ICSE Class 10 Physics Syllabus 2026-27 — Complete Guide with Unit-wise Weightage & Tips

What's New in 2026-27?

The ICSE Class 10 Physics syllabus for 2026-27 continues CISCE's emphasis on conceptual understanding and application-based learning. The syllabus covers six major units — Mechanics, Light, Sound, Electricity, Electromagnetism, and Modern Physics. Students should expect more numericals requiring multi-step problem solving and competency-based questions that test understanding rather than rote memorisation.

Physics (Science Paper 1) carries 80 marks for the theory examination and 20 marks for Internal Assessment (practical work). Duration: 2 hours.

Syllabus Overview

Unit	Topics	Approximate Weightage
Force, Work, Power & Energy	Turning forces, moments, levers, pulleys, KE, PE, conservation of energy	~15%
Light	Refraction, lenses, lens formula, spectrum, total internal reflection, prism	~25%
Sound	Characteristics, reflection of sound, echoes, resonance, loudness & pitch	~15%
Current Electricity	Ohm's Law, resistance, resistivity, series/parallel circuits, electrical power	~20%
Electromagnetism	Magnetic effect of current, DC motor, electromagnetic induction, AC generator	~15%
Heat & Modern Physics	Calorimetry, specific heat, latent heat, radioactivity, nuclear fission/fusion	~10%

Chapter-wise Detailed Syllabus

1. Force, Work, Power and Energy (~15%)

Turning Forces: Moment of a force — definition, SI unit (Nm), principle of moments. Conditions for equilibrium of a body under parallel forces. Centre of gravity for regular and irregular bodies.

Levers: Types of levers (Class I, II, III), mechanical advantage, velocity ratio, efficiency. Examples from everyday life.

Work, Energy, Power: Definition and SI units. Kinetic energy (KE = ½mv²), potential energy (PE = mgh). Conservation of energy and its applications. Power = work/time.

Machines and Pulleys: Single fixed pulley, single movable pulley, combination of pulleys. Mechanical advantage, velocity ratio, and efficiency calculations.

2. Light (~25%)

Light is the highest-weightage unit in ICSE Physics and requires thorough preparation.

Refraction: Laws of refraction, Snell's law, refractive index, real and apparent depth, critical angle, total internal reflection and its applications (optical fibre, mirage).

Lenses: Convex and concave lenses, image formation, ray diagrams, sign convention. Lens formula (1/v - 1/u = 1/f), magnification, power of a lens (P = 1/f in dioptres).

Spectrum: Dispersion of white light by a prism, electromagnetic spectrum, scattering of light (why the sky is blue).

3. Sound (~15%)

Characteristics: Pitch (frequency), loudness (amplitude), quality (timbre). Range of human hearing (20 Hz to 20,000 Hz). Ultrasound and infrasound.

Reflection of Sound: Laws of reflection, echoes — minimum distance for echo (17.2 m at 20°C). Applications: SONAR, stethoscope, whispering gallery.

Resonance: Natural frequency, forced vibrations, resonance and its examples.

4. Current Electricity (~20%)

Ohm's Law: V = IR, V-I characteristics, ohmic and non-ohmic conductors.

Resistance: Factors affecting resistance (length, area, material, temperature). Resistivity and its SI unit. Colour coding of resistors.

Series and Parallel Circuits: Equivalent resistance calculations, current and voltage distribution. Numericals on combined circuits.

Electrical Power and Energy: P = VI = I²R = V²/R. Calculation of electrical energy consumed (kWh). Cost of electricity.

5. Electromagnetism (~15%)

Magnetic Effect of Current: Oersted's experiment, magnetic field due to a straight conductor and solenoid, right-hand thumb rule, Fleming's left-hand rule. Force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field.

DC Motor: Principle, construction, working, and applications.

Electromagnetic Induction: Faraday's laws, Lenz's law, Fleming's right-hand rule. AC generator — principle and working.

6. Heat and Modern Physics (~10%)

Calorimetry: Specific heat capacity, heat equation (Q = mcΔT), principle of calorimetry (heat lost = heat gained). Numerical problems on mixtures.

Latent Heat: Latent heat of fusion and vaporisation. Change of state problems.

Radioactivity: Natural radioactivity, alpha, beta, gamma radiations — properties, penetrating power. Nuclear fission and fusion — basic concepts, applications (nuclear power, hydrogen bomb).

Exam Pattern 2026-27

Component	Details	Marks
Section I	Compulsory short-answer questions from all units	40 marks
Section II	Answer 4 out of 6 structured/long-answer questions	40 marks
Internal Assessment	Practical work, project, periodic tests	20 marks
Total		100 marks

Prescribed Textbooks

• Concise Physics Class 10 — Selina Publishers (R.P. Goyal)
• ICSE Physics for Class X — S. Chand (Pankaj Bhatt)
• Nootan ICSE Physics — Nageen Prakashan
• CISCE specimen papers and previous years' board papers

Preparation Tips

1. Prioritise Light and Electricity — Together these units account for ~45% of the paper. Master lens formula numericals, circuit problems, and ray diagrams.
2. Learn derivations and formulas — Create a formula card for each chapter. Key formulas: lens formula, mirror formula, Ohm's law, power equations, moment of force.
3. Practise numericals daily — Physics is numerical-heavy. Solve at least 5 numericals per chapter per day. Show all steps and include units in your answers.
4. Draw clear diagrams — Ray diagrams for lenses, circuit diagrams, and motor/generator diagrams must be neat and labelled. Use a ruler and pencil.
5. Understand principles, not just formulas — CISCE tests understanding. Know WHY total internal reflection occurs, HOW a motor works, and WHAT happens in nuclear fission.
6. Focus on practical-based questions — Questions based on experiments (Ohm's law verification, lens experiments) are common. Understand the procedure and expected results.
7. Solve CISCE specimen papers — The specimen paper reveals the exact format and difficulty level. Solve it under timed conditions.