ICSE 2020 Physics Question Paper for Class 10

About this paper

This is ICSE Class 10 Physics, Science Paper 1, from the 2020 examination, code T20 521. It carries 80 marks, with two hours to write after 15 minutes of reading. Section I, Questions 1 to 4, is compulsory, with two-mark parts on the moment of force, the kilowatt hour, a satellite in orbit, refraction, a sound wave in water, a fuse wire and a current loop. Section II, Questions 5 to 10, asks for any four questions. They include a pendulum bob raised by 5 m, a block and tackle of velocity ratio 4, a lens of focal length 20 cm, an echo from a cliff, a transformer, superconductors and a nucleus of 84 protons and 128 neutrons. This copy has the questions only.

Exam

ICSE Class 10

Subject

Physics

Year

2020

Paper code

T20 521

Maximum marks

80

Time allowed

2 hours + 15 min reading

Questions

10

Pages

8

Answers included

No, questions only

Paper pattern

• Section I

  40 marks

  Questions 1–4, all compulsory, five two-mark parts each

• Section II

  40 marks

  Questions 5–10, attempt any four

Topics covered

• Moments, levers and equilibrium
• Work, energy and power
• Uniform circular motion
• Pulleys and the block and tackle
• Refraction, prisms and lenses
• Sound, echoes and ultrasonic waves
• Current electricity and the fuse
• Transformers and superconductors
• Heat capacity and change of state
• Electromagnetism and the d.c. motor
• Nuclear fission and radioactivity

Questions from this paper

1. Define moment of force, and write the relationship between its SI and CGS units.
2. A satellite revolves around a planet in a circular orbit. What is the work done by the satellite at any instant? Give a reason.
3. Crane A lifts a heavy load in 5 seconds, while crane B does the same work in 2 seconds. Compare the power of crane A with that of crane B.
4. A sound wave travelling in water has a wavelength of 0.4 m. Is this wave audible in air? Take the speed of sound in water as 1400 m/s.
5. A piece of ice of mass 60 g is dropped into 140 g of water at 50°C. Calculate the final temperature when all the ice has melted. Specific heat capacity of water = 4.2 J g⁻¹ K⁻¹ and specific latent heat of fusion of ice = 336 J g⁻¹.
6. An atomic nucleus A has 84 protons and 128 neutrons. It emits an alpha particle and becomes nucleus B. What is the composition of B, and what is the mass number of A?