This table is a side-by-side comparison of 2016 and 2009 IB Physics curriculum.

The center column is

a reference to the 2009 sub-topic most closely related to the 2016 sub-topic.

2016 Core 2009 2009 Core

sub-topic
1. Measurements and uncertainties 1. Physics and physical measurement
1.1 Measurements in physics 1.1, 1.2 1.1 The realm of physics
1.2 Uncertainties and errors 1.2 1.2 Measurement and uncertainties
1.3 Vectors and scalars 1.3 1.3 Vectors and scalars
2. Mechanics 2. Mechanics
2.1 Motion 2.1, 9.1 2.1 Kinematics
2.2 Forces 2.2 2.2 Forces and dynamics
2.3 Work, energy, and power 2.3 2.3 Work, energy, and power
2.4 Momentum and impulse 2.2 2.4 Uniform circular motion
3. Thermal physics 3. Thermal physics
3.1 Thermal concepts 3.1 3.1 Thermal concepts
3.2 Modelling a gas 3.2 3.2 Thermal properties of matter
4. Waves 4. Oscillations and waves
4.1 Oscillations 4.1 4.1 Kinematics of simple harmonic motion
4.2 Travelling waves 4.4 4.2 Energy changes during SHM
4.3 Wave characteristics 4.4 4.3 Forced oscillations and resonance
4.4 Wave behaviour 4.5 4.4 Wave characteristics
4.5 Standing waves 4.5 4.5 Wave properties
5. Electricity and magnetism 5. Electric currents
5.1 Electric fields 5.1, 6.2 5.1 Electric potential difference, I, R
5.2 Heating effect of electric currents 5.2 5.2 Electric circuits
5.3 Electric cells 5.1
5.4 Magnetic effects of currents 6.3
6. Circular motion and gravitation 6. Fields and forces
6.1 Circular motion 2.4 6.1 Gravitational force and field
6.2 Newtons law of gravitation 6.1, 9.4 6.2 Electric force and field
6.3 Magnetic force and field
7. Atomic, nuclear, particle physics 7. Atomic and nuclear physics
7.1 Discrete energy and radioactivity 7.1, 7.2, 7.1 The atom
13.1
7.2 Nuclear reactions 7.3, 13.2 7.2 Radioactive decay
7.3 The structure of matter J.1 7.3 Nuclear reactions, fission and fusion
8. Energy production 8. Energy, power, and climate change
8.1 Energy sources 8.2 8.1 Energy degradation, power generation
8.2 Thermal energy transfer 8.1 8.2 World energy sources
8.3 Fossil fuel power production
8.4 Non-fossil fuel power production
8.5 Greenhouse effect
8.6 Global warming
2016 AHL 2009 2009 AHL
sub-topic
9. Wave phenomena 9. Motion in fields
9.1 Simple harmonic motion 4.1, 4.2 9.1 Projectile motion
9.2 Single-slit diffraction 11.3 9.2 Gravitational field, potential, energy
9.3 Interference 4.5 9.3 Electric field, potential and energy
9.4 Resolution 11.4 9.4 Orbital motion
9.5 Doppler effect 11.2
10. Fields 10. Thermal physics
10.1 Describing fields 9.2, 9.3 10.1 Thermodynamics
10.2 Fields at work 9.2, 9.3 10.2 Processes
11. Electromagnetic induction 11. Wave phenomena
11.1 Electromagnetic induction 12.1, 12.2 11.1 Standing (stationary) waves
11.2 Power generation, transmission 8.3, 8.4, 11.2 Doppler effect
12.3
11.3 Capacitance NEW 11.3 Diffraction

12. Quantum and nuclear physics
12.1 Interaction of matter, radiation
12.2 Nuclear physics
2016 Option
A. Relativity
A.1 Beginnings of relativity (Core)
A.2 Lorentz transformations (Core)
A.3 Spacetime diagrams (Core)
A.4 Relativistic mechanics (HL only)
A.5 General relativity (HL only)
B. Engineering physics
B.1 Rigid bodies and rot. dyn. (Core)
B.2 Thermodynamics (Core)
B.3 Fluids and dynamics (HL only)
B.4 Forced vib. and res. (HL only)
C. Imaging
C.1 Introduction to imaging (Core)
C.2 Imaging instrumentation (Core)
C.3 Fibre optics (Core)
C.4 Medical imaging (HL only)
D. Astrophysics
D.1 Stellar quantities (Core)
D.2 Stellar char. , evolution (Core)
D.3 Cosmology (Core)
D.4 Stellar processes (HL only)
D.5 Further cosmology (HL only)
11.4 Resolution
11.5 Polarization
12. Electromagnetic induction
13.1 12.1 Induced electromotive force (emf)
13.2 12.2 Alternating current
12.3 Transmission of electrical power
13. Quantum and nuclear physics
13.1 Quantum physics
13.2 Nuclear physics
14. Digital technology
14.1 Analogue and digital signals
14.2 Data capture, digital imaging (CCDs)
2009 2009 Option
sub-topic
B. Quantum and nuclear physics
D.1, D.2 B.1 Quantum physics
D.3 B.2 Nuclear physics
NEW D. Relativity and particle physics
H.6 D.1 Introduction to relativity
H.7, H.8 D.2 Concepts, postulates special relativity
D.3 Relativistic kinematics
NEW D.4 Particles and interactions
10.1, 10.2 D.5 Quarks
NEW D.5 Quarks
4.3 H. Relativity
H.1 Introduction to relativity
H.2 Concepts, postulates special relativity
H.3 Relativistic kinematics
H.4 Consequences of special relativity
H.5 Evidence to support special relativity
H.6 Relativistic momentum and energy
H.7 General relativity
H.8 Evidence to support general relativity
H.8 Evidence to support general relativity
J. Particle physics
J.1 Particles and interactions
J.2 Particle accelerators
J.3 Quarks
J.4 Leptons and the standard model
J.5 Evidence for the standard model
J.6 Cosmology and strings