Your IB Physics mock exam prep should combine targeted topic repair, exam-style questions, and timed paper practice. For November mocks, confirm what your school will assess, then use a 4-week plan that progresses from diagnosis to realistic simulation.
The current IB Physics course uses Paper 1A multiple-choice questions, Paper 1B data-based questions, and Paper 2 short-answer and extended-response questions. A school mock is an internal assessment, however, so teachers may test only material covered by November or modify the official format.
Confirm the Scope of Your November Physics Mocks
Before revising, ask your teacher for:
- The syllabus topics included
- The papers or sections being tested
- The duration and mark total for SL or HL
- The permitted equipment and data booklet rules
Do not assume another school's November mock has the same scope. Some schools run full examination rehearsals, while others assess only completed topics.
Under the official assessment model first assessed in 2025, Paper 1 is worth 36% and Paper 2 is worth 44% of the final IB grade. The scientific investigation contributes 20%. These final-assessment weightings appear in the IB Physics subject brief, but schools can calculate mock grades differently.
| Component | Official format | SL time | HL time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Paper 1A multiple choice and Paper 1B data-based questions | 1 hour 30 minutes | 2 hours |
| Paper 2 | Short-answer and extended-response questions | 1 hour 30 minutes | 2 hours 30 minutes |
Calculators and clean Physics data booklets are permitted in the official papers. The official specimen papers show the current question styles and instructions.
A Focused 4-Week IB Physics Mock Exam Prep Plan
Week 1: Diagnose and rebuild
Complete a mixed diagnostic set covering every assessed topic. Include calculations, definitions, graphs, experimental data, and explanations. Work without notes, but do not impose strict timing yet.
Classify every lost mark:
- Knowledge: The principle or definition was missing.
- Equation selection: You chose the wrong relationship.
- Mathematics: Algebra, trigonometry, or calculator work failed.
- Units: A unit was omitted or converted incorrectly.
- Interpretation: You misunderstood a graph or context.
- Communication: Your explanation lacked a physical link.
Identify three weak micro-topics instead of broad areas such as mechanics. For example, choose resolving forces on slopes or determining uncertainty from a graph. Repair each gap with IB Physics Study Notes, then complete a short Questionbank set.
Week 2: Train each paper separately
Paper 1A rewards quick recognition, accurate reasoning, and careful elimination. Complete short timed sets and explain why each rejected option is wrong. Because incorrect answers are not penalized, leave no question unanswered during simulations.
For Paper 1B, practise gradients, intercepts, uncertainty, units, significant figures, and evaluation of evidence. Read both axes before calculating and explain what a gradient represents physically.
For Paper 2, show complete working:
- Identify the relevant physical principle.
- Write the relationship before inserting numbers.
- Rearrange symbolically where practical.
- Substitute values using consistent units.
- Check magnitude, direction, and significant figures.
Use the Physics data booklet resource regularly. Learn where equations appear, what their symbols mean, and the conditions under which each relationship applies.
Week 3: Mix topics and add time pressure
Move from topic-labelled exercises to mixed sets. In a mock, choosing the correct model is part of the challenge.
Complete one timed Paper 1 section and one substantial Paper 2 set. Use current-format predicted papers or teacher-approved material as simulations, not forecasts of exact questions.
Review attempts on the same day. Record each mistake's cause, the correction rule, and when you will attempt a similar question again. The guide to revising Physics with past papers explains this attempt, diagnose, repair, and reattempt cycle.
Week 4: Simulate, correct, and taper
Complete at least one realistic mock using your school's scope and timing. Work in silence, use only permitted materials, and do not pause the timer.
After marking, focus on the error patterns costing the most marks. Use Physics flashcards for definitions, assumptions, units, and conceptual distinctions, then test those weaknesses with unfamiliar questions.
Complete your final simulation several days before the mock. During the last 1-2 days, use brief retrieval, selected corrections, and normal sleep rather than trying to relearn entire topics.
Build a Practical Daily Routine
A focused 60-minute session can follow this structure:
- 10 minutes: Recall formulas, definitions, and assumptions.
- 15 minutes: Repair one conceptual weakness.
- 25 minutes: Answer exam-style questions independently.
- 10 minutes: Mark errors and schedule a reattempt.
If a solution remains unclear, ask Jojo AI to identify your first incorrect step or explain why a model applies. Use feedback after an independent attempt so that it improves your next unaided answer.
Common Mistakes Before November Mocks
Avoid spending most of your preparation rewriting notes. Physics requires applying models to unfamiliar situations, so question practice and careful review should eventually dominate your revision.
Common mistakes include:
- Practising calculations while neglecting explanations
- Ignoring Paper 1B until the final week
- Using old Paper 3 material without checking relevance
- Recording scores without analysing lost marks
- Completing questions with notes open
- Memorizing formulas without understanding units or assumptions
The current course has no Paper 3 and no option topics, as confirmed by the official curriculum update. Older questions can still develop transferable content and experimental skills, but they do not reproduce the current structure.
Exam-Day Physics Checklist
Bring an approved calculator, pens, pencils, a ruler, and equipment specified by your school. Check your calculator's angle mode and scientific notation settings beforehand.
Track time by marks rather than allowing one problem to consume an entire section. If stuck, write a relevant principle or equation, make reasonable progress, and return later. In explanations, connect cause and effect explicitly.
Conclusion
Effective IB Physics mock exam prep follows a clear sequence: confirm the scope, diagnose weaknesses, practise each paper style, mix topics, and complete a timed simulation. Analysing and reattempting mistakes matters as much as answering the original questions.
RevisionDojo can support this process through Study Notes, Flashcards, the Questionbank, Jojo AI, and Predicted Papers. Begin with targeted practice, then introduce timed work once your methods are reliable.
Sources and referenced URLs
- Official IB Physics subject brief
- Official IB Physics specimen papers
- Official IB Physics curriculum update
- RevisionDojo IB Physics Study Notes
- RevisionDojo IB Physics Questionbank
- RevisionDojo IB Physics Flashcards
- RevisionDojo Physics data booklet resource
- RevisionDojo IB Predicted Papers
- How to revise IB Physics with past papers

