ICSE Class 10th Physics - Syllabus and Preparation Tips

CISCE releases the ICSE class 10th physics syllabus online every year to make students aware of and understand the complete course structure. ICSE class 10th physics is an interesting subject that provides us with knowledge of the world around us. It builds a conceptual understanding of the science behind the real world. Though interesting, physics is also a complex subject. It is a blend of numerical problems, formulas, theories, concepts, and methodologies. Hence, it is important to understand the syllabus before preparing for the exam.

Table of Contents

• ICSE class 10th physics syllabus
• ICSE class 10th physics exam pattern
• Names of ICSE class 10th physics books
• ICSE 10th physics model question papers

ICSE Class 10th Physics Syllabus 2022

Physics is a complex subject that needs strong preparation. Students need to be aware of the ICSE class 10th physics syllabus and understand it to prepare and perform well in the exam. Following the syllabus and regularly tracking it will help the students excel in the exam.

Sl No	Chapters	Topics
1.	Force, Work, Power and Energy	(i) Turning forces concept; moment of a force; forces in equilibrium; centre of gravity. (ii) Uniform circular motion. (iii) Work, energy, power and their relation with force. (iv) Different types of energy (e.g. chemical energy, Mechanical energy, heat energy, electrical energy, nuclear energy, sound energy, light energy). (v) Machines as force multipliers; load, effort, mechanical advantage, velocity ratio and efficiency; pulley systems showing the utility of each type of machine. (vi) Principle of Conservation of energy.
2.	Light	(i) Refraction of light through a glass block and a triangular prism – qualitative treatment of simple applications such as real and apparent depth of objects in water and apparent bending of sticks in water. Applications of refraction of light. (ii) Total internal reflection: Critical angle; examples in triangular glass prisms; comparison with reflection from a plane mirror (qualitative only). Applications of total internal reflection. (iii) Lenses (converging and diverging) including characteristics of the images formed (using ray diagrams only); magnifying glass; location of images using ray diagrams and thereby determining magnification. (iv) Using a triangular prism to produce a visible spectrum from white light; Electromagnetic spectrum.
3.	Sound	(i) Reflection of Sound Waves; echoes: their use; simple numerical problems on echoes. (ii) Natural vibrations, Damped vibrations, Forced vibrations and Resonance – a special case of forced vibrations. (iii) Loudness, pitch and quality of sound.
4.	Electricity and Magnetism	(i) Ohm’s Law; concepts of emf, potential difference, resistance; resistances in series and parallel, internal resistance. (ii) Electrical power and energy. (iii) Household circuits – main circuit; switches; fuses; earthing; safety precautions; three-pin plugs; colour coding of wires.
5.	Heat	(i) Calorimetry: meaning, specific heat capacity; principle of method of mixtures; Numerical Problems on specific heat capacity using heat loss and gain and the method of mixtures. (ii) Latent heat; loss and gain of heat involving change of state for fusion only.
6.	Modern Physics	Radioactivity and changes in the nucleus; background radiation and safety precautions.

Understanding the exam question paper pattern is essential to understand the ICSE class 10th physics syllabus. Physics is a vast subject; hence, various concepts, numerical problems, and theories exist. Establishing knowledge about the exam paper would help in the following ways:

• Help in understanding the type of questions from each chapter
• Mark weightage of each topic or chapter
• Compulsory questions to attempt

Exam Pattern For ICSE Class 10th Physics ( 2 Hrs)
Section I  – Short answer questions worth 40 marks
Section II  – 6 questions out of which any four are to be solved worth 40 marks.

The exam duration of the ICSE 10th Physics board exam is two hours and divided into two sections :

• Section I consists of 40 marks which include short answer questions.

• Section II constitutes 40 marks and includes long answers in which students have a choice to attempt any 4 out of 6 questions. 

It is essential to study from some good books to understand the ICSE class 10th physics syllabus topics in a better way. Check-out the list of the best class 10th physics books.

Sl No	Book Name	Author Name
1	ICSE Concise Physics – Class 10	R P Goyal, S P Tripathi
2	Together with Physics for ICSE Class 10	Dr. Mukesh Kumar Gandhi
3	S. Chand’s ICSE Physics Book 2	Pankaj Bhatt

ICSE 10th Physics Model Question Papers

Referring to model papers from previous years would help in understanding the weightage of each chapter and the kind of questions that can be expected from the chapters. For the convenience of the students, here are the question papers of the past three years to practice and improve your weak points:

Year	Model Question Paper
2020	Click here
2019	Click here
2018	Click here

Tips to Score Well in ICSE Class 10th Physics Exam

Students can follow these tips and tricks to score good marks in the ICSE class 10th physics exam. It will help them to prepare for their exams effectively.

• Go through the ICSE science book thoroughly.
• Always practice ICSE class 10th previous year board question papers.
• Make separate notes for all the formulas.
• After finishing the syllabus, revise all the topics regularly.
• Do not learn any new topics a few hours before the exam.
• Take notes of all the essential topics to memorize them quickly.
• Have sufficient water and eat healthy food.
• Get proper sleep before the exam; it will keep you fresh.
• Prepare a realistic timetable and follow it strictly.