IB ESS · 2021 to 2026
1.2 Systems
37 past paper questions from 26 papers across 17 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
Starter set across the most-tested skills, with AI marking and model answers.
SL archive · 2017 to 2026
1.2 Systems
Latest exam session: May 2026
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Micro-topics in 1.2 Systems
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of papers each appears in. 6 of them have no matching questions in this archive.
- Less common
last May 18 P2
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- Occasional
last May 26 P2 TZ1
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- Occasional
last May 25 P2 TZ2
- Occasional
last May 25 P2 TZ3
- Occasional
last May 26 P2 TZ3
- Less common
last Nov 18 P2
- Less common
last May 17 P2
- Occasional
last Nov 21 P2
- Less common
last May 23 P2 TZ2
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- Less common
last Nov 20 P1
- Occasional
last May 24 P2 TZ1
- Less common
last May 26 P2 TZ1
Exam pattern
How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.
Does it repeat?
Top 4 of 12 micro-topics for the next sitting. Numbers are questions per year.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.2.9Stable equilibrium | ·Stable equilibrium, 2017: 0 questions | ·Stable equilibrium, 2018: 0 questions | ·Stable equilibrium, 2019: 0 questions | ·Stable equilibrium, 2020: 0 questions | 1Stable equilibrium, 2021: 1 question | ·Stable equilibrium, 2022: 0 questions | ·Stable equilibrium, 2023: 0 questions | 1Stable equilibrium, 2024: 1 question | 1Stable equilibrium, 2025: 1 question | 1Stable equilibrium, 2026: 1 question |
1.2.10Positive feedback | ·Positive feedback, 2017: 0 questions | 1Positive feedback, 2018: 1 question | ·Positive feedback, 2019: 0 questions | 1Positive feedback, 2020: 1 question | ·Positive feedback, 2021: 0 questions | ·Positive feedback, 2022: 0 questions | 2Positive feedback, 2023: 2 questions | 2Positive feedback, 2024: 2 questions | ·Positive feedback, 2025: 0 questions | 1Positive feedback, 2026: 1 question |
| ·Transfers and transformations, 2017: 0 questions | ·Transfers and transformations, 2018: 0 questions | 2Transfers and transformations, 2019: 2 questions | 1Transfers and transformations, 2020: 1 question | ·Transfers and transformations, 2021: 0 questions | 1Transfers and transformations, 2022: 1 question | 1Transfers and transformations, 2023: 1 question | ·Transfers and transformations, 2024: 0 questions | ·Transfers and transformations, 2025: 0 questions | 1Transfers and transformations, 2026: 1 question | |
1.2.8Negative feedback | ·Negative feedback, 2017: 0 questions | ·Negative feedback, 2018: 0 questions | ·Negative feedback, 2019: 0 questions | ·Negative feedback, 2020: 0 questions | ·Negative feedback, 2021: 0 questions | 1Negative feedback, 2022: 1 question | 1Negative feedback, 2023: 1 question | 2Negative feedback, 2024: 2 questions | 1Negative feedback, 2025: 1 question | ·Negative feedback, 2026: 0 questions |
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Questions on 1.2 Systems, by exam session
Which papers asked about 1.2 Systems, and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.
May 2026
3 questions across 2 papers
Specimen 2026
1 question across 1 paper
May 2025
2 questions across 2 papers
November 2024
3 questions across 3 papers
May 2024
3 questions across 2 papers
November 2023
1 question across 1 paper
May 2023
5 questions across 2 papers
November 2022
2 questions across 2 papers
May 2022
1 question across 1 paper
November 2021
1 question across 1 paper
May 2021
1 question across 1 paper
November 2020
3 questions across 2 papers
May 2019
1 question across 1 paper
November 2018
1 question across 1 paper
May 2018
3 questions across 2 papers
November 2017
1 question across 1 paper
May 2017
1 question across 1 paper
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Frequently asked questions
Short answers about this page.
Which ESS exam sessions are covered for 1.2 Systems?
18 exam sessions from 2017 to 2026, the latest May 2026. Every Paper 1 and 2 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 26 papers in this archive.
Which 1.2 Systems topic comes up most?
Stable equilibrium (1.2.9): in 8% of papers, last seen May 25 P2 TZ3. Usually "Discuss", worth about 7.3 marks in a paper that includes it.
Can I see the original question and mark scheme?
No. The wording belongs to the IB. You get the citation, the marks, the command term and the skill tested, plus our own matched practice questions with worked answers and AI marking.
What do "banker", "due" and "rising" mean?
Banker: examined in at least one sitting in four and still appearing. Due: regular before, but absent for the last two exam sessions. Rising: clearly more common in the last two years. Our classification of real papers, not an IB statistic.
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Reading this page and the exam pattern is free. A free account generates three sets of ten questions and launches one practice set. Pro opens every question in any scope, sets of twenty or all, and unlimited practice.
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What each ESS paper tests across all its sittings: the marks by unit and the micro-topics it keeps coming back to.
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Which ESS topics recur in this archive, and which have no matching questions in it.
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