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Physics SL Exam Questions


Guest Linnsan

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Guest Linnsan

The physics SL exams are soon coming up and I am going through old exams.. IB likes reusing questions, and in going through old exams, one easily notices questions that they are fond of that reoccur. Can you help me identify these questions?

For Paper 1s, I've seen a lot of:

-Voltage-Current (V-I) or (I-V) graphs

- s-t, v-t and a-t graphs

-momentum-time graphs

- defining "translational equilibrium"

- properties of an ideal gas (a lot!)

- questions on energy sources, like their efficiency, disadvantages and the use of these sources in the world

- the order of magnitude, for example age of the universe, diameter of a proton

- what supports the existance of atomic energy levels (absorption spectra)

What else is there? And for the Paper 2s? (Haven't gone through any old paper 2s really).

Simply, what can one NOT miss revising before the exams, that is likely to show up?

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Mechanics and waves should come up a fair bit. I'd recommend going over that.

You should definitely go over paper 2's because that's the more difficult one. That always involves a data analysis question at the start so if you aren't sure how uncertainties work then you might struggle with them. That's even in paper 1 some times you have to answer something relating to the axes of a graph (they can be confusing sometimes)

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Guest Linnsan

Yes, I forgot to add to my list questions on uncertainties and on accurate/precise and random or experimental errors. I'm no good with calculating uncertainties so that I'll have to do. Problem is.. I usually get around 12 out of 30 on the paper 1s I do. The best I ever got was 18. The Paper 2s are even worse.

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And for the Paper 2s? (Haven't gone through any old paper 2s really).

Physics SL Paper 2 very frequently has questions about waves and simple harmonic motion, collisions, electrostatic and gravitational fields, radioactivity, and simple electrical circuits.
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From what I know, unit 8 (Energy, Power, and Climate Change) is the most important topic along with unit 2 (forces and dynamics). Unit 8 helps you cover roughly 5-6 questions on paper 1, and those questions are relatively easy if you have read unit 8 and done some practice problems. MitchCampbell gives you a fair idea of what's seen most frequently on the exams in his post in http://www.ibsurvival.com/topic/20082-exams-coming-up-discussion/.

If you do some intense reading over the next few days, I think you will actually be able to answer up to 19 questions or more on paper 1, and that's a 6. For paper 2, like the above poster has suggested, look over past exams in detail and you should be okay.

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Guest Linnsan

Oh? I didn't realize the boundaries were so low. That link you provided looks good, will read through it thoroughly in a bit. I am also watching solutions for old Paper 2 questions on youtube and of course readthrough my study guide.

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Oh? I didn't realize the boundaries were so low. That link you provided looks good, will read through it thoroughly in a bit. I am also watching solutions for old Paper 2 questions on youtube and of course readthrough my study guide.

Ya, I think you should be fine. Here is a link to last year's grade boundaries http://www.ibgwhs.site11.com/IB%20Grade%20Boundaries%202011.pdf .

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