Introduction: Why the IB Physics Formula Sheet Matters

If you are preparing for your IB Physics exams, the formula sheet — officially called the IB Physics Data Booklet — is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. It travels with you into every paper of every IB Physics examination, giving you access to the constants, equations, and relationships that underpin the entire course.

But here is the catch: simply having the formula sheet is not enough. Students who perform best in IB Physics are those who understand the formulas they are given, know when to apply them, and can navigate the booklet quickly and confidently under exam conditions.

This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the IB Physics formula sheet — what it contains, how it is organized, the key formulas for every topic, pro tips for using it effectively, and the common mistakes students make. Whether you are studying for SL or HL, this is your one-stop resource.

What Is the IB Physics Data Booklet?

The IB Physics Data Booklet is the official reference document published by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). It is provided to every student during IB Physics examinations across Papers 1, 2, and 3. The booklet contains:

• Fundamental physical constants (speed of light, gravitational constant, Planck’s constant, etc.)
• Mathematical equations and relationships
• Topic-by-topic formulas organized according to the IB Physics syllabus
• Metric prefixes and unit conversions
• Uncertainty and error propagation rules

Importantly, the IB updated its Physics curriculum with the new syllabus, and there are now two distinct data booklets — one for the current (2023 first exams onward) syllabus and one for the legacy syllabus. Always confirm which version applies to your examination session before revising with a particular booklet.

How the IB Physics Formula Sheet Is Organized

The current IB Physics Data Booklet is structured around the five main themes of the updated syllabus:

• Theme A: Space, Time and Motion
• Theme B: The Particulate Nature of Matter
• Theme C: Wave Behaviour
• Theme D: Fields
• Theme E: Nuclear and Quantum Physics

Higher Level (HL) content appears within these themes, generally from sub-topics A.4 onward and throughout the HL-exclusive sections. There is no separate HL booklet — both SL and HL students use the same document, but HL students simply have access to more of its content.

Key Formulas by Topic: A Complete Breakdown

Theme A — Space, Time and Motion

A.1 Kinematics

Kinematics is the study of motion without regard to its causes. The IB Physics formula sheet provides the four equations of uniform acceleration, which are among the most frequently used formulas in the entire course:

• v = u + at — final velocity from initial velocity, acceleration, and time
• s = ut + ½at² — displacement from initial velocity, acceleration, and time
• v² = u² + 2as — final velocity from initial velocity, acceleration, and displacement
• s = ((u + v) / 2) × t — displacement from average velocity and time

These equations apply only when acceleration is constant. For projectile motion problems, you split the motion into horizontal and vertical components and apply these equations independently to each.

A.2 Forces and Momentum

Newton’s Second Law appears in two forms in the formula sheet. The simpler F = ma (net force equals mass times acceleration) is the everyday version. The more fundamental form is F = Δp/Δt — net force equals rate of change of momentum. The latter is especially important for collision and impulse problems.

Other key formulas in this section include:

• Friction: Ff ≤ μFN (frictional force is at most the coefficient of friction times the normal force)
• Impulse: J = FΔt = Δp (impulse equals force times time interval, which equals change in momentum)
• Momentum: p = mv

A.3 Work, Energy and Power

• Work: W = Fs cosθ — work is force times displacement times the cosine of the angle between them
• Kinetic energy: Ek = ½mv²
• Gravitational potential energy: ΔEp = mgΔh
• Power: P = Fv (power at constant velocity)
• Efficiency: η = useful output power / total input power

A.4 Rigid Body Mechanics (HL)

HL students also encounter rotational mechanics. Key formulas include:

• Torque: τ = Fr sinθ
• Moment of inertia and angular momentum relationships
• Rotational kinetic energy: Ek = ½Iω²

A.5 Galilean and Special Relativity (HL)

The special relativity section introduces the Lorentz factor (γ), which is fundamental to all relativistic calculations. The formula sheet provides expressions for time dilation, length contraction, and relativistic momentum.

Theme B — The Particulate Nature of Matter

B.1 Thermal Energy Transfers

• Specific heat capacity: Q = mcΔT — the energy required to change the temperature of a substance
• Specific latent heat: Q = mL — the energy required to change the state of a substance without changing its temperature
• Newton’s Law of Cooling and conduction equations also appear here for HL

B.3 Gas Laws

The ideal gas law is one of the most important equations in thermal physics:

• PV = nRT — where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the universal gas constant (8.31 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹), and T is absolute temperature in Kelvin
• PV = NkBT — the same law expressed in terms of the number of molecules N and Boltzmann’s constant kB

The formula sheet also provides the relationship between average kinetic energy and temperature: Ek(avg) = (3/2)kBT

B.4 Thermodynamics (HL)

First Law of Thermodynamics: ΔU = Q + W — the change in internal energy equals heat added to the system plus work done on the system. HL students need to be comfortable with P-V diagrams and efficiency formulas for heat engines, including the Carnot efficiency: η = 1 − (T_cold / T_hot)

B.5 Current and Circuits

• Ohm’s Law: V = IR
• Power in a circuit: P = IV = I²R = V²/R
• Resistors in series: R_total = R₁ + R₂ + …
• Resistors in parallel: 1/R_total = 1/R₁ + 1/R₂ + …
• EMF and internal resistance: ε = I(R + r)

Theme C — Wave Behaviour

C.1 Simple Harmonic Motion

SHM is a mathematically rich topic with several important formulas:

• Period of a mass-spring system: T = 2π√(m/k)
• Period of a simple pendulum: T = 2π√(L/g)
• Acceleration in SHM: a = −ω²x (acceleration is proportional to, and opposite in direction to, displacement)
• Angular frequency: ω = 2π/T = 2πf

C.2 Wave Model

• Wave speed: v = fλ (wave speed equals frequency times wavelength)
• Intensity: I = P/A (intensity is power per unit area)
• Intensity and amplitude relationship: I ∝ A²

C.3 Wave Phenomena

This sub-topic covers interference and diffraction. For the double-slit experiment, the formula sheet gives the relationship for fringe spacing. Single-slit diffraction, the Rayleigh criterion for resolution, and the diffraction grating equation (nλ = d sinθ) are all included.

C.5 Doppler Effect

The formula sheet provides both the general and simplified forms of the Doppler formula for sound and electromagnetic waves, including the important approximation for cases where the source speed is much less than wave speed: Δf/f ≈ v/c

Theme D — Fields

D.1 Gravitational Fields

• Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation: F = Gm₁m₂/r²
• Gravitational field strength: g = GM/r²
• Gravitational potential energy: Ep = −GMm/r (note the negative sign)
• Orbital mechanics: combining gravitational force with centripetal force gives v² = GM/r for circular orbits

D.2 Electric and Magnetic Fields

• Coulomb’s Law: F = kq₁q₂/r² = q₁q₂/(4πε₀r²)
• Electric field strength: E = F/q = kQ/r²
• Electric potential: V = kQ/r
• Force on a charge in a magnetic field: F = qvB sinθ
• Force on a current-carrying conductor: F = BIL sinθ

D.3 Motion in Electromagnetic Fields (HL)

HL students also work with electromagnetic induction. Key formulas include Faraday’s Law: EMF = −ΔΦ/Δt, and the transformer equation: V₁/V₂ = N₁/N₂.

Theme E — Nuclear and Quantum Physics

E.1 Structure of the Atom

The formula sheet provides the de Broglie wavelength: λ = h/p — linking the wavelength of a particle to its momentum. This is fundamental to understanding wave-particle duality.

E.2 Quantum Physics (HL)

The photoelectric effect formula: Ekmax = hf − φ (where φ is the work function) appears here, along with Planck’s equation E = hf.

E.3 Radioactive Decay

• Activity: A = λN (activity equals the decay constant times the number of undecayed nuclei)
• Decay law: N = N₀e^(−λt)
• Half-life: T½ = ln2/λ

Fundamental Constants on the IB Physics Formula Sheet

The data booklet opens with a table of fundamental constants that students use throughout all topics. The most important ones to know are:

Constant	Symbol	Value
Speed of light in a vacuum	c	3.00 × 10⁸ m s⁻¹
Gravitational constant	G	6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ N m² kg⁻²
Planck’s constant	h	6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ J s
Avogadro’s constant	NA	6.02 × 10²³ mol⁻¹
Boltzmann’s constant	kB	1.38 × 10⁻²³ J K⁻¹
Gas constant	R	8.31 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹
Stefan-Boltzmann constant	σ	5.67 × 10⁻⁸ W m⁻² K⁻⁴
Electron charge	e	1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ C
Electron mass	me	9.11 × 10⁻³¹ kg

You do not need to memorize these — they are provided — but knowing their approximate values allows you to sanity-check your calculations during the exam.

Uncertainty and Error Propagation

One often-overlooked section of the IB Physics formula sheet deals with uncertainty calculations. The booklet provides the rules for propagating uncertainties through calculations:

• For addition and subtraction: absolute uncertainties add — Δy = Δa + Δb
• For multiplication and division: percentage (fractional) uncertainties add — Δy/y = Δa/a + Δb/b
• For powers: Δy/y = |n| × Δa/a

Mastering these rules is essential not only for Paper 2 and Paper 3 data-based questions but also for your Internal Assessment (IA), where uncertainty analysis is a core requirement.

How to Use the IB Physics Formula Sheet Effectively

Tip 1: Annotate Your Own Copy During Revision

While you cannot take an annotated copy into the exam, creating your own annotated revision booklet during the course is a powerful study tool. Resources like Revision Village publish annotated versions that explain what each symbol means and give context for each formula. Using one of these during revision builds familiarity so that on exam day, you know exactly where to find what you need.

Tip 2: Practise Navigation Under Timed Conditions

In a high-pressure exam environment, flipping through pages looking for a formula wastes precious time. During practice, deliberately use the official booklet when attempting past papers so that navigating it becomes second nature. Know roughly which page each topic’s formulas appear on.

Tip 3: Understand Formulas, Don’t Just Find Them

The formula sheet tells you the relationship, but it does not tell you when to apply it or how to rearrange it. A student who understands that P = IV and V = IR can derive P = I²R independently — but only if they understand the underlying physics. For every formula in the booklet, ask yourself: What does each variable represent? Under what conditions does this formula apply? How would I rearrange it to find each variable?

Tip 4: Learn Which Formulas Are NOT in the Booklet

Surprisingly, there are relationships that students are expected to know from memory that do not appear in the data booklet. These include some definitions, unit conversions, and conceptual relationships. Check with your teacher or a reputable revision source to confirm which formulas fall outside the booklet for your syllabus version.

Tip 5: Cross-Reference Formulas Across Topics

Many IB Physics concepts are deeply interconnected. For example, the formula for intensity I ∝ A² applies to both waves and sound. The energy equation E = hf connects quantum physics to the electromagnetic spectrum. Recognizing these cross-topic connections will make you a more flexible problem solver.

Common Mistakes Students Make With the Formula Sheet

Mistake 1: Relying on the booklet as a crutch. Students who plan to “just look it up” during the exam often find themselves confused about which formula applies or how to use it. The booklet is a reference, not a substitute for understanding.

Mistake 2: Using the wrong syllabus version. There are currently two active IB Physics syllabi. Using formula resources from the wrong curriculum can lead to studying equations that will not appear in your exam, or missing ones that will.

Mistake 3: Ignoring the constants section. Many students flip straight to the topic formulas and forget about the constants table at the front. Remember that in calculation questions, you will often need values like G, h, or kB, and these are right there at the beginning of the booklet.

Mistake 4: Forgetting unit consistency. The formulas in the booklet assume SI units. If your data is given in non-SI units — kilometres instead of metres, grams instead of kilograms, electron-volts instead of joules — you must convert before substituting.

Mistake 5: Neglecting the vector nature of quantities. The data booklet notes that equations relate to the magnitudes of quantities. Direction is your responsibility. Many students drop signs or fail to resolve vectors correctly because they assume the formula handles it.

SL vs. HL: What’s Different?

Standard Level students cover Themes A through E, but only the SL sub-topics within each theme. Higher Level students cover additional sub-topics — including A.4 (rigid body mechanics), A.5 (special relativity), B.4 (thermodynamics), D.3 (electromagnetic induction), and E.2 (quantum physics) — as well as greater mathematical depth throughout.

The formula booklet contains all formulas for both SL and HL. HL formulas are generally found within the sub-topics numbered above the SL range. If you are an SL student, you will not be examined on the HL content, but it does not hurt to be aware of it.

Conclusion: Make the Formula Sheet Your Best Study Partner

The IB Physics formula sheet is more than a cheat sheet — it is a structured map of the entire IB Physics course. Every formula it contains represents a relationship between physical quantities that has been tested, refined, and validated through centuries of scientific inquiry.

The students who excel in IB Physics are not those who memorize equations — they are those who understand them deeply enough that the formula sheet becomes a comfort and a confirmation, not a lifeline. Use this guide to build that understanding topic by topic, practice with past papers in hand, and walk into your exam confident that you know exactly how to use every tool available to you.

Good luck with your IB Physics journey. The formula sheet is on your side — and now, so is this guide.