IB Physics HL Predicted Papers for November 2026
Six full Higher Level sets — Paper 1A, Paper 1B and Paper 2 — each with a worked mark scheme, calculator-active on the new 2025 syllabus, built by our team led by Mr Ejaz from the specimen, 2025 and 2026 examinations.
The new IB Physics syllabus (first examined 2025) changed the exam: a calculator is now allowed on every paper, the multiple-choice Paper 1A sits alongside a brand-new data-analysis Paper 1B, and Paper 2 carries the long questions. Our Physics HL predicted papers let you rehearse exactly that format — six complete sets, in real IB style, before November.
Here is what is in the HL sets, why the new syllabus needs papers written for it, and how our team — led by Mr Ejaz — builds them from the real exams.
What you get for Physics HL
- Six full sets, each with Paper 1A (40 multiple-choice), Paper 1B (20-mark data analysis) and Paper 2 (90-mark structured) — every paper calculator-active.
- A full worked mark scheme for every question, with the method shown, not just the answer.
- Higher Level depth throughout — rigid-body mechanics, special relativity (with a spacetime-diagram question), thermodynamics, electromagnetic induction and quantum physics.
- Set 1 is free — a complete set, no card, so you can judge the quality first; all six unlock for a one-time US$100 for Physics HL (Physics SL is a separate unlock).
Paper 1B is the piece students miss. It is the new data-analysis paper — uncertainties, error bars, best-fit and maximum-gradient lines, linearising a power law, reading a systematic error off an intercept. It is essentially the old Paper 3 Section A, standing on its own, and it rewards practice with realistic data. Every set includes two fresh 1B experiments.
How the November 2026 exam is likely to look
We read the specimen papers, both 2025 sessions and the 2026 papers, and tagged every question by theme and mark. The heaviest strands at HL are Nuclear & quantum and Fields, followed by Space, time & motion, then waves and the particulate nature of matter. Paper 1A samples the five themes almost exactly in proportion to teaching hours every session, so its shape is highly predictable. Paper 2 carries the two big synoptic anchors — typically an everyday-scenario mechanics + thermal + gravitation mega-question and a fields + nuclear/quantum fusion question. Our sets are weighted to match, and rotate the anchors across the six so the whole syllabus is covered.
How we build them
Every question is original, written by our IB-experienced tutors in exact IB wording and difficulty, with diagrams — circuits, field lines, ray diagrams, oscilloscope traces, HR diagrams, spacetime diagrams — drawn to match the real papers. When the 2026 papers were released we checked our method against them, so these are predictions with a track record. For the official framework see the IB’s Physics guide.
Mr Ejaz has taught IB Physics and Mathematics in Singapore for over a decade. The predicted papers are the same analysis he uses with his own classes — written down and made available to you.
Two ways to use them
Self-study — US$100. Sit each paper under timed conditions and mark against the worked scheme. Set 1 is free; all six Physics HL sets are a one-time US$100 (Physics SL is a separate unlock).
AI self-marking — US$299 (coming soon). Upload a photo or PDF of your working and get it graded against our scheme, with a clear score and a topic-by-topic breakdown of where the marks slipped.
At a glance — Physics HL
- Free — Set 1 (Paper 1A + 1B + 2), no payment.
- US$100 — all six Physics HL sets, papers + full mark schemes, one-time (Physics SL is a separate unlock).
- US$299 — six sets plus AI self-marking (coming soon).
Start with the free set
Sitting SL instead? See the Physics SL predicted papers. You can also revise topic-by-topic with the new-syllabus revision guide or work through it with an IB Physics tutor. Start with the free Set 1 and see whether it feels like the real thing.
Start with Set 1 — free
Sit the November 2026 Physics HL papers before the real ones
Six full Higher Level sets — Paper 1A, 1B and 2 — each with a worked mark scheme. Set 1 is free; unlock the rest for one payment (Physics HL; Physics SL is a separate unlock).
Frequently asked questions
What is in the IB Physics HL predicted papers?
Six full sets, each with Paper 1A (40 multiple-choice, 40 marks), Paper 1B (20-mark data analysis) and Paper 2 (90-mark structured), every paper calculator-active, each with a full worked mark scheme.
Is a calculator allowed on Paper 1A?
Yes. On the 2025 syllabus a calculator is required on every paper, including the multiple-choice Paper 1A, and a data booklet is provided. Our papers are written expecting both.
What is Paper 1B?
Paper 1B is the new 20-mark data-analysis paper — uncertainties, error bars, best-fit and maximum-gradient lines, linearisation and systematic errors. It replaces the data-analysis section of the old Paper 3. Each set has two fresh 1B experiments.
How much do they cost, and is anything free?
Set 1 is free with no card. All six Physics HL sets are a one-time US$100 (Physics SL is a separate unlock). An optional US$299 tier adds AI self-marking (coming soon).
How accurate are they?
They are built from the specimen, the 2025 sessions and the 2026 papers, weighted by theme and mark. No one can guarantee the exact questions, but your practice lands where the marks reliably fall.
Photon Academy is an independent tuition provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the International Baccalaureate Organization. IB and International Baccalaureate are trademarks of their respective owners. All Photon practice papers and questions are original works. No tuition provider can guarantee a specific IB grade.