physics before you write a single digit.
Tips are paraphrased for study purposes from exam structure data and marking patterns. Always verify against your official syllabus and mark scheme.