Question 1 · HL
A force of 40 N is applied to the end of a spanner 0.25 m from the centre of a nut. The force acts at 60° to the line of the spanner. What is the torque about the centre of the nut?
Is IB Physics hard?
HL is a big step up from SL: 180 hours of syllabus content against 110, five HL-only topics and 4.5 hours of exams against 3. At either level the hard part is applying the right model to an unfamiliar set-up and handling data, not recall.
| Syllabus content | 110 hours at SL, 180 at HL |
|---|---|
| Exams | 3 hours at SL, 4.5 hours at HL |
| HL-only topics | Rigid body mechanics, relativity, thermodynamics, induction, quantum physics |
| Internal assessment | 20%, the same at both levels |
What makes it hard
- Unfamiliar contexts: the course aims for you to approach unfamiliar situations with creativity and resilience, so questions are rarely ones you have seen.
- Data: Paper 1B is built on data, and data analysis is a key skill throughout. Graphs, gradients, uncertainties and linearising a relation all come up.
- Mathematics: the course takes a mathematical approach to models and laws, and HL adds topics such as relativity and quantum physics.
- Explanations: Paper 2's extended responses need reasoning in words, not just a number.
What makes it easier
- The syllabus is five themes with published teaching hours, so you can plan by weight.
- Three concepts, forces, energy and particles, run through every theme, so ideas connect.
- The scientific investigation is 20% you can work on before the exams.
SL or HL?
The IB notes that physics is often a prerequisite for courses such as mechanical engineering, architecture, astronomy or geophysics. If a degree like that is your aim, check whether your universities ask for HL.
Try 2 questions
Question 2 · HL
The graph shows how the magnetic flux Φ through each turn of a 50-turn coil varies with time t. What is the greatest size of the induced emf in the coil?
Next step
The IB's Diploma Programme physics page, with the subject brief
Questions people ask
Is IB Physics HL harder than SL?
Yes. HL has 180 hours of syllabus content against 110 at SL, five extra topics, more depth in seven others and longer papers (4.5 hours against 3).
Which theme grows most at HL?
Fields: 38 hours at HL against 19 at SL, with induction as an HL-only topic. Space, time and motion adds rigid body mechanics and relativity, and nuclear and quantum physics adds quantum physics.
How do I get better at IB Physics questions?
Practise data and unfamiliar contexts: Paper 1B-style data questions, Paper 1A under time, and explanations written in full sentences, then check every answer against worked solutions.