ICSE Class 9 Physics · Exam Practice

Physics Practice Paper — Set 1

Physics Practice Paper — Set 1. ICSE Class 9 Physics, covering measurements, motion in one dimension, laws of motion, fluids and upthrust, heat, reflection of light, sound, current electricity and magnetism, 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 9 Physics chapters on MuskMeadow: measurements, motion in one dimension, laws of motion, fluids and upthrust, heat, reflection of light, sound, current electricity and magnetism.
  • 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 force is

A. jouleB. newtonC. wattD. pascal

2. A speed of 72 km/h is equal to

A. 20 m/sB. 72 m/sC. 10 m/sD. 36 m/s

3. A body speeds up from rest to 20 m/s in 5 s. Its acceleration is

A. 100 m/s²B. 4 m/s²C. 25 m/s²D. 0.25 m/s²

4. A force acting on a 5 kg mass produces an acceleration of 2 m/s². The force is

A. 2.5 NB. 7 NC. 10 ND. 3 N

5. A solid floats in a liquid when its density is

A. equal to zeroB. less than the density of the liquidC. greater than the density of the liquidD. twice the liquid density

6. A force of 200 N acts on an area of 0.5 m². The pressure is

A. 100 PaB. 400 PaC. 200.5 PaD. 0.0025 Pa

7. The specific heat capacity of water is about

A. 4200 J/kg°CB. 420 J/kg°CC. 42 J/kg°CD. 1 J/kg°C

8. A ray strikes a plane mirror at an angle of incidence of 40°. The angle of reflection is

A. 50°B. 40°C. 80°D. 0°

9. Sound cannot travel through

A. waterB. steelC. a vacuumD. air

10. A 4 Ω resistor is connected across a 12 V cell. The current is

A. 48 AB. 3 AC. 8 AD. 0.33 A
8 MARKS

Section B — Fill in the Blanks & True / False

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

11. The SI unit of work is the ______.

12. The SI unit of frequency is the ______.

13. Magnetic field lines emerge from the north pole of a magnet. (   )

14. The mass and weight of a body are the same everywhere. (   )

15. The specific latent heat of fusion of ice is about ______ cal/g.

16. An image formed by a plane mirror is virtual, erect and ______ inverted.

17. Sound travels faster in solids than in gases. (   )

18. The SI unit of electric current is the ______.

16 MARKS

Section C — Short Answer Questions

Show your working. (2 marks each)

19. Define uniform acceleration and state its SI unit.

20. Calculate the momentum of a 2 kg body moving at 5 m/s.

21. State Newton’s third law of motion.

22. A body weighs 600 N in air and 450 N when fully immersed in water. Find the upthrust.

23. How much heat is needed to raise the temperature of 500 g of water from 20°C to 60°C? (c = 4200 J/kg°C)

24. State two characteristics of the image formed by a plane mirror.

25. An echo is heard 2 s after a sound is made. If the speed of sound is 340 m/s, find the distance of the reflecting surface.

26. A device draws 3 A from a 12 V supply. Find its power.

16 MARKS

Section D — Problem Solving

Show all steps. (4 marks each)

27. A car speeds up from 10 m/s to 30 m/s in 5 s. Find (a) its acceleration and (b) the distance travelled in this time.

28. A cube of side 10 cm has a mass of 500 g. (a) Find its density. (b) Will it float in water (density 1 g/cm³)? (c) What fraction of it is submerged? (Take g = 10 m/s².)

29. 200 g of water at 80°C is mixed with 300 g of water at 30°C. Find the final temperature of the mixture (no heat loss).

30. Resistors of 4 Ω and 6 Ω are connected in series across a 20 V battery. Find (a) the current, (b) the potential difference across the 6 Ω resistor and (c) the total power.

ICSE Class 9 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. newton

Force is measured in newton (N); 1 N = 1 kg·m/s².

Q2. A. 20 m/s

72 × 1000/3600 = 20 m/s.

Q3. B. 4 m/s²

a = (v − u)/t = (20 − 0)/5 = 4 m/s².

Q4. C. 10 N

F = ma = 5 × 2 = 10 N.

Q5. B. less than the density of the liquid

A body floats when its average density is less than that of the liquid, because the upthrust can then balance its weight.

Q6. B. 400 Pa

Pressure = force/area = 200/0.5 = 400 Pa.

Q7. A. 4200 J/kg°C

Water has a high specific heat capacity of about 4200 J kg⁻¹ °C⁻¹ (1 cal g⁻¹ °C⁻¹).

Q8. B. 40°

Law of reflection: angle of incidence = angle of reflection = 40°.

Q9. C. a vacuum

Sound is a mechanical wave and needs a material medium; it cannot travel in a vacuum.

Q10. B. 3 A

I = V/R = 12/4 = 3 A.

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

Work = force × distance, so 1 J = 1 N × 1 m.

Q12. hertz

1 Hz = 1 oscillation per second.

Q13. True

Outside the magnet, field lines run from the N pole to the S pole.

Q14. False

Mass stays constant, but weight = mg changes with the value of g (for example on the Moon).

Q15. 80

Ice needs about 80 cal (336 J) per gram to melt at 0°C.

Q16. laterally

Left and right appear interchanged: lateral inversion.

Q17. True

Particles in solids are closer and more elastic, so sound passes faster.

Q18. ampere

Current is measured in amperes (A).

Section C — Short Answer Questions (16 marks)
Q19. Equal change of velocity in equal times; m/s²
  1. A body has uniform acceleration if its velocity changes by equal amounts in equal intervals of time.
  2. Acceleration = change in velocity/time, so the SI unit is m/s².
Q20. 10 kg·m/s
  1. Momentum p = mass × velocity.
  2. p = 2 × 5 = 10 kg·m/s.
Q21. Action and reaction are equal and opposite
  1. To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
  2. The two forces act on different bodies, e.g. a gun recoils when a bullet is fired.
Q22. 150 N
  1. Upthrust = weight in air − weight in water.
  2. 600 − 450 = 150 N.
Q23. 84,000 J
  1. Mass = 500 g = 0.5 kg; rise in temperature = 40°C.
  2. Q = mcΔT = 0.5 × 4200 × 40 = 84,000 J.
Q24. Virtual and same size as the object
  1. The image is virtual (cannot be taken on a screen) and erect.
  2. It is the same size as the object and as far behind the mirror as the object is in front; it is laterally inverted.
Q25. 340 m
  1. The sound travels to the surface and back in 2 s, so total distance = 340 × 2 = 680 m.
  2. Distance of the surface = 680/2 = 340 m.
Q26. 36 W
  1. Power P = V × I.
  2. P = 12 × 3 = 36 W.
Section D — Problem Solving (16 marks)
Q27. (a) 4 m/s² (b) 100 m
  1. (a) a = (v − u)/t = (30 − 10)/5 = 4 m/s².
  2. (b) s = ut + ½at² = 10 × 5 + ½ × 4 × 25 = 50 + 50 = 100 m.
  3. Check: average speed 20 m/s × 5 s = 100 m ✓.
Q28. (a) 0.5 g/cm³ (b) Yes (c) one half
  1. (a) Volume = 10³ = 1000 cm³; density = 500/1000 = 0.5 g/cm³.
  2. (b) 0.5 g/cm³ < 1 g/cm³, so it floats.
  3. (c) Fraction submerged = density of body/density of liquid = 0.5/1 = 1/2. Upthrust = weight = 0.5 kg × 10 = 5 N.
Q29. 50°C
  1. Heat lost by hot water = heat gained by cold water.
  2. 200 × (80 − T) = 300 × (T − 30).
  3. 16000 − 200T = 300T − 9000 → 25000 = 500T → T = 50°C.
Q30. (a) 2 A (b) 12 V (c) 40 W
  1. Total resistance R = 4 + 6 = 10 Ω.
  2. (a) I = V/R = 20/10 = 2 A.
  3. (b) V across 6 Ω = I × 6 = 2 × 6 = 12 V.
  4. (c) P = VI = 20 × 2 = 40 W.
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