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100+ Free IB Physics HL Practice Questions

Pass your International Baccalaureate Physics Higher Level exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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A particle moves in a straight line with x(t) = 5t^2 + 2t. What is its acceleration?

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Key Facts: IB Physics HL Exam

1-7

IB grading scale

IBO Diploma Programme

240 hours

Recommended HL teaching time

IB Physics subject guide

5h 45m

Total written exam time (Papers 1+2+3)

IB Physics subject guide

20%

Internal Assessment weighting

IB Physics subject guide

May 2025

First exams under new syllabus

IB Physics subject brief

100

Free practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

IB Physics HL is the 240-hour Higher Level option in IB Diploma Group 4 Sciences. The new syllabus (first exams 2025) is built on five themes with HL extensions, assessed by three exam papers (5h 45m total) and a 20% Internal Assessment investigation, graded 1-7.

Sample IB Physics HL Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your IB Physics HL exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A car accelerates uniformly from rest to 20 m/s in 5.0 s. What is its acceleration?
A.4.0 m/s^2
B.5.0 m/s^2
C.0.25 m/s^2
D.100 m/s^2
Explanation: Using a = (v - u)/t = (20 - 0)/5.0 = 4.0 m/s^2. Acceleration is the change in velocity divided by time.
2A projectile is launched at 30 degrees above horizontal with speed 40 m/s. What is its initial vertical velocity? (sin 30 = 0.5)
A.20 m/s
B.34.6 m/s
C.40 m/s
D.10 m/s
Explanation: Vertical component v_y = v sin(theta) = 40 x sin(30) = 40 x 0.5 = 20 m/s. Always resolve along the perpendicular axes.
3A 2.0 kg object experiences a net force of 10 N. What is its acceleration?
A.5.0 m/s^2
B.20 m/s^2
C.0.2 m/s^2
D.12 m/s^2
Explanation: Newton's second law: F = ma, so a = F/m = 10/2.0 = 5.0 m/s^2. Acceleration is force divided by mass.
4A 1500 kg car moving at 25 m/s collides and stops in 0.50 s. What is the average force on the car?
A.75 000 N
B.37 500 N
C.15 000 N
D.750 N
Explanation: Impulse = change in momentum: F dt = m dv, so F = m dv/dt = 1500 x 25 / 0.50 = 75 000 N. The force opposes motion.
5A disc of mass 2.0 kg and radius 0.30 m rotates about its central axis. What is its moment of inertia? (I_disc = ½ m r^2)
A.0.090 kg m^2
B.0.180 kg m^2
C.0.045 kg m^2
D.0.60 kg m^2
Explanation: For a solid disc about its central axis I = ½ m r^2 = ½ x 2.0 x 0.30^2 = ½ x 2.0 x 0.09 = 0.090 kg m^2.
6A torque of 6.0 N m acts on a wheel of moment of inertia 2.0 kg m^2. What is the angular acceleration?
A.3.0 rad/s^2
B.12 rad/s^2
C.0.33 rad/s^2
D.8.0 rad/s^2
Explanation: Rotational analogue of Newton's second law: tau = I alpha, so alpha = tau / I = 6.0 / 2.0 = 3.0 rad/s^2.
7A point mass of 0.50 kg moves in a circle of radius 0.40 m. What is its moment of inertia about the centre?
A.0.080 kg m^2
B.0.20 kg m^2
C.0.040 kg m^2
D.1.25 kg m^2
Explanation: For a point mass at radius r the moment of inertia is I = m r^2 = 0.50 x 0.40^2 = 0.50 x 0.16 = 0.080 kg m^2.
8A spinning ice skater pulls in her arms, reducing her moment of inertia from 6.0 kg m^2 to 2.0 kg m^2. If her initial angular velocity was 2.0 rad/s, what is her new angular velocity?
A.6.0 rad/s
B.0.67 rad/s
C.2.0 rad/s
D.12 rad/s
Explanation: Angular momentum is conserved: I1 w1 = I2 w2. So w2 = (I1/I2) w1 = (6.0/2.0) x 2.0 = 6.0 rad/s. Reducing I increases w.
9A flywheel has moment of inertia 0.50 kg m^2 and angular velocity 10 rad/s. What is its rotational kinetic energy?
A.25 J
B.50 J
C.5.0 J
D.100 J
Explanation: Rotational KE = ½ I w^2 = ½ x 0.50 x 10^2 = ½ x 0.50 x 100 = 25 J. Identical form to ½ m v^2 with I and w.
10A solid sphere of mass 5.0 kg and radius 0.20 m rotates about its diameter. What is its moment of inertia? (I_sphere = 2/5 m r^2)
A.0.080 kg m^2
B.0.20 kg m^2
C.0.040 kg m^2
D.0.50 kg m^2
Explanation: For a solid sphere about its diameter I = (2/5) m r^2 = 0.4 x 5.0 x 0.04 = 0.080 kg m^2.

About the IB Physics HL Exam

IB Physics Higher Level is the Group 4 physics option for students with strong interest in physical sciences, designed around five overarching themes (Space and Time, Particulate Matter, Wave Behaviour, Fields, Nuclear and Quantum). The new syllabus, first examined in May 2025, is assessed via three external papers — Paper 1 (Part A multiple choice + Part B data analysis), Paper 2 (short-answer and extended-response) and Paper 3 (HL-only choice essay) — plus an Internal Assessment scientific investigation worth 20% of the final grade. HL covers all SL content plus additional depth on rotational and rolling dynamics, special relativity, full thermodynamics including entropy and Carnot cycles, simple harmonic motion with damping and resonance, capacitors and electromagnetic induction, and the Standard Model of particle physics.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

5 hours 45 minutes total (Paper 1: 2h, Paper 2: 2h 30m, Paper 3: 1h 15m)

Passing Score

Grade 4 standard pass on 1-7 scale; final grade combines three papers and the Internal Assessment

Exam Fee

Set by school; IB subject registration fees typically USD 119 per subject (International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO))

IB Physics HL Exam Content Outline

Theme A

Space, time and motion

Kinematics, projectile and circular motion, Newton's laws, work-energy theorem, momentum and impulse; HL extensions include rotational kinematics (angular displacement, velocity, acceleration), moment of inertia for point mass, hoop, disc, sphere and rod, angular momentum L=Iw and its conservation, torque tau=I alpha, rotational kinetic energy, rolling motion, and special relativity (Einstein's postulates, time dilation t'=gamma t, length contraction L'=L/gamma, relativistic momentum and energy, E^2=(pc)^2+(mc^2)^2)

Theme B

The particulate nature of matter

Specific heat capacity, latent heat, ideal gas law pV=nRT, kinetic theory and root-mean-square speed; HL extensions include the second law of thermodynamics, entropy change delta S = Q/T for reversible processes, heat engines and Carnot efficiency eta = 1 - Tc/Th, PV diagram analysis of isothermal, isobaric, isochoric and adiabatic processes, and equipartition of energy

Theme C

Wave behaviour

Travelling and standing waves, superposition, diffraction, double-slit interference, refraction and Snell's law, polarisation, Doppler effect; HL extensions include simple harmonic motion a = -w^2 x with full kinematic equations, simple pendulum T=2pi sqrt(L/g), mass-spring T=2pi sqrt(m/k), energy in SHM, light/critical/heavy damping, resonance and quality factor Q, Doppler effect for light and beats from combining sinusoidal waves

Theme D

Fields

Gravitational and electric fields, field strength and potential, Newton's universal gravitation, Coulomb's law, magnetic force F=BIL and F=qvB, DC circuits and Kirchhoff's laws; HL extensions include gravitational potential V_g=-GM/r, escape velocity, orbital energy KE=GMm/(2r), capacitors in series and parallel with energy E=½CV^2, RC charging/discharging with tau=RC, electromagnetic induction (Faraday's law epsilon = -N dPhi/dt, Lenz's law), AC generators and transformers Vp/Vs = Np/Ns

Theme E

Nuclear and quantum physics

Atomic spectra, photoelectric effect, matter waves, radioactive decay (alpha, beta, gamma), half-life and the decay law N=N0 e^(-lambda t), fission and fusion, mass-energy equivalence and binding energy; HL extensions include the Standard Model (six quarks, six leptons and antiparticles), baryons vs mesons, the four fundamental forces with exchange particles (photon, W+/-, Z, gluon), conservation laws (baryon number, lepton number, strangeness), Feynman diagrams, and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle delta x delta p >= hbar/2

20% IA

Internal Assessment

Scientific investigation: an individual scientific investigation of about 10 pages assessed against four criteria (research design, data analysis, conclusion, evaluation). Worth 20% of the final grade across SL and HL.

How to Pass the IB Physics HL Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Grade 4 standard pass on 1-7 scale; final grade combines three papers and the Internal Assessment
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: 5 hours 45 minutes total (Paper 1: 2h, Paper 2: 2h 30m, Paper 3: 1h 15m)
  • Exam fee: Set by school; IB subject registration fees typically USD 119 per subject

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

IB Physics HL Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master rotational analogues of linear quantities — torque, moment of inertia, angular momentum, rotational KE — Paper 2 questions often pair both treatments
2Drill the special relativity gamma factor and the energy-momentum relation E^2 = (pc)^2 + (mc^2)^2; these are easy marks if memorised
3Practice simple harmonic motion with full energy bookkeeping (E_total = ½mw^2 A^2) and damping/resonance Q-factor questions
4Learn the Standard Model table — quarks, leptons, baryons vs mesons, exchange particles, and conservation rules for baryon/lepton number, charge, strangeness
5Use the IB Physics data booklet during practice — it has every constant and formula you can rely on in the exam

Frequently Asked Questions

How is IB Physics HL different from IB Physics SL?

HL has 240 teaching hours versus 150 for SL, adds an extra Paper 3 (HL-only choice essay) and covers all five themes with additional HL depth — including rotational dynamics, special relativity, full thermodynamics with entropy and Carnot cycles, simple harmonic motion with damping and resonance, capacitors and electromagnetic induction, transformers, the Standard Model of particle physics, Feynman diagrams and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

What are the three exam papers in IB Physics HL?

Paper 1 is 2 hours and combines Part A (multiple choice) with Part B (data-based questions). Paper 2 is 2 hours 30 minutes with short-answer and extended-response questions across all five themes. Paper 3 is 1 hour 15 minutes (HL only) with a choice of essay questions integrating across themes. The three papers count for 80% of the grade and the IA scientific investigation is the other 20%.

When did the new IB Physics syllabus start?

The new IB Physics syllabus was first taught from August 2023 and first examined in May 2025. It replaces the previous Topics 1-12 / Options A-D structure with five themes (Space, time and motion; The particulate nature of matter; Wave behaviour; Fields; Nuclear and quantum physics).

How is IB Physics HL graded?

Each subject is graded on a 1-7 scale, with 7 the highest. A 4 is generally considered a pass. Grades are determined by combining marks from Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3 and the Internal Assessment against grade boundaries set after each session. Top engineering and physics university programmes typically expect a 6 or 7 in HL Physics.

What is the Internal Assessment for IB Physics HL?

The Internal Assessment is an individual scientific investigation of approximately 10 pages, assessed against four criteria (research design, data analysis, conclusion, evaluation) by the teacher and externally moderated by the IBO. It is worth 20% of the final grade for both SL and HL Physics.