CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus - Free PDF Download
CISCE Syllabus 2025-26 ICSE Class 10 : The CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus for the examination year 2025-26 has been released by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, CISCE. The board will hold the final examination at the end of the year following the annual assessment scheme, which has led to the release of the syllabus. The 2025-26 CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Board Exam will entirely be based on the most recent syllabus. Therefore, students must thoroughly understand the new CISCE syllabus to prepare for their annual exam properly.
The detailed CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus for 2025-26 is below.
Academic year:
CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Revised Syllabus
CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics and their Unit wise marks distribution
CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Course Structure 2025-26 With Marking Scheme
| # | Unit/Topic | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| I | Force, Work, Power and Energy | |
| 1 | Force | |
| 2 | Work, Energy and Power | |
| 3 | Machines | |
| II | Light | |
| 4 | Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces | |
| 5 | Refraction Through a Lense | |
| 6 | Spectrum | |
| III | Sound | |
| 7 | Sound | |
| IV | Electricity and Magnetism | |
| 8 | Current Electricity | |
| 9 | Household Circuits | |
| 10 | Electro Magnetism | |
| V | Heat | |
| 11 | Calorimetry | |
| VI | Modern Physics | |
| 12 | Radioactivity | |
| Total | - |
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Syllabus
CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus for Chapter 1: Force, Work, Power and Energy
1 Force
- Force
- Translational and Rotational Motions
- Linear or translational motion
- Rotational motion
- Moment (Turning Effect) of a Force Or Torque
- Moment of a force
- Turning effect of a force
- Factors affecting the turning of a body
- Unit of moment of force
- Clockwise and anticlockwise moments
- Common examples of moment of force
- Couple
- Couple
- Moment of couple
- Equilibrium of Bodies and Its Types
- Equilibrium of bodies (Stability)
- Kind of Equilibrium
- Static equilibrium
- Dynamic equilibrium
- Stable equilibrium
- Unstable equilibrium
- Neutral equilibrium
- Conditions for equilibrium
- Principle of Moments
- Principle of moments
- Verification of principle of moments
- Centre of Gravity
- Centre of Gravity
- Centre of gravity of some regular uniform objects
- Centre of gravity and the balance point
- Determination of centre of gravity of an irregular lamina by the method of balance using a plumb line
- Real-Life Applications of Centre of Gravity
- Uniform Circular Motion (UCM)
- Uniform and Non-Uniform Circular Motion
- Activity
- Uniform Circular Motion and Centripetal Force
- Experiment
- Variables in Circular Motion
- Centripetal Force
- Centrifugal Forces
2 Work, Energy and Power
- Concept of Work
- Introduction of Work
- Work Done at Different Angles and Its Characteristics
- Measurement of Work
- Measurement of work
- Expression for work (W = F S cos θ)
- Positive, Negative, and Zero Work
- Special cases of θ = 0°, 90°
- Work Done by the Force of Gravity (W = mgh)
- Power
- Introduction of Power
- Commercial Units of Energy
- Energy
- Introduction to Energy
- Commercial Unit of Energy
- Mechanical Energy
- Introduction
- Experiment
- Potential Energy (U)
- Introduction to Potential Energy
- Expression for Potential Energy
- Kinetic Energy (K)
- Introduction to Kinetic Energy
- Expression for Kinetic Energy
- Types of Potential Energy
- Gravitational potential energy
- Elastic Potential Energy
- Gravitational Potential Energy at a Height (U = mgh)
- Types of Kinetic Energy
- Translational kinetic energy
- Rotational kinetic energy
- Vibrational kinetic energy
- Conversion of Potential Energy into Kinetic Energy
- Transformation of Energy
- Introduction
- Energy Transfer in The Water Cycle
- Forms of Energy
- Principle of Conservation of Energy
- Theoretical verification of K + U = Constant for a freely falling body
- Application of Principle of Conservation of Energy to a Simple Pendulum
3 Machines
- Machines
- Simple Machines
- Technical Terms Related to a Machine
- Load
- Effort
- Mechanical advantage (M.A.)
- Velocity ratio (V.R.)
- Work input
- Work output
- Efficiency (η)
- Principle of Machine
- Ideal machine
- Actual machine
- Relationship between efficiency (ղ), mechanical advantage (M.A.) and velocity ratio (VR)
- A Lever
- Introduction
- Experiment 1
- Experiment 2
- Experiment 3
- Types of Levers
- Examples of Each Class of Levers as Found in the Human Body
- A Pulley
- Introduction
- Experiment
- Single Fixed Pulley
- Single fixed pulley
- MA, VR, and ῃ of a single fixed pulley
- Single Movable Pulley
- Single movable pulley
- MA, VR, and ῃ of a Single movable pulley
- Combination of Pulleys
- Using one fixed rigid support pulley and other movable pulleys
- Using several pulleys in two blocks
- Effect of weight of pulleys on MA, VR, and ῃ
- Machines (Numerical)
CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus for Chapter 2: Light
4 Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces
- Introduction to Refraction of Light
- Introduction
- Activity 1
- Activity 2
- Activity 3
- Speed of Light
- Speed of light
- Speed of light in different mediums
- Relationship Between Refractive Index and Speed of Light (µ = C/V)
- Relationship between refractive index and speed of light (µ = c/V)
- Conditions for a light ray to pass undeviated on refraction
- Relationship between wavelength in the two medium
- Factors affecting the refractive index of a medium
- Principle of Reversibility of the Path of Light
- Experimental Verification of Law of Refraction and Determination of Refractive Index of Glass
- Refraction of Light Through a Rectangular Glass Slab
- Lateral displacement
- Multiple Images in a Thick Plane Glass Plate Or Thick Mirror
- Prism
- Refraction of Light Through a Prism
- Refraction of light through a prism
- Factors affecting the angle of deviation
- Real and Apparent Depth
- Apparent Bending of a Stick Under Water
- Some Consequences of Refraction of Light
- Transmission of Light from a Denser Medium (Glass Or Water) to a Rarer Medium (Air) at Different Angles of Incidence
- Critical Angle
- Critical angle (ic)
- Factors affecting the critical angle
- Colour of light (or wavelength of light)
- Nature of the pair of media
- Temperature
- Relationship Between the Critical Angle and the Refractive Index (µ = 1/ Sin C)
- Total Internal Reflection
- Total Internal Reflection
- Essential conditions for the total internal reflection
- Total internal reflection in nature - optical fibres
- Rainbow production
- Refraction and total internal reflection of light rays at different angles of incidence
- Consequences of total internal refraction
- Applications of total internal reflection
- Total Internal Reflection in a Prism
- Total internal reflection through a 45 °, 90°, 45° prism
- To deviate a ray of light through 90°
- To deviate a ray of light through 180°
- To erect the inverted image without deviation
- Total internal reflection through a prism where each angle is 60°
- Total internal reflection and refraction of light through a 30°, 90°, 60° prism
- Use of a Total Internal Reflecting Prism in Place of a Plane Mirror
- Consequences of Total Internal Refraction
5 Refraction Through a Lense
- Concept of Lenses
- Lens and its Types
- Cross-Sections of Convex and Concave Lenses
- Action of a Lens as a Set of Prisms
- Action of a lens as a set of prisms
- Convergent action of a convex lens
- Divergent action of a concave lens
- Spherical Lens
- Introduction
- Basic Lens Terminology
- Principal Focus (F) and Focal Length (f)
- Experiment
- Refraction of Light Through the Equiconvex Lens and Equiconcave Lens
- Guideline for Image Formation Due to Refraction Through a Convex and Concave Lens
- Formation of Image by Reflection: Real and Virtual Image
- Formation of Image by Reflection
- Real Image
- Virtual Image
- Distinction between a real and a virtual image
- Images Formed by Sperical Lenses
- Concave Lens
- Introduction
- Applications
- Images Formed by Concave Lenses
- Rules for Image Formation by a Concave Lens
- Image Formation by a Concave Lens
- Convex Lens
- Introduction
- Applications
- Activity
- Images Formed by Convex Lenses
- Rules for Image Formation by a Convex Lens
- Experiment
- Images formed by convex lenses for different positions of the object
- Differentiation Between Concave and Convex Lens
- Sign Convention
- General Rules of Cartesian Sign Convention
- Sign Convention for Mirrors
- Sign Convention for Lenses
- Lens Formula
- Introduction
- Derivation of Lens Formula
- Magnification Due to Spherical Lenses
- Power of a Lens
- Magnifying Glass Or Simple Microscope
- Experimental Determination of Focal Length of Convex Lens
- Estimation of focal length by the distant object method
- Determination of exact focal length by an auxiliary plane mirror method.
- Determination of focal length of a convex lens by one pin method using an optical bench.
- Ray diagram for determination of the focal length of a convex lens by using a pin and a plane mirror.
6 Spectrum
- Deviation Produced by a Triangular Prism
- Deviation produced by a triangular prism
- Dependence of deviation on the colour (or wavelength) of light
- Colour in White Light with Their Wavelength and Frequency Range
- Dispersion of Light Through Prism and Formation of Spectrum
- Dispersion of Light Through a Prism
- Newton’s Disc and the Colours of Light
- Wavelength and Speed of Light in Different Media
- Activity 1
- Activity 2
- Activity 3
- Electromagnetic Spectrum
- Electromagnetic spectrum (Discovered by, Wavelength range, Production, Detection, Characteristics, applications
- Gamma rays (γ-rays)
- X-rays
- Ultraviolet rays (UV rays)
- Visible light
- Infrared rays
- Microwaves
- Radio waves
- Approximate ranges of wavelength and frequency
- Properties common to all the electromagnetic waves
- Different Radiation of Electromagnetic Spectrum
- Distinction between the ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiations
- Gamma Rays
- Gamma rays
- Sources of Gamma rays
- Properties of Gamma rays
- Uses of Gamma rays
- X rays
- X-rays
- Properties of X-rays
- Uses of X-rays
- Ultraviolet Radiations
- Ultraviolet radiations
- Detection
- Sources of ultraviolet radiations
- Properties of ultraviolet radiations
- Harmful effect of ultraviolet radiations
- Uses of ultraviolet radiations
- Visible Light
- Visible light
- Sources of Visible light
- Uses of visible light
- Infrared Radiations
- Infrared radiations
- Detection of Infrared radiations
- Sources of infrared radiations
- Properties of infrared radiations
- Harmful effect of infrared radiations
- Uses of infrared radiations
- Micro Waves
- Micro waves
- Source of Micro waves
- Uses of Micro waves
- Radio Waves
- Radio waves
- Uses of Radio waves
- Scattering of Light and Its Types
- Scattering of Light
- Types of Scattering of Light
- Elastic scattering
- Inelastic scattering
(a) Rayleigh scattering
(b) Rayleigh’s scattering law
(c) Mie scattering
(d) Tyndall scattering
(e) Raman scattering
- Applications of Scattering of Light
- Applications of Scattering of Light
- Red colour of sun at sunrise and sunset
- White colour of sky at noon
- Blue colour of sky
- Black colour of sky in absence of atmosphere
- White colour of clouds
- Use of red light for the danger signal
CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus for Chapter 3: Sound
7 Sound
- Sound
- Introduction
- Sound waves
- Difference Between the Sound and Light Waves
- Difference between the sound and light waves
- Comparison of speed of sound with speed of light
- Consequences of the large difference in the speed of sound and that of light
- Reflection of Sound
- Introduction
- Uses of multiple reflection of sound
- Experiment
- Echoes
- Determination of Speed of Sound by the Method of Echo
- Use of Echoes
- Use of echoes by bats, dolphins and fisherman
- Use of echoes by 'SONAR'
- Use of echoes in medical field
- Natural Vibrations
- Natural Vibrations
- Nature of natural vibrations
- Examples of natural (or free) vibrations
- Damped Vibrations
- Damped vibrations
- Examples of damped vibrations
- Forced Vibrations
- Forced vibrations
- Examples of forced vibrations
- Resonance
- Resonance
- Condition for resonance
- Some examples of resonance
- Demonstration of Resonance
- Some Examples of Resonance
- Properties of Sounds
- Properties of Sound
- Activity
- Experiment
- Loudness and Intensity
- Pitch (or shrillness) and frequency
- Audibility and Range
- Audibility and Range
- Bats and Their Navigation Mechanism
- Experiment
- Uses of Different Types of Sound
- Quality (Or Timbre) and Wave Form
- Recognition of the sources of two sounds by their quality
- Environmental Issues
- Noise Pollution
- Noise and Music
- Sound (Numerical)
CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus for Chapter 4: Electricity and Magnetism
8 Current Electricity
- Electric Charge
- Introduction
- Experiment
- Electric Current
- Ampere: Pioneer of Electric Current Measurement
- Electric Current
- Electric Circuit
- Introduction
- Working
- Electric Circuits and Circuit Diagrams
- Experiment
- Joule’s Law of Heating and Electrical Power
- Potential and Potential Difference
- Electrostatic Potential
- Potential Difference
- Experiment 1
- Experiment 2
- Experiment 3
- Resistance (R)
- Resistance (R)
- Cause of resistance
- Factors affecting the resistance of a conductor
- Ohm's Law (V = IR)
- Introduction
- Limitations and Applications
- Limitations of Ohm’s Law
- Experimental Verification of Ohm’s Law
- Ohmic and Non-ohmic Resistors
- Ohmic resistors
- Non-ohmic resistors
- Distinction between the ohmic and non-ohmic resistors
- Factors affecting the resistance of a conductor
- Electrical Resistivity and Electrical Conductivity
- Electrical Resistivity
- Unit of specific resistance
- Factors affecting the specific resistance
- Conductance and Conductivity
- Choice of Material of a Wire
- Superconductors
- Electro-motive Force (E.M.F.) of a Cell
- Factors affecting the e.m.f. of a cell
- Terminal Voltage of a Cell
- Terminal voltage of a cell
- Voltage drop in a cell
- Relationship between e.m.f. and terminal voltage of a cell
- Distinction between e.m.f. and terminal voltage of a cell
- Internal Resistance of a Cell
- Internal resistance of a cell
- Relationship between the e.m.f., terminal voltage and internal resistance
- Factors affecting the internal resistance of a cell
- System of Resistors
- Resistors in Series
- Resistors in Series
- Characteristics of Resistors Connected in Series
- Resistors in Parallel
- Resistors in Parallel
- Characteristics of Resistors Connected in Parallel
- Resistors in Series
- Combination of Resistors - Series and Parallel
- Electrical Energy
- Introduction
- Applications of Electrical Energy
- Storage of Electrical Energy
- Measurement of Electrical Energy (Expression W = QV = Vlt)
- Other expressions for electrical energy by the use of Ohm's law
- Electrical Power
- Electric power
- Power-voltage rating
- Power of electrical appliances connected in parallel
- Power of electrical appliances connected in series
- Power in mixed combination of cells
- Practical units of electric energy in terms of power
- Units of electrical power
- Commercial Unit of Electrical Energy
- Power Rating of Appliances
- Household Consumption of Electric Energy
- Effects of Electric Current
- Heating Effect of Electric Current
- Introduction
- Joule’s Law of Heating
- Applications
- Units of Power and Energy
- Safety Measures and Overloading
- Heating Effect of Electric Current
- Factors Affecting the Resistance of a Conductor
9 Household Circuits
- Transmission of Power from the Power Generating Station to the Consumer
- Transmission of power from the power generating station to the consumer
- Supply of power to a house
- Connection from pole to the distribution board
- Power Distribution to a House
- House Wiring (Ring System)
- House wiring (Ring system)
- Advantages of the ring system
- Connection of all appliances with the mains
- Advantages of connecting the appliances in parallel
- Disadvantages of connecting the appliances in series
- Electric Fuse
- Electric fuse
- Purpose of fuse
- Characteristic of a fuse
- Working of a fuse
- Reason for connecting the fuse in the live wire
- Current rating of a fuse
- Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)
- Electric Switch
- Switch
- Switches in two groups
- Reason for connecting the switch in the live wire
- Safety precaution while using a switch
- Circuits with Dual Control Switches (Staircase Wire)
- Earthing (Grounding)
- Local earthing
- Safety by the local earthing
- Earthing of an appliance
- Safety by earthing of an appliance
- Three-pin Plug and Socket
- Three-pin plug
- Socket
- Safety precautions for plug and socket
- Colour Coding of Live, Neutral, and Earth Wires
- High Tension Wires
- Precautions to Be Taken While Using Electricity
10 Electro Magnetism
- Oersted's Experiment on the Magnetic Effect of Electric Current
- Magnetic Field Due to a Current Carrying Straight Conductor
- Right-hand Thumb Rule
- Magnetic Field Due to Current in a Loop (Or Circular Coil)
- Magnetic Field Due to a Current Carving Cylindrical Coil (or Solenoid)
- Electromagnet
- Introduction
- Michael Faraday: A Pioneer in Electromagnetism
- Experiment
- Making of an Electromagnet
- Choice of the material of the core of the electromagnet
- Strength of the electromagnet
- Making of an electromagnet
- Bar or I shaped magnet
- Horse shoe or U shaped magnet
- Permanent Magnet and Electromagnet
- Permanent magnet
- Electromagnets and factors affecting their strengths
- Difference between Permanent magnet and electromagnet
- Advantage of an electromagnet over a permanent magnet
- Applications of Electromagnets
- Force on a Current Carrying Conductor in a Magnetic Field
- Direct Current Motor
- Direct Current Motor
- Principle
- Construction and its main parts
- Working
- Ways of increasing the speed of rotation of coil
- Electromagnetic Induction
- Introduction
- Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction
- Application
- Faraday's Laws of Electromagnetic Induction
- Faraday’s laws of Electromagnetic Induction
- Factors affecting the magnitude of induced e.m.f.
- The direction of induced e.m.f.
- Fleming’s right-hand rule
- Lenz's Law and Faraday's Law
- Alternating Current (A.C.) Generator
- Alternating current generator
- Principle
- Construction and its main parts
- Working
- Frequency of alternating current
- Distinction Between an A.C. Generator and D.C. Motor
- Distinction between an A.C. generator and D.C. motor
- Similarities between an A.C. generator and D.C. motor
- Types of Current
- Direct Current (DC)
- Alternating Current (AC)
- Differences Between AC and DC
- Transformers
- Transformer
- Principle of transformer
- Efficiency of transformer (η)
- Losses in transformer
1) Cu loss (I2R)
2) Eddy current loss
3) Hysteresis loss
4) Magnetic flux leakage
5) Humming losses
- Types of Transformer
- Types of Transformer
- Step up transformer
- Step down transformer
- Distinction between the step up and step down transformers
- Examples of Step up transformer and Step down transformer
- Uses of Step up transformer and Step down transformer
- Frequency of A.C. in Household Supplies
- Difference between the D.C. and A.C.
- Advantage of A.C. over D.C.
CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus for Chapter 5: Heat
11 Calorimetry
- Heat and Its Unit
- The Temperature and a Thermometer
- Introduction
- Experiment: 1
- Experiment: 2
- Factors Affecting the Quantity of Heat Absorbed to Increase the Temperature of a Body
- Difference Between Heat and Temperature
- Thermal Capacity (Heat Capacity)
- Heat capacity or Thermal capacity
- Units of heat capacity
- Specific Heat Capacity
- Introduction
- Specific Heat Capacity of Different Substances
- Experiment
- Relationship Between the Heat Capacity and Specfic Heat Capacity
- Relationship between the heat capacity and specific heat capacity
- Distinction between Heat capacity and specific heat capacity
- Specific Heat Capacity of Some Common Substances
- Calorimetry and Calorimeter
- Calorimetry
- Calorimeter
- Working of Calorimeter
- Application of Calorimeter
- Principle of Method of Mixtures (or Principle of Calorimetry)
- Natural Phenomena and Consequences of High Specific Heat Capacity of Water
- Some Examples of High and Low Heat Capacity
- Heat and change of physical state
- Introduction
- Effect of Change of Temperature
- Effect of Change of Pressure
- Heat Required to Change State
- Concept of Boiling (Vaporization)
- Changes in States of Water
- Experiment
- Melting and Freezing
- Heating Curve of Ice During Melting
- Change in Volume on Melting
- Effect of Pressure on the Melting Point
- Effect of Impurities on the Melting Point
- Heating Curve for Water
- Change in Volume on Boiling
- Effect of Pressure on the Boiling Point
- Effect of Impurities on the Boiling Point
- Latent Heat and Specific Latent Heat
- Introduction
- Types of Latent Heat
- Experiment
- Latent Heat of Vaporization
- Explanation of Latent Heat of Melting on the Basis of Kinetic Model
- Natural Consequences of High Specific Latent Heat of Fusion of Ice
CISCE ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus for Chapter 6: Modern Physics
12 Radioactivity
- Structure of the Atom and Nucleus
- Atomic Model
- Isotopes
- Introduction of Isotopes
- Applications of Isotopes
- Isobars
- Introduction
- Example of Isobars
- Characteristics of Isobars
- Isotones or Isoneutronic
- Isotones or Isoneutronic
- Examples
- Radioactivity
- Discovery of Radioactivity
- Radioactive Substances
- Types of Radiation Emitted by Radioactive Substances
- Radioactivity as Emission of Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Radiations
- Properties of Alpha Particles
- Properties of Beta Particles
- Properties of Gamma Radiations
- Changes Within the Nucleus in Alpha, Beta and Gamma Emission
- Alpha Decay (Alpha Emission)
- Beta Decay (Beta Emission)
- Gamma Decay (Gamma Emission)
- Uses of Radioactive Isotopes
- Introduction
- Uses of Radioactive Isotopes
- Sources of Harmful Radiations
- Hazards of Radioactive Substances and Radiation
- Hazards
- The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster: Impact and Consequences
- Safety Precautions While Using Nuclear Energy
- Safety Precautions While Using Nuclear Energy
- Safety measures. while establishing a nuclear power plant
- Safety measures while handling radioactive material
- Safety measures in the safe disposal of nuclear waste
- Background Radiations
- Nuclear Energy
- Nuclear Energy
- Production of electricity from Nuclear energy
- Atomic power stations in India
- Nuclear Fission
- Nuclear fission
- Fissionable materials
- Chain Reaction
- Controlled chain reaction
- Uncontrolled chain reaction
- Critical Mass
- Atom bomb
- Distinction Between the Radioactive Decay and Nuclear Fission
- Nuclear Fusion
- Nuclear Fusion
- Conditions necessary for nuclear fusion
- Stellar Energy
- Hydrogen Bomb
- Distinction Between the Nuclear Fission and Nuclear Fusion
