The Student Room Group

Revision Tips for HL Physics!

Hello!

I'm very nervous for my HL Physics exams in May, as we do not have a proper teacher, and have not even finished our core yet!! :nope: If anyone out there has any tips as to which books they found particularly useful (I have the purple Revision book and a non-ib Giancoli book, and have ordered the Tsokos book), or any websites etc, I would really appreciate it!
Thanks in advance!!! :wink:
Reply 1
Seriously? You haven't finished the core yet?! :eek: I don't believe you.

This would mean you still have Topics 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 to do for AHL which the IB recommend 55 hours of class time for, and then 2 options on top of that for paper 3 which is 44 more hours class time. Honestly, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, just retake the school year. There's no point trying to learn all of that in time. There's so much left to do you won't get around to revising properly. Have you completed enough IAs?

We have 98 days left until paper 1 and paper 2 just so you know. If you are really going to go for this you'll need to eat, sleep and breathe physics until then.
I had a similar issue with having to learn some of physics HL by myself - it was just 3 chapters or so. I think the whole physics HL IB subject can be learned in 3,5 weeks if you do nothing else. I used a green A4 sized (probably by Kerr) book - don't know the name right now, anyway it came with a CD with all the contents of the book in pdf. I've made a copy of those PDFs - PM me.

I think any IB physics book that has chapters structured around the syllabus will be fine though. Also, download past papers - there's a torrent on most search engines. Past papers are an invaluable resource, just do them all.
You will love the Tsokos book. That is the greatest thing to ever happen to IB physics.

Anyway, Physics Higher Level does require a lot of work, more work than your teacher is putting in at the moment. I know the Standard Level kids in my school have some semester to do more than 50% of their syllabus plus any IAs and they are just going all out.

I don't agree with Iapetus, though. I think if you put the time in to learn it, download the questionbank and assess yourself that you CAN learn it all in time. Don't **** around anymore in that class.
Reply 4
anonymouspenguin
..

The Man of the Hour
..


I don't doubt it's possible to learn everything in time, but I think you guys are underestimating the seriousness of the problem.

AHL and 2 options should total 99 hours of class time, whereas core just comprises 80 hours. The core hasn't been finished already and we are 15 months into the IB with only 3 to go.

That's a LOT to do in such a short time. The HL is also more conceptually demanding and you wouldn't really be learning physics, you'd just be learning to pass exams which is frankly a contemptible approach to education in general.
Reply 5
Well, I am planning on "eating, sleeping, and breathing physics" until exams...I am perfectly aware of how much trouble I'm in! Trust me. This post wasn't meant to be a place for someone to tell me that I had a 'contemptible approach to education'. How is self-studying and trying to make the best of a situation not learningphysics?
anyways, thank you all for your help! I'm really eager for my tsokos book to arrive!
Reply 6
lillamybites
Well, I am planning on "eating, sleeping, and breathing physics" until exams...I am perfectly aware of how much trouble I'm in! Trust me. This post wasn't meant to be a place for someone to tell me that I had a 'contemptible approach to education'. How is self-studying and trying to make the best of a situation not learningphysics?
anyways, thank you all for your help! I'm really eager for my tsokos book to arrive!

No no! :eek: You misunderstand me. First of all, I applaud you for going through with it.

I mean to point out to the other two that solely saying that it's possible is potentially misleading as a solid understanding of physics requires time and effort, and sadly you are lacking in one of those. My criticism (which you have quoted) is directed towards the general faction on here that slack off all year and then claim that exams are easy because they come out with good grades after a short period of cramming.

One can certainly pass exams that way, but students gaining similar results who worked hard all year will retain their knowledge for longer. After all, the ulterior goal of examinations is to test an individuals knowledge. This is the reason my initial response was that you should repeat the school year, because I love physics and think that cramming for the sake of exams is doing an injustice to the subject. This angers me sometimes :o: Sincerely, I wish you all the best in your revision :smile:

Still, I am curious though. You say 'we' which means there are more poeple in your situation too then. It's quite alarming to me that your school has let things get this out of hand.

A final thought. You will want to be careful that you don't bring your other subjects down by overdoing it with the physics!
Reply 7
Iapetus
No no! :eek: You misunderstand me. First of all, I applaud you for going through with it.

I mean to point out to the other two that solely saying that it's possible is potentially misleading as a solid understanding of physics requires time and effort, and sadly you are lacking in one of those. My criticism (which you have quoted) is directed towards the general faction on here that slack off all year and then claim that exams are easy because they come out with good grades after a short period of cramming.

One can certainly pass exams that way, but students gaining similar results who worked hard all year will retain their knowledge for longer. After all, the ulterior goal of examinations is to test an individuals knowledge. This is the reason my initial response was that you should repeat the school year, because I love physics and think that cramming for the sake of exams is doing an injustice to the subject. This angers me sometimes :o: Sincerely, I wish you all the best in your revision :smile:

Still, I am curious though. You say 'we' which means there are more poeple in your situation too then. It's quite alarming to me that your school has let things get this out of hand.

A final thought. You will want to be careful that you don't bring your other subjects down by overdoing it with the physics!


haha no worries :smile: , I understand you now, just found some of your statements a bit questionable. :p: I do understand your reasoning though. Had I been at a school that prepared us more I would probably think in the same way: that I was in a bit of an impossible predicament. And I do love physics, and am hoping to study it at university next year (if my exam results allow for it!), which lends even more to my desire to get things on track! As for my school...don't even get me started on everything I could possibly say/complain about it...The IB classes are a bit of the 'black sheep' in our school, and the headmaster clearly does not put us on his priority list.
Will you also be taking your exams in May? Best of Luck! :smile:
Reply 8
lillamybites
haha no worries :smile: , I understand you now, just found some of your statements a bit questionable. :p: I do understand your reasoning though. Had I been at a school that prepared us more I would probably think in the same way: that I was in a bit of an impossible predicament. And I do love physics, and am hoping to study it at university next year (if my exam results allow for it!), which lends even more to my desire to get things on track! As for my school...don't even get me started on everything I could possibly say/complain about it...The IB classes are a bit of the 'black sheep' in our school, and the headmaster clearly does not put us on his priority list.
Will you also be taking your exams in May? Best of Luck! :smile:

Yes, and I am going to study physics at uni too :biggrin: Best of luck likewise.

Latest