IB Physics HL exam-day guide
IB Physics HL · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID
Bring the identification document your school or exam centre requires. Confirm the accepted form and name matching with your coordinator; do not assume a school card is sufficient.
Admission statement or candidate number
Know your candidate number and session details. Your coordinator will confirm how admission information is distributed at your centre.
Approved calculator
Bring a calculator you have used throughout the course. Check the centre's current permitted-calculator rules with your coordinator; policies change, so confirm rather than rely on memory.
Spare batteries or backup calculator
Carry spare batteries of the correct type, or a second approved calculator if your centre allows it. Confirm backup-device rules with your coordinator.
Printed Physics data booklet
You will be provided with the data booklet for the papers. If you are used to a personal annotated copy for study, leave it at home; only clean materials supplied by the centre are permitted in the exam room.
Transparent pencil case with pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener, ruler
Use black or blue pens for written answers and a pencil for any multiple-choice answer sheet. A 30 cm ruler is useful for ray diagrams and graphs.
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Only plain water in a transparent container is typically allowed. Confirm the centre's exact policy on drinks and snacks.
No phone or smartwatch in the exam room
Leave phones, smartwatches, and any wearable technology outside the room or in the designated storage. A device found on you can lead to disqualification even if switched off.
Know your session timing and arrival point
Confirm start time, room, and arrival buffer with your coordinator. Arrive early enough to complete ID checks without stress.
Review command terms and data booklet layout
The day before, skim the definitions of command terms (state, outline, explain, determine, suggest) and locate key equations in the data booklet so you do not waste time searching during the paper.
Plan a light review of your own formula sheet and common errors
Use your own summary of unit conversions, significant figures, and recurring mistakes (sign conventions, vector components, graph gradients) rather than new material.
Confirm access arrangements if applicable
If you have approved access arrangements (extra time, separate room, rest breaks), confirm logistics with your coordinator in advance. needs_review
Plan the day
Stop learning new content. Re-read your own summary notes for each topic, focusing on definitions, units, and the equations you most often misapply. Do one timed past-paper section under exam conditions, then mark it strictly and list every lost mark by cause (misread, unit slip, incomplete explanation, calculation error).
Practise using the data booklet: find constants, prefixes, and equations quickly. Check that your calculator is in the correct mode and that you can handle scientific notation, logarithms, and trigonometric functions without hesitation.
Do a second short timed practice, this time mixing Paper 1 multiple-choice style questions and Paper 2 structured questions. For each wrong answer, write the correct reasoning in one or two sentences. Review the mark scheme's accepted wording for 'explain' and 'describe' questions.
Light review only: command terms, significant figures and uncertainty rules, and a handful of worked examples for your weakest topic. Prepare your bag with ID, calculator, spare batteries, pens, pencils, ruler, and water. Confirm arrival time and location. Sleep at your normal time; do not cram late.
Eat a normal breakfast and hydrate. Do a 10–15 minute skim of your formula summary, not a full paper. Arrive at the centre with time to spare, switch off and store your phone, and use the washroom before entering the room.
Read the front instructions, check the paper code and number of pages, and note the total marks and time. Scan the whole paper to identify question lengths. Start with questions you can do confidently to build momentum, but do not skip around so much that you lose your place.
Show working for calculation questions; method marks are often available even if the final answer is wrong. Write units at every step and check the reasonableness of magnitudes. For 'explain' questions, write full sentences linking cause and effect, using physics terminology. For graph questions, label axes with quantity and unit and state what the gradient or intercept represents.
Check that every question has an answer, that multiple-choice bubbles match your intended choices, and that units and significant figures are consistent. Re-read the question stems for any 'state' versus 'explain' mismatch. Do not change answers without a clear physics reason.
Rules to check
Bring the identification your centre requires and present it on request. The accepted document type and name-matching rules vary by centre; confirm with your coordinator before exam day.
Electronic devices, including phones and smartwatches, must be switched off and stored outside the exam room. Possession of a device in the room can be treated as malpractice regardless of whether it was used.
Only approved calculators and materials supplied by the centre are allowed on the desk. Confirm the current permitted-calculator list and whether a backup device is allowed with your coordinator.
Follow the supervisor's instructions on timing, rest breaks, and leaving the room. If you need to leave temporarily, you will normally be accompanied; exact break rules are set by the centre, so confirm them in advance.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the paper has started or during any collection period. Any suspected malpractice is reported and can lead to disqualification from the subject or the session.
Marks are awarded for correct physics and clear communication: show working, use units, and answer the command term asked. Scoring details and grade boundaries are set by the awarding body and are not something to estimate during the exam.
If you believe there is a problem with the paper or your conditions, raise it with the supervisor immediately rather than after the exam; the centre's reporting process applies.
Check the session timetable and any access arrangements with your coordinator. Policies on late arrival, extra time, and separate rooms are centre-specific and should be confirmed rather than assumed.