IB
@ PMSS
EMPOWERING PMSS IB STUDENTS
Get the full run-down on your options, receive advice from those who know what you're going through, and make the most of the sweat, blood and tears you're putting into your education.
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Natural/Experimental Sciences
what do you do?
We either take notes or do labs. That's pretty much it.
what's it like?
Chemistry is "easy if you know what you're doing". Taking notes can sometimes be kind of boring, but usually the class discussions that are interspersed with the lecture are quite entertaining. Labs are usually fun because you get to see the theories you've learned applied to real life (and the test tubes turn pretty colours). Chemistry tests are infamously agonizing so make sure you study!
In grades 11 and 12, the "Science" course you're familiar with branches off into three different subjects: Chemistry, Physics and Biology.
Chemistry
Topics:
Grade 11
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Fundamentals of Chemical Change
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The Periodic Table and Some Properties of the Elements
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Stoichiometry: Quanititative Chemical Relationships
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Reactions between Ions in Aqueous Solutions
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Properties of Gases
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Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
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Energy and Thermochemistry
Grade 12
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Atomic Theory, Bonding, Structure and Periodicity
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Molecular Geometry and Intermolecular Interaction
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Kinetics: The Study of Rates of Reaction
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Chemical Equilibrium - General Concepts
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Acids and Bases
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Electrochemistry (Applications of Redox)
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Organic Chemistry
Possible Options:
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Modern Analytical Chemistry
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Human Biochemistry
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Environmental Chemistry
Internal Assessment -
Design labs
Labs done throughout grades 11 and 12 (personal skills,
manipulative skills)
External Assessment -
Paper One (multiple choice)
Paper Two (data analysis, short answer and open response
questions)
Paper Three (short answer and extended response questions)
Physics
Topics:
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Physics and physical measurement
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Mechanics
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Thermal physics
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Oscillations and waves, Wave phenomena
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Electric currents, Electromagnetic induction
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Fields and forces, Motion fields
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Atomic, quantum and nuclear physics
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Energy, power and climate change
SL Options:
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Sight and wave phenomena
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Quantum physics and nuclear physics
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Digital technology
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Relativity and particle physics
SL and HL Options:
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Astrophysics
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Communications
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Electromagnetic waves
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Relativity
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Medical physics
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Particle physics
Internal Assessment - Design labs
External Assessment -
Paper One (multiple choice questions)
Paper Two (Core and Additional HL material: one data based
question, several short answer questions, two extended
response questions)
Paper Three (Options: short answer questions, one extended
response question)
Biology
Topics:
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Statistical analysis
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Cells
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Chemical elements and water
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Genetics
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Ecology and evolution
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Human health and physiology
Additional Higher Level material:
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Nucleic acids and proteins
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Cell respiration and photosynthesis
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Plant science
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Genetics
Internal Assessment - Short term and long term investigations (design
labs)
External Assessment -
Paper One (multiple choice questions)
Paper Two (Core and Additional HL material: one data based
question, several short answer questions, two extended
response questions)
Paper Three (Options: short answer questions, one extended
response question)
The Group 4 Project
Collaborative investigation with other students from all science courses to assess groupwork skills, findings presented to assessor
what do you do?
We teach ourselves physics. Reading the textbook, doing questions from the textbook, doing questions from handouts, asking each other about the questions, etc.
what's it like?
Physics is kind of frustrating, especially if you don't have any background knowledge for the subject. The course is very self-guided, so unless you're willing to ask other students and the teacher questions, you're not going to get too much out of just trying to teach yourself everything. Another challenge is that "physics" can become simply memorizing formulas and plugging values into these formulas, but TRUST ME when I say that taking the time to actually understand the concepts will pay off!
what do you do?
I'm UNDER CONSTRUCTION
what's it like?
I'm UNDER CONSTRUCTION
