Free topical revision checklist for IB DP Physics SL & HL. Track confidence (1–5), last reviewed and next review. Built to cover the full 2026 syllabus-style topic expectations. Rate your confidence (1–5), track review dates, then export as CSV or print.
| Topic | Sub-topic | Resources | Confidence (1–5) | Last reviewed | Next review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Measurement, uncertainty & skills | SI base and derived units; prefixes; unit conversions | Topic resources | |||
| A. Measurement, uncertainty & skills | Dimensional analysis; checking equations | Topic resources | |||
| A. Measurement, uncertainty & skills | Significant figures and rounding rules | Topic resources | |||
| A. Measurement, uncertainty & skills | Random vs systematic error; reducing error | Topic resources | |||
| A. Measurement, uncertainty & skills | Uncertainty in readings; absolute vs percentage uncertainty | Topic resources | |||
| A. Measurement, uncertainty & skills | Propagation of uncertainties (add/subtract/multiply/divide/powers) | Topic resources | |||
| A. Measurement, uncertainty & skills | Graphing: best-fit lines/curves; gradients; intercepts; log plots | Topic resources | |||
| A. Measurement, uncertainty & skills | Experimental design: controls, repeats, range, data quality | Topic resources | |||
| A. Measurement, uncertainty & skills | Evaluating methods; improvements; safety considerations | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Displacement, velocity, acceleration; SUVAT-style relationships (as taught) | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Motion graphs: (s)-(t), (v)-(t), (a)-(t) and areas/gradients | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Projectile motion; components; range/time (as taught) | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Newton’s laws; free-body diagrams; friction/drag | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Momentum, impulse and collisions (elastic/inelastic) | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Work done; kinetic/potential energy; conservation of energy | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Power and efficiency; energy transfers | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Circular motion: centripetal acceleration/force | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Gravitational field strength; orbital motion; escape speed (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| B. Space, time & motion (mechanics) | Torque, angular momentum and rotational dynamics — (HL) | Topic resources | |||
| C. Thermal, waves & fields | Thermal energy, internal energy and temperature | Topic resources | |||
| C. Thermal, waves & fields | Specific heat capacity; latent heat; phase changes | Topic resources | |||
| C. Thermal, waves & fields | Kinetic theory model; ideal gas behaviour (as taught) | Topic resources | |||
| C. Thermal, waves & fields | First law of thermodynamics (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| C. Thermal, waves & fields | Wave fundamentals: frequency, wavelength, speed; intensity | Topic resources | |||
| C. Thermal, waves & fields | Superposition; standing waves; resonance | Topic resources | |||
| C. Thermal, waves & fields | Diffraction and interference patterns (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| C. Thermal, waves & fields | Polarisation and Malus’ law (HL where applicable) | Topic resources | |||
| C. Thermal, waves & fields | Fields: gravitational field; electric field; magnetic field (concepts and lines) | Topic resources | |||
| D. Electricity, circuits & electromagnetism | Charge, current, potential difference; energy per unit charge | Topic resources | |||
| D. Electricity, circuits & electromagnetism | Resistance and resistivity; I–V characteristics | Topic resources | |||
| D. Electricity, circuits & electromagnetism | Power in circuits; internal resistance (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| D. Electricity, circuits & electromagnetism | Series/parallel circuits; potential dividers | Topic resources | |||
| D. Electricity, circuits & electromagnetism | Kirchhoff’s laws and circuit analysis — (HL) | Topic resources | |||
| D. Electricity, circuits & electromagnetism | Capacitance; energy stored; capacitors in circuits — (HL) | Topic resources | |||
| D. Electricity, circuits & electromagnetism | RC time constant; exponential charging/discharging — (HL) | Topic resources | |||
| D. Electricity, circuits & electromagnetism | Magnetic forces on charges/currents; motor effect | Topic resources | |||
| D. Electricity, circuits & electromagnetism | Electromagnetic induction; Faraday/Lenz; generators and transformers | Topic resources | |||
| E. Atomic, nuclear & quantum | Atomic structure; spectra and energy levels | Topic resources | |||
| E. Atomic, nuclear & quantum | Nuclear structure; binding energy; mass defect — (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| E. Atomic, nuclear & quantum | Radioactive decay; half-life; activity calculations | Topic resources | |||
| E. Atomic, nuclear & quantum | Nuclear reactions: fission/fusion; applications and safety | Topic resources | |||
| E. Atomic, nuclear & quantum | Photons and quantisation; photoelectric effect — (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| E. Atomic, nuclear & quantum | Wave-particle duality; de Broglie wavelength — (HL) | Topic resources | |||
| E. Atomic, nuclear & quantum | Quantum models (qualitative) and uncertainty ideas — (HL where applicable) | Topic resources | |||
| E. Atomic, nuclear & quantum | Particle physics: standard model overview; interactions — (HL where applicable) | Topic resources | |||
| F. Internal Assessment (IA) readiness | Define a focused research question with measurable variables | Topic resources | |||
| F. Internal Assessment (IA) readiness | Plan method: controls, repeats, apparatus precision and safety | Topic resources | |||
| F. Internal Assessment (IA) readiness | Analyse with appropriate physics + uncertainty treatment | Topic resources | |||
| F. Internal Assessment (IA) readiness | Evaluate limitations, improvements and extensions | Topic resources | |||
| F. Internal Assessment (IA) readiness | Communicate clearly with citations and academic honesty | Topic resources |
Tip: Pair this checklist with past paper practice and spaced repetition. Always confirm exact assessment components (SL/HL, options) with your school’s IB DP route for the 2026 exam session.
Quick answers about this free revision checklist, how to use it for exam prep, and how it relates to the official syllabus.
This revision checklist mirrors the official IB DP Physics syllabus for the 2026 examination series. Every topic and sub-topic on the page is taken from the published syllabus document, so working through the list in order gives you full coverage of what your exam can assess. It covers both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) topic expectations. For the authoritative version, always cross-check with the latest syllabus PDF on your exam board's website before your final revision push.
The number of top-level topic groups varies by subject, but you can see the exact count on this page — each major heading in the checklist corresponds to one syllabus topic group, and each row below it is a syllabus-level sub-topic. Use the confidence column (1–5) to flag which sub-topics need more work, and re-score yourself weekly to track real progress instead of guessing.
16–20 weeks of consistent revision is realistic for IB DP — work through one topic per week alongside ongoing past-paper practice and Internal Assessment polish. Use this checklist to plan your weeks: filter by topics you have rated 1–3 and spend your first revision block there. Subjects with heavy practical or extended-writing components (e.g. sciences, English) need more past-paper time in the final block than the topic-by-topic phase.
Revise in roughly the order the syllabus lists the topics — exam boards build later topics on earlier ones, so taking them in syllabus order avoids gaps. Once you have rated every topic, switch to weakest-first: filter the checklist by confidence ≤ 2 and prioritise those topics in your next study block. This is more effective than re-revising topics you already score 4–5 on.
You can find past papers and mark schemes via Tutopiya's Past Paper Finder and on your exam board's official site. Once you have rated each sub-topic on this checklist, attempt past-paper questions on your weakest topics first — practising under timed conditions is the single best predictor of exam performance, more so than re-reading notes.
Use the Download CSV or Print PDF button at the bottom of the checklist. CSV opens in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets so you can sort by confidence and re-arrange revision order. The PDF is print-ready for offline use. A free Tutopiya account is required for download — this also unlocks the matching topic resources, notes and worked examples on the Learning Portal.
Yes, the checklist itself is free — you can view, score and re-score every topic on this page without an account. The CSV / PDF downloads and access to matching Tutopiya Learning Portal resources require a free account. There is no payment required at any point; teachers and parents can also use this checklist freely with their students.
Yes. The topics and sub-topics on this page are drawn from the current 2026 IB DP Physics specification published by your exam board. Exam boards occasionally tweak weighting or assessment structure mid-cycle, so do a quick sanity-check against the official syllabus PDF when you start your revision and again 4 weeks before the exam.