IB Prospectus 2026_paperturn_2 - Flipbook - Page 25
Physics (available at HL and SL)
To study physics is to attempt to understand the nature of the universe itself.
R STUDENTS
It is the search for answers from how the universe exploded into life in the Big
Bang to what is the nature of time itself. Some of the greatest discoveries in
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history have been made by physicists and these discoveries have revolutionised
our world—and physicists are continuing to change the way we think today.
Indeed, when the discipline was 昀椀rst de昀椀ned, it was about observing the
Milky Way, the entire known universe at the time, while wondering about the
existence of the atom.
'Look up at the stars and not down at your feet … Be curious.'
Stephen Hawking
To put it simply, physicists seek to expand knowledge. They work to test
hypotheses and explain observations. They use the results to build evidence,
which ultimately leads to discoveries. These are scrutinised by the scienti昀椀c
community and, if accepted, become knowledge.
'Facts are not science — as the dictionary is not literature.' Martin H. Fischer
According to Richard Feynmann they, “Write down the problem, think
hard, write down the answer”. This — alongside Albert Einstein’s famous
pronouncement that, “Imagination is more important than knowledge” — is an
excellent summary. Basically, they collect evidence to reach partial conclusions
that eventually might be accepted as laws or explanatory theories; physicists
explore new frontiers as varied as the existence of gravitational waves, the path
to arti昀椀cial intelligence, sustainable energy sources and the expansion of travel
into space. There are almost no limits to physics!
'Equipped with their 昀椀ve senses, physicists explore the universe around them
and call the adventure Science.' Edwin Hubble
Previous project titles have explored: mediaeval trebuchets, bridges,
parachutes, photovoltaic cells and the physics of guitars.
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