The IB Physics data booklet, and how to use it
Every IB Physics paper comes with a clean copy of the data booklet. It is a huge help, but only if you know it well. This guide explains what is in it, what is not, and how to make it work for you in the exam.
Quick answer
You get the IB Physics data booklet in every paper. It lists the constants, unit conversions and the main equations for each theme, but not what each symbol means in context or when an equation applies, so practise with it from the start of the course.
On this page
What the data booklet is
The IB Physics data booklet is an official IB document published alongside the Physics guide for exams from 2025. The IB requires schools to give every candidate a clean copy in all examination papers at SL and HL, so you cannot bring your own annotated version. Your school should give you a copy to use throughout the course so that you become familiar with it.
Download the current version from your school or the IB, and check the version number on the cover. The booklet for the 2025 syllabus is different from the one used for older exams, which had separate option sections.
What is in it
The booklet has two broad parts: reference data used across the whole course, and equations grouped by theme.
- Fundamental constants and data, such as the acceleration of free fall near the Earth's surface, the speed of light, the Planck constant, the elementary charge, the gravitational constant, the Avogadro constant and the masses of the electron, proton and neutron.
- Metric (SI) prefixes and unit conversions, for example from electronvolts to joules and between astronomical distance units.
- Electrical symbols for circuit diagrams.
- Mathematical equations: areas and volumes of common shapes, and other maths you may need.
- Physics equations by theme: A Space, time and motion; B The particulate nature of matter; C Wave behaviour; D Fields; E Nuclear and quantum physics. Equations for HL-only content are marked as HL.
The equations you will use, theme by theme
This is a study summary of the relationships you will meet in each theme, not a copy of the booklet. Always check the exact form, symbols and SL or HL label in your own clean copy.
- Theme A: the equations of motion for constant acceleration (s = ut + ½at² and the others), F = ma, momentum p = mv and impulse, work W = Fs cos θ, kinetic energy ½mv², gravitational potential energy mgΔh, power P = Fv and efficiency. At HL: torque, moment of inertia, angular momentum, rotational kinetic energy, and the Lorentz factor for special relativity.
- Theme B: Q = mcΔT and Q = mL for thermal energy, thermal conduction, the Stefan-Boltzmann law and Wien's law, the ideal gas law pV = nRT, the mean kinetic energy of gas particles, and the circuit equations: current, potential difference, resistance, resistivity, power and e.m.f. with internal resistance. At HL: the first law of thermodynamics, entropy and efficiency of heat engines.
- Theme C: T = 1/f, the SHM condition a = −ω²x, the wave equation v = fλ, Snell's law, double-slit fringe spacing and the Doppler effect.
- Theme D: Newton's law of gravitation, gravitational field strength, Coulomb's law, electric field strength, and the magnetic forces F = qvB sin θ and F = BIL sin θ. At HL: potentials, escape speed, and Faraday's law for induction.
- Theme E: mass-energy E = mc², photon energy E = hf, radioactive decay and half-life, and luminosity and apparent brightness of stars. At HL: the photoelectric effect and the de Broglie wavelength.
What the booklet does not do for you
- It does not define symbols in context. You must know that s is displacement, not speed, and which quantities are vectors.
- It does not give definitions. Questions such as “define specific heat capacity” need words you have learned.
- It does not tell you which equation to use. Choosing the right one, and combining two, is the skill being tested.
- It does not show units for every quantity. Practise deriving units from equations.
- It does not cover every rearrangement or special case. For example, the equations of motion assume constant acceleration; the booklet will not remind you of that.
Using the booklet well: an example
A gas in a sealed container has a volume of 2.0 × 10−3 m³ at 300 K and 1.0 × 105 Pa. How many moles of gas are there?
- Find pV = nRT in Theme B and the gas constant R = 8.31 J K−1 mol−1 among the constants.
- n = pV / RT = (1.0 × 105 × 2.0 × 10−3) / (8.31 × 300) = 200 / 2493 = 0.080 mol.
- The booklet gave the equation and the constant; the physics was recognising that the ideal gas law applies and keeping the units in SI.
Combining two equations
A 1500 W kettle heats 0.80 kg of water from 20 °C to 100 °C. The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J kg−1 K−1. Ignoring losses, how long does it take?
- Energy needed: Q = mcΔT = 0.80 × 4200 × 80 = 268 800 J.
- Power is energy per unit time, so t = Q / P = 268 800 / 1500 = 179 s, about 3 minutes.
- Neither equation alone answers the question. Linking them is what earns the marks.
How to train with the booklet
- Use the same clean version you will get in the exam for every homework and past paper.
- Before each question, decide which theme it belongs to and go straight to that page.
- Make your own one-page list of definitions and assumptions the booklet does not contain.
- Check constants rather than memorising them, but know rough sizes, so you notice when an answer is wildly wrong.
- In Paper 1A, use the booklet quickly: you have little time per question, so you need to know where everything is.
Common mistakes
- Using an old-syllabus booklet that has different sections and labels.
- Copying an equation without checking the symbol means the same thing in the question.
- Forgetting to convert units, for example eV to J or °C to K, before substituting.
- Relying on the booklet for definitions, which it does not contain.
Practice questions
Try each one before opening the answer.
Q1. Which theme of the booklet would you open for a question on the Doppler effect?
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Q2. A photon has frequency 6.0 × 1014 Hz. Using h = 6.63 × 10−34 J s, find its energy.
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Q3. A 3.0 kg trolley moves at 4.0 m s−1. Find its kinetic energy.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I take my own data booklet into the exam?
No. The IB requires a clean copy to be provided for every paper, so you cannot use an annotated one.
Is the data booklet the same for SL and HL?
There is one booklet. Equations for HL-only content are marked, so SL students can ignore those.
Do I still need to learn equations?
You need to know what every equation means and when it applies. You also need definitions, which are not in the booklet.
Key takeaways
- A clean copy is provided in every IB Physics paper.
- Constants, prefixes, symbols, maths, then equations by theme A to E.
- HL-only equations are labelled.
- It does not give definitions or tell you which equation to use.
- Practise with the same version all course.