IB Physics Exam Breakdown

A breakdown of the IB Physics exams. The exams account for most of your final IB Physics grade. Use this page to understand the paper structure and pacing before you sit your exams in IB Physics.

Paper 1: Multiple Choice & Data Analysis

Weighting: SL 36% | HL 36%
This IB Physics exam paper tests all of your core syllabus knowledge through multiple choice & data analysis questions.

You are allowed a calculator and data booklet for this Physics exam.
LevelDescriptionTime
SL
45 marks:

Section A: 25 marks delivered through 25 multiple-choice questions, each with 4 answer options (A/B/C/D)

Section B: 20 marks delivered through data-based questions of multi-part (i/ii/iii) and short answer form

90 minutes:
  • 2.0 minutes per mark
HL
60 marks:

Section A: 40 marks delivered through 40 multiple-choice questions, each with 4 answer options (A/B/C/D)

Section B: 20 marks delivered through data-based questions of multi-part (i/ii/iii) and short answer form

120 minutes:
  • 2.0 minutes per mark

Paper 2: Extended Response

Weighting: SL 44% | HL 44%
This IB Physics exam paper tests all of your core syllabus knowledge through extended response questions.

You are allowed a calculator and data booklet for this Physics exam.
LevelDescriptionTime
SL
55 marks:
  • Short-answer questions on syllabus content
  • Multi-part questions on syllabus content
90 minutes:
  • 1.6 minutes per mark
HL
90 marks:
  • Short-answer questions on syllabus content
  • Multi-part questions on syllabus content
150 minutes:
  • 1.7 minutes per mark

Great Work!

You have now covered all of our exam breakdowns for IB Physics.
Now that you have completed these IB Physics exam breakdowns, dive into our syllabus points for the IB Physics course.
IB Physics syllabus points

Explored IB Physics?

Get stuck into one of our other subjects!
Join 85,000 students, across 130+ countries, in 500+ IB schools. That's half of the IB science graduates worldwide.
Start a 7d free trial