The IB Physics syllabus used for the 2026 examination sessions was first assessed in 2025. It replaces the old numbered-topic and option structure with five themes: Space, time and motion; The particulate nature of matter; Wave behaviour; Fields; and Nuclear and quantum physics.[1]
TL;DR The current course has two external papers. Paper 1 contains Paper 1A multiple-choice questions and Paper 1B data-based questions. Paper 2 contains short-answer and extended-response questions. The scientific investigation is worth 20 % at both SL and HL and has a maximum overall word count of 3,000 words.[1]
This page applies to International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Physics at SL and HL. It is not a Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, Singapore-Cambridge H2, or other Physics syllabus route.
Last reviewed: 23 July 2026 against the current IB Physics curriculum page.
This is the current owner page for 2026 IB Physics syllabus intent. Use the IB Physics syllabus change guide only for change-history context.
The experimental programme includes practical work, a collaborative sciences project, and the individual scientific investigation. The subject brief allocates 10 hours to the collaborative project and 10 hours to the scientific investigation at both levels.[1]
The five official themes
A. Space, time and motion
Official subtopics are:
Kinematics
Forces and momentum
Work, energy and power
Rigid body mechanics (HL only)
Galilean and special relativity (HL only)
The recommended allocation is 27 hours at SL and 42 hours at HL.[1]
Earlier versions of this page referred to general relativity and cosmology in this section. The public subject brief names Galilean and special relativity, so the broader wording has been removed.
B. The particulate nature of matter
Official subtopics are:
Thermal energy transfers
Greenhouse effect
Gas laws
Thermodynamics (HL only)
Current and circuits
The recommended allocation is 24 hours at SL and 32 hours at HL.[1]
Current and circuits belong to this theme in the official map. Do not rely on older summaries that place all circuit content under Fields.
C. Wave behaviour
Official subtopics are:
Simple harmonic motion
Wave model
Wave phenomena
Standing waves and resonance
Doppler effect
The recommended allocation is 17 hours at SL and 29 hours at HL. Simple harmonic motion, wave phenomena, and the Doppler effect contain additional HL content.[1]
D. Fields
Official subtopics are:
Gravitational fields
Electric and magnetic fields
Motion in electromagnetic fields
Induction (HL only)
The recommended allocation is 19 hours at SL and 38 hours at HL.[1]
E. Nuclear and quantum physics
Official subtopics are:
Structure of the atom
Quantum physics (HL only)
Radioactive decay
Fission
Fusion and stars
The recommended allocation is 23 hours at SL and 39 hours at HL.[1]
The theme lists above are the official public coverage map. Use them to check what your school has taught, while recognising that schools may choose a different teaching sequence.
Assessment structure
Component
SL
HL
Weight
Paper 1
1.5 h
2 h
36 %
Paper 2
1.5 h
2.5 h
44 %
Scientific investigation
10 h
10 h
20 %
Paper 1
Paper 1 has two parts:
Paper 1A: multiple-choice questions
Paper 1B: data-based questions
Together, the two parts account for 36 % of the final grade.[1]
Paper 2
Paper 2 contains short-answer and extended-response questions. It accounts for 44 % of the final grade, making it the largest single assessment component.[1]
Scientific investigation
The scientific investigation is an open-ended task in which the student gathers and analyses data to answer a research question they formulate. The outcome is a written report with a maximum overall word count of 3,000 words.[1]
The public subject brief does not reproduce the full marking rubric. Use the current rubric and submission instructions supplied by your school or IB coordinator. Do not rely on pre-2025 criterion names or advice that treats 3,000 words as an approximate target rather than a maximum.
A source-backed study plan
Start with the theme checklist
Track each official subtopic as first learned, practised in calculations, practised with data, and practised in a written explanation. This is more reliable than using the five broad theme names alone.
Build data skills alongside content
Paper 1B and the scientific investigation both require students to work with evidence. Practise graph interpretation, uncertainty, unit handling, experimental design, and evaluation throughout the course.
Respect HL-only boundaries
Rigid body mechanics, Galilean and special relativity, thermodynamics, induction, and quantum physics are marked as HL-only in the public subject brief. Several other subtopics contain additional HL content. Use your current school guide to identify the precise depth expected within shared topics.[1]
Confirm school-specific rules
The subject brief establishes the paper structure, time, weights, and investigation word limit. Calculator instructions, internal deadlines, authentication, approved tools, and the detailed rubric should be checked with the current school guidance.
IB Physics and Singapore H2 Physics
IB Physics and H2 Physics overlap in mechanics, waves, fields, circuits, and nuclear physics, but the assessment structures are different. The IB course uses a scientific investigation worth 20 %, while H2 Physics 9478 uses a timed practical paper. Use H2 questions for overlapping content practice only after checking that the topic and expected depth match the current IB course.
Does current IB Physics have optional topics? No. The current public subject brief lists five themes for the first-assessment-2025 course and does not use the old options model.[1]
How many external papers are there? There are two. Paper 1 contains parts 1A and 1B, while Paper 2 contains short-answer and extended-response questions.[1]
What are the correct assessment weights? Paper 1 is 36 %, Paper 2 is 44 %, and the scientific investigation is 20 % at both SL and HL.[1]
Is the scientific investigation limited to 3,000 words? Yes. The official subject brief states a maximum overall word count of 3,000 words.[1]
Is general relativity an official named subtopic? The public subject brief names Galilean and special relativity as the HL-only subtopic. It does not name general relativity in the public theme map.[1]
