IB Physics – iAscend Learning

About Course

IB Physics (SL & HL) — 2023 syllabus, first assessment 2025. A complete online course for Diploma Programme students. Every theme is broken into short sections, each with a clear concept block, interactive graphs and applets, worked examples in IB solution style, and practice questions that build from routine to exam level. HL-only material is flagged, so SL students always know what they can skip.

What the course covers

Theme A — Space, time and motion: kinematics, forces and momentum, work/energy/power, rigid body mechanics (HL), relativity (HL)
Theme B — The particulate nature of matter: thermal energy transfers, greenhouse effect, gas laws, current and circuits, thermodynamics (HL)
Theme C — Wave behaviour: simple harmonic motion, the wave model, wave phenomena, standing waves and resonance, the Doppler effect
Theme D — Fields: gravitational fields, electric and magnetic fields, motion in electromagnetic fields, induction (HL)
Theme E — Nuclear and quantum physics: structure of the atom, radioactive decay, fission, fusion and stars, quantum physics (HL)

How each section works

Concept summary using the exact symbols and equations of the IB data booklet
Interactive applets — change the numbers and watch the physics respond
Fully worked examples, written the way an examiner expects them
Practice sets graded from easy to Paper 2 difficulty
An end-of-section quiz that scores you, so weak spots are obvious before the exam

New sections are published as they are built. Students whose quiz results show a persistent gap can book one-to-one tutoring with Dr. Niyaifar through iAscend.ca.

Use the IB data booklet equations confidently in Paper 1, 2 and 3 questions
Draw and read free-body diagrams, field diagrams, wave diagrams and graphs
Solve kinematics, momentum, energy and circular-motion problems the IB way
Model thermal energy transfers, gas behaviour and electric circuits quantitatively
Analyse simple harmonic motion, wave phenomena, standing waves and the Doppler effect
Work with gravitational, electric and magnetic fields, including HL electromagnetic induction
Handle radioactive decay, fission, fusion and quantum physics at SL and HL depth
Write solutions with correct units, significant figures and uncertainties
Plan and evaluate an experiment well enough to start the Internal Assessment

Course Content

A.1 Kinematics
Displacement, velocity and acceleration; motion graphs; the kinematic equations; projectile motion, with and without fluid resistance.

A.1.1 Distance, displacement, speed and velocity
A.1.2 Motion graphs
A.1.3 The equations of motion
A.1.4 Free fall and vertical motion
A.1.5 Projectile motion
A.1.6 Fluid resistance and terminal speed

A.2 Forces and momentum
Free-body diagrams, Newton's three laws, translational equilibrium, friction, Hooke's law, buoyancy and drag; momentum, impulse, collisions and explosions; motion in a circle.

A.3 Work, energy and power
Work done by a force, kinetic and potential energy, conservation of energy, power and efficiency, and energy transfers in real systems.

A.4 Rigid body mechanics (HL)
HL only. Torque and couples, moment of inertia, rotational equilibrium, angular acceleration, angular momentum and rotational kinetic energy.

A.5 Galilean and special relativity (HL)
HL only. Reference frames and Galilean transformations, the postulates of special relativity, Lorentz transformations, time dilation, length contraction, spacetime diagrams and relativistic momentum and energy.

B.1 Thermal energy transfers
Temperature and internal energy, specific heat capacity, latent heat, conduction, convection and radiation; Stefan-Boltzmann law and Wien's displacement law.

B.2 Greenhouse effect
Solar constant, albedo, emissivity, the energy balance of the Earth, greenhouse gases and the enhanced greenhouse effect.

B.3 Gas laws
The ideal gas model, pressure, the gas laws, the ideal gas equation, and the kinetic model relating temperature to molecular kinetic energy.

B.4 Thermodynamics (HL)
HL only. First and second laws, work done by an expanding gas, isovolumetric, isobaric, isothermal and adiabatic processes, entropy, heat engines and efficiency.

B.5 Current and circuits
Charge and current, potential difference, resistance and resistivity, emf and internal resistance, series and parallel circuits, and power dissipation.

C.1 Simple harmonic motion
Conditions for SHM, period and frequency, displacement, velocity and acceleration graphs, and energy in SHM; HL: the SHM equations and phase.

C.2 Wave model
Transverse and longitudinal waves, wavelength, frequency, period, speed and amplitude, the wave equation, and energy transfer by waves.

C.3 Wave phenomena
Reflection, refraction and Snell's law, total internal reflection, diffraction and two-source interference; HL: single-slit diffraction and multiple-slit patterns.

C.4 Standing waves and resonance
Superposition, standing waves on strings and in open and closed pipes, harmonics, natural frequency, damping and resonance.

C.5 Doppler effect
Doppler shift for a moving source and a moving observer, the Doppler equations, and applications from astronomy to medical imaging.

D.1 Gravitational fields
Newton's law of gravitation, gravitational field strength, orbital motion and Kepler's third law; HL: gravitational potential, potential energy and escape speed.

D.2 Electric and magnetic fields
Coulomb's law, electric field strength and field lines, magnetic fields around currents and magnets; HL: electric potential, potential energy and the field-potential relationship.

D.3 Motion in electromagnetic fields
Force on a moving charge and on a current-carrying conductor, circular paths in magnetic fields, and motion in combined electric and magnetic fields.

D.4 Induction (HL)
HL only. Magnetic flux and flux linkage, Faraday's law, Lenz's law, induced emf in moving conductors, and the generation of alternating current.

E.1 Structure of the atom
The nuclear model, emission and absorption spectra, discrete energy levels, isotopes, nuclear notation and the scale of the nucleus.

E.2 Quantum physics (HL)
HL only. The photoelectric effect and photon energy, matter waves and the de Broglie wavelength, and the Compton effect.

E.3 Radioactive decay
Alpha, beta and gamma radiation, decay equations, half-life, activity and background radiation; HL: the exponential decay law and the decay constant.

E.4 Fission
Mass defect and binding energy per nucleon, induced fission, chain reactions, and the moderation and control of nuclear reactors.

E.5 Fusion and stars
Fusion in stars, stellar nucleosynthesis, luminosity and apparent brightness, the mass-luminosity relationship, stellar evolution and the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.

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About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

A.1 Kinematics Displacement, velocity and acceleration; motion graphs; the kinematic equations; projectile motion, with and without fluid resistance.

A.1.1 Distance, displacement, speed and velocity

A.1.2 Motion graphs

A.1.3 The equations of motion

A.1.4 Free fall and vertical motion

A.1.5 Projectile motion

A.1.6 Fluid resistance and terminal speed

A.2 Forces and momentum Free-body diagrams, Newton's three laws, translational equilibrium, friction, Hooke's law, buoyancy and drag; momentum, impulse, collisions and explosions; motion in a circle.

A.2.1 Forces and free-body diagrams

A.2.2 Newton’s laws and translational equilibrium

A.2.3 Momentum and impulse

A.2.4 Collisions and explosions

A.2.5 Motion in a circle

A.3 Work, energy and power Work done by a force, kinetic and potential energy, conservation of energy, power and efficiency, and energy transfers in real systems.

A.3.1 Work done by a force

A.3.2 Kinetic energy and the work–energy principle

A.3.3 Potential energy

A.3.4 Conservation of energy and energy transfers

A.3.5 Power and efficiency

A.4 Rigid body mechanics (HL) HL only. Torque and couples, moment of inertia, rotational equilibrium, angular acceleration, angular momentum and rotational kinetic energy.

A.4.1 Angular kinematics

A.4.2 Torque and rotational equilibrium

A.4.3 Moment of inertia and Newton’s second law for rotation

A.4.4 Angular momentum and its conservation

A.4.5 Rotational kinetic energy and rolling

A.5 Galilean and special relativity (HL) HL only. Reference frames and Galilean transformations, the postulates of special relativity, Lorentz transformations, time dilation, length contraction, spacetime diagrams and relativistic momentum and energy.

A.5.1 Reference frames and Galilean relativity

A.5.2 Postulates of special relativity and the Lorentz factor

A.5.3 Time dilation and proper time

A.5.4 Length contraction and proper length

A.5.5 Spacetime diagrams

A.5.6 Relativistic momentum and energy

B.1 Thermal energy transfers Temperature and internal energy, specific heat capacity, latent heat, conduction, convection and radiation; Stefan-Boltzmann law and Wien's displacement law.

B.1.1 Temperature, internal energy and the molecular model

B.1.2 Specific heat capacity

B.1.3 Phase change and specific latent heat

B.1.4 Conduction, convection and radiation

B.1.5 Black-body radiation

B.2 Greenhouse effect Solar constant, albedo, emissivity, the energy balance of the Earth, greenhouse gases and the enhanced greenhouse effect.

B.2.1 Solar constant and radiation reaching Earth

B.2.2 Albedo and emissivity

B.2.3 Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse mechanism

B.2.4 Earth’s energy balance

B.3 Gas laws The ideal gas model, pressure, the gas laws, the ideal gas equation, and the kinetic model relating temperature to molecular kinetic energy.

B.3.1 The mole, molar mass and Avogadro’s constant

B.3.2 Pressure and the gas laws

B.3.3 The ideal gas equation

B.3.4 The kinetic model of an ideal gas

B.3.5 Temperature and molecular kinetic energy

B.4 Thermodynamics (HL) HL only. First and second laws, work done by an expanding gas, isovolumetric, isobaric, isothermal and adiabatic processes, entropy, heat engines and efficiency.

B.4.1 Internal energy and the first law

B.4.2 Work done by an expanding gas

B.4.3 Isovolumetric, isobaric, isothermal and adiabatic processes

B.4.4 Entropy and the second law

B.4.5 Heat engines, cycles and efficiency

B.5 Current and circuits Charge and current, potential difference, resistance and resistivity, emf and internal resistance, series and parallel circuits, and power dissipation.

B.5.1 Electric current and charge carriers

B.5.2 Potential difference, emf and electrical energy

B.5.3 Resistance, Ohm’s law and resistivity

B.5.4 Series and parallel circuits

B.5.5 Electrical power and energy dissipation

B.5.6 emf, internal resistance and terminal potential difference

C.1 Simple harmonic motion Conditions for SHM, period and frequency, displacement, velocity and acceleration graphs, and energy in SHM; HL: the SHM equations and phase.

C.1.1 Conditions for simple harmonic motion

C.1.2 Mass–spring and pendulum systems

C.1.3 Displacement, velocity and acceleration graphs

C.1.4 Energy in simple harmonic motion

C.1.5 The SHM equations and phase

C.2 Wave model Transverse and longitudinal waves, wavelength, frequency, period, speed and amplitude, the wave equation, and energy transfer by waves.

C.2.1 From oscillations to travelling waves

C.2.2 Transverse and longitudinal waves

C.2.3 The wave equation

C.2.4 Wavefronts, rays and the electromagnetic spectrum

C.2.5 Intensity and the inverse-square law

C.3 Wave phenomena Reflection, refraction and Snell's law, total internal reflection, diffraction and two-source interference; HL: single-slit diffraction and multiple-slit patterns.

C.3.1 Reflection of waves

C.3.2 Refraction and Snell’s law