Studying for physics SL options!

[AlonsoDT]

Hello IB world . My exams are on november, and my teacher hasn't finished the options yet (Astrophysics and Wave phenomena) !

I've got two books on IB physics: "IB Diploma Progarmme Physics Course Companion" from Oxford (authors: Tim kirk and Neil Hodgson) and "Standar Level Physics" from Heinemann International (authors: Chris Hamper and Keith Ord). I've been reading the options while doing the course, but I'm worried about paper 3, particularly wave phenomena because I haven't read anything about it yet!

What would you recommend me to do? Should I read the options from now or wait for my teacher to get to them in class? Also, I was wondering whether it would be a good idea to switch the options at the moment of the test. I mean, if I have the books, I could read one or two extra topics and broaden my options (I was thinking on Particle physics and Quantum physics, I find them quite enjoyable haha)

Thanks

[dessskris]

Why would you want to change options, or study more options? If you really haven't studied anything for your currently selected option (wave phenomena), just change. Well, with the permission from your teacher, of course. Or just ask him to change the option for the whole class (if possible). You might be more interested in the options that you now want to choose and you might do better at it in the final exams than your currently selected ones. You may also want to study more options just in case you do not like wave phenomena and don't do well at it; but there might be some problems. Do you have time to study that option? Would you master it if you study by yourself? Would you understand everything if the teacher would not discuss that topic in class? Don't you need to study for the other subjects too?

Think about it. You may need to discuss this with your teacher, too. My suggestion, if you are really worried, start reading your book (wave phenomena option) and try to do the exercise questions in your book. If you have the past year papers, see what kind of question they usually asked and think about whether it is too hard for you or whatever; and if you cannot take it anymore, ask your teacher if you can do Particle phy and Quantum phy. They might say no, but you can always study on your own (if possible) and do it in the final exams. Good luck!

[Procrastination]

Well isn't this quite clever. My suggestion, change it and be aware of the consequences. It is pretty horrible to do an option you're not really interested in, wave phenomena. Quantum and particle physics is quite enjoyable believe me, not as much as astrophysics but it is still a great pleasure to learn about it, specially Schroedinger's example with cats of the atom model.

It is important to acknowledge though that, eventhough you don't need the permission of your teacher and can do whichever option you'd like to do in you paper 3 of physics, you'll not be prepared as much without some teacher guidance. Maybe ask her and if she says no, stick to wave phenomena, even though it is pretty boring you might score higher marks because of the preparation. If you feel confident enough to challenge your teacher observation and do Quantum, it is of vital importance that you study as hard as possible for this option without forgetting about astrophysics. If you have some textbooks, like you said you had, practice with it a lot and start doing questions. It is always relevant to start searching for past papers, that way you'll see which are the most common questions or if there are things which are not relevant at all and are not included in the syllabus.

I'd recommend you to beg to your teacher to change the option, even though Quantum is more difficult than wave phenomena it is, without a doubt, much more interesting. Off course all of this is personal.

In response to your "Should I read the options from now or wait for the teacher to get them in class?", you might not loose anything if you start reading from textbooks other options and it might prepare you a lot better, at the end you can decide if you're gonna stick to wave phenomena or Quantum. Why not studying wave phenomena by your own and then, when the teacher starts the topic, reinforce your knowledge?

I hope it helped