IB Physics Tutoring: HL and SL
Quick Answer
IB Physics is a Group 4 science offered at Higher and Standard Level. At both levels the assessment is Paper 1 (36%), Paper 2 (44%) and the Internal Assessment (20%). HL adds further content and more demanding mathematical work. IB Courses offers 90-minute one-to-one online lessons at both levels.
Lesson packages
Prices are set in US dollars and charged in your local currency. Split 10 and 20-lesson packages across any subjects you like — no limit, no expiry date.
In IB Physics most marks are lost not to missing knowledge but to how a multi-step solution is written down. The mark scheme credits intermediate steps; a student who reaches the right answer while skipping the working gives up part of the available credit.
This page sets out the difference between the levels and what each expects. If you already know your level, go straight to the relevant subject page.
Choose your level
IB Physics HL
Paper 1 36% · Paper 2 44% · IA 20%
For students heading towards engineering, physics and related quantitative degrees. Covers SL plus the HL-only content.
Go to subject pageIB Physics SL
Paper 1 36% · Paper 2 44% · IA 20%
For students taking physics as a supporting science or building a solid grounding in the core concepts.
Go to subject pageWhere are marks lost in the IB Physics IA?
The IA is 20% of the final grade. Marks cluster around uncertainty and graphical analysis: measurement uncertainty left out, error not propagated when a result is taken from a gradient, and axis choices left unjustified.
The second common problem is a research question that is too broad. A narrow question with a single controllable independent variable scores higher than an ambitious but uncontrolled one.
Paper 1 and Paper 2 need different preparation
Paper 1 is multiple choice and data-based: speed and conceptual clarity decide the outcome. Paper 2 is short and extended response, where showing the working decides it.
The same topic therefore has to be prepared twice, once for each format. In lessons each topic is covered conceptually first and then in both paper formats.
IB Physics tutoring: frequently asked questions
Is my maths level enough for IB Physics HL?
- HL Physics expects comfort with algebra, trigonometry and basic calculus at Maths AA or AI level. Students on Maths SL complete HL Physics successfully, but usually need extra work in the first term to raise their speed with the manipulation.
What is the difference between Physics HL and SL?
- The weightings are identical (Paper 1 36%, Paper 2 44%, IA 20%). The difference is scope: HL contains the whole SL syllabus plus HL-only topics, and teaching time rises from 150 to 240 hours.
Is eight weeks before the exam too late to start?
- Not too late, but the goal changes. In eight weeks the work shifts from learning new content to harvesting marks: the topic groups that carry the most credit, the recurring question types and writing to the mark scheme. Two lessons a week are advisable in this window.
Let's build your physics plan around your exam date
In a free consultation we assess your current level and exam timetable and agree the weekly lesson count together. We do not guarantee any specific IB grade.