IB Physics overlaps broadly in content with physics as taught in Turkey. The difference is not in the topic list but in what the exam rewards.
How HL relates to SL
The two share a common core; HL adds further topics and treats some sections more deeply. Higher Level is the extended version of Standard Level rather than a separate subject.
That makes a change of level relatively easier. It still depends on the school's own deadline, and that deadline is early.
Uncertainty and data handling
This is what distinguishes both the exam and the internal assessment. How the uncertainty in a measurement propagates, which quantity comes out of the gradient of a graph, and what error bars mean are asked directly.
Because physics in Turkey is largely taught as solving problems under ideal conditions, this section catches students unprepared. It needs to be a study heading of its own.
The internal assessment
The student sets their own research question, designs the experiment, collects data and reports. It forms part of the final grade.
The most common trap is repeating an experiment whose result is already known. The rubric expects an original research question and genuine data analysis; a repeat of a textbook experiment does not reach the upper bands.
The shape of the papers
There is a multiple choice paper, a paper of short and extended response questions, and a paper weighted towards data analysis. A formula booklet is provided.
Because formulae are provided the memorisation load is low; what is measured is which relationship to set up in which situation.
How to study
Close any real content gaps first. Then work through past exam questions and read every extended answer against the rubric.
Uncertainty calculation and graph interpretation are worked as a separate block; scattered among the topics, they get neglected.