Qualification Aims and Objectives

The course develops students’ understanding of the physical world, from subatomic particles to cosmological scales, while fostering scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and practical investigation. It encourages students to be knowledgeable, inquiring, and open-minded, and to appreciate the impact of physics on society, technology, the environment, and global challenges.

Objectives

• Develop a deep conceptual understanding of key physical principles and processes.
• Acquire and apply scientific knowledge, methods, and investigative techniques.
• Build practical and analytical skills through experimentation and collaborative work.
• Consider the ethical, environmental, economic, cultural, and social implications of physics.

Course Outline

The course is built around three pillars:

• Approaches to learning
• Nature of science
• Skills in the study of physics

Syllabus Themes

• Mechanics: motion, forces, energy, momentum, circular motion, oscillations
• Thermal Physics: temperature, heat, kinetic theory, thermodynamics
• Waves: wave phenomena, sound, light, superposition, Doppler effect
• Electricity and Magnetism: electric fields, circuits, magnetic fields, electromagnetism
• Circular Motion and Gravitation: orbital motion, gravitation, planetary physics
• Atomic, Nuclear, and Particle Physics: atomic structure, nuclear decay, fundamental particles, quantum concepts

Experimental Programme

• Practical Work
• Collaborative Sciences Project
• Scientific Investigation

Develops skills in exploring and designing, collecting and processing data, concluding and evaluating, supported by experimental techniques, technology, and mathematics.

Assessment (HL)

• External (80%): Paper 1 – multiple-choice and data-based questions; Paper 2 – data-based, short-answer, and extended-response questions
• Internal (20%): Scientific Investigation – open-ended research project with a written report (max 3,000 words)