The Most-Tested Topics in IB Physics HL
Every IB Physics HL past-paper question, mapped to the current syllabus and ranked by how often each topic is tested (2016–2025).
All topics (HL) ()
42 papers analysed · top 15 of 24 topics
| # | Topic | % of all HL questions | Questions | Avg marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wave characteristics | 15.1% | 147 | 2.9 |
| 2 | Forces and momentum | 13.4% | 130 | 2.1 |
| 3 | Work, energy and power | 12.6% | 122 | 1.7 |
| 4 | Wave interference | 11.8% | 115 | 3.8 |
| 5 | Electric fields | 10.6% | 103 | 2 |
| 6 | Current and circuits | 10% | 97 | 2.2 |
| 7 | Kinematics | 9.3% | 90 | 1.8 |
| 8 | Radioactive decay | 9% | 87 | 2.8 |
| 9 | Gravitational fields | 6.5% | 63 | 2.9 |
| 10 | Temperature and thermal energy | 6.4% | 62 | 2.5 |
| 11 | A.5 Special relativity: energy and momentum (AHL) | 5.8% | 56 | 5 |
| 12 | Simple harmonic motion | 5.7% | 55 | 3.9 |
| 13 | Gases | 5.6% | 54 | 3.6 |
| 14 | D.5 Electromagnetic induction (AHL) | 5.6% | 54 | 1.8 |
| 15 | Atomic structure | 5.5% | 53 | 1.3 |
How this was measured
Based on OwlsPrep's database of IB Physics HL past papers (2016–2025), 971 questions each tagged to its syllabus topic and mapped to the current IB syllabus via our topic crosswalk. “% of all HL questions” = the share of all tagged IB Physics HL questions that test the topic. Topics no longer in the current syllabus are excluded; because one question can test several topics, shares do not sum to 100%. Figures are aggregate statistics from question metadata — no exam questions or mark schemes are reproduced.
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