"Physical terms"

... as in ... Explain your answer in physical terms.

The required answer involves physical principles without detailed mathematics. For example ... Explain the principle of resonance in an LC series circuit in physical terms.

"When the capacitor is fully charged energy is stored in the electric field between the plates and the current is zero. No energy is stored in the magnetic field of the inductance. As the capacitor discharges the current increases. When the capacitor is fully discharged the energy in the electric field is zero and the energy stored in the magnetic field is a maximum since the current is then a maximum. Resonance occurs as energy is repeatedly exchanged between the electric and magnetic fields. The resonant frequency is determined by the values of capacitance C and inductance L."

A typical IB question might read ... Explain the oscillation of a simple pendulum in physical terms.