Want to top Physics hl & sl in IB curriculum

 

 1. Get the SYLLABUS to know!

This can surprise you, but a reasonably easy read-through is the IB Physics syllabus.

For your ease, it includes exactly everything you need to know for the test, neatly bullet-pointed and grouped into parts.

If you have not already done so, it is an absolute game-changer to get hold of the syllabus (either by your instructor or online) and treat it as a guide for your revision.

You no longer need to think about what the exam might cover!

The syllabus may not only be a reference for your study, but it is also also a reference for test authors.

That's right, IB physics tests tend to be arranged very similarly to the IB physics online course syllabus, meaning that the first questions come from topics 1 and 2, and the others go more or less chronologically through the remaining topics.

Therefore, if you know the syllabus well when you open the exam file, you should be sure that you know what will please you!

You may also note similarities between subjects that you might not have seen before, such as that concept from circular motion in topic 6 are omnipresent to simple harmonic motion as defined in topic 9.

2.Identify your own shortcomings and abilities

You will start planning to use your time wisely after being comfortable with the syllabus.

Taking the time to focus on which aspects of the syllabus you are particularly dealing with, and which you find more relaxed, using your background from the classroom, assessments, and mock exams.

It could be good to build a simple hierarchy for yourself when doing this-for instance, you could go over the syllabus and mark the subjects you need to learn immediately with a red marker, and the ones you can save with a green one for later.

Try not to get frightened by this if you notice that you are dealing with a lot or even most of the subjects! Instead, make a list where you need to prioritise each subject; this may be based on its duration (maybe you want to start with the shorter ones!), its difficulty, or maybe you have upcoming exams on it.

It will work well for your confidence to build a detailed roadmap for how to handle revision, and make things feel a bit less scary.

However, it is therefore necessary to know your strengths, in addition to learning your weaknesses. Highlighting this allows you the courage to realise what you will carry on, inspiring you to dive through the more complicated subjects, whilst later being willing to put away certain portions of the syllabus.

 3. KNOW HOW TO REACH TRICKY Problems

It is important that you spend lots of time solving example issues when you get into the weeds of each subject.

Physics is all about problem-solving in the end, and this is what the exam is going to test you on! This has been notably illustrated by the IBO's examinations following the reform of the syllabus in 2016, which have concentrated even more on addressing entirely new and unknown topics than before.

Here are a few precautions you can take when tackling new issues.

1. Write down all the quantities in the query that are given. Not all of these are clearly stated; the downward gravity acceleration, for instance, can still be believed to be 9.81 ms^-2.

2. Writing down what the topic wants you to find. This may seem insignificant, but it's super useful to get a good idea of where you are headed when you get through the problem-solving info.

3. Try to think about some potential physical values that can contribute to the object you are looking to discover, the stuff you already know. Try to be imaginative, and only if you miss a given formula, use your data booklet. The conservation of energy, the second law of Newton, and Einstein's mass-energy relationship are common examples of those values.

4. Write out an equation referring to the amounts you know and the sum you have, following a theory you've spoken of, and attempt to solve it mathematically.

5. For eg, if you can't solve the equation, you might have used the wrong physical theory if you don't know any of the variables. Return to point 3) and keep going; note, one of the best ways to learn is trial and disappointment!

The more you get experience with challenges, the smarter you're going to become.

But you need to spend a lot of time testing yourself with a range of problems and working examples in order to exercise this potential.

Try taking a peek at the wide variety of practise questions available via the IB Better Physics course to find problems to answer!

4. KEEP Realistic IT!

It is also easy to get wrapped up in complex notions, calculations, and Greek symbols when revising physics. Make sure you retain ground interaction when you go through the syllabus and are able to link everything you do to realistic, real-world concepts-that 's what physics is all about in the end!

For eg, make sure you understand what the variable ⁇ really means when you're moving through circular motion. This is an instance of a variable that in an equation is all too easy to recognise without worrying too hard about what it really is. However, it would be extremely helpful for your general comprehension to make sure that you actively think about its value every time you see the variable.

Your ultimate aim should be to adjust your mindset so that you should not think of "omega" (and certainly not "double-u"!) when you see the sign, but rather "angular frequency"! This illustrates that you see beyond the Greek sign and the maths to see the real mechanics going on, which is what the examiners try to assess at the end.

One way of teaching yourself to do this would be to write down a list of all the symbols used and their meanings in that subject at the end of each issue. Simply writing this down will carry you faster than you expect, which is a perfect way to associate each sign in your head with its particular significance.

Try to do this for all aspects of the syllabus and it will pay dividends for your physics comprehension and insight, and thus for the outcome of your test!

5. PRACTICE EXAM TECHNIQUE

Speaking of tests, this is the most significant aspect of the IBDP future when it comes to anything. No matter how much you have revised all the previous measures and followed them, if the exam methodology is not up to scratch, it won't be worth much. The unfortunate fact is that it is the test that fully decides what outcome you will get at the end of all your hard work, except for the IA.

Therefore, it is incredibly important for your grade to honour your test technique, and it also gives you the courage to step into the test room and make confident you know what you are doing. What this really means is learning to know, inside out, both the nature of the examinations and the sort of questions you will be asked.

You need to prepare exam-like inquiries to do this. Past posts are golden, but just those that date back to 2016, alas. There was a new syllabus before that, with a distinctly different type of tests to what you'll find now. Luckily, on IB Better, we have hundreds of illustration issues, written to be exactly in the manner you would be asked for in a real test!

In an exam setting, the safest thing will be to practise addressing issues. This means no computer, no internet, just you, your calculator and your data booklet, no breaks. In this case, if you do this enough and get relaxed solving tough problems, you will have a big advantage going into the examining room!