Recent posts View all
Home of real teaching & learning
  • Full support for teachers
  • Focus on critical thinking
  • Engaging classroom activities
  • Integrated student eBook
  • Assessed tasks / qBank
  • Practice exam questions

The InThinking Guarantee: Our sites are written by expert practitioners and not by AI

See our AI policy

Disclaimer: InThinking subject sites are neither endorsed by nor connected with the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

Don't miss out, find out!
IB Approved Workshops
Physics
IB DP Category 1

Paris, France, 13 - 15 November 2026

Find out more
Physics: A focus on the experimental programme
IB DP Category 3

Paris, France, 19 - 21 February 2027

Find out more
Physics
IB DP Category 2

Berlin, Germany, 26 - 28 February 2027

Find out more
Virtual Think-Ins

Find all InThinking events at
inthinking.net

Should I study physics?

That's a good question, a bit late for me because I already did but well-timed for students choosing their IB subjects. It's not about what you know but about the way you think - some of my best students had very little knowledge of physics before they started the course but ended up scoring a 7. Conversely, some students who have studied physics for years do quite badly.

IB physics is not like all physics courses. It's no use practising loads of problems hoping that similar ones will come up on the exam (except maybe in the astrophysics option). IB examiners like to set questions where you have to apply what you know to novel situations and that means you have to understand the concepts not just remember the definitions. To help students decide I have made a little test. It's not based on years of research, just years of experience but hopefully it gives some idea as to the mathematical requirements and the way we think.

Link to quiz


Tags: prior knowlege, quiz

Help