ICSE Class 10 Physics · Exam Practice

Physics Practice Paper — Set 1

Physics Practice Paper — Set 1. ICSE Class 10 Physics, covering force and work-energy-power, machines, refraction and lenses, spectrum, sound, current electricity, household circuits, calorimetry and radioactivity, with a full answer key and worked solutions.

🎯 Full Marks: 50⏱️ Time: 1½ Hours📝 Questions: 30
SectionType of questionsQsMarks
AMultiple Choice Questions1010
BFill in the Blanks & True / False88
CShort Answer Questions816
DProblem Solving416
Total3050
Before you start
  • This paper samples across the ICSE Class 10 Physics chapters on MuskMeadow: force and work-energy-power, machines, refraction and lenses, spectrum, sound, current electricity, household circuits, calorimetry and radioactivity.
  • Attempt the paper first, without looking at the answer key at the bottom of the page.
  • Show your working for Sections C and D — method marks are given even if the final answer is wrong.
  • This is a MuskMeadow practice paper. It is not an official CISCE paper and its mark scheme does not copy the board's exact pattern.
10 MARKS

Section A — Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the correct option. (1 mark each)

1. The SI unit of power is the

A. jouleB. wattC. newtonD. pascal

2. A force of 10 N moves a body 5 m in its own direction. The work done is

A. 2 JB. 15 JC. 50 JD. 0.5 J

3. A machine lifts a load of 200 N with an effort of 50 N. Its mechanical advantage is

A. 0.25B. 4C. 150D. 250

4. The speed of light in glass of refractive index 1.5 is

A. 2 × 10⁸ m/sB. 3 × 10⁸ m/sC. 4.5 × 10⁸ m/sD. 1.5 × 10⁸ m/s

5. A convex lens has a focal length of 50 cm. Its power is

A. +0.5 DB. +2 DC. −2 DD. +50 D

6. A current of 2 A flows through a 5 Ω resistor for 10 s. The heat produced is

A. 100 JB. 200 JC. 50 JD. 20 J

7. In a household circuit the fuse is connected in the

A. live wireB. neutral wireC. earth wireD. any wire

8. Which radiation is the most penetrating?

A. alphaB. betaC. gammaD. all equal

9. Sound of frequency above 20 kHz is called

A. infrasonicB. ultrasonicC. audibleD. supersonic

10. The heat needed to raise 2 kg of a substance (c = 400 J/kg°C) by 10°C is

A. 800 JB. 8000 JC. 4000 JD. 80 J
8 MARKS

Section B — Fill in the Blanks & True / False

Fill in each blank, or write True / False. (1 mark each)

11. 1 kilowatt-hour = ______ joule.

12. The unit of the power of a lens is the ______.

13. A concave lens always forms a virtual, erect and diminished image. (   )

14. Gamma rays are deflected by a magnetic field. (   )

15. The frequency of AC mains in India is ______ Hz.

16. Of all the colours of white light, ______ is deviated the least by a prism.

17. In a class I lever the fulcrum lies between the load and the effort. (   )

18. Total internal reflection occurs when the angle of incidence is greater than the ______ angle.

16 MARKS

Section C — Short Answer Questions

Show your working. (2 marks each)

19. The refractive index of water is 4/3. Find the speed of light in water. (c = 3 × 10⁸ m/s)

20. A 100 W bulb is used for 5 hours. Find the energy consumed in kWh.

21. A lever has an effort arm of 60 cm and a load arm of 20 cm. What effort balances a load of 90 N?

22. State the principle of conservation of energy.

23. Name the three types of radiation emitted by radioactive substances.

24. Why is an earth wire used in a household appliance with a metal body?

25. How much heat is needed to melt 0.1 kg of ice at 0°C? (Latent heat of fusion = 336 kJ/kg)

26. An object is 30 cm from a convex lens of focal length 15 cm. Find the image distance and magnification (new Cartesian convention).

16 MARKS

Section D — Problem Solving

Show all steps. (4 marks each)

27. Resistors of 2 Ω and 3 Ω are connected in parallel across a 6 V cell. Find (a) the combined resistance, (b) the total current and (c) the current in each resistor.

28. Calculate the heat needed to change 100 g of ice at 0°C into water at 20°C. (Latent heat of fusion of ice = 336 J/g, specific heat of water = 4.2 J/g°C)

29. A 2 kg body is released from a height of 5 m. (g = 10 m/s²) Find (a) its potential energy at the top, (b) its speed just before hitting the ground, and (c) its kinetic energy there.

30. Uranium-238 (atomic number 92) emits an α-particle and the product then emits a β-particle. Write the mass number and atomic number of the two products.

ICSE Class 10 Physics · Physics Practice Paper — Set 1 · Answer Key

Answers & Worked Solutions

Check your paper, then read the solutions for the questions you missed.

Section A — Multiple Choice Questions (10 marks)
Q1. B. watt

Power = work/time; 1 watt = 1 joule per second.

Q2. C. 50 J

W = F × s = 10 × 5 = 50 J.

Q3. B. 4

MA = load/effort = 200/50 = 4.

Q4. A. 2 × 10⁸ m/s

v = c/n = 3 × 10⁸/1.5 = 2 × 10⁸ m/s.

Q5. B. +2 D

P = 1/f (in metres) = 1/0.5 = +2 D.

Q6. B. 200 J

H = I²Rt = 4 × 5 × 10 = 200 J.

Q7. A. live wire

The fuse is placed in the live wire so that the appliance is cut off from the supply when it blows.

Q8. C. gamma

Gamma rays penetrate most and are stopped only by thick lead or concrete.

Q9. B. ultrasonic

Above 20,000 Hz is ultrasound, beyond human hearing.

Q10. B. 8000 J

Q = mcΔT = 2 × 400 × 10 = 8000 J.

Section B — Fill in the Blanks & True / False (8 marks)
Q11. 3.6 × 10⁶

1 kW × 3600 s = 3,600,000 J.

Q12. dioptre

P = 1/f with f in metres.

Q13. True

For a real object, a concave lens always gives a virtual, erect, smaller image.

Q14. False

Gamma rays are neutral electromagnetic waves, so they are not deflected.

Q15. 50

Domestic supply in India is 220–240 V at 50 Hz.

Q16. red

Red has the longest wavelength and the smallest deviation; violet is deviated the most.

Q17. True

Examples: seesaw, scissors and a crowbar.

Q18. critical

Light must go from a denser to a rarer medium.

Section C — Short Answer Questions (16 marks)
Q19. 2.25 × 10⁸ m/s
  1. v = c/n.
  2. v = 3 × 10⁸ ÷ (4/3) = 2.25 × 10⁸ m/s.
Q20. 0.5 kWh
  1. Energy = power × time = 0.1 kW × 5 h.
  2. = 0.5 kWh.
Q21. 30 N
  1. Principle of lever: effort × effort arm = load × load arm.
  2. E × 60 = 90 × 20, so E = 1800/60 = 30 N.
Q22. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed
  1. Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it only changes from one form to another.
  2. The total energy of an isolated system remains constant.
Q23. Alpha, beta and gamma
  1. α-particles are helium nuclei.
  2. β-particles are fast electrons and γ-rays are electromagnetic radiation.
Q24. To carry leakage current to the ground
  1. If the live wire touches the metal body, the current flows through the low-resistance earth wire to the ground.
  2. This prevents the body from becoming live and giving an electric shock.
Q25. 33.6 kJ
  1. Q = mL.
  2. Q = 0.1 × 336 = 33.6 kJ.
Q26. v = +30 cm; m = −1
  1. u = −30 cm, f = +15 cm; 1/v = 1/f + 1/u = 1/15 − 1/30 = 1/30, so v = +30 cm.
  2. m = v/u = 30/(−30) = −1: a real, inverted image of the same size.
Section D — Problem Solving (16 marks)
Q27. (a) 1.2 Ω (b) 5 A (c) 3 A and 2 A
  1. (a) 1/R = 1/2 + 1/3 = 5/6, so R = 1.2 Ω.
  2. (b) I = V/R = 6/1.2 = 5 A.
  3. (c) I₁ = 6/2 = 3 A, I₂ = 6/3 = 2 A. Check: 3 + 2 = 5 A ✓.
Q28. 42,000 J
  1. Step 1: melt ice at 0°C: Q₁ = mL = 100 × 336 = 33,600 J.
  2. Step 2: warm water 0°C → 20°C: Q₂ = mcΔT = 100 × 4.2 × 20 = 8,400 J.
  3. Total Q = 33,600 + 8,400 = 42,000 J.
Q29. (a) 100 J (b) 10 m/s (c) 100 J
  1. (a) PE = mgh = 2 × 10 × 5 = 100 J.
  2. (b) v = √(2gh) = √(2 × 10 × 5) = 10 m/s.
  3. (c) KE = ½mv² = ½ × 2 × 100 = 100 J, equal to the PE lost (conservation of energy).
Q30. Th-234 (Z = 90), then Pa-234 (Z = 91)
  1. α emission lowers the mass number by 4 and the atomic number by 2: ²³⁸₉₂U → ²³⁴₉₀Th + ⁴₂He.
  2. β emission leaves the mass number unchanged and raises the atomic number by 1: ²³⁴₉₀Th → ²³⁴₉₁Pa + ⁰₋₁e.
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