Desperately need suggestions for my IB physics extended essay

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the challenges of selecting a suitable topic for an International Baccalaureate (IB) extended essay (EE) in physics. The original poster expresses difficulty in finding a simple yet specific research topic, feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of previous ideas. Suggestions from other participants emphasize avoiding science-related topics due to perceived high expectations from evaluators, recommending instead to explore subjects related to current events or historical events that tend to score well. There is a debate about the feasibility of completing the essay within the allotted time, with some arguing that a 4,000-word essay can be written in a week. Clarification is provided on the meaning of "EE" as "extended essay," not "electrical engineering." Participants suggest focusing on descriptive topics, such as string theory, which can be researched through accessible popular science literature. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of selecting a manageable topic that aligns with the student's capabilities and the expectations of the IB program.
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Basically the extended essay is a piece of independent research done during the course of IB. I'm planning to do a physics EE, but now it's mid April and I still failed to find a simple yet specific topic to do reasearch on. My last few ideas were too complex or not specific enough.

My imagination's failing me at this point, and I'm starting to fall behind for my EE. Can anyone suggest a topic which I can complete with a simple experiment, yet is not too hard for a high school student to complete in 5 months?
 
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Do no do it in anything related to science! This is my personal recommendation as I know that the science correctors tend to have a very high opinion of themselves and will expect a rigorous work which a High School student cannot hope to achieve. I'd say go with something that touches actuality or maybe an interesting event in history. Those always seem to score well. 5 months? The extended essay is only 4000 words, it's perfectly writable within a week!
 
I've already chosen so it's too late, can someone please provide a direct answer to this question?
 
What do you mean by physics EE? Electrical engineering?
 
Extended essay, and beg your coordinator to change. Science ones get low marks and are next to impossible to do when compared to the other subjects, do it in philosophy about science if you must but avoid experiments.
 
Ok just realized you meant extended essay by EE. Well, are you looking for something descriptive or experimental? There's obviously not allot of place for theoretical discussion since the mathematics the IB allows are very limited. I could give you an idea of something descriptive: What is string theory? You could focus on string theory, a field that tries to come up with the theory of everything by avoiding the conflicts between quantum theory and relativity. There allot of pop science book about this out there, so that's definitely feasible.
 
Hey, I am Andreas from Germany. I am currently 35 years old and I want to relearn math and physics. This is not one of these regular questions when it comes to this matter. So... I am very realistic about it. I know that there are severe contraints when it comes to selfstudy compared to a regular school and/or university (structure, peers, teachers, learning groups, tests, access to papers and so on) . I will never get a job in this field and I will never be taken serious by "real"...
Yesterday, 9/5/2025, when I was surfing, I found an article The Schwarzschild solution contains three problems, which can be easily solved - Journal of King Saud University - Science ABUNDANCE ESTIMATION IN AN ARID ENVIRONMENT https://jksus.org/the-schwarzschild-solution-contains-three-problems-which-can-be-easily-solved/ that has the derivation of a line element as a corrected version of the Schwarzschild solution to Einstein’s field equation. This article's date received is 2022-11-15...
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