The Academic Program > Science Department

Group 4 -- Experimental Sciences (Science Department)

• Biology (HL and SL)
• Chemistry (HL and SL)
• Physics (HL and SL)
• Environmental Systems (SL only)

1. All IB science courses and exams have the same format. Each course contains:
   - Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL) syllabi.
   - The Subject Specific Core (SSC), which is core theory material common to both HL and SL.
   - The Additional Higher Level (AHL), which is extension theory material only.
   - Option topics, which may be different for HL and SL courses.
   - Practical work, which is assessed by your teacher and takes around 60 hours for HL and 40 hours for SL.
   - The Group 4 Project, which is part of the practical work.
   
2. Assessment consists of:
   - internal assessment of the practical work (i.e. graded by your teacher) worth 24%
   - 3 theory exams worth a total of 76%
   
3. The exam format for SL is:
   - Paper 1: multiple choice questions worth 20%
   - Paper 2: free response questions on the SSC worth 32%
   - Paper 3: free response questions on the options worth 24%
   
4. The exam format for HL is:
   - Paper 1: multiple choice questions worth 20%
   - Paper 2: free response questions on the SSC and AHL worth 36%
   - Paper 3: free response questions on the options worth 20%

The HL courses are designed for students intending to study sciences, in particular that subject, at university or college level while the SL courses are designed for students who will probably not study these subjects again.

| Back to top |

Biology

Higher Level and Standard Level

Biology is the study of living organisms. This study is undertaken at a variety of levels, from the molecular to that of the biosphere. By the end of the course the student will have developed an appreciation of the interactions between these levels, and of organisms as functioning entities within the biosphere. Students will also develop an informed perspective in many of the new and ethically controversial areas of biological science such as genetic engineering, cloning and embryo research.

A great deal of the course will involve experimental work. Using observation and hypothesis formulation and testing, students develop a range of practical skills, ranging from light microscopy to more complex procedures such as DNA extraction and gel electrophoresis. The practical programme also allows students to pursue extended investigations, sometimes in a group and occasionally as an individual. The lab work complements the theory and therefore aids understanding of the taught biological concepts.

Higher Level topics covered in the first year include cell ultrastructure and function, the biochemistry of respiration and photosynthesis, molecular biology and genetics. In the second year aspects of plant science, ecology, evolution and human physiology are studied. Through these topics, it is hoped that the student will develop a broad understanding of some general biological principles, in particular :

• that the living world portrays a fundamental unity with regard to its cellular structure & chemical composition.
• that the living world represents a great diversity of species and of individuals within those species.
• that balance exists at many levels within living systems, including the human body and the ecological interactions within the biosphere.

Standard Level biology includes many of the topics covered in the HL course, but these are covered in less detail. SL students are taught in a separate class when possible. This course would be suitable for students not interested in pursuing science further at university, but who have an interest in extending their knowledge and understanding of biology and its role in society.

Biology can be studied successfully at both HL & SL without any other supporting science, though the biochemistry and molecular biology topics are well supported by the IB chemistry course.

Trevor Marriott and Wendy Liu-Hayes

| Back to top |

Chemistry

Higher Level and Standard Level

Chemistry is the discipline which studies the structure, properties and reactions of materials.

The Higher Level course is a rigorous, quite challenging programme which deals in depth with chemical principles and their application. Students who have not previously studied chemistry should consult with the staff teaching the programme before choosing this option. Most tertiary institutions will require Higher Level Chemistry for entry into a large number of their science courses, medicine and some types of engineering.

The first year of the course is a common one for both Standard and Higher Level students and comprises almost entirely of Standard Level material. There is an emphasis on developing practical research skills. In the second year most of the first year topics are revisited in the greater depth required for Higher Level and the extension option of the Standard Level course. In the second year the practical programme provides opportunities to improve upon the skills acquired during the first year. The second year of the course will also involve the study of two options chosen from Drugs and Medicines, Human Biochemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Chemical Industries, Fuels and Energy, Modern Analytical Chemistry and Further Organic Chemistry. Students taking chemistry and biology study Drugs and Medicines and Human Biochemistry and students taking chemistry and physics study Fuels and Energy and an option of their choosing.

The Standard Level course combines well with either Higher Level biology or Higher Level physics courses. The course is almost always taught in the same class as Higher Level. While there is a moderate reduction in the depth to which core topics are covered, it is still a rather challenging course for those with little background in the sciences.

Pushpa Pandey & John Green

| Back to top |

Physics

Higher Level and Standard Level

Students gain an understanding of the basic laws of nature through developing both conceptual and experimental skills. The course does not require any understanding of calculus and Mathematics HL is NOT required for students to study Physics HL. Although it would be possible to study Physics with only Mathematics Studies, Mathematics skills are useful tools in Physics and the minimum level studied should be Mathematical Methods.

The physics course (both HL and SL) covers the following ¡§core¡¨ topics during the first one and a half years of the programme: Measurement, Mechanics, Thermal Physics, Wave Behaviour, Electricity + Magnetism, and Atomic + Nuclear physics.

Students will also study a further 2 ¡§option¡¨ topics. At present the option topics at LPC are Optics, Astrophysics and Relativity.

While both HL and SL courses study the same topics, at SL the topics are covered in less depth making this course more suitable for those who have an interest in Physics, but do not expect to continue studying it at university.

Magan Savant & Steve Udy

| Back to top |

Environmental Systems

Standard Level

TheThe Environmental Systems course is designed to provide students with a coherent perspective on the environment, that is essentially scientific and above all enables them to adopt an informed and responsible stance on a wide range of pressing environmental issues. The programme content is such that students’ attention can be constantly drawn to their own relationship with their environment and the significance of their choices and decisions they make in their own lives. Furthermore, on a broader scale, since the resolution of the major environmental issues rests so heavily upon international relationship and agreements, the programme naturally leads students to an appreciation of the nature and values of internationalism.

The first year of the course focuses on the study of ecosystems and due to the close proximity of Starfish Bay to the school, the local environment will be studied in detail. Later in the year global cycles will be covered highlighting key issues such as acid deposition, ozone depletion and global warming. Topics in the second year include population dynamics, demography and resource management. The option covered in this year will be conservation and biodiversity.

The programme includes a diverse range of fieldwork and laboratory practical sessions that allow qualitative and quantitative analysis of ecoystems in support of the theory work. This course is suitable for students who do not wish to pursue a study of science further at university level. It would be of particular interest to those who enjoy a combination of ecology and geography.

Environmental Systems students collecting data on a local rocky shore.		Environmental Systems students studying footpath erosion on Ma On Shan.

Julie Harris & Wendy Liu-Hayes

| Back to top |