IB Physics First Assessment 2016, Topic 4, “waves”, has five subtopics: Oscillations, travelling waves, wave characteristics, wave behaviour, and standing waves. This post is part of a larger analysis; I strongly recommend that you check the complete analysis. I wanted to figure out which topics were mostly assessed in IB Physics Paper 1 exams. I classified all of the questions from 1999 to 2023. In this post, I am particularly interested in “What is the frequency distribution of the questions with respect to subtopic in Topic 4, waves?” This information may help you with being strategic about planning your studies, especially for revision, especially if the exam is getting closer.
Frequency distribution of questions by waves subtopics for SL
Between 1999-2023
As shown in Figure 1, for the SL, wave behaviour subtopic accounted for about one-third of the questions. This is followed by traveling waves, accounting for about a quarter of the questions on waves. The remaining three subtopics each account for about one-sixth of the questions.
Figure 1
Between 2016-2023
Between these years, as shown in Figure 2, the distribution of questions per subtopic appears to have evened out. Almost all of the subtopics account for about one-fifth of the questions.
Figure 2
Frequency distribution of questions by waves subtopics for HL
Between 1999-2023
For HL, as shown in Figure 3, standing waves and wave behaviour together accounted for almost half the questions on waves. Oscillations and traveling waves were still the least assessed, accounting for about one-third of the questions.
Figure 3
Between 2016-2023
Similar to the distribution for SL between these years, for HL, the distribution seems to have evened out, as shown in Figure 4. Only traveling waves stand out as the least assessed subtopic but do not show much difference from its ratio compared to the entire dataset.
Figure 4
Where to go from here?
You can look deeper into the analysis of the subtopics within waves topic.
You can go for the broader analysis of the topics.
- Measurement and uncertainties
- Mechanics
- Thermal physics
- Waves
- Electricity and magnetism
- Circular motion and gravitation
- Atomic, nuclear and particle physics
- Energy production
- Wave phenomena
- Fields
- Electromagnetic induction
- Quantum and nuclear physics
Or check out the analysis for Distribution of Questions by Topic in IB Physics Paper 1
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