For IB Physics revision, using past papers organized by topic is often more effective than jumping into full exams early on. This allows you to master specific concepts like Mechanics or Electromagnetism before tackling the full syllabus. Top Resources for Topic-Wise Questions
These platforms categorize official IB questions into specific syllabus themes, often including video solutions and mark schemes:
Revision Village: Widely considered a "gold standard" for IB prep, their Questionbank organizes thousands of questions by topic and difficulty (Easy, Medium, Hard). It includes detailed video walkthroughs for every problem.
Save My Exams: Excellent for students who prefer written notes. They provide downloadable PDFs of exam questions and model answers grouped by themes like Space, Time & Motion and Wave Behaviour.
Paper Plainz: Specialized specifically for IB Physics, this site features over 2,000 video explanations. It is highly regarded for its "Done Under 90" videos that show how to solve Paper 1 questions quickly.
GradeGorilla: Best for quick, free retrieval practice. It offers 10-minute micro-quizzes for every topic to help you identify knowledge gaps instantly. ib physics past papers by topic
Revision Dojo: A newer, AI-forward platform that offers interactive practice questions and flashcards with instant feedback.
Pestle: A popular community-driven resource that lets you practice past paper questions for free, filtered by specific sub-topics. Effective Revision Strategy
Phase 1 (Topical Mastery): Start with a resource like GradeGorilla to check your basic understanding. Move to Revision Village or Save My Exams to practice harder, multi-step exam problems for that specific topic.
Phase 2 (Synthesis): Use Paper Plainz to watch video solutions for questions you got wrong, focusing on the reasoning rather than just the final answer.
Phase 3 (Full Simulation): As exams approach, switch from topic-based practice to full timed past papers (Paper 1, 2, and 3) to build "exam stamina". DP IB Physics: HL Exam Questions By Topic - Save My Exams For IB Physics revision, using past papers organized
Finding IB Physics past papers organized by topic is the most efficient way to study because it highlights recurring question patterns and focuses on your specific weak areas . For the current 2025 syllabus
, examiners have introduced new "Topic B: The Particulate Nature of Matter" and integrated options like Relativity directly into the Higher Level (HL) core. Revision Village Top Resources for Topical Past Papers IB Physics Past Papers - Revision Village
Practicing IB Physics past papers by topic is widely considered the most effective way to transition from passive learning to active exam readiness. By isolating specific themes, you can master the unique "language" of IB examiners and identify recurring question patterns before tackling full-length, timed simulations. Core Syllabus Topics (2025 Syllabus)
For the updated syllabus (first examined in 2025), questions are organized into five primary themes: IB Physics Topics: Full List - Save My Exams
Here’s a well-rounded, positive review you can use or tweak as needed: The Trap: Students treat this as an afterthought
Title: A must-have for IB Physics SL/HL students
Review:
This resource has been a game-changer for my IB Physics revision. Instead of jumping between years and scrambling through full past papers, having questions sorted by topic made it so much easier to target my weak areas.
Whether you’re struggling with Fields or need extra practice on Nuclear Physics, you can dive straight into what matters most. Each topic comes with a solid range of difficulty levels — from straightforward recall to those tricky, multi-step Paper 2 and 3 style questions.
I also appreciated the answer keys with clear working steps, which helped me understand why I got something wrong, not just what the correct answer was. It saved me tons of time compared to hunting through mark schemes from random past papers.
Highly recommended for anyone aiming for a 6 or 7 — especially in the final months before exams. Just make sure you’re using the latest syllabus version if you’re taking the current course.
Before you start collecting papers, you must understand the syllabus structure. The IB Physics curriculum is divided into specific numbers. Here is the standard breakdown you should search for: