Do you love science, experiments, and figuring out how things actually work? Then the Physics Extended Essay subject might be just right for you.
But if you’re curious about what the Physics Extended Essay is really about, who it suits best, and whether it’s as tough as everyone says, let’s go through it together.
What Is the Physics Extended Essay Subject?
Students who want to know how the world works, from the smallest particles to the motion of galaxies, should take Physics as a subject and write an Extended Essay. It’s a real science study that lets you use what you’ve learned in class to answer questions about the real world.
IB criteria say that Physics is one of the core experimental sciences. So, it’s all about testing ideas, analyzing data, and understanding what’s really going on behind everyday phenomena.
In simple terms, you’ll choose one focused research question and spend a few weeks investigating it. Some students look at how temperature affects solar cell efficiency, while others experiment with sound waves, light refraction, or motion. To learn how to think like a scientist, you have to use models, laws, and equations to prove or study something that can be measured.
To give you an idea of what the course covers, here’s a quick look at the main areas of study:
| Theme | Main Topics |
|---|---|
| A. Space, time, and motion | Kinematics, Forces, Energy, Power, Mechanics, Relativity |
| B. The particulate nature of matter | Thermal energy, Gas laws, Thermodynamics, Circuits |
| C. Wave behaviour | Harmonic motion, Standing waves, Resonance, Doppler effect |
| D. Fields | Gravitational, Electric, Magnetic fields, Induction, Motion in fields |
| E. Nuclear and quantum physics | Structure of the atom, Quantum physics, Radioactivity, Fusion, and fission |
A big part of writing a Physics Extended Essay is learning how scientists actually get knowledge. You start to realize that no experiment is perfect, because of some error or unexpected result. And that’s okay!
In fact, that’s what real science is about: noticing what went wrong, fixing it, and trying again.
Why Choose Physics for Your Extended Essay?
I believe that the main reason you should write your Extended Essay on Physics is that it helps you think critically more than any other subject. It makes you think about how theory fits with fact, which is precisely what you should do in college-level science. Also, this essay is a great place to start if you want to work in engineering, data science, or astrophysics.
Another reason I really like Physics EE is that you actually see the results of your work. Unlike many essays where everything stays on paper, here your data tells a story. That’s incredibly motivating. You can adjust a variable, change a setup, and instantly see what happens.
It’s also worth noting that your essay should feel like it’s written for people who already get the basics of physics. You don’t need to explain stuff like Newton’s laws from scratch since your reader is familiar with them. But if you bring in something new, like a concept from astrophysics or quantum theory, be sure to explain it clearly and show that you actually understand how it works.
So, you can focus on your experiment, your results, and your ideas, not on explaining simple stuff. That’s one of the things that makes writing a Physics Extended Essay feel more real and interesting.
Is Physics Extended Essay Subject Hard?
Yes, the Physics Extended Essay can be hard, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. If you like working with numbers, doing experiments, and thinking critically, it could be one of the best EE subjects. But, like any science Extended Essay, it takes a little more work than, say, a humanities subject.
Setting up your experiments and getting good results is one of the hardest parts. Often in Physics, there are factors that you can’t completely control. Because of this, you’ll need to consider how to minimize mistakes and uncertainties carefully. It’s not always easy, but that’s part of the process. A big part of science is finding out what went wrong and fixing it.
Another problem is making your results easy to understand. You need to do more than just collect data; you also need to make sense of it and show how it fits in with the IB Physics you are learning.
You must think critically, and here’s the bonus: if you can clearly explain your results and back them up with strong reasoning, you’ll have a good Extended Essay on Physics.
Even though the Physics EE subject can be hard at times, you can do it if you stay prepared, plan ahead, and keep at it.
And aside from that, the skills you learn when writing will come in handy no matter what you study next.
How to Choose Topics for Physics Extended Essay?
When you’re brainstorming, start with everyday life. Maybe you’ve noticed how a drone behaves in strong wind, or how sound changes in different rooms. These simple observations often lead to superb research questions.
In simple words, your topic for Physics EE should be challenging enough to make you think, but not so advanced that you need university-level theory to answer it. That also means your research question should be narrow, clear, and measurable.
And back to topics, here are a few examples:
| ☑️ Focused and Doable | ❌ Too Broad or Complex |
|---|---|
| The effect of liquid viscosity on the speed of a falling object | Black holes and time dilation |
| The relationship between wire thickness and resistance | Electrical circuits in modern vehicles |
| How temperature changes the performance of solar panels | Renewable energy and global warming |
| The frequency of sound produced by a violin at different temperatures | The physics of all musical instruments |
Once you have a general idea, talk it through with your supervisor and shape it into a clear research question that you can actually test using physics concepts.
If possible, try to do a real experiment (even a simple one). Just so you know, some of the strongest essays on Physics come from projects where students collect and analyze their own data.
You don’t need expensive lab equipment or high-tech setups because the basic tools you have at school are usually enough. What really counts is that your experiment makes sense, follows safe procedures, and connects well with the underlying theory.
Even if you can’t run an experiment, you can still write a great Extended Essay using secondary data from sources like astronomical databases or public datasets. But analyze that data in your own way, rather than simply describing it.
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How to Structure Your Physics Extended Essay?
The main goal is to move logically from your research question to your conclusion, making sure every section connects.
Title Page
All you need is to write a short, specific title that clearly reflects your research question. You should avoid vague or overcomplicated options.
Introduction
Start by introducing your EE topic and explaining why you chose it. Mention what first got you interested and what you hope to find out. Then, clearly state your research question (this is the foundation of your whole essay.)
You can also give a short overview of the physics principles or theories that relate to your topic so the reader understands the scientific background.
Methodology (or Experimental Design)
Now it’s time to explain how you did your research. Was your work experimental, theoretical, or based on data analysis?
- If you ran experiments, describe your setup, the equipment you used, and what variables you tested.
- If you worked with simulations or used data from other sources, say where it came from and how you analyzed it.
Try to write it in a way that someone else could repeat what you did without guessing. Adding a quick diagram or a short note about your setup can make this section much clearer.
Data and Analysis
When writing a Physics Extended Essay, you can use graphs, tables, or short calculations. All of these work well for Physics.
Then, explain what the data tells you. Here, use relevant physics equations or models to analyze your results and include uncertainties, errors, and units. To stand out, talk about patterns, relationships, or anything unexpected that appeared.
Discussion
Now, it’s time to look at your results and think about what they really mean. Did anything not go as expected? Maybe there were some mistakes or things you couldn’t control—that’s totally normal.
Just explain how those things might have affected your results. It’s fine if things weren’t perfect, as long as you can show you understand why that happened.
Conclusion
In this part, summarize what you found and give a clear answer to your research question. Keep it simple and straight to the point.
You can mention what you would do differently next time or how the experiment could be expanded. In any case, don’t add any new information or analysis here!
References and Appendices
Finally, list all the sources you used and make sure your references are consistent. If you have extra stuff that supports your essay, like raw data, graphs, or any extra details, include them in the appendices.
Final Words
The Physics Extended Essay subject is not for everyone. It teaches you how to think critically, put together facts, and make a good argument. Although it’s hard work, you’ll get useful skills that are in great demand in a variety of areas.
This is the right subject for you if you like making connections between theory and real experiments. Additionally, Physics EE can help you if you want to work as an engineer, in data science, in astrophysics, or even in technology. The skills you develop are exactly what these fields look for.
So, take your time, make a good plan, and remember that small experiments can lead to big ideas.
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