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IB Physics›Physics HL
Revision Notes

IB Physics HL

Clear, student-friendly revision notes for IB Physics Higher Level — every SL topic plus the HL depth (rotation, relativity, thermodynamics, induction and quantum physics), each with worked examples and exam pointers for Papers 1, 2 and 3.

Physics HL · Revision Notes

Table of Contents

Click any topic to expand and view all the notes inside.

1

Motion, Forces & Energy

How objects move and turn — motion, momentum, energy, rotation and relativity.

57 notes▾

Describing Motion

8▾
Distance vs Displacement→ Speed vs Velocity→ Acceleration→ The Equations of Motion→ Graphs of Motion→ Projectiles→ Resistance in Fluids→ Terminal Velocity→

Forces & Momentum

19▾
Drawing Free-Body Diagrams→ Newton’s First Law→ Newton’s Second Law→ Newton’s Third Law→ Contact Forces→ Forces at a Distance→ Friction→ Hooke’s Law→ Stoke’s Law→ Buoyancy→ Conservation of Momentum→ Impulse & Momentum→ Force & Rate of Momentum→ 1D Collisions & Explosions→ 2D Collisions & Explosions→ Angular Velocity→ Centripetal Force→ Centripetal Acceleration→ Non-Uniform Circular Motion→

Work, Energy & Power

10▾
Conservation of Energy→ Energy Flow (Sankey) Diagrams→ Calculating Work Done→ Kinetic Energy→ Gravitational PE→ Elastic PE→ Mechanical Energy Conservation→ Power & Energy→ Efficiency→ Energy Density→

Rotational Mechanics

9▾
Torque & Couples→ Rotational Equilibrium→ Angular Motion Quantities→ Angular Acceleration→ Moment of Inertia→ Rotational Form of Newton’s 2nd Law→ Angular Momentum→ Angular Impulse→ Rotational KE→

Relativity

11▾
Reference Frames→ Galilean Relativity→ The Postulates of Special Relativity→ Lorentz Transformations→ Relativistic Velocity Addition→ Space-Time Interval→ Time Dilation→ Length Contraction→ Relativity of Simultaneity→ Space-Time Diagrams→ The Muon Experiment→
2

Matter, Heat & Electricity

Heat flow, planetary warming, gas behaviour, thermodynamics and electric circuits.

47 notes▾

Heat & Thermal Transfer

15▾
States of Matter→ Density→ Measuring Temperature→ Temperature & Particle Energy→ Internal Energy→ Thermal Equilibrium→ Changing State→ Specific Heat Capacity→ Latent Heat→ Thermal Conduction→ Thermal Convection→ Thermal Radiation→ Brightness & Luminosity→ Stefan-Boltzmann Law→ Wien’s Law→

Climate & the Greenhouse Effect

5▾
Albedo & Emissivity→ The Solar Constant→ Greenhouse Gases→ The Greenhouse Effect→ Energy Balance Calculations→

The Behaviour of Gases

7▾
Gas Pressure→ The Mole & Amount of Substance→ Gas Laws→ Ideal Gas Equation→ Kinetic Theory→ Deriving the Kinetic Theory Equation→ Average Molecular Kinetic Energy→

Thermodynamics

8▾
Thermodynamic Systems→ First Law of Thermodynamics→ Entropy→ Entropy Change Calculations→ Second Law of Thermodynamics→ Thermodynamic Processes→ Heat Engines→ The Carnot Cycle→

Electric Current & Circuits

12▾
Reading Circuit Diagrams→ Electric Current→ Potential Difference→ Conductors & Insulators→ Resistance→ Resistivity→ I–V Characteristics→ Series & Parallel Circuits→ Power in Circuits→ Sources of EMF→ EMF & Internal Resistance→ Variable Resistors→
3

Oscillations & Waves

Repeating motion, how waves travel and behave, and shifting frequencies.

31 notes▾

Oscillations & SHM

8▾
Describing Oscillations→ Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)→ Period of a Mass-Spring System→ Period of a Simple Pendulum→ Energy in SHM→ SHM Equations→ Energy Change Calculations in SHM→ Phase Angles in SHM→

Modelling Waves

4▾
Wave Properties→ Transverse & Longitudinal Waves→ Sound Waves→ The EM Spectrum→

How Waves Behave

9▾
Wavefronts & Rays→ Reflection, Refraction & Transmission→ Diffraction→ Refraction→ Superposition→ Interference→ Young’s Double Slit→ Single-Slit Diffraction→ Diffraction Gratings→

Standing Waves & Resonance

6▾
Standing Waves→ Nodes & Antinodes→ Standing Wave Boundary Conditions→ Harmonics in Strings & Pipes→ Resonance→ Damping→

The Doppler Effect

4▾
The Doppler Effect→ Doppler Effect for Light→ Redshift of Galaxies→ Doppler Equations for Sound→
4

Force Fields

Invisible fields of force, how charges move through them, and electromagnetic induction.

34 notes▾

Gravity & Its Field

12▾
Newton’s Law of Gravitation→ Gravitational Field Strength→ Mapping Gravitational Fields→ Gravitational Potential→ GPE in a Non-Uniform Field→ The GPE Equation→ Gravitational Potential Gradient→ Gravitational Equipotentials→ Kepler’s Laws→ Escape Speed→ Orbits: Speed & Energy→ Drag on Orbits→

Electric & Magnetic Fields

11▾
Electric Charge→ Millikan’s Oil-Drop Experiment→ Static Charge→ Coulomb’s Law→ Electric Field Strength→ Mapping Electric Fields→ Electric Potential→ Electric Potential Energy→ Electric Potential Gradient→ Electric Equipotentials→ Magnetic Fields→

Charges Moving in Fields

6▾
Force on a Current-Carrying Wire→ Force Between Parallel Wires→ Force on a Moving Charge→ Charges in Magnetic Fields→ Charges in Electric Fields→ Charges in Combined Fields→

Electromagnetic Induction

5▾
Induced EMF→ Magnetic Flux→ Faraday’s Law→ Lenz’s Law→ AC Generators→
5

The Atomic & Nuclear World

Inside the atom — quantum behaviour, decay, splitting and joining nuclei, and stars.

39 notes▾

Atomic Structure

7▾
Rutherford’s Gold-Foil Experiment→ Nuclear Notation→ Emission & Absorption Spectra→ Photon Energy→ Rutherford Scattering & Nuclear Size→ Deviations from Rutherford Scattering→ Bohr’s Model of Hydrogen→

Quantum Behaviour

6▾
The Photoelectric Effect→ The Photoelectric Equation→ Light as a Particle→ de Broglie Wavelength→ Wave-Particle Duality→ Compton Scattering→

Radioactivity & Decay

13▾
Isotopes & Decay→ Background Radiation→ Alpha, Beta & Gamma Radiation→ Decay Equations→ Activity & Half-Life→ Decay Constant & Half-Life→ The Radioactive Decay Law→ Uses of Radioactivity→ Mass Defect & Binding Energy→ Binding Energy per Nucleon→ Nuclear Stability→ Nuclear Energy Levels→ Evidence for the Neutrino→

Nuclear Fission

5▾
Spontaneous & Induced Fission→ Energy from Fission→ Chain Reactions→ How a Nuclear Reactor Works→ Managing Radioactive Waste→

Fusion & the Stars

8▾
Fusion in Stars→ Energy from Fusion→ How Stars Form→ The Life Cycle of a Star→ The HR Diagram→ Stellar Spectra→ Stellar Parallax→ Finding Stellar Radii→
6

Practical Skills Toolkit

The hands-on methods, tech and maths every physics experiment relies on.

13 notes▾

Skill Set 1: Experimental Technique

2▾
Safety, Ethics & the Environment→ Measuring Variables→

Skill Set 2: Using Technology

2▾
Using Tech to Collect Data→ Using Tech to Process Data→

Skill Set 3: Maths for Physics

9▾
Maths Skills for Physics→ Scalars & Vectors→ Adding & Resolving Vectors→ Scale Diagrams→ Base & Derived Units→ Dimensional Analysis→ Handling Uncertainties→ Graphing Skills→ Uncertainties from Graphs→
7

The Scientific Inquiry Cycle

Working like a scientist, from first question to final evaluation.

8 notes▾

Stage 1: Explore & Design

3▾
Exploring a Problem→ Designing an Investigation→ Controlling Variables→

Stage 2: Collect & Process Data

3▾
Collecting Data→ Processing Data→ Interpreting Results→

Stage 3: Conclude & Evaluate

2▾
Drawing Conclusions→ Evaluating the Method→

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