ICSE Class 10 Physics Pre Board Question Paper 2026: Practice Important Questions for High Score

Particulars

Details

Exam Name

ICSE Class 10 Physics Examination 2026

Conducting Body

Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)

Subjects Included

Physics, Chemistry, Biology

Exam Mode

Offline (Pen and Paper)

Question Paper Type

Theory Examination

Physics, Science Paper 1

Monday, 9 March

Duration

3 Hours

Total Marks

100

External Marks

80

Internal Marks

20

Official Website

cisce.org 

Question Number

Questions

Marks

Section A 

(Attempt all questions from this Section)

1

Choose the correct answers to the questions from the given options: 

(Do not copy the question, write the correct answers only)

(i) The magnitude of e.m.f. induced is directly proportional to the rate of change of magnetic ______ linked with the coil.

(a) polarity

(b) flux

(c) field

(d) conductivity

(ii) Two unequal resistances are connected in parallel across a cell. Which statement is true?

(a) Current through smaller resistance is higher

(b) Current through larger resistance is higher

(c) Current through both resistances is equal

(d) Current depends only on emf of the cell

(iii) A cyclist travels down a hill from rest at point X, without pedalling. The cyclist applies his brakes and the cycle stops at point Y. Which energy changes have taken place between X and Y?

(a) Gravitational potential → Kinetic → Thermal (heat)

(b) Gravitational potential → Thermal (heat) → Kinetic

(c) Kinetic → Gravitational potential → Thermal (heat)

(d) Kinetic → Thermal (heat) → Gravitational potential

(iv) Fuse is made up of 50% ______ and 50% ______.

(a) Aluminium, Lead

(b) Tin, Lead

(c) Tin, Nickel

(d) Silver, Copper

(v) ______ after every fission are responsible for chain reaction.

(a) Three electrons

(b) Three protons

(c) Three anti-neutrinos

(d) Three neutrons

(vi) Lateral displacement ______ with increase in the angle of incidence.

(a) decreases

(b) remains the same

(c) increases

(d) keeps changing

(vii) The power of a lens produced by it is the measure of ______.

(a) divergence

(b) deviation of ray of light

(c) convergence

(d) all of these

(viii) Two forces each of magnitude 4 N act vertically upwards and downwards respectively at the two ends of a uniform rod of length 1 m. The moment of couple so formed is:

(I) Moment of couple = F₁ × F₂ / d

(II) Moment of couple = F / d

(III) Moment of couple = Either force × d

(IV) Moment of couple = 4 × 4 / 1 = 16

(V) Moment of couple = 4 × 1

(a) (I) then (IV)

(b) (III) then (V)

(c) (II) then (V)

(d) (II) then (IV)

(ix) Which among the following is NOT an example of a class II lever?

(a) Forearm used to raise a load

(b) Nutcracker

(c) Bottle opener

(d) Raising weight of the body on toes

(xi) Rays used in detecting fake currency and diamonds:

(a) Infrared

(b) Gamma

(c) Blue

(d) Ultraviolet

(x) Heating curve has a ______ slope.

(a) Non-uniform negative slope

(b) constant

(c) negative

(d) positive

(xii) Which of the following device converts chemical energy into electrical energy?

(a) Loud Speaker

(b) Solar Cell

(c) Electric Motor

(d) Battery

(xiii) Latent heat is ________.

(a) heat conducted while heating

(b) heat energy released

(c) hidden form of energy stored in a substance for phase change

(d) heat radiated

(xiv) Assertion (A): The loudness of sound depends on its amplitude.

Reason (R): When the amplitude of vibration is large, the sound produced is loud. When the amplitude is small, the sound produced is feeble.

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

(c) A is true but R is false.

(d) Both A and R are false.

(xv) If a part of the lens is covered, its focal length ________.

(a) remains unchanged

(b) decreases

(c) increases

(d) none of these

[15]

2

(i) A man standing 50 m away from a wall produces a sound and receives the reflected sound.

(a) Calculate the time after which he receives the reflected sound if the speed of sound in air is 350 m/s.

(b) Will the man be able to hear an echo? Explain your answer.

(ii) (a) State one similarity in the process of nuclear fission and fusion.

(b) State one difference between the process of nuclear fission and fusion.

(iii) What are the two essential conditions for total internal reflection? 

(iv) The diagram shows a coil wound around a soft iron bar PQ.

(a) State the polarity at the end P.

(b) State the polarity at end Q.

(c) Explain how the strength of the electromagnet can be increased using the rheostat. 

(v) Give scientific reason for the following:

It takes more time for wet soil to get heated up as compared to dry soil.

(vi) A pulley system has a velocity ratio of 4 and efficiency of 90%. Calculate:

(a) Mechanical Advantage

(b) the effort required to raise a load of 300 N by the system.

(vii) Express mathematically what should be the angle between the force and the displacement to get:

(a) minimum work

(b) maximum work 

[15]

3

(i) In the given figures, draw and trace the path of the refracted ray.

(ii) Two resistors 20 Ω and 8 Ω are connected in parallel. The combination is connected across a 6 V battery of negligible resistance. Calculate:

(a) the total resistance of the circuit

(b) current through the battery

(iii) 

(a) Why are earth pins longer than the other two pins in a three-pin plug?

(b) An electric motor of power 5 kW is to be operated at mains of 220 V. Find the current drawn by the motor.

(iv) Define scattering of light. Which colour of light is scattered the least and why? 

(v) Arrange the α, β and γ radiations in ascending order of their:

(a) ionizing power

(b) penetrating power

SECTION B

(Attempt any four questions from this Section)

4

(i) State whether the following statements are ‘true’ or ‘false’ and support your answer with scientific reasons:

(a) A convex lens has a divergent action.

(b) A concave lens, if kept at a proper distance from an object, can form its real image.

(c) A ray of light incident parallel to the principal axis of a lens passes undeviated after refraction.

(d) A concave lens forms a magnified or diminished image depending on the distance of an object from it.

(ii) Red light of wavelength nearly 7.8 × 10⁻⁷ m travelling in air is refracted in water. If the speed of light is 3 × 10⁸ m s⁻¹ and the refractive index of water is 4/3, find:

(a) the frequency of light in air

(b) the speed of light in water

(iii) The figure shows a thin beam of white light from a source S striking on one face of a prism.

(a) Complete the diagram to show the effect of the prism on the beam and show the dispersion of red and violet rays through the two identical prisms. 

[10]

5

(i) An electric iron is rated 200 V, 2 kW. Under normal working conditions, find:

(a) the resistance of its heating element

(b) the amount of current through the element

(c) the amount of heat produced in 5 minutes

(d) the power consumed by the iron if the voltage falls to 180 V 

(ii)

(a) At what voltage and frequency is the electric power generated at power generating stations?

(b) Why is the voltage of power generated at the generating station stepped up to 132 kV before transmission?

(c) State one advantage of using the main switch in house wiring. 

(iii) A thick copper wire connected to a battery passes perpendicularly through a cardboard with iron filings kept horizontally. When the battery is switched on, the current flows in the wire through the cardboard in the downward direction.

(a) What pattern do you observe made by the iron filings? Why is such a pattern formed?

(b) What will be the direction of the magnetic field? State the law used to identify the direction of the magnetic field.

(c) How is the pattern of the iron filings changed when the current in the wire is increased?

[10]

6

(i) The given diagram shows the displacement–time graph for a vibrating body.

(a) Name the type of vibration produced and give one example.

(b) Name the two forces acting on the vibrating body.

(c) What will happen to the vibrations of the body after some time?

(ii) The given figure shows a radioactive source S in a thick lead-walled container having a narrow opening. The radiations pass through an electric field between plates A and B.

(a) Why is the source S kept in a thick lead-walled container with a narrow opening?

(b) Name the radiation which:

(i) is unaffected by the electrostatic field

(ii) causes the least biological damage

(c) Which radiation is deflected the most? Give reason.

(iii) A solid substance at 0°C is heated. The graph shows the variation in temperature with the amount of heat supplied. If the specific heat capacity of the solid substance is 500 J kg⁻¹ °C⁻¹, use the graph to find:

(a) the mass of the substance

(b) specific latent heat of fusion of the substance in the liquid state

[10]

7

(i) Two containers of water, one heated on the ground and the other heated at a height of 500 m.

(a) The water in which container boils faster? Support your answer with scientific reasons.

(b) Why does the water in the container placed on the ground remain hotter for a longer period compared to the container placed at a height of 500 m?

(ii) The figure given below is a type of transformer connected to an A.C. source.

(a) Identify the type of transformer and state the principle on which a transformer works.

(b) What is the function of the transformer in the given figure?

(c) Explain the wire of which coil in the given transformer will be kept thicker.

(iii) Find the position and size of the virtual image formed when an object 2 cm tall is placed 15 cm from a converging lens of focal length 60 cm. Draw a labelled ray diagram.

[10]

8

(i) A piece of stone tied at the end of a thread is whirled in a horizontal circle with uniform speed by hand. Answer the following:

(a) Is the velocity of stone uniform or variable? Explain.

(b) Explain the direction of acceleration of stone at any instant. Mention the force responsible for the direction of acceleration.

(c) Draw a diagram explaining the direction of velocity and acceleration in uniform circular motion.

(ii)

(a) How is the echo method used in RADAR?

(b) A RADAR detected the reflected waves from an aeroplane after a time interval of 0.03 millisecond. Calculate the distance (in kilometer) of the aeroplane from the radar if the velocity of wave is 3 × 10⁸ m s⁻¹.

(iii) Name the factors on which the heat produced in a wire depends when current is passed in it, and state how it depends on the factors stated. 

[10]

9

(i) Two pulleys are shown in the given figure attached to a rigid support above.

(a) Pulley A and B are which types of pulleys?

(b) What is the use of pulley B in the pulley system shown?

(c) What is the mechanical effort of the given pulley system? 

(ii) 

(a) State the work–energy theorem.

(b) A body of mass ‘m’ is moving with a uniform velocity ‘u’. A force applied on the body changes its velocity to ‘v’. How much work is being done by the force?

(c) A man climbs a slope and another walks the same distance on level road. Which of the two expends more energy and why?

(iii) A uniform metre rule of mass 100 g is balanced on a fulcrum at mark 40 cm by suspending an unknown mass m at the mark 20 cm.

(a) Find the value of m.

(b) How can it be balanced by another mass 50 g?

[10]

ICSE Class 10 Physics Pre Board Question Paper 2026 PDF

Monday, 9 March

11:00 AM

Physics, Science Paper 1

Subject Name

Percentage Marks - External Exams (%)

Percentage Marks - Internal Exams (%)

Physics

80%

20%