IB Physics

Complete Checklist
First Exams: May 2025

If it's in this checklist, it's in the exam

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Space, Time and Motion

A.1 Kinematics
1 Define displacement, velocity and acceleration

2 Explain the difference between distance and displacement

3 Calculate instantaneous and average values of velocity, speed, and

acceleration

4 Recognise situations where acceleration is uniform and non-uniform

5 Understand that the equations of motion are only valid for uniformly
accelerated motion

6 Solve problems using the equations of motion

7 Define a projectile and resolve into vertical and horizontal components

8 Solve projectile motion problems for horizontal, oblique, and below

horizontal projections (assuming negligible or absent air resistance,
and close to the earth's surface with an acceleration of 'g')

9 Describe the effects of air resistance on the trajectory path, time of

flight, velocity, acceleration, and terminal speed of a projectile.

A.2 Forces and Momentum

1 State Newton’s three laws of motion

2 Solve translational equilibrium problems using Newton’s 1st Law

3 Identify force pairs using Newton’s 3rd Law

4 Describe forces as interactions between bodies

5 Draw free-body diagrams and analyse them to find the resultant force
on a system in one and two dimensions only

6 Understand the nature and use the following contact forces:

normal, frictional, elastic, viscous drag, buoyancy

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A.2 Forces and Momentum (CONT.)

7 Understand the nature and use of the following field forces:
gravitational, electric, magnetic

8 Define linear momentum and understand that it remains constant

unless the system is acted upon by a resultant external force

9 Define Impulse as a resultant external force applied to a system and

recall that impulse equals the change in momentum of the system

10 Derive Newton’s 2nd Law from the definition of net force as the rate of
change of a momentum of an object, when mass is constant

11 Solve problems using momentum and impulse for collisions and

explosion (one dimensional for SL and two dimensional for HL)

12 Understand the scenarios of elastic/inelastic collisions and explosions

13 State that bodies undergoing circular motion travel at a constant speed

but still experience acceleration directed radially towards the centre of
the circle

14 Draw a vector diagram to illustrate that the acceleration of a particle

moving with constant speed in a circle is directed towards the centre of
the circle.

15 Recognise the direction of velocity, acceleration and force vectors for

an object in circular motion.

16 Understand and solve problems involving centripetal force, centripetal

acceleration, period, frequency, angular displacement, linear speed and
angular velocity.

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A.3 Work, Energy and Power

1 State the principle of the conservation of energy

2 Recall that work done by a force is equal to the energy transferred in

the system

3 Sketch and analyse energy transfers on Sankey diagrams

4 Determine work done (using W = Fscosθ) including cases where a

resistive force acts and where force and distance are not parallel.

5 Recall and solve problems using fact that the mechanical energy of a
system is the sum of kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy and
elastic potential energy, in the absence of frictional forces.

6 Solve problems using the appropriate relationships for work done and
energy transferred in systems where mechanical energy is conserved.

7 Define Power as the rate of work done, or rate of energy transfer.

Solve problems involving power.

8 Define efficiency in terms of energy transfer or power. Solve problems

involving efficiency.

9 Define and solve problems of the energy density of a fuel source

A.4 Rigid Body Mechanics (HL ONLY)

1 Describe the torque τ of a force about an axis as given by τ = Fr sin θ

2 State that bodies in rotational equilibrium have a resultant torque of

zero

3 State that an unbalanced torque applied to an extended, rigid body will

cause angular acceleration

4 Describe the rotation of a body in terms of angular displacement,

angular velocity and angular acceleration

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A.4 Rigid Body Mechanics (HL ONLY) CONT.

5 Calculate the position 𝜽, angular displacement Δ𝜽, angular speed ⍵ and
angular acceleration 𝛂 of an object using the equations of motion
(SUVAT Equivalents) for uniform angular acceleration.

6 Define and perform calculations using the moment of inertia, I

7 Calculate using Newton’s second law for rotation as given by τ = Iα

where τ is the average torque.

8 Calculate angular momentum, L for an extended body rotating with an

angular speed

9 Understand that angular momentum remains constant (i.e. ∆L=0) unless

the body is acted upon by a resultant torque

10 Explain how the action of a resultant torque will cause angular impulse

11 Calculate the kinetic energy of rotational motion

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A.5 Galilean and Special Relativity (HL ONLY)

1 Define a reference frame and and understand the concept of an inertial
reference frame

2 Explain that Newton's laws of motion are consistent in all internal

reference frames, a concept known as Galilean relativity

3 Understand that in Galilean relativity, the position x' and time t' of an
event are given by x'=x-vt and t'=t

4 Describe velocity addition for a Galilean transformation as given by

u′ = u–v

5 Memorise the two postulates of special relativity

6 Calculate the motion of a particle at high speeds using the Lorentz

transformation equations for the coordinates of an event in two inertial
reference frames

7 Solve problems using the relativistic velocity addition equation

8 Calculate the invariant quantity of the space–time interval between two

events

9 Define what is meant by proper time interval and proper length

10 Solve problems involving time dilation

11 Compute length dilation

12 Explain the concept of relativity of simultaneity

13 Interpret space–time diagrams to represent the motion of particles

14 Calculate the angle between the world line of a moving particle and the
time axis on a space–time diagram

15 Interpret muon decay experiments to demonstrate evidence for time

dilation and length contraction.

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The Particulate Nature of Matter

B.1 Thermal Energy Transfers
1 Explain the physical differences between the solid, liquid and gaseous
phases in terms of molecular structure and particle motion (Note: be
familiar with the terms melting, freezing, evaporating, boiling and
condensing, and be able to describe each in terms of the changes in
molecular potential and random kinetic energies of molecules

2 Define density using the equation 𝜌=m/V

3 Use Kelvin and Celsius temperature scales and convert between them
(T/K = t/°C + 273)

4 Understand that the average kinetic energy of ideal gas molecules is

directly proportional to the temperature (in kelvin) of the gas

5 Understand that internal energy is taken to be the total intermolecular

potential energy and the total random kinetic energy of the molecules

6 Know that temperature difference depends on thermal energy transfer

between bodies from hot to cold

7 Explain in terms of molecular behaviour why temperature does not

change during a phase change

8 Define and solve problems with specific heat capacity and specific
latent heat of fusion and vaporization

9 Describe on a molecular level how conduction, convection and radiation

are mechanisms for thermal energy transfer

10 Perform calculations on the rate of kinetic energy transfer in

conduction

11 Solve problems involving the Stefan-Boltzmann Law and Wien's

displacement law

12 Define luminosity and apparent brightness AND solve problems

involving luminosity, apparent brightness and distance

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B.2 Greenhouse Effect

1 State the conservation of energy

2 Define and solve problems using emissivity and albedo

3 Know that the Earth's average albedo is 0.3; however, this varies daily
depending on cloud formation and latitude

4 Define the Solar Constant, S, and explain why effective incident power
on the Earth’s surface is S/4

5 Calculate equilibrium temperature of a body using energy balance

between incoming and outgoing radiation intensity, including albedo,
emissivity, and solar or other constants.

6 Know that the four greenhouse gases are CH₄, H₂O, CO₂ and N₂O, and
that each gas is both man-made and naturally occurring in the
atmosphere

7 Explain how the Earth radiates thermal radiation as a black body, which
is absorbed by greenhouse gases, and then scattered in all directions
(molecular energy levels), and subsequently heats up the Earth's
surface

8 Define enhanced greenhouse effect as an augmentation of the

naturally occurring greenhouse effect due to human activities

9 State that burning of fossil fuels is a primary cause of the enhanced

greenhouse effect. 

10 Explain how the main greenhouse gases cause enhanced greenhouse

effect by referring to molecular energy levels,  absorbed infrared
radiation, resonance, and the subsequent emission of radiation in all
directions

11 Calculate energy balance problems that include energy exchanged

between the surface and the atmosphere of a body.

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B.3 Gas Laws

1 State the assumptions of the kinetic theory of ideal gases,
understanding this modelled system is used to approximate the
behaviour of real gases

2 Understand that a real gas approximates to an ideal gas at conditions

of low pressure, moderate temperature and low density

3 Define and solve problems using pressure as P=F/A

4 Define the amount of substance, n

5 Solve problems using the equation of state for an ideal gas and gas laws

6 Know that gas laws are limited to constant volume, constant

temperature, constant pressure and the ideal gas law

7 Explain how the ideal gas laws is derived empirically from gas laws

8 Sketch and interpret changes of state of an ideal gas on pressure-

volume diagrams

9 Calculate changes in pressure due to collisions with the walls of the

container

10 Calculate internal energy, U of an ideal monatomic gas

B.4 Thermodynamics (HL Only)

1 Describe the first law of thermodynamics as a statement of
conservation of energy and solve problems using the first law

2 Define the work done by or on a closed system

3 Calculate the change in internal energy for a system undergoing a

change in temperature or volume

4 Describe the second law of thermodynamics in Celsius form, Kelvin

form and as a consequence of entropy

5 Solve problems involving entropy changes

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B.4 Thermodynamics (HL Only) CONT.

6 Understand isovolumetric, isobaric, isothermal and adiabatic processes

7 Solving problems for adiabatic processes for monatomic gases

8 Sketch and interpret cyclic processes which are used to run heat
engines (Only graphical analysis will be required for determination of
work done on a pV diagram when pressure is not constant)

9 Solve problems involving thermal efficiency

10 Define the Carnot cycle as a theoretical heat engine cycle that has the
maximum possible efficiency of any heat engine and calculate the
efficiency of a carnot cycle

B.5 Current and Circuits

1 Define emf and electric potential difference, V

2 Describe how chemical cells and solar cells are energy sources in
circuits

3 Be comfortable drawing circuit diagrams with a variety of components

4 Recognise current as the rate of flow of charge

5 Know that charge carriers within a metal are electrons, but they may be
ions in other materials

6 Describe an ideal ammeter, an ideal voltmeter, and understand that

most practical meters do not meet these requirements

7 Explain origin of electrical resistance and define resistance as R=V/I

8 State Ohm's Law

9 Know the I/V characteristics of ohmic conductors (metal wire at a

constant temperature and non-ohmic conductors (filament lamp and
diode)

10 Solve problems involving potential difference, current, charge, power,

resistivity and resistance in both series and parallel circuits

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B.5 Current and Circuits CONT.

11 Describe Internal Resistance in cells and solve problems using ε = I(R=r)

12 Describe how resistance varies in thermistors, light-dependent

resistors (LDR) and potentiometers

13 Describe practical uses of potential dividers circuits

Wave Behaviour
C.1 Simple Harmonic Motion
1 Explain the two conditions necessary for an object to oscillate with
Simple Harmonic Motion

2 Recognise and use the defining equation for SHM, understanding the
significance of the negative sign in a = -ω²x

3 Define time period T, frequency f, angular frequency ⍵, amplitude A,

equilibrium position and displacement in terms of a particle in SHM

4 Calculate time period , T for one complete oscillation for (1) a particle
undergoing SHM, (2) a mass-spring system and (3) a simple pendulum

5 Describe the energy changes during one oscillation of an object

undergoing SHM

6 Sketch and interpret graphs of examples of simple harmonic motion

(including displacement-time, velocity-time, acceleration-time and
acceleration-displacement graphs)

C.1 Simple Harmonic Motion (HL Only)

7 Understand and explain how the phase angle ϕ is used to describe the
state of a particle undergoing simple harmonic motion.

8 Calculate properties of an SHM oscillator

9 Describe the interchange of kinetic and potential energy during SHM,

and solve problems using both graphical and algebraic methods

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C.2 Wave Model

1 Explain the motion of particles for both transverse and longitudinal
waves

2 Sketch and interpret displacement-distance graphs and displacement-

time graphs for transverse and longitudinal waves

3 Define wavelength, frequency, time period, wave speed and amplitude

4 Be able to derive v=fλ and solve problems using this equation

5 Compare the nature of sound waves and electromagnetic waves

C.3 Wave Phenomena

1 Explain that waves travelling in two and three dimensions can be
described through the concepts of wavefronts and rays

2 Define wave behaviour at boundaries in terms of reflection, refraction

and transmission

3 Describe and sketch wave diffraction around a body and through an

aperture

4 Sketch incident, reflected and transmitted wavefronts/rays between

media (i.e. refraction)

5 Solve problems involving Snell's law, critical angle and total internal
reflection

6 Be able to calculate the superposition of two waves / wave pulses

7 Describe the conditions necessary for double source interference

8 State the conditions necessary for constructive and destructive

interference as given by path length difference

9 Understand the significance of Thomas Young's double slit experiment

in the proof of light as a wave. Select and use s=λD/d for double slit
experiments

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C.3 Wave Phenomena (HL ONLY)

1 Single Slit Diffraction at normal incidence through a rectangular slit:
Describe the effect of changing the slit width
Determine the position of the first interference medium
Describe diffraction pattern produced from monochromatic light

2 Describe the interference pattern produced by a double slit on a

screen, including the modulation by the single slit diffraction effect

3 Sketch and interpret intensity graphs of double slit interference

patterns

4 Distinguish between the width of the slits and the separation of the
slits in accounting for their effects on intensity graphs

5 Recognise that multiple slits and diffraction gratings can create

interference patterns by considering path difference (for white light
and a range of monochromatic light). Select and use nλ=dsinθ for
diffraction grating problems

C.4 Standing Waves and Resonance

1 Describe the conditions necessary for the formation of standing waves

2 Draw diagrams and identify nodes and antinodes, relative amplitude

and phase difference of points along a standing wave

3 Describe the formation of standing waves in terms of superposition

(standing wave patterns in strings and pipes). Boundary conditions for:
Strings: two fixed boundaries, one fixed and one free boundary, and two
free boundaries
Pipes: two closed ends, one closed and one open end, and two open
ends

4 Solve problems involving the frequency of a harmonic, length of the

standing wave and the speed of the wave

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C.4 Standing Waves and Resonance CONT.

5 Explain and give examples useful and destructive resonance including
natural frequency and amplitude of oscillation based on driving
frequency

6 Graphically describe the variation of the amplitude of vibration with

driving frequency of an object close to its natural frequency of
vibration

7 Describe the effects of light, critical and heavy damping on the system

C.5 Doppler Effect

1 Sketch and interpret the Doppler effect (for sound and
electromagnetic waves) when there is relative motion between source
and observer

2 Describe situations where the Doppler effect can be used (i.e. radars,
red-shift of receding galaxies, moving objects emitting sound,
ultrasounds reflected from blood cells, radars, etc.)

3 Recognise that electromagnetic waves (i.e. red-shift of galaxies)

requires that the approximation equation should be used:
Δf  Δλ v
=  ≈
f λ c
4 Explain how shifts in spectral lines provide information about the
motion of bodies like stars and galaxies in space.

C.5 Doppler Effect (HL Only)

1 Solve problems involving the change in frequency or wavelength
observed due to the Doppler effect to determine the velocity of the
source/observer

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Fields
D.1 Gravitational Fields
1 State Kepler's three laws of motion

2 Solve problems using Newton's Law of Gravitation between two

spherical masses, where the masses are assumed to have uniform
density and mass is concentrated at the centre

3 Recognise that when astronomical objects are in orbit, the gravitational

force is equal to the centripetal force

4 Recall the definition for gravitational field strength

5 Determine the resultant gravitational field strength due to two bodies

(restricted to points along the straight line adjoining the bodies)

6 Sketch the gravitational field lines for: i) radial field surrounding point
or spherical masses and ii)uniform field close to the surface of massive
celestial bodies and planetary bodies

D.1 Gravitational Fields (HL Only)

1 Define gravitational potential energy and determine the potential
energy of a point mass

2 Recognise gravitational potential, Vₚ, as a scalar and defined as the

work per unit mass in bringing a small test mass from infinity to point P
(units Jkg⁻¹)

3 Recognise the magnitude of the gravitational field as the rate of

change of potential with distance

4 Draw equipotential lines on gravitational fields and explain that moving

between equipotential lines requires work to be done on the point mass

5 Define escape speed and solve problems involving the speed required
for an object to escape the gravitational field of a planet

6 Describe the qualitative effect of a small viscous drag force due to the
atmosphere on the height and speed of an orbiting body.

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D.2 Electric and Magnetic Fields

1 Know that there are positive and negative charges and predict the
direction of forces between them

2 Solve problems using Coulomb's Law

3 State the law of conservation of electric charge

4 Describe Millikan’s experiment as evidence for quantisation of charge

5 Describe how electric charge can be transferred between bodies using

friction, electrostatic induction and by contact, including the role of
grounding (earthing)

6 Calculate the electric field strength of a uniform electric field

7 Sketch the electrostatic field lines for: i) radial field surrounding point
or spherical charges, ii) inside and outside a spherical conducting body,
iii) between two like or opposite charges and iv) uniform field lines
between charged parallel plates (with edge effect)

8 Recognise that a higher field line density represents a larger electric

field strength

9 Sketch magnetic field patterns around a bar magnet, a current-carrying

wire, a current-carrying singular coil and an air core solenoid

10 Determine the direction of magnetic field around a long, straight

current-carrying wire

D.2 Electric and Magnetic Fields (HL Only)

1 Define electric potential energy and determine the potential energy for
a system of two charged bodies

2 Recognise electric potential as a scalar and defined as the work per unit
charge in bringing a small test charge from infinity to point P

3 Recognise the magnitude of the electric field strength as the rate of

change of potential with distance

4 Draw equipotential surfaces and explain that moving between

equipotential lines requires work to be done on the point charge

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D.3 Motion in Electromagnetic Fields

1 Describe the motion of a charged particle in (1) a uniform electric field
(2) uniform magnetic field and (3) perpendicularly orientated uniform
electric and magnetic fields

2 Calculate the magnitude and direction of the force on a charge moving

in a magnetic field

3 State the magnetic force provides the centripetal force for a charged
particle moving in a magnetic field

4 Calculate the charge-to-mass ratio for a charged particle by

investigating its path in a uniform magnetic field.

5 Calculate the magnitude and direction of the force on a current-

carrying conductor in a magnetic field

6 Calculate the magnitude and direction of the force per unit length
between current-carrying parallel wires

D.4 Induction (HL Only)

1 Define Magnetic Flux

2 Recall and use Faraday's Law

3 Calculate the emf induced by a straight conductor moving

perpendicularly to a uniform magnetic field

4 Explain Lenz's Law through conservation of energy

5 Explain how an emf is induced in the following situations: i) fixed coils

in a changing magnetic field, and ii) ac generators

6 Explain the operation of a basic ac generator, including the effect of

the generator frequency

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Nuclear and Quantum Physics

E.1 Structure of the Atom
1 Describe Rutherford's scattering experiment, including the three main
observations and conclusions of the structure of the atom

2 Understand that the absorption and emission spectra for each element
is unique

3 Explain how spectral lines are evidence for the existence of discrete
energy levels

4 Describe how emission and absorption spectra are produced

5 Calculate the frequency (or wavelength) of released or absorbed

photons using the energy difference between energy levels in an atom

E.1 Structure of the Atom (HL Only)

1 Calculate the radius of a nucleus and recognise that nuclear densities
are approximately the same for all nuclei

2 Explain how the results of Rutherford's experiment change when higher

energy alpha particles are used

3 Use energy conservation considerations to calculate the distance of

closest approach in head-on scattering experiments to find the
approximate value for the density of a nucleus

4 Describe the discrete energy levels in the Bohr model for the hydrogen
atom and understand the terms of the quantisation of angular
momentum

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E.2 Quantum Physics (HL Only)

1 Describe a photon as a quanta of energy and momentum

2 Discuss the photoelectric effect and explain why the classical theory of
light means a wave cannot be explained by the photoelectric effect.
Define the work function and threshold frequency.

3 Solve problems about the photoelectric effect

4 Interpret the following graphs relating to the photoelectric effect:

kinetic energy (y-axis) against frequency (x-axis)
current (y-axis) against voltage (x-axis)
stopping voltage (y-axis) against 1/λ (x-axis)

5 Recognise that matter can have wave-like properties (wave-particle

duality)

6 Describe the experiment where electrons can be accelerated and

diffracted through a thing graphite film, thus proving the wave nature
of electrons

7 Calculate the de Broglie wavelength for particles

8 Explain how the Compton scattering of photons off electrons with

increased wavelength is additional evidence of the particle nature of
light

9 Calculate the shift in photon wavelength after scattering off an

electron

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E.3 Radioactive Decay

1 Define an isotope

2 Solve problems involving mass defect, binding energy and the atomic
mass unit (memorise 1u = 931MeV) using

3 Define the mass-energy equivalence as given by E = mc2 in nuclear

reactions

4 Recall the definition for Binding Energy

5 Sketch and understand the general shape of the graph for average
binding energy per nucleon against nucleon number

6 Calculate the frequency (or wavelength) of released or absorbed

photons using the energy difference between energy levels in an atom

7 Define strong nuclear force

8 Describe the properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation, including

changes of state of nucleus, penetration, ionizing ability and real-life
contexts

9 Complete decay equations for radioactive decay

10 Recognise that there are two types of beta decay (β− and β+) and
explain the existence of neutrinos and anti-neutrinos

11 Define activity, count rate and half-life in radioactive decay

12 Determine the half-life of a radioactive nuclide using a decay curve or

simple integral calculations, including the effect of background
radiation

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E.3 Radioactive Decay (HL Only)

1 Describe evidence for the strong nuclear force

2 Understand the role of that ration of neutrons to protons for the

stability of nuclides

3 State that the spectrum of alpha and gamma radiations provides

evidence for discrete nuclear energy levels

4 State the continuous spectrum of beta decay as evidence for the

neutrino

5 Define the decay constant

6 Explain that the decay constant approximates only in the limit of

sufficiently small λt

7 Calculate the number of undecayed nuclei, activity and half-lives in

radioactive decay for arbitrary time intervals

E.4 Fission
1 Describe how energy is released in spontaneous and neutron-induced
fission

2 Calculate how much energy is released in a nuclear fission reaction

3 Describe the role of chain reactions in nuclear fission reactions

4 Explain the role of control rods, moderators, heat exchangers and

shielding in a nuclear power plant

5 Describe the properties of the products of nuclear fission and their

management, including the impact of long-term storage

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E.5 Fusion and Stars

1 Describe the equilibrium between radiation pressure and gravitation in
stars - how the star then achieves stellar equilibrium

2 Describe fusion as the source of energy in stars, the conditions

required for fusion to occur and the basic fusion reactions present in
stars on the main-sequence

3 Calculate the energy released in fusion reactions

4 Sketch and interpret HR diagrams, including the location of main

sequence stars, red giants, super giants, white dwarfs, the instability
strip and lines of constant radius

5 HR diagrams will be labelled with luminosity on the vertical axis and

temperature

6 Convert between astronomical units (AU), light years (ly) and parsecs
(pc)

7 Use stellar parallax as a method to determine the distance to celestial

bodies

8 Explain how surface temperature may be obtained from a star’s

spectrum, using intensity-wavelength graphs and/or Wien’s
Displacement Law

9 Explain how the chemical composition of a star may be determined

from the star’s spectrum, using the absorption spectrum of light
received from the star

10 Calculate stellar radii using luminosity and surface temperature

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