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Best Physics IA Ideas for IB Students in 2024

RevisionDojo
4 min read

Choosing the right topic for your Internal Assessment (IA) can be challenging, but it's crucial for success in the IB program. This list of ideas is designed to be a springboard to inspire your own unique IA topics.

Each idea includes a brief description, difficulty rating, and relevant topics/approaches to consider, making it easier for you to select and refine your IA project. Use these suggestions as a starting point and adapt them to fit your interests and the specific requirements of your subject.

Investigating Projectile Motion of a Thrown Ball

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Topics: Mechanics, projectile motion, kinematics

Effect of Angle of Inclination on Acceleration

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Mechanics, acceleration, angles

Analyzing the Damping Effect in Oscillating Systems

  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Topics: Mechanics, oscillations, damping

Studying the Efficiency of Different Solar Panels

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Energy, solar panels, efficiency

Investigating the Relationship Between Voltage and Current in a Resistor

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Topics: Electricity, Ohm's law, resistors

Effect of Wire Length on Electrical Resistance

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Topics: Electricity, resistance, wire length

Analyzing the Behavior of Springs in Series and Parallel

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Mechanics, springs, Hooke's law

Investigating the Cooling Rate of Different Liquids

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Topics: Thermal physics, cooling, liquids

Measuring the Speed of Sound in Air Using Resonance

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Waves, sound, resonance

Effect of Light Intensity on the Photoelectric Effect

  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Topics: Quantum physics, photoelectric effect, light intensity

Determining the Gravitational Field Strength Using a Pendulum

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Mechanics, pendulum, gravitational field

Analyzing the Factors Affecting Terminal Velocity

  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Topics: Mechanics, terminal velocity, drag force

Investigating Refraction of Light Through Different Media

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Topics: Optics, refraction, Snell's law

Effect of Temperature on Electrical Conductivity of Metals

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Electricity, conductivity, temperature

Studying the Doppler Effect with Sound Waves

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Waves, Doppler effect, sound

Investigating Magnetic Fields Using Iron Filings

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Topics: Magnetism, magnetic fields, iron filings

Analyzing the Efficiency of Different Insulating Materials

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Thermal physics, insulation, materials

Effect of Frequency on the Diffraction of Waves

  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Topics: Waves, diffraction, frequency

Studying Circular Motion in a Centrifuge

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Mechanics, circular motion, centripetal force

Investigating Electromagnetic Induction Using Coils

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Electromagnetism, induction, coils

Effect of Mass on the Period of a Simple Pendulum

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Topics: Mechanics, pendulum, mass

Analyzing the Decay of Radioactive Materials

  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Topics: Nuclear physics, radioactivity, decay

Investigating the Polarization of Light

  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Topics: Optics, polarization, light

Effect of Surface Area on Air Resistance

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Topics: Mechanics, air resistance, surface area

Studying the Relationship Between Pressure and Volume in Gases

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Topics: Gas laws, pressure, volume