IB Physics will be testing a new set of knowledge and skills from exams in 2025 and onwards. Some students currently enrolled in Year 1 of IB diploma will be using a new syllabus for IB Physics. Today, we would like to discuss about this new syllabus and how to make better use of it to help you prepare for tests and exams. Here are some tips for IB students.
Know exactly what is required for each section, each topic and each unit. Old textbooks from all publishers are not so relevant now, although they also cover some similar contents.
Get an updated textbook from reputable publisher. For example, Cambridge has a good updated textbook that covers all key contents with a workbook to help students practice more.
For SL students, please check what you need to know for each section. Some materials are listed as Additional HL contents, which means that they are for HL students only. As IB students are all pressed for time, just study SL materials would be sufficient to score well, for SL students.
Do exam-style questions as early as possible. MCQs are good practices, but they are not enough. Do long structured questions where all topics could come together under one roof. After attempting the questions, correct the mistakes carefully and learn from them.
Be aware of common mistakes: prefixes, units, and errors from punching the calculator. You might be surprised that many errors come from the calculator, so make sure you know your calculator well.
A good Casio scientific calculator will do most of the work wonderfully. Avoid using a fancy Graphic Calculator, which tends to result in much more errors in calculations.
The first unit covers a lot of vectors, which makes it one of the most difficult or confusing topics in the syllabus. If you are confused, please seek help from school teachers or specialised tutors.
The first half of year in IB diploma is very tough, as you need to climb up a steep learning curve. Then after you persist and study effectively for a few months, it will usually get better. If you need help, seek help early. Do not wait until Year 2, mistakes and misconceptions could snowball to a huge problem and a lot of stress. So please seek help early.
If you need specialised VIP 1-1 tutoring for IB Physics, please feel free to contact us through WhatsApp at +6596467611. You could improve to a 7 in a few sessions!
