ICSE Class 10 Physics Book: Chapters, Syllabus & Solutions (2025-26)
The ICSE Class 10 Physics book most widely used by students is Selina Concise Physics for Class 10, published by Selina Publishers and fully aligned with the CISCE 2025-26 syllabus. Physics is one of the highest-scoring subjects in the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education exam if you understand the concepts and practise numericals consistently. This page gives you the complete chapter list, exam weightage table, important topics, and chapter-wise Selina solutions — everything you need for the 2026 board exam conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE).
The ICSE 2026 board exams are scheduled from February 17 to March 30, 2026, as pen-and-paper tests. Physics is examined for 100 marks total — 80 marks in the written external exam and 20 marks for internal assessment. You need a minimum of 33% in each subject to pass, as set by CISCE. There is no syllabus release for the 2026-27 session.
ICSE Class 10 Physics Book – Full Chapter List (2025-26)
Below is the complete chapter list from the Selina Concise Physics Class 10 textbook, mapped to the CISCE 2025-26 syllabus. Each chapter includes key topics covered and links to chapter-wise solutions and PDFs.
| Ch # | Chapter Name & Topics | Download | Solutions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Force Turning effect of force, moments, equilibrium, centre of gravity |
📝 Solutions | |
| 2 | Work, Energy and Power Work-energy theorem, kinetic and potential energy, power, machines |
📝 Solutions | |
| 3 | Machines Levers, pulleys, mechanical advantage, velocity ratio, efficiency |
📝 Solutions | |
| 4 | Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces Laws of refraction, Snell’s law, total internal reflection, optical fibre |
📝 Solutions | |
| 5 | Refraction through a Lens Converging and diverging lenses, image formation, lens formula, power of lens |
📝 Solutions | |
| 6 | Spectrum Dispersion of light, electromagnetic spectrum, scattering of light |
📝 Solutions | |
| 7 | Sound Nature of sound, wave properties, resonance, echoes, noise pollution |
📝 Solutions | |
| 8 | Electricity Ohm’s law, resistance, series and parallel circuits, electrical power |
📝 Solutions | |
| 9 | Household Circuits Domestic wiring, fuse, earthing, safety measures, MCBs |
📝 Solutions | |
| 10 | Electro-magnetism Magnetic effect of current, solenoid, electromagnetic induction, AC/DC |
📝 Solutions | |
| 11 | Calorimetry Heat capacity, specific heat capacity, latent heat, calorimeter |
📝 Solutions | |
| 12 | Radioactivity Alpha, beta, gamma radiation, nuclear reactions, half-life, uses of radioactivity |
📝 Solutions |
Note for 2025-26: CISCE has confirmed no syllabus release for the 2026-27 session. All 12 chapters listed above are fully examinable in the February–March 2026 board exam. Chapters on Electricity, Machines, and Refraction through a Lens consistently carry the highest numerical weightage, but do not skip theory definitions — examiners frequently award 1–2 marks for verbatim definitions of laws.
ICSE Class 10 Physics Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme (2025-26)
Understanding the marking scheme helps you allocate study time wisely. The external written exam carries 80 marks and lasts 2 hours, with an additional 15-minute reading time before the paper starts. Use that reading time to identify which Section B questions you will attempt.
| Component | Marks | Details |
|---|---|---|
| External Written Exam | 80 | Section A (40 marks – compulsory) + Section B (40 marks – attempt any 4 out of 6) |
| Internal Assessment | 20 | Practicals, practical file, and project work evaluated by the school |
| Total | 100 | Minimum 33 marks (33%) needed to pass — set by CISCE |
Section A vs Section B: What Is the Difference?
- Section A (40 marks): Short-answer and objective questions covering the entire syllabus. All questions are compulsory. Expect MCQs, fill-in-the-blanks, true/false, and 1–2 mark questions drawn from every chapter.
- Section B (40 marks): Longer structured questions with numericals, diagram-based questions, and explanations. You must answer any 4 out of 6 questions (10 marks each). Choose questions from chapters where your numerical accuracy is strongest.
Most students drop marks in Section A by omitting units in numerical answers or writing imprecise definitions. Write units clearly after every numerical answer — marks are deducted for missing them as per CISCE marking guidelines.
Compartment exams have been discontinued by CISCE. If you need to improve your score after the main exam, you can appear for the improvement exams scheduled from July 1–17, 2026. Plan your preparation accordingly.
Important Topics in the ICSE Class 10 Physics Book for Board Exams
Based on the official CISCE specimen paper and past board exam trends from 2019 to 2024, certain topics appear almost every year with high mark weightage. Prioritise these when you revise from the Selina textbook.
High-Priority Topics (Appear Almost Every Year)
- Electricity: Ohm’s law derivations, series and parallel circuit calculations, power and energy numericals — typically 10–12 marks across both sections
- Machines: Lever calculations, pulley systems, mechanical advantage, velocity ratio, and efficiency problems
- Refraction through a Lens: Ray diagrams, lens formula (1/v – 1/u = 1/f), magnification, and power of a lens
- Calorimetry: Heat exchange equations, specific heat capacity numericals, latent heat problems
- Force: Principle of moments, conditions for equilibrium, numerical problems on moments and centre of gravity
Moderate-Priority Topics (Appear Regularly)
- Total internal reflection and applications — optical fibre, mirage, periscope
- Electromagnetic induction and the working principle of a transformer
- Radioactivity: comparing alpha, beta, and gamma radiation properties; nuclear equations; half-life calculations
- Sound: resonance, echoes, frequency and wavelength calculations
- Spectrum: electromagnetic spectrum order, dispersion through a prism, scattering
Do Not Ignore These Chapters
- Household Circuits: Simple content but reliably worth 3–4 marks every year — earthing, MCBs, fuse ratings
- Diagram-based questions: Any chapter can feature a diagram question — always label clearly with arrows and names
- Definitions: Ohm’s Law, Snell’s Law, Law of Moments, and Principle of Moments are asked verbatim — memorise the exact wording from the Selina textbook
Recommended Reference Books for ICSE Class 10 Physics
The Selina Concise textbook is the primary reference prescribed for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education Class 10 exam. It is sufficient to score well if studied thoroughly. The following supplementary books are commonly used by ICSE students for extra practice:
| Book Name | Author / Publisher | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Selina Concise Physics – Class 10 | Selina Publishers | Primary textbook — cover this completely before any other book |
| ICSE Physics – Class 10 | Avichal Publishing (S. Chand group) | Extra theory explanations and additional numericals |
| Understanding Physics for ICSE 10 | KC Sinha | Strong conceptual base and detailed derivations |
| Together with Physics – Class 10 | Rachna Sagar | Previous year questions and chapter-wise practice papers |
| Frank ICSE Physics – Class 10 | Frank Brothers | Extra practice questions and lab manual reference |
Practical advice: Do not buy more than two books. Master the Selina textbook completely — every exercise, every worked example. Use one supplementary book only for extra numericals or if a particular chapter’s explanation feels unclear. You can verify the prescribed syllabus and official exam schedule directly on cisce.org.
How to Use Selina Solutions Effectively for ICSE Class 10 Physics
The chapter-wise Selina solutions linked in the table above are a reference tool, not a shortcut. Using them incorrectly will hurt your exam performance. Here is the right approach:
- Attempt first, check second: Always try the question on your own before looking at the solution — even if you cannot complete it.
- Understand the method: Check the solution to identify where your approach went wrong, not just whether the final number matches.
- Copy the step format: ICSE markers award marks for each correct step, not only the final answer. Write your working exactly as shown in the solution — with units at every step.
- Revisit weak chapters weekly: If you needed the solution on the first attempt, mark that question and redo it without help 3–4 days later.
- Do not skip the “additional questions” sections: Many Selina chapters have additional exercise questions that closely match the difficulty level of Section B board questions.
For diagram-based questions, draw the diagram yourself first, then compare with the solution. Labelling errors are a common reason students lose marks even when their understanding is correct.
Revision Strategy for ICSE Class 10 Physics (2025-26 Session)
With the 2026 board exam starting on February 17, 2026, students in the 2025-26 session need a structured plan. Here is a practical month-by-month approach for Class 10 students:
Three Months Before the Exam (November–December 2025)
- Complete all 12 chapters of the Selina textbook — theory reading plus all in-text and end-of-chapter exercises
- Maintain a formula sheet: write every formula, law, and definition as you encounter it
- Solve the CISCE specimen paper for 2025-26 under timed conditions — available on cisce.org
- Identify your weak chapters and flag them for extra revision in January
One Month Before the Exam (January 2026)
- Solve at least five previous years’ board papers from 2019–2024 under exam conditions (2 hours, no breaks)
- Focus revision on high-priority chapters: Electricity, Machines, Refraction through a Lens, and Calorimetry
- Review all diagram questions — redraw every important diagram from memory at least twice
- Revise your formula sheet daily; do not add new content in the last two weeks
Final Week Before the Physics Exam
- Read through definitions and laws only — no new numericals
- Re-read the Household Circuits and Spectrum chapters fully — they are quick to revise and reliably score marks
- Sleep at least 7–8 hours each night; fatigue causes careless errors with signs and units
- On exam day, use the 15-minute reading time to choose your Section B questions before writing anything
Remember: approximately 2.6 lakh students appear for the ICSE Class 10 exam each year. A focused, chapter-by-chapter approach using the Selina textbook and past papers is consistently the most effective strategy reported by high scorers.
For chapter-wise notes and additional practice material, see our Icse Class 10 Physics Notes page. You can also check the Icse Class 10 Syllabus for all subjects.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The most widely recommended ICSE class 10 physics book is ‘Concise Physics’ by S.L. Arora or the one published by Selina Publishers, which closely aligns with the CISCE syllabus. Many schools also prescribe Frank’s or Evergreen publications as supplementary references. It’s best to confirm with your school which book is officially prescribed for your batch.
No, there is no syllabus reduction for the 2026-27 academic year — the full ICSE Class 10 Physics syllabus as prescribed by CISCE will be covered. Students should prepare all chapters without expecting any deletions or modifications. It is advised to regularly check the official CISCE website at cisce.org for any updates.
The ICSE Class 10 Physics curriculum includes topics such as Force, Work and Energy, Light (refraction and lenses), Sound, Electricity and Magnetism, Modern Physics, and Heat. These topics build on concepts introduced in Class 9 and require a strong understanding of both theory and numerical problem-solving. Consistent practice of diagrams and numericals is essential for scoring well.
Students need to score a minimum of 33% to pass the ICSE Class 10 Physics examination as per CISCE guidelines. This applies to both the written theory paper and the overall aggregate for the subject. It is strongly recommended to aim well above the passing threshold to maintain a healthy overall percentage.
A balanced approach is key — spend roughly equal time on understanding theoretical concepts, diagrams, and practicing numerical problems, as the ICSE Physics paper tests both aspects. Chapters like Electricity, Force, and Work-Energy have a significant number of numericals, while topics like Modern Physics and Sound are more theory-heavy. Solving previous years’ question papers is one of the most effective ways to understand the exam pattern and manage time efficiently.