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IB Physics Past Paper Drilling (SL and HL): Paper 1 at 36%, Paper 2 at 44%, Investigation at 20%
TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · IB PHYSICS (SL/HL)
IB Physics (first assessment 2025) is 80% external: Paper 1 (1A multiple-choice plus 1B data-based questions) carries 36%, Paper 2 (short-answer and extended-response) 44%, and the remaining 20% is the written report of the scientific investigation. SL sits 3 hours of papers in total, HL 4.5 hours.
How many papers does IB Physics have and what are they worth?
Direct answer: under the course first assessed in 2025, external assessment is 80%: Paper 1 (1A multiple-choice plus 1B data-based) 36% and Paper 2 (short-answer and extended-response) 44%, with the internal scientific investigation at 20%. Paper 1 runs 1.5 h at SL and 2 h at HL; Paper 2 runs 1.5 h at SL and 2.5 h at HL.
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 · 1A multiple-choice | Combined with 1B into 36% of the subject; Paper 1 is 1.5 h at SL and 2 h at HL, with 1A and 1B sat together without interruption | 36%（與 1B 合併） | 1.5 h SL / 2 h HL |
| Paper 1 · 1B data-based questions | Part of the same 36%; unfamiliar data and graphs must be processed into relationships and conclusions | 36%（與 1A 合併） | Inside the Paper 1 time |
| Paper 2 · short-answer and extended-response | 44% of the subject, the single heaviest component; 1.5 h at SL and 2.5 h at HL | 44% | 1.5 h SL / 2.5 h HL |
| Scientific investigation · internal | 20% of the subject, 10 hours recommended, report of up to 3,000 words, on a research question the student formulates | 20% | 10 hours |
The two papers make up 80%, and Paper 2’s 44% outweighs Paper 1’s 36%. Allocate accordingly: Paper 2 deserves at least as much time as Paper 1, with specific work on the evaluation sentence in extended responses.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 · 1A multiple-choice | Drill fast checks on units, dimensions and significant figures; 1A marks leak on signs and distractor options | Right calculation, wrong option, or a slipped unit conversion |
| Paper 1 · 1B data-based questions | A fixed routine: axes and units, linearise, gradient and uncertainty, then conclusion | Saying it is proportional without a gradient or uncertainty |
| Paper 2 · short-answer and extended-response | Structure extended answers as principle, equation, substitution, conclusion, plus a limitation | Answers without units; extended responses with no evaluation |
| Scientific investigation · internal | Keep the research question narrow and measurable; write the method and uncertainty plan before collecting data | An over-broad question and conclusions beyond what the data supports |
How should 1B data questions be written?
Direct answer: four fixed steps: state the quantity and unit on each axis, linearise if needed (logs or squares), find the gradient with its uncertainty, then link the gradient to a physical quantity and conclude. IB marks cluster on the gradient and its uncertainty; “the two quantities are proportional” earns very little.
Drill order: by topic, then by year, then the mark scheme
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. By topic | Work through each topic, starting with the paper that allows least help (no calculator / closed book) | Exposes what is genuinely not understood |
| 2. By year | Whole papers to time, one or two a week | Trains pace, stamina and question selection |
| 3. Mark scheme | Go through the marking scheme question by question and log the scoring steps you missed | Most lost marks are written wrong, not thought wrong |
What makes a high-scoring extended response?
Direct answer: four parts: name the physics principle or law, set up the equation with values and units, give the answer and discuss whether it is reasonable, then add a limitation or assumption such as neglecting air resistance. The last is what separates a 6 from a 7, and it is the one most often omitted.
A 12-week drilling timetable
| Week | Phase | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-3 | By topic: foundation | Topic by topic, starting with the easiest marks, building habits and recall |
| Weeks 4-6 | By topic: core | 8-10 years of the same topic back to back, errors classified by topic |
| Weeks 7-8 | By topic: advanced and electives | Elective and higher-order topics, now under time pressure |
| Weeks 9-10 | By year: timed papers | One full paper a week, timed, no reference materials |
| Week 11 | Mark scheme work | Question by question against the marking scheme; list the scoring steps you omitted |
| Week 12 | Plug holes and simulate | Only the recurring errors from your log, then one full exam simulation |
Subject-specific weighting for this timetable: One timed Paper 1 a week (1A and 1B without a break) plus part of a Paper 2, with one stage of the investigation advancing each month.
Use it properly: this is not a checklist to finish. Every week must keep time for redoing errors, or from week 9 you will be repeating the same batch.
Pacing
| Paper | Time | Suggested split |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 · 1A multiple-choice | SL 1.5 小時／HL 2 小時 | About 1 min per 1A item |
| Paper 1 · 1B data-based questions | 包含在卷一時間內 | About 10-12 min per question |
| Paper 2 · short-answer and extended-response | SL 1.5 小時／HL 2.5 小時 | About 1.2 min per mark |
| Scientific investigation · internal | 10 小時 | One stage every two weeks |
How should the 20% scientific investigation be planned?
Direct answer: narrow the research question until one independent variable and one measurable data set answer it. Work in order: question and hypothesis, method and uncertainty plan, a pilot run to set the data range, then data collection, then the report of up to 3,000 words. An over-broad question is the commonest fatal flaw.
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Proportional” only | No gradient or uncertainty in 1B | Marks cluster on the gradient and uncertainty | Axes, linearise, gradient plus uncertainty, conclusion |
| No evaluation | Stopping at the answer | The evaluation sentence separates 6 from 7 | Add one limitation or assumption per extended response |
| Predicting the paper from old ones | Assuming the structure is unchanged | The course was first assessed in 2025 and Paper 1 now splits into 1A and 1B | Use old papers as topic practice only; trust the latest official brief |
The error log and the mark scheme
File errors by type: units, significant figures, uncertainty and evaluation sentences. IB Physics losses cluster here rather than in the content itself.
How many years should you drill?
The current course was first assessed in 2025 and its structure differs from the previous one; use current-style questions and official samples, with old papers for topic practice only.
How many years of past papers should you drill?
Direct answer: no official figure, but note the structure has changed: the course was first assessed in 2025, and the division into Paper 1 (1A plus 1B) and Paper 2 differs from the previous course, so old papers are topic practice only and should not be used to predict the current papers. Work mainly with current-course materials and the official sample papers.
Frequently asked questions
Can 1A and 1B be sat separately?
No: the brief states they are completed together without interruption, so drill them as one timed block.
Is there a word limit on the investigation?
Yes: the brief sets a maximum of 3,000 words for the report.
Is a calculator allowed in IB Physics?
Technology use follows the IBO regulations and paper instructions; in practice, train yourself to set up equations without a formula sheet.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| IBO Physics subject brief (first assessment 2025) | Confirm Paper 1 36%, Paper 2 44%, the 20% investigation and paper times |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/ib-physics-hl | IB Physics course guide |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-ib-math-aa-past-paper-drill-guide/ | IB Maths AA drilling guide |
Related: IB practice area · IB Maths AA guide · IB Economics guide
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