Do you need a complete, yet simplified, guide to IB Physics IA? You’ve come to the right place.
An Internal Assessment in Physics requires you to conduct an independent physical experiment and write a report that explains your findings.
In this SL and HL guide, we cover an overview of the subject, the required word count, topic selection, structure, and the steps to write an Internal Assessment in Physics.
Furthermore, we cover the assessment criteria used to grade the work and even offer a writing service to IBDP students who need it.
What is IB Physics IA?
IB Physics IA is an individual, self-directed assessment task that requires students to complete a laboratory report that demonstrate an understanding of scientific methods.
Your task here is to prove your ability to design, conduct, and report on a physical experiment.
How Long is IB Physics Internal Assessment?
IB Physics Internal Assessment report should be 6 to 12 pages long.
According to the IB subject guideline for Physics, the report shouldn’t exceed the 2,500 words mark for assessment before May 2025 and 3,000 words long from May 2025.
You’ll divide the report into sections and assign the words to each section accordingly.
Your paper should include a research question, a methodology section, data analysis, and a conclusion.
How to Write IB Physics Internal Assessment
The following are the steps to write a comprehensive IB physics IA:
Choose a Topic
To choose a topic for your Physics IA, look through the syllabus and identify an interesting area you’ve covered in class. The topic can be either experimental or simulation based.
The topic you select should allow you to:
- Test the correlation between two variables while keeping everything else constant.
- Collect primary data and have the scope to find secondary sources that you can explore to approve or disapprove your hypothesis.
Design Your Experiment
This next step involves developing a written plan for your physical experiment. In addition to being highly practical, the plan has to highlight all the details relevant to the experiment.
In your plan, state the data you would like to record and how you intend to do that.
If you discover that you don’t have all the equipment necessary to run the experiment, it may be that our topic is too complicated. In this case, go back to the first step and select a different topic.
Record Your Data
Perform your experiment at least five times to lower the possibility of random errors. No matter how many times you repeat the experiment, you should do so only under the same conditions.
Record relevant data once the experiment is complete, making sure you write down the numbers, including all the variables used.
You can record the data manually or use a computer software such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
Estimate Uncertainties of Your Experiment
Your physical experiment may have random and systematic errors, which is why it’s important to estimate the uncertainties of your experiment.
Systematic errors come from tools such as digital meters and stopwatches in the association of ±1 on the last digit. They can also arise from the techniques you use to conduct your physical experiment. Some human factors, such as reaction to time, can also cause systematic errors.
Random errors are also a possibility in physical experiments, but they’re independent of your equipment and techniques. Often, random errors come from fluctuations in recording, but you can reduce their occurrence of these errors by repeating the experiment at least 5 times.
Draw a Linear Graph and Extract Results
Here’s the point where you determine whether your physical experiment holds up to anything.
To do this, draw a linear graph and extract the results. The graph should feature points that correspond to the measurements with a best-fit line passing through the points for a linear correlation.
If the relationships between the variables aren’t linear, manipulate these variables to produce a linear curve so that they are proportionate to each other.
To extract results, analyze the linear fit parameters of your physical experiment. Since the gradient and y-intercept are quantities closely linked to the physical constants of the experiment, it’s easy to determine whether they align with your expectations.
Determine the Estimate of Your Uncertainty
It’s difficult to compare the results of your experiment to the real values without determining the estimate of your uncertainties.
Section 1.2 of the IB Physics IA core syllabus has a clear guide on how to come up with the estimate of uncertainties in your physical experiments.
Note that some estimation tools will give you these errors automatically. If you don’t have access to such a tool, calculate the estimate of uncertainties manually.
Evaluate Your Results
Evaluation is worth 25% of the final grade for physics internal assessment.
Your task here is to determine results and point out possible errors in your experiment. Identify values of physical quantities with uncertainties from your graph, and then take this data and compare it with what you expected the results to be.
It’s not a problem if the outcome isn’t consistent with your expectations. You’ll still score some points if you analyze the results and explain why you got the wrong results. To do this, go back to your procedure and identify the possible causes of the errors in your results.
Write Your Report
Complete the IB Physics IA task by writing a clear and comprehensive report for the physical experiment you just completed.
Can I Pay for Physics Internal Assessment Writing Service?
Yes, you can pay someone on Help for Assessment to write your Physics internal assessment for you. Check out our internal assessment writing service to learn more about how we can help you complete the task. Or you can talk to the live support if you need instant feedback regarding your order.
We’ll assign the best writer to your order. The writer will focus on every aspect of the assessment, from topic selection and research question to structure and custom writing.
We charge $12.99 to $40 per page depending on the urgency of the assignment. We offer up to 10% discount to new customers, and we guarantee timely delivery so you never have to worry about missing a deadline.