ICSE Class 8 Physics Books – Chapters, Practice & PDFs

The ICSE Class 8 Physics books page below lists 18 chapters across three textbooks — Selina Concise, Oxford and Physics — and every listed chapter’s PDF is on this page. The chapter you need, and its PDF, sit in the same table.

The PDFs alone will not tell you what is inside a chapter. Each row below shows how many main sections the book runs, how many practice questions its exercises set, and how many pages the chapter prints — all counted from the books themselves. For the other subjects, start from the ICSE Class 8 books page.

The syllabus this chapter follows is set by the CISCE board.

Reference: CISCE-aligned ICSE textbook material.

ICSE Class 8 Physics Books: chapter PDF downloads

Selina Concise

Oxford

Physics

ICSE Class 8 Physics Books: what is inside each chapter

A section is one of the book’s own main headings; sub-headings are not counted. A practice question is a numbered item under an exercise heading. Pages is the chapter’s length in the PDF. The chapters below follow the same order as the table above.

Chapter 1: Matter (Selina Concise)

Matter starts from the idea of matter itself and the characteristics of molecules, then moves through the three states. Each state — solid, liquid, gas — gets a molecular model of its own. Change of state follows: melting, freezing, vaporization, evaporation and sublimation, each explained with the same molecular model. Evaporation receives extra attention through its rate, its cooling effect and its applications.

• Matter
• Characteristics of Molecules
• States of Matter
• Molecular Model of Solids
• Molecular Model of Liquids
• Molecular Model of Gases

and 13 more

The B. Short/Long Answer Questions set carries 30 questions.

Chapter 2: Physical Quantities (Selina Concise)

Physical Quantities and Measurement opens the chapter, and density follows with its unit and the ways to measure it — regular solids, irregular solids, liquids and the density bottle. Relative density comes next, with its unit and measurement. The later sections take up floating and sinking, the principle of floatation and the law of floatation.

• Physical Quantities and Measurement
• Density
• Unit of Density
• Determination of Density of a Regular Solid
• Vessels for Measuring Volume
• Determination of Density of an Irregular Solid

and 15 more

Most of the practice sits in the B. Short/Long Answer Questions set, which holds 37 questions.

Chapter 3: Force and Pressure (Selina Concise)

Force and Pressure begins with force, its unit and the turning effect of a force, then moves to the moment of force. Pressure and thrust follow, with the factors that affect pressure. Liquid pressure takes up the middle of the chapter, covering the directions in which a liquid exerts pressure and its factors and consequences. Atmospheric pressure, its standard value and examples from daily life also appear.

• Force and Pressure
• Force
• Unit of Force
• Turning Effect of a Force
• Factors Affecting the Turning of a Body
• Some Examples in Daily Life

and 22 more

Practice centres on the B. Short/Long Answer Questions set — 37 questions in all.

Chapter 4: Energy (Selina Concise)

Energy works from work and the factors that affect the amount of work done, its definition and units. Mechanical energy follows as potential energy and kinetic energy, each with its expression, and the conversion between them. Different forms of energy and transformations of energy come next, then power, its unit, and the differences between work, energy and power.

• Energy
• Work
• Factors affecting the amount of work done
• Definition of Work
• Units of work
• Unit of Energy

and 16 more

The B. Short/Long Answer Questions set is the main written exercise, with 41 questions.

Chapter 5: Light Energy (Selina Concise)

Light Energy starts with the speed of light in different media and moves into refraction — its terms, laws and effects such as apparent depth, early sunrise and mirage. Refraction through a rectangular glass block and through a prism leads to the dispersion of white light. The chapter then turns to spherical mirrors: kinds, related terms, focus and focal length, ray diagram rules, real and virtual images, and the images formed by concave and convex mirrors with their uses.

• Light Energy
• Speed of Light in Different Media
• Refraction of Light
• Some Terms Related to Refraction of Light
• Laws of Refraction (Snell’s Law)
• Effects of Refraction

and 21 more

The B. Short/Long Answer Questions set alone comes to 50 questions.

Chapter 6: Heat Transfer (Selina Concise)

Heat Transfer opens with the effects of heat — change in state and change in size — and explains them through molecular motion. The change of liquid into vapour is treated through evaporation and boiling, with the difference between them. Thermal expansion follows for solids, liquids and gases, each explained on the basis of molecular motion. Variation of density with temperature also gets a section.

• Heat Transfer
• Effects of Heat
• Change in state of the body
• Change in size of the body
• Effect of Temperature on Molecular Motion
• Change of Liquid into Vapour State

and 22 more

For practice, the B. Short/Long Answer Questions set offers 38 questions.

Chapter 8: Electricity (Selina Concise)

Electricity runs in two parts. Household Electricity covers electrical energy and power in a circuit, transmission and supply to a house, colour coding of wires, the fuse and miniature circuit breaker, household circuits, earthing, power ratings and consumption, plus hazards and precautions. Static Electricity then takes up kinds of charges, conservation of charge and charging by rubbing.

• Electricity
• (A) Household Electricity
• Electrical Energy and Power Consumed in a Circuit
• • Transmission of Power from the Power Generating Station to the Consumer
• Supply of Power to a House
• Colour Coding of Live, Neutral and Earth Wires

and 19 more

The B. Short/Long Answer Questions set provides 31 questions.

Chapter 2: Light (Oxford)

Light takes refraction first — speed of light, optical density, laws of refraction and refractive index — and follows it through a glass slab and a prism. Everyday effects such as the twinkling of stars and the apparent position of the sun come next. The second half is lenses: terms, ray diagrams for convex and concave lenses, uses in optical instruments from the magnifying glass to the camera, and defects of vision.

• Light
• Refraction
• Speed of light and optical density of a medium
• Optical density vs. physical density!
• Laws of refraction
• Refractive index

and 24 more

The D. Answer the following questions set carries 14 questions.

Chapter 3: Heat (Oxford)

Heat—form of Energy sets the frame, followed by the units of heat and the quantity of heat. Specific heat capacity gets its own section, as do conductors and insulators. The chapter also covers the principle of calorimetry and heat capacity.

• Heat—form of Energy
• Units of heat
• Quantity of heat
• Effect of heat
• Specific Heat Capacity
• Conductors and insulators

and 2 more

Practice is weighted toward D. Answer the following questions, with 14 items.

Chapter 4: More About Solids (Oxford)

More about Solids, Liquids, and Gases runs the kinetic theory of matter through cohesion, adhesion and surface tension, then into heat transfer in the three states. Pressure follows: pressure in fluids, pressure exerted by a gas, atmospheric pressure and its measurement, and lift pumps. The later sections deal with liquid pressure and its measurement, buoyant force, sinking and floating, Archimedes’ principle, and the law of flotation with its applications.

• More about Solids, Liquids, and Gases
• Kinetic Theory of Matter
• Force of cohesion and adhesion
• Surface Tension
• Can you weaken the surface tension of water?
• Heat transfer in solids, liquids, and gases

and 14 more

Its main written set, D. Answer the following questions, has 14 questions.

Chapter 5: More About Energy (Oxford)

More About Energy is built around renewable sources: biomass, wind, geothermal, tidal and hydroelectric energy. Fossil fuels follow, and the chapter also covers the conservation of energy.

• Renewable Sources of Energy
• Biomass (Bio energy)
• Wind energy
• Geothermal energy
• Tidal energy
• Hydroelectric energy

and 2 more

The D. Answer the following questions set contains 12 questions.

Chapter 2: Refraction of Light (Physics)

Refraction of Light opens with the concept of refraction and the terms related to it, followed by some salient points about how light behaves. The chapter then works through refraction through a parallel-sided glass slab and through a prism.

• Concept of Refraction
• Terms related to refraction of light
• Some Salient Points
• Refraction Through a Parallel Sided Glass Slab
• Refraction Through a Prism

The B. Long Answer Questions set holds 10 questions.

Chapter 8: Archimedes Principle Including Density and Relative Density (Physics)

This chapter keeps to four ideas in a clear order. Density comes first, then its units. Relative density follows, and the chapter relates it to density.

• Density
• Units
• Relative Density
• Relation Between Density and Relative Density

Its B. Long Answer Questions set runs to 10 questions.

Chapter 9: More About Energy (Physics)

More About Energy surveys the forms of energy one by one — heat, light, chemical, sound, magnetic, electrical and atomic. Solar energy gets two dedicated sections, on collection in the form of heat and conversion into electricity. Wind, hydro, tidal, ocean thermal and bioenergy follow.

• More About Energy
• Heat Energy
• Light Energy
• Chemical Energy
• Sound Energy
• Magnetic Energy

and 9 more

Practice here is the B. Long Answer Questions set, with 10 questions.

Chapter 10: Static Electricity (Physics)

Static Electricity builds from the modern electronic theory and electron transfer as the main reason for frictional electricity. The laws of electrostatic attraction and repulsion follow. Three uses of a charged body are then set out: detection of charge, telling a conductor from an insulator, and identifying the nature of charge.

• Static Electricity
• Modern Electronic Theory of Static Electricity
• Electron Transfer — Main Reason for Frictional Electricity
• Laws of Electrostatic Attraction and Repulsion
• (1) Detection of charge
• (2) To differentiate between a conductor and an insulator

and 1 more

The B. Long Answer Questions set counts 15 questions.

Chapter 11: Current Electricity (Physics)

Current Electricity moves from current to potential difference and electrical resistance, with an important concept in between. Ohm’s law and the definition of 1 ohm resistance follow. The chapter then covers combination of resistances, the heating effect of current and Joule’s laws, applications such as the electric bulb, the commercial unit of electrical energy, and direct versus alternating current.

• Current Electricity
• Potential Difference
• Electrical Resistance
• An Important Concept
• Ohm’s Law
• Defining 1 Ohm Resistance

and 7 more

The B. Long Answer Questions set has 25 questions.

Chapter 12: Magnetism (Physics)

Magnetism is built around three properties of magnets. The directive property comes first, then the rule that like poles repel while unlike poles attract, and the fact that poles always exist in pairs.

• Directive property
• Like poles repel each other while unlike poles attract
• Poles always exist in pairs

Practice comes in one set — A. Short Answer Questions, with 10 questions.

Chapter 13: Electromagnet and Electromagnetic Induction (Physics)

Electromagnet and Electromagnetic Induction begins with the electromagnet itself, how to make one — including the U-shaped magnet — and its uses. Two experiments follow, along with methods to find the direction of the magnetic field. Electromagnetic induction and the dynamo come after.

• An Electromagnet
• Making Electromagnets
• 2. U-shaped Magnet
• Uses of Electromagnets
• Experiment – 1
• Experiment – 2

and 3 more

The chapter’s practice sits in A. Short Answer Questions, 15 questions in all.

How to revise Class 8 Physics chapter by chapter

1. Start with Selina Concise Chapter 1 (Matter). Its molecular model of solids, liquids and gases comes back in Chapter 6 (Heat Transfer), so fixing the idea once makes the later chapter move faster.
2. Then take Selina Concise Chapter 2 (Physical Quantities). Density and relative density feed straight into Physics Chapter 8 (Archimedes Principle Including Density and Relative Density).
3. Follow with Selina Concise Chapter 3 (Force and Pressure). Liquid pressure and atmospheric pressure reappear in Oxford Chapter 4 (More About Solids).
4. Work through Selina Concise Chapters 4, 5 and 8 in number order. Chapter 5 (Light Energy) carries the largest practice set on this page — 53 questions — so give it extra time.
5. For the Physics book, read Chapter 2 (Refraction of Light) alongside Selina Concise Chapter 5, then continue with Physics Chapters 8 to 13 in order.
6. For the Oxford book, Chapter 2 (Light) is the only chapter on this page covering lenses and defects of vision, so do not skip it.

For calculation practice, the C. Numericals sections in Selina Concise Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 8 hold the number work. Selina Concise chapters also carry the largest question sets on this page, so budget for their B. Short/Long Answer Questions. Physics Chapter 12 (Magnetism) is a 7-page unit you can revise in one short session.

Mind the overlap between books: light appears in three chapters (Selina Concise 5, Oxford 2, Physics 2), energy in three (Selina Concise 4, Oxford 5, Physics 9), and static electricity in two (Selina Concise 8, Physics 10). Study the shared topics once, and you will not do the same work twice. If you need the other Class 8 subjects, the ICSE Class 8 books page lists them.

Sources and data verification

The counts in the table above describe three textbooks: Selina Concise, Oxford and Physics. Every section count, practice question count and page count was read from the books themselves. You can check any count against the chapter PDF linked in the table.

This page covers 18 chapters of these books. The chapters not on this page yet are:

• Selina Concise: chapter 7 (Sound) is not on this page yet.
• Physics: chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are not on this page yet — edition titles for these include The Universe, Heat or Lenses, More About Solids Liquids and Gases or Optical Instruments, Heat or More About Energy, Kinetic Theory of Matter or Static Electricity, and Magnetism and Electricity or Pressure.

No Oxford chapters are missing from this page.

CISCE sets the syllabus and the examinations for Class 8 Physics. Open cisce.org to confirm the current syllabus scope. CISCE prescribes no textbook; schools choose the books, so editions differ.

Class 8 Physics books: frequently asked questions