Welcome to the physics home page. Here you will find the links to each topic as well as copies of the data booklet and syllabus. Below is a breakdown of the course and how the teaching hours are allocated. More comprehensive information is found in the syllabus below.
As I get older, I realise being wrong isn’t a bad thing like they teach you in school. It is an opportunity to learn something.
Richard Feynman
New Syllabus Breakdown (First Assessment 2025).
Syllabus Component | Teaching Hours SL | Teaching Hours HL |
---|---|---|
Syllabus content | 110 | 180 |
A. Space, time and motion A.1 Kinematics • A.2 Forces and momentum • A.3 Work, energy and power • A.4 Rigid body mechanics ••• A.5 Galilean and special relativity ••• | 27 | 42 9 10 8 7 8 |
B. The particulate nature of matter B.1 Thermal energy transfers • B.2 Greenhouse effect • B.3 Gas laws • B.4 Thermodynamics ••• B.5 Current and circuits • | 24 | 32 6 6 6 8 6 |
C. Wave behaviour C.1 Simple harmonic motion •• C.2 Wave model • C.3 Wave phenomena •• C.4 Standing waves and resonance • C.5 Doppler effect •• | 17 | 29 7 3 11 4 4 |
D. Fields D.1 Gravitational fields •• D.2 Electric and magnetic fields •• D.3 Motion in electromagnetic fields • D.4 Induction ••• | 19 | 38 12 14 6 6 |
E. Nuclear and quantum physics E.1 Structure of the atom •• E.2 Quantum physics ••• E.3 Radioactive decay •• E.4 Fission • E.5 Fusion and stars • | 23 | 39 9 8 12 4 6 |
Experimental programme | 40 | 60 |
Practical work Collaborative sciences project Scientific investigation | 20 10 10 | 40 10 10 |
Syllabus Breakdown (First Assessment 2016)
Syllabus Component | SL Teaching Hours | HL Teaching Hours |
---|---|---|
Core 1. Measurements and uncertainties 2. Mechanics 3. Thermal physics 4. Waves 5. Electricity and magnetism 6. Circular motion and gravitation 7. Atomic, nuclear and particle physics 8. Energy production | 95 5 22 11 15 15 5 14 8 | 95 5 22 11 15 15 5 14 8 |
Additional Higher Level 9. Wave phenomena 10. Fields 11. Electromagnetic induction 12. Quantum and nuclear physics | 60 17 11 16 16 | |
Option A. Relativity B. Engineering physics C. Imaging D. Astrophysics | 15 15 15 15 15 | 25 25 25 25 25 |
Practical scheme of work Practical activities Individual investigation (internal assessment – IA) Group 4 project | 40 20 10 10 | 60 40 10 10 |
Total teaching hours | 150 | 240 |