IB DP Physics SL/HL

Open a theme, then choose simulations, quizzes, videos or exercises for a topic.

Works in any modern browser on laptops, Chromebooks, tablets and phones. Once opened, the simulation keeps working without internet.

Simulations

Interactive simulations with worksheets (Word and PDF), by theme and topic of the IB course.

ATheme A — Space, time and motion

A.1 Kinematics

Free fall

Drop or throw a ball straight up or down: strobe images, y–t, v–t and a–t graphs, and g from h against t².

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A.1 Kinematics

Horizontal launch

A ball rolls off a bench or cliff: horizontal and vertical motion separately, range and landing velocity.

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A.1 Kinematics

Angled launch

Launch at any angle: maximum height, time of flight and range — why 45° goes furthest.

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A.1 Kinematics

Velocity components

Follow the velocity along the path: components, speed, direction and Δv = gΔt.

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A.1 Kinematics

Hit the target

Plan a shot into a cup, a hoop or a window with the equations of motion.

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A.1 Kinematics

Air resistance

The real path with drag beside the ideal parabola: shorter, lower and steeper on the way down.

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A.2 Forces and momentum

Types of forces and Newton's laws

A.2 Types of forces

Friction block

Static and dynamic friction: pull a block with a newton meter, find μs and μd from a graph.

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A.2 Types of forces

Normal force

What does a scale really measure? Push and pull, a tilted board, a lift and a stack of blocks.

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A.2 Types of forces

Friction on an incline

Tilt a ramp until the block slips (μs = tan θ), then let it slide and find μd.

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A.2 Forces · Newton's 2nd law

Incline with a pulley

A block on a ramp tied over a pulley to a hanging mass: tension, friction and acceleration.

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A.2 Types of forces

Spring force

Hooke's law: hang masses, read the extension, find k ± Δk, and see the elastic limit.

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A.2 Types of forces (extension)

Springs in series and parallel

Combine two springs: how does the effective spring constant change?

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Springs in series and parallel simulation

A.2 Types of forces

Drag and Stokes' law

Ball bearings falling through glycerol: terminal velocity and Stokes' law — plus a skydiver.

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A.2 Types of forces

Buoyancy

Archimedes' principle with a newton meter and a eureka can: sink, float or hover?

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A.2 Forces · circular motion · energy

Pendulum tension

Hold a pendulum aside or let it swing: how does the tension in the string change?

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A.2 Forces · Newton's laws

Pulleys and hanging masses

One pulley (Atwood machine) or a knot on two or three pulleys: accelerating masses, measuring g, and three forces in balance.

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A.2 Forces · Newton's laws

Hanging on two threads

A bird on a wire, a tightrope walker, a traffic light: one weight on two threads at an angle. How big is the tension — and when does the thread snap?

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A.2 Forces · Newton's laws

Connected blocks

Two or three blocks pushed, pulled on strings, towed with a bar or stacked on top of each other: Newton's 3rd-law pairs while they speed up, move at a constant velocity, slide or brake.

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Circular motion

A.2 Forces · circular motion

Circular motion

A rotating chair, a satellite, a car on a bend and a playground carousel: what provides the centripetal force?

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Momentum and impulse

A.2 Momentum · impulse

Impulse

A cart hits a force sensor, an egg lands in a bedsheet, a racket hits a ball: impulse is the area under the force–time graph.

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A.2 Momentum · collisions

Momentum – Collision types and Explosions

Elastic (they bounce apart) and inelastic (they stick together) collisions — B at rest, same direction or head-on — and explosions from rest: total momentum stays the same, but what happens to kinetic energy?

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Momentum – Collision types and Explosions simulation

A.3 Work, energy and power

A.3 Work

Work done

Pull a box at an angle, lift or push a load up a ramp, pull a Smart Cart, brake a car: work is force × distance — and the area under the force–distance graph.

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A.3 Energy

Energy conservation

A cart on a ramp, a roller coaster, a pendulum to the nose, a flying spring: energy moves between kinetic, gravitational and elastic stores — the total stays the same.

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A.3 Power

Power

Who is the most powerful on the stairs? A car up a hill and a lift motor: power is the rate of doing work, P = Fv.

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A.3 Efficiency

Efficiency and energy density

Bouncing balls, a motor lifting a load, Sankey diagrams to scale, and how far a car goes on a tank of fuel.

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Efficiency and energy density simulation

Quizzes — test yourself

Practised the simulations and worksheets? 10 multiple-choice questions per quiz, with instant feedback and an explanation for every answer.

ATheme A — Space, time and motion

A.1 Kinematics

Projectile motion

Free fall, horizontal and angled launches, velocity components and air resistance. 10 questions · after the simulations and worksheets.

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A.1 Kinematics · graphs

Motion graphs

s–t, v–t and a–t graphs: gradients and areas, and the equations of motion. 10 questions · after the simulations and worksheets.

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A.2 Forces and momentum

A.2 Forces · Newton's laws

Forces

Weight and normal force, friction, ramps, connected bodies, springs, drag and buoyancy. 10 questions · after the simulations and worksheets.

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A.2 Circular motion

Circular motion

Speed and period, centripetal acceleration and force, cars on bends, satellites and pendulums. 10 questions · after the simulations and worksheets.

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A.2 Momentum

Momentum and impulse

Momentum, impulse and force–time graphs, collisions, explosions and kinetic energy. 10 questions · after the simulations and worksheets.

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A.3 Work, energy and power

A.3 Work and energy

Work and energy

Work done, force–distance graphs, kinetic and potential energy and conservation of energy. 10 questions · after the simulations and worksheets.

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A.3 Power and efficiency

Power and efficiency

Power, P = Fv, efficiency, Sankey diagrams and energy density. 10 questions · after the simulations and worksheets.

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Videos — lessons and experiments

Video lessons from Sirius Revision and Andy Masley for each topic, then short videos of the demos and labs from our lessons. They open on YouTube in a new tab.

ATheme A — Space, time and motion

A.1 Kinematics

A.1 Kinematics · video lessons

Sirius Revision — A.1 Kinematics

Motion graphs, equations of motion, projectiles and air resistance. Explained lessons with IB examples (YouTube channel @siriusrevision).

Simulations

ATheme A — Space, time and motion

A.1 Kinematics

Free fall

Horizontal launch

Angled launch

Velocity components

Hit the target

Air resistance

A.2 Forces and momentum

Types of forces and Newton's laws

Friction block

Normal force

Friction on an incline

Incline with a pulley

Spring force

Springs in series and parallel

Drag and Stokes' law

Buoyancy

Pendulum tension

Pulleys and hanging masses

Hanging on two threads

Connected blocks

Circular motion

Circular motion

Momentum and impulse

Impulse

Momentum – Collision types and Explosions

A.3 Work, energy and power

Work done

Energy conservation

Power

Efficiency and energy density

Quizzes — test yourself

ATheme A — Space, time and motion

A.1 Kinematics

Projectile motion

Motion graphs

A.2 Forces and momentum

Forces

Circular motion

Momentum and impulse

A.3 Work, energy and power

Work and energy

Power and efficiency

Videos — lessons and experiments

ATheme A — Space, time and motion

A.1 Kinematics

Sirius Revision — A.1 Kinematics

Andy Masley — A.1 Kinematics

Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber (feather and bowling ball)

Shoot-n-Drop: one ball fired sideways, one dropped

Monkey and the hunter classroom demonstration

Projectile motion lab: measuring launch velocity and predicting range

A.2 Forces and momentum

Sirius Revision — A.2 Forces and momentum

Andy Masley — A.2 Forces and momentum

GCSE Physics — Contact and non-contact forces

Friction lab (PASCO Smart Cart)

Static and kinetic friction

Frictional force measured using a spring balance

Bathroom scales on an inclined plane

Why tension blows up as the rope becomes horizontal

Required practical: stretching a spring

Archimedes' principle demonstration

Terminal velocity experiment (PAG 1.2)

Newton's 1st law of inertia (coin in cup)

Pull a tablecloth using inertia and physics

Will the top or bottom string break first?

Egg drop inertia challenge

Newton's second law

Newton's 3rd law using force sensors

Basic MagLev including Newton's third law

Circular motion in a cup: swirling marble

Why water stays in a bucket revolving in a vertical circle

The bung whirling experiment

Smartphone experiment: centrifugal acceleration

Throwing an egg into a bedsheet

Smart Cart with force sensor: soft and sharp collisions

Collisions demo: Newton's cradle