Physics, Biology and Chemistry for the IB Diploma

What you need to know

We’ve created new resources ready for the updated physics, biology and chemistry courses for examination from 2025. This brochure explains how these resources will help you.

Key changes in content

Material removed:

Polarization, details of cells, Kirchhoff laws, I = neAv, energy production, resolution, thin film interference, all of particle physics (quarks, Feynman diagrams, standard model), Heisenberg uncertainty principle, pair production and annihilation, tunnelling, wavefunctions, capacitors, rectification and transformers are all gone.

Material added:

Buoyant force, Stokes’ law, the equation for thermal conduction, Millikan’s experiment, electrostatic induction, Kepler’s laws, magnetic force per unit length, stellar evolution, HR diagrams, luminosity and apparent brightness, parallax, 2-d collisions higher level (HL), Compton scattering (HL), rigid body mechanics (HL), special relativity (HL).

For more details, consult the IBO guides at www.ibo.org

How

The scientific investigation internal assessment (IA) has reduced criteria with personal engagement removed. We now have Research design, Data analysis, Conclusion and Evaluation.

This gives the impression that there is more time available to teach the course but beware that a lot of material from the options has come into the core.

In addition, most of the materials in the 2016 Topic 1 (measurement, uncertainties and vectors) are not explicitly part of the guide but are part of mathematical prerequisites and are expected to be taught in context as the course progresses. So there is a very slight reduction in what needs to be taught but the new syllabus is still vast.

Standard level (SL) has little abstract content so it should be easier to teach it.

It is possible that not all teachers will feel comfortable teaching the material.

Nuclear fusion will be discussed in the context of stars and stellar evolution.

The coursebook covers the new syllabus completely, with lots of ‘Worked examples’, ‘Exam tips’, end-of-chapter questions and problems (with full detailed solutions) and highlighting of key points and terms. A new feature (‘Check yourself’) consists of questions dispersed throughout every chapter to help confirm that there is basic understanding of the main concepts just introduced. Not being able to correctly answer these questions implies that the material should be reviewed. Additional questions and problems are available in the workbook. The teacher’s resource includes lesson plans, the main teaching ideas, common misconceptions and how to identify and correct them, as well as ideas for assessment, homework, differentiation and reflection. This resource also includes 35 quizzes with 10 multiple-choice questions each. This material is introduced slowly from ground level up, slowly building the skills required to master it.

Inquiry will be at the heart of the IA. This means that teachers must construct activities that promote critical and creative thinking.

There is detailed guidance on the IA process, including lots of ideas for the scientific investigation as well as a long list of dos and don’ts for the writing of the report. Critical and creative thinking are promoted with open-ended questions and references for extra research by the student.

Nature of science (NOS) and Theory of knowledge (TOK) continue to be an integral part of the course. Some reference to NOS will be present in exams.

Key changes in the assessment

There is a new exam structure in place.

There are no longer any option topics and so no Paper 3.

Paper 1 will include a section A with multiple-choice questions (25 at SL, 40 at HL) and will have a section B with data-based questions. A calculator will be allowed on both sections of Paper 1.

Paper 2 will consist of a section A with short questions from throughout the syllabus and a section B with long (20 marks' worth) questions. There will be one common long question at SL and HL and an additional long question for HL.

Physics is the perfect subject to discuss NOS and TOK; TOK and NOS make the course richer, exciting and engaging, and every effort should be made to incorporate them in teaching.

The textbook contains a large number of TOK and NOS boxes that should facilitate class discussions.

No real changes required here as this is what we do in the 2016 syllabus.

The short questions are similar to what we have in the 2016 syllabus but the long section B questions are a major change. Teachers will need support for this part of the examination; the IB calls these “deep dive questions” and will include material from different parts of the syllabus in the same question.

The digital version of the coursebook contains numerous original multiple-choice questions of varying difficulty to practise with students. Similarly, there are lots of data-based questions to practise with, including detailed mark schemes.

There are numerous end-of-chapter questions throughout the book for student practice. These provide ample opportunities for students to prepare for Paper 2 section A questions. Many questions are long, multi-part questions providing experience with the long Paper 2 section B questions.

A full mock specimen paper (SL Paper 1 & 2, HL Paper 1 & 2) is included in the digital version.

More section B long questions will be available as the teaching of the new course progresses.

Number of command terms has changed. The number of command terms is now:

• 2 for objective 1 (reduced from 7)

• 5 for objective 2 (reduced from 10)

• 8 for objective 3 (reduced from 22)

This should make it easier to teach the importance and meaning of the command terms.

The coursebook uses the new command terms in exam-style questions.

Biology

We’ve created new resources ready for the updated physics, biology and chemistry courses for examination from 2025. This brochure explains how these resources will help you.

Key changes in content

The new course aims to integrate concepts and content so that teachers can personalise their approach and route through the syllabus. The syllabus is organised into four Levels of Organisation, each with four themes to examine.

For more details, consult the IBO guides at www.ibo.org

What this means for you

You can choose to navigate the course in different ways, for example by Level of Organisation: Molecules; Cells; Organisms; Ecosystems. Within each you can address underlying concepts that act through all biological systems and encourage students to use initiative, creativity and critical thinking to pursue areas that interest them.

How we support you

The coursebook is written in four units, each covering a Level of Organisation. It provides activities for analysis, evaluation and critical examination of current issues of relevance in science today.

Concepts:

There are new key concepts in the course. New topics include more emphasis on membrane transport and cell communications, more coverage of biodiversity, conservation, human impacts on the environment and climate change.

There is new emphasis on Unity and Diversity, Form and Function, Interactions and Interdependence and Continuity and Change in biological systems. Specific examples of ecosystems and species are required in many cases.

Understanding of concepts is brought to the fore throughout the coursebook. The four key themes are integrated in the units. All the new examples are included in the coursebook and supported by ‘Science in context’ features, which apply concepts in real-world situations. Conceptual understanding is supported by suggested activities and ‘Nature of science’ features.

Content:

New up-to-date material is now included and option topics have been removed. Other material no longer featured includes: the digestive system, cloning, the human genome project and monoclonal antibodies. The work of Harvey, Florey and Chain and the eradication of smallpox are among the historical topics no longer included.

The content of the course now has more focus on interactions between components of biological systems, including communication at each Level of Organisation. It also includes stronger focus on the environment and biodiversity and the impact of humans on the living world. The use of IT and data banks, for example to analyse proteins and genetic material, can support students’ investigations as well as emphasising the importance of technology in modern science. Some material that was previously incorporated in options now forms part of the main specification.

The coursebook covers all the topics required to understand themes and concepts that are needed for exam success.

Each chapter contains features such as ‘Learning objectives’, ‘Test your understanding’, ‘Science in context’ and ‘Worked examples’. ‘Theory of knowledge’ and ‘Nature of science’ features explore wider concepts as they apply to science in general and biology in particular. The coursebook follows the new syllabus and higher level (HL) material is highlighted throughout.

Context:

Biology has enormous relevance to everyday life.

Key changes in the assessment

There is a new, modified assessment model.

There are now only two exam papers plus the internally assessed, externally moderated scientific investigation.

At standard level (SL) Papers 1 and 2 are now longer, both 1 hour 30 minutes. At higher level (HL) Papers 1 and 2 are 2 hours and 2 hours 30 minutes respectively.

Paper 1 includes multiple-choice questions and data-based questions on the syllabus that address all themes. Paper 2 has data-based and short-answer questions as well as an extended response question(s).

The criteria for internal assessment have been modified. The criteria are Research design, Data analysis, Conclusion and Evaluation. There is no longer a mark for personal engagement.

Linking biology to real-world examples. Human impacts on the environment are explored in greater detail and teachers are encouraged to use local examples of interest to their students. The effects of infection and pandemics as well as advances in understanding that may lead to new medical treatments are key areas to explore. The impact of technology on science and research, and the use of data banks and modelling reinforce the context of the subject.

What this means for you

Students need to demonstrate understanding and analytical skills as well as application of the key concepts in data-based responses. You should prepare students to tackle questions about experiments and techniques that they may not have carried out themselves.

Numerous ‘Science in context’ features address important issues in biology, and modern-life examples include features on diet and health, Botox and using DNA to trace ancestry. These will enable students to reflect on the relevance of their learning.

Students will have opportunities to reflect, assess their knowledge, engage in wider issues and apply theory to practical situations.

How we support you

Throughout the book students are encouraged to check their knowledge and understanding with ‘Test your understanding’ questions with answers provided in the digital material. There is also a checklist of concepts and exam-style questions at the end of each chapter. The digital material has a section on internal assessment and how students should approach it. It also provides exam-style questions, answers and examples of new-format exam papers. A workbook is also available with numerous questions to help students become familiar with the assessment style and questions.

You will need to incorporate these changes into your practical programme as you prepare students for their internally assessed investigations.

The digital content has descriptions to help students prepare for and write reports on their investigations.

Chemistry

We’ve created new resources ready for the updated physics, biology and chemistry courses for examination from 2025. This brochure explains how these resources will help you.

Key changes in content

Major changes in the organisation of the syllabus:

The syllabus has been organised in a very different way into two main parts: Structure and Reactivity. This means that some topics that were previously all in one section, such as Organic Chemistry, now appear in multiple places.

Changes in content:

The main change is that the options are no longer part of the syllabus. However, some material that was previously in the options has been incorporated into the new syllabus, for example bonding triangles, condensation polymerisation, buffer calculations, fuel cells. There have been some additions to the new syllabus, such as calculations using enthalpy changes of combustion and the relationship between Gibbs energy and the reaction quotient. There has been content removal such as calculations involving parts per million and some parts of Organic Chemistry.

Links:

Linking chemical concepts between different areas within the syllabus is key.

Key changes in the assessment

There is a new assessment model for external assessment.

The main change is that there are only two papers instead of three. Multiple-choice, data-based and practical-based questions all appear in Paper 1.

Paper 2 has a very similar format to that in the previous syllabus: it contains a mixture of short-answer and extendedresponse questions. Calculators and the Data Booklet can now be used in Paper 1.

For more details, consult the IBO guides at www.ibo.org

What this means for you

This gives you an opportunity to teach the course in a new way, linking together areas of chemistry and helping students see that chemistry is not just a collection of separate topics.

There is less emphasis on learning facts and more on understanding the principles of chemistry.

How we support you

The coursebook has been re-written so that it is organised along the lines of the new syllabus. It is organised into 22 chapters that mirror the sections of the syllabus.

Each part of the new syllabus is clearly explained, with an emphasis on understanding concepts. Worked examples appear throughout the book and there are numerous ‘Test your understanding’ questions, with solutions, that can be set to students as homework to help them test their understanding of the concepts and practise calculations.

The new syllabus also provides lots of opportunities for putting chemistry into a wider context and linking to Nature of science (NOS) and Theory of knowledge (TOK).

What this means for you

You will need to incorporate these changes into your preparation of students.

Linking questions between different areas of the syllabus are discussed throughout the coursebook. The ‘Science in context’ and ‘International mindedness’ features provide links to chemistry in everyday life with a particular emphasis on the environment. Together with NOS and TOK features, these provide lots of opportunities for further discussion in the classroom or for students to do their own research.

How we support you

The digital content contains exam-style questions: numerous multiple-choice questions and many short-answer/extended-response questions are all based on the new syllabus to give students the maximum amount of practice.

Specimen papers (SL paper 1&2, HL paper 1&2) are included in the digital version.

There has been a change in the criteria for internal assessment.

The criteria are now Research design, Data analysis, Conclusion, Evaluation.

You will need to incorporate these changes into your preparation of students.

A guide to internal assessment is provided in the digital content.