Thermal Physics
Update - 3/16/2026
These notes have changed to match the 2025 IB Physics curriculum. If you are looking for the files that were posted here, you can find them in the notes archive ​
Content Guide - Thermal Physics (pdf)
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Content Guide - Thermal Physics (editable)
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Content Guide - Thermal Physics - KEY (pdf)
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Content Guide - Thermal Physics - KEY (editable)
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1 - Heat vs Temperature

  • I can explain the relationship between temperature and molecular kinetic energy
  • I can describe the energies present in an object’s total internal energy
  • I can convert between Celsius and Kelvin
  • I can describe the nature of molecules when at a temperature of absolute zero
  • I can compare temperature (average KE) and heat (total KE)
  • I can relate average molecular kinetic energy with absolute temperature
  • I can calculate the average molecule speed for a molecule at a certain temperature
  • I can describe the molecular process that allows heat to flow
1 - Heat vs Temperature - COMPLETE (pdf)
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1 - Heat vs Temperature - COMPLETE (editable)
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1 - Heat vs Temperature - STUDENT (pdf)
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1 - Heat vs Temperature - STUDENT (editable)
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2 - Specific Heat Capacity

  • I can define specific heat capacity with proper units
  • I can describe the effect of larger or smaller specific heat values 
  • I can relate specific heat capacity to the heat energy and temperature change
  • I can describe how a calorimeter uses the conservation of heat to study a material’s specific heat
  • I can experimentally determine the specific heat capacity of a material
2 - Specific Heat Capacity - COMPLETE (pdf)
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2 - Specific Heat Capacity - COMPLETE (editable)
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2 - Specific Heat Capacity - STUDENT (pdf)
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2 - Specific Heat Capacity - STUDENT (editable)
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3 - Specific Latent Heat

  • I can identify key features in a material’s heating curve
  • I can describe why a heating curve plateaus during phase changes
  • I can describe the different ways that the heat added to a system can become internal energy
  • I can define specific latent heat with proper units
  • I can calculate the heat required to cause a certain amount of a substance to change phases
  • I can compare the processes of evaporation and boiling
3 - Specific Latent Heat - COMPLETE (pdf)
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3 - Specific Latent Heat - COMPLETE (editable)
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3 - Specific Latent Heat - STUDENT (pdf)
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3 - Specific Latent Heat - STUDENT (editable)
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4 - Conduction, Convection, and Radiation

  • I can define the thermal transfer processes of conduction, convection, and radiation
  • I can quantify and calculate thermal conductivity
  • I can describe convection in terms of fluid density differences
4 - Conduction, Convection, & Radiation - COMPLETE (pdf)
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4 - Conduction, Convection, & Radiation - COMPLETE (editable)
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4 - Conduction, Convection, & Radiation - STUDENT (pdf)
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4 - Conduction, Convection, & Radiation - STUDENT (editable)
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5 - Gas Properties

  • I can define pressure with appropriate fundamental and derived units
  • I can describe the importance of having a large quantity like the “mole” defined
  • I can use the average atomic weight of an element to convert between mass and moles
5 - Gas Properties - COMPLETE (pdf)
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5 - Gas Properties - COMPLETE (editable)
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5 - Gas Properties - STUDENT (pdf)
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5 - Gas Properties - STUDENT (editable)
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6 - Gas Laws

  • I can describe the conditions necessary for a substance to be considered an ideal gas
  • I can describe the relationship between volume, pressure, and temperature for an ideal gas
  • I can describe changes in pressure in terms of kinetic molecular theory
  • I can use the Ideal Gas Law to solve for pressure, volume, amount, or temperature
  • I can use the Ideal Gas Law to describe how changing one or more variable(s) affects another
  • I can calculate the total internal energy for an ideal gas
6 - Gas Laws - COMPLETE (pdf)
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6 - Gas Laws - COMPLETE (editable)
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6 - Gas Laws - STUDENT (pdf)
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6 - Gas Laws - STUDENT (editable)
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7 - Heat, Mechanics, and Electricity

  • I can use conservation to calculate the temperature change when mechanical energy is converted to heat
  • I can relate power and time to the applied heat energy
  • I can connect electrical power to heat energy for electrical heating elements
7 - Heat, Mechanics, & Electricity - COMPLETE (pdf)
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7 - Heat, Mechanics, & Electricity - COMPLETE (editable)
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7 - Heat, Mechanics, & Electricity - STUDENT (pdf)
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7 - Heat, Mechanics, & Electricity - STUDENT (editable)
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