IB Diploma Physics HL is the higher level physics course for the two-year IB Diploma. The current syllabus, first assessed in 2025, covers five themes: space, time and motion; the particulate nature of matter; wave behaviour; fields; and nuclear and quantum physics. HL students sit Paper 1 (multiple-choice and data-based questions, 2 hours, 36%) and Paper 2 (2 hours 30 minutes, 44%), and write a scientific investigation worth 20%. This FLN Tutors course covers every theme one to one with a verified physics tutor, including the HL-only topics, problem solving, data analysis, uncertainties and the investigation.
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In short: IB Physics HL is the higher level physics course in the IB Diploma Programme. The current syllabus was first assessed in 2025. It is organised into five themes, assessed by two exam papers and an internal scientific investigation, and graded 1 to 7.
HL students study everything in the SL course plus extra higher level content, with 240 recommended teaching hours compared with 150 at SL. The extra content includes whole HL-only topics such as rigid body mechanics, relativity, thermodynamics, induction and quantum physics.
The course is built around three concepts that run through every theme: forces, energy and particles. It also has a practical programme that includes a collaborative sciences project and the assessed scientific investigation.
This FLN Tutors course covers the full HL syllabus one to one with a verified IB physics tutor.
Official course page: IB Diploma Programme physics. For wider support, see physics tutoring or modern physics tutoring.
| Component | Format | HL time | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Paper 1A: multiple-choice questions; Paper 1B: data-based questions | 2 hours | 36% |
| Paper 2 | Short-answer and extended-response questions | 2 hours 30 minutes | 44% |
| Scientific investigation (internal) | Open-ended investigation of your own research question, written report of up to 3,000 words | 10 hours | 20% |
Key points:
The IB recommends 180 hours of syllabus content at HL, split across five themes.
| Theme | Topics | HL hours |
|---|---|---|
| A Space, time and motion | A.1 Kinematics; A.2 Forces and momentum; A.3 Work, energy and power; A.4 Rigid body mechanics; A.5 Galilean and special relativity | 42 |
| B The particulate nature of matter | B.1 Thermal energy transfers; B.2 Greenhouse effect; B.3 Gas laws; B.4 Thermodynamics; B.5 Current and circuits | 32 |
| C Wave behaviour | C.1 Simple harmonic motion; C.2 Wave model; C.3 Wave phenomena; C.4 Standing waves and resonance; C.5 Doppler effect | 29 |
| D Fields | D.1 Gravitational fields; D.2 Electric and magnetic fields; D.3 Motion in electromagnetic fields; D.4 Induction | 38 |
| E Nuclear and quantum physics | E.1 Structure of the atom; E.2 Quantum physics; E.3 Radioactive decay; E.4 Fission; E.5 Fusion and stars | 39 |
A further 60 hours at HL go to the experimental programme: 40 hours of practical work, 10 hours for the collaborative sciences project and 10 hours for the scientific investigation.
Some topics are taught only to HL students, and others have extra HL content added to the shared SL material.
| Type | Topics |
|---|---|
| HL-only topics | A.4 Rigid body mechanics; A.5 Galilean and special relativity; B.4 Thermodynamics; D.4 Induction; E.2 Quantum physics |
| Shared topics with extra HL content | C.1 Simple harmonic motion; C.3 Wave phenomena; C.5 Doppler effect; D.1 Gravitational fields; D.2 Electric and magnetic fields; E.1 Structure of the atom; E.3 Radioactive decay |
These HL topics are where many students lose marks, because they combine new ideas with harder mathematics. Your tutor plans extra time for them and sets HL-style questions on each one.
Paper 1 has two parts, taken in one sitting of 2 hours at HL.
| Part | What it tests | How to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1A | Multiple-choice questions across the whole syllabus | Practise quick estimates, unit checks and eliminating wrong options |
| Paper 1B | Data-based questions, often linked to experiments | Practise reading graphs, processing data, uncertainties and drawing conclusions |
Tips for Paper 1A: check units and orders of magnitude before calculating, and never leave a question blank.
Tips for Paper 1B: read the experimental context carefully, look at axis labels and units, and show your working clearly when calculating gradients or uncertainties.
In the exams you are given the IB physics data booklet, which lists constants, unit prefixes and many equations. Using it well saves time and prevents errors.
Your tutor works through the booklet theme by theme and shows when each equation applies.
Question: a ball is thrown horizontally at 12 m s⁻¹ from a height of 20 m. Ignoring air resistance, find the time of flight and the horizontal distance. Use g = 9.81 m s⁻².
| Step | Working |
|---|---|
| Vertical motion | s = ½gt², so 20 = ½ × 9.81 × t² |
| Time of flight | t = √(40 ÷ 9.81) = 2.02 s |
| Horizontal motion | constant velocity of 12 m s⁻¹ |
| Horizontal distance | 12 × 2.02 = 24.2 m |
The key idea is that horizontal and vertical motion are independent. Treat them separately, then link them through time.
Question: a muon has a mean lifetime of 2.2 μs in its own rest frame. It moves at 0.80c relative to a laboratory. Find its mean lifetime measured in the laboratory.
| Step | Working |
|---|---|
| Lorentz factor | γ = 1 ÷ √(1 − 0.80²) = 1 ÷ √0.36 = 1 ÷ 0.60 = 1.67 |
| Proper time | Δt₀ = 2.2 μs |
| Dilated time | Δt = γΔt₀ = 1.67 × 2.2 = 3.7 μs |
The proper time is always measured in the frame where the events happen at the same place. Identifying which time is proper is the step students most often get wrong.
Induction (D.4): a 0.25 m rod moves at 3.0 m s⁻¹ at right angles to a 0.40 T magnetic field. Find the induced emf.
| Step | Working |
|---|---|
| Equation | ε = BLv |
| Calculation | 0.40 × 0.25 × 3.0 = 0.30 V |
Photoelectric effect (E.2): light with photons of energy 5.0 eV falls on a metal with a work function of 2.3 eV. Find the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted electrons and the stopping potential.
| Step | Working |
|---|---|
| Equation | Eₖ(max) = hf − Φ |
| Maximum kinetic energy | 5.0 − 2.3 = 2.7 eV |
| Stopping potential | 2.7 V, because eV equals the maximum kinetic energy |
Working in electronvolts keeps the numbers simple; convert to joules only if the question asks for it.
Gas laws (B.3): find the pressure of 2.0 mol of an ideal gas at 300 K in a volume of 0.050 m³. Use R = 8.31 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹.
| Step | Working |
|---|---|
| Equation | pV = nRT, so p = nRT ÷ V |
| Calculation | 2.0 × 8.31 × 300 ÷ 0.050 = 99,720 Pa |
| Answer | About 1.0 × 10⁵ Pa (to 2 significant figures) |
Uncertainties: a trolley travels 2.50 ± 0.02 m in 1.25 ± 0.05 s. Find its average speed with an absolute uncertainty.
| Step | Working |
|---|---|
| Speed | 2.50 ÷ 1.25 = 2.00 m s⁻¹ |
| Fractional uncertainties | 0.02 ÷ 2.50 = 0.008; 0.05 ÷ 1.25 = 0.040 |
| Total fractional uncertainty | 0.008 + 0.040 = 0.048 |
| Absolute uncertainty | 0.048 × 2.00 = 0.096, so 2.0 ± 0.1 m s⁻¹ |
Paper 2 has short-answer and extended-response questions and lasts 2 hours 30 minutes at HL. It rewards clear reasoning as much as correct numbers.
| Question type | What earns the marks |
|---|---|
| Calculation | Equation from the data booklet or memory, substitution with units, answer with a unit and sensible significant figures |
| Show that | Every step written out, with the final value to one more significant figure than given |
| Explain | A chain of reasoning that names the physics principle and links each step |
| Sketch or draw | Correct shape, labelled axes and key points such as intercepts or asymptotes |
| Determine or estimate | A clear method, including reading values from graphs where needed |
| Outline or describe | Concise statements that match the number of marks available |
Time management: with about one mark per minute, check the marks for each part and spend your time in proportion. Leave a few minutes at the end to check units, signs and significant figures, because these small errors cost marks across the whole paper.
| Objective | What it asks you to do |
|---|---|
| AO1 | Demonstrate knowledge of terminology, facts, concepts, skills, techniques and methodologies |
| AO2 | Understand and apply that knowledge |
| AO3 | Analyse, evaluate and synthesize experimental procedures, primary and secondary data, and trends, patterns and predictions |
| AO4 | Apply the skills needed to carry out insightful and ethical investigations |
AO1 to AO3 are tested in the papers, while the scientific investigation is where AO4 matters most. Practising data-based questions develops AO3, which many students find hardest.
The scientific investigation is an open-ended task in which you gather and analyse data to answer your own research question. It is worth 20% at HL, takes about 10 hours and is written up as a report of no more than 3,000 words.
A clear process:
Your tutor can explain physics and data-processing techniques and give feedback within the IB's rules, but the investigation must be your own work.
IB Physics HL is one of the more demanding Diploma subjects, mainly because of:
Students who practise past-paper questions every week, learn to use the data booklet efficiently and get feedback on explanations usually improve steadily. Strong maths, especially algebra and graphs, makes the course much easier.
Grade boundaries are set for each exam session, so there is no fixed percentage that guarantees a 7. What consistently helps:
Your tutor tracks your marks by theme, so lessons target the gaps that matter most for your grade.
| Mark-loser | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Unit and power-of-ten errors | Convert to SI units and use standard form throughout |
| Missing working | Show the equation, substitution and answer with a unit |
| Wrong significant figures | Match the data given, usually 2 or 3 significant figures |
| Vague explanations | Name the principle, such as conservation of momentum, and apply it step by step |
| Ignoring uncertainties | Calculate and quote uncertainties where the question asks |
| Confusing proper and dilated time | Identify the frame in which events happen at the same place |
| Weak investigation evaluation | Give specific, realistic improvements linked to the actual weaknesses |
Most of these improve quickly with marked practice and feedback.
Past papers from the current syllabus (first assessed 2025) are the best guide to question style. Older papers are still useful for many topics, but check each question against the current syllabus, as some older content and Paper 3 options are no longer examined.
Your tutor selects questions that match the current syllabus and marks them against IB markschemes.
Prerequisites: a strong grounding in algebra, graphs and basic trigonometry. Taking IB Mathematics alongside physics helps.
| Stage | Focus | What you can do afterwards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theme A: space, time and motion | Solve mechanics, rotation and relativity problems |
| 2 | Theme B: the particulate nature of matter | Apply thermal physics, gas laws, thermodynamics and circuits |
| 3 | Theme C: wave behaviour | Analyse SHM, wave phenomena and the Doppler effect |
| 4 | Theme D: fields | Solve gravitational, electric, magnetic and induction problems |
| 5 | Theme E: nuclear and quantum physics | Explain atomic structure, quantum effects, decay, fission and fusion |
| Final months | Papers and investigation | Complete timed papers and a well-evaluated investigation |
What you get: live one-to-one video lessons with a shared whiteboard, lessons in your time zone, including India and the Gulf, and IB-style questions marked against IB markschemes. Related courses: IB Chemistry HL and IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL. Book a lesson or ask a question from this page to start.
IB Physics HL is the higher level physics course in the IB Diploma Programme. The current syllabus, first assessed in 2025, covers five themes and is assessed by Paper 1, Paper 2 and an internal scientific investigation. It is graded 1 to 7, with 240 recommended teaching hours.
HL students sit Paper 1, with multiple-choice and data-based questions, for 2 hours (36%), and Paper 2, with short-answer and extended-response questions, for 2 hours 30 minutes (44%). The scientific investigation, a written report of up to 3,000 words, is worth the remaining 20%.
No. In the current syllabus, first assessed in 2025, IB Physics has two exam papers plus the scientific investigation. The previous syllabus included a Paper 3 with option topics, so older revision resources that mention Paper 3 or options do not match the current course structure.
The five themes are A: space, time and motion; B: the particulate nature of matter; C: wave behaviour; D: fields; and E: nuclear and quantum physics. Each theme is divided into topics, and three concepts run through all of them: forces, energy and particles.
HL has 240 recommended teaching hours compared with 150 at SL, longer exam papers and extra content. HL-only topics include rigid body mechanics, special relativity, thermodynamics, induction and quantum physics, and several shared topics, such as gravitational fields and SHM, have additional HL material.
The HL-only topics are A.4 rigid body mechanics, A.5 Galilean and special relativity, B.4 thermodynamics, D.4 induction and E.2 quantum physics. Shared topics with extra HL content include simple harmonic motion, wave phenomena, the Doppler effect, gravitational, electric and magnetic fields, atomic structure and radioactive decay.
Paper 1B is the data-based part of Paper 1. It asks you to analyse data, often from experiments, by reading graphs, processing results, handling uncertainties and drawing conclusions. It is taken in the same sitting as the Paper 1A multiple-choice questions, lasting 2 hours in total at HL.
The scientific investigation is written up as a report with a maximum of 3,000 words. It takes about 10 hours of class time, is based on your own research question and is worth 20% of the final grade at both SL and HL. It is marked by your teacher and moderated by the IB.
Yes. The IB physics data booklet is provided in the exams. It lists constants, unit prefixes and many equations, but not definitions or explanations. Practise with it during revision so you can find equations quickly and know which conditions each one applies to.
It is one of the more demanding Diploma subjects because of mathematical problem solving, HL-only topics such as relativity and quantum physics, data-based questions and the breadth of content. Regular past-paper practice, efficient use of the data booklet and feedback on explanations make a clear difference.
Grade boundaries change each session, so focus on skills: master the HL-only topics early, practise Paper 1A for speed, Paper 1B for data analysis, write full Paper 2 explanations, produce a focused investigation and review markschemes to learn exactly what examiners reward.
There is no fixed percentage. The IB sets grade boundaries for each exam session after marking, so the mark needed for a 7 changes from year to year. Use recent boundaries only as a rough guide, and aim to secure marks consistently across all components.
The IB recommends 240 teaching hours for HL subjects. For physics HL, this includes 180 hours of syllabus content and 60 hours of experimental programme: 40 hours of practical work, 10 hours for the collaborative sciences project and 10 hours for the scientific investigation.
You need confident algebra, rearranging equations, graphs and gradients, trigonometry, standard form, significant figures and uncertainty calculations. Some HL topics also use exponential and logarithmic relationships. Taking IB Mathematics alongside physics helps, and your tutor can strengthen any weak areas.
Yes, within the IB's rules. A tutor can explain physics, help you understand data processing, graphs and uncertainties, and give general feedback on how to evaluate a method. The research question, data, analysis and written report must be your own work.
Yes, for many topics, but check each question against the current syllabus first assessed in 2025. Some older content and the Paper 3 options are no longer examined, and the paper structure has changed. Your tutor can select questions that match the current course.
The hourly rate depends on the tutor and the length of each lesson. On FLN Tutors you see the rate on the course page before booking and pay only for the lessons you choose, with no subscription. You can ask a question first if you want a plan before deciding.
Yes. Lessons are live one-to-one video sessions with a shared whiteboard, so you can study from India, the UAE or any other country. Tutors schedule lessons in your time zone and plan around your school's IB calendar and the May or November exam session.
IB Diploma exams are held in May for most schools and in November for schools on a southern hemisphere calendar. Your school chooses the session. Check the exact dates with your IB coordinator, as the timetable is published by the IB for each session.
Yes. FLN Tutors also has courses for IB Chemistry HL and IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches, among others. Tell your tutor your subjects and levels so lessons follow the right syllabus, and so links between physics and maths can be used to strengthen your understanding.
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