ICSE Class 9 Physics Books – Chapters, Practice & PDFs

The ICSE Class 9 Physics books page lists the 10 chapters of the Physics textbook, from Measurements and Experimentation to Magnetism. Each listed chapter’s PDF is on this page, in the directory below. The book runs through measurement and motion, forces, pressure, heat, light, sound, electricity and magnetism.

The PDFs alone do not tell you what you will meet inside. This page adds what the PDFs leave out — each chapter’s named sections, its exercise sets and its practice question count, all read from the book. That makes it possible to find the chapter that answers a homework question before downloading anything. The Class 9 books hub links the other subjects in this class.

Reference: CISCE-aligned ICSE textbook material.

ICSE Class 9 Physics Books: chapter PDF downloads

Physics

ICSE Class 9 Physics Books: what is inside each chapter

The table above counts three things for 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 are the chapter’s pages in the PDF. The notes below say what each chapter teaches, in the order the book teaches it.

Chapter 1: Measurements and Experimentation (Physics)

Units come first: why measurement needs a unit, the systems of unit, units of length and time, derived units and the guidelines for writing them. The measuring instruments follow — least count, measurement of length, the principle of the vernier, vernier callipers, the principle of a screw and the screw gauge. Measurement of time sits later in the chapter.

• 1.1 Need of Unit for Measurement
• 1.2 Systems of Unit
• 1.3 Units of Length
• 1.5 Units of Time
• 1.6 Some Examples of Derived Units
• 1.7 Guidelines for Writing the Units
• and 7 more

The multiple choice type set covers the chapter’s ground in 40 quick questions.

Chapter 2: Motion in One Dimension (Physics)

Scalar and vector quantities lead, then rest and motion and the distance-displacement pair. The chapter builds acceleration and retardation, reads them from displacement-time and velocity-time graphs, and adds the acceleration-time graph. From there it moves to motion under gravity and the equations of uniformly accelerated motion.

• 2.1 Scalar and Vector Quantities
• 2.2 Rest and Motion
• 2.3 Distance and Displacement
• 2.5 Acceleration and Retardation
• 2.6 Displacement-Time Graph
• 2.7 Velocity-Time Graph
• and 3 more

The multiple choice type set holds 52 questions.

Chapter 3: Laws of Motion (Physics)

Force leads, split into contact and non-contact forces, then Newton’s first law with mass, inertia and the kinds of inertia. Linear momentum and its change lead to the second law’s derivation of F = ma, the units of force and the second law in terms of rate of change of momentum. Newton’s third law follows. Universal gravitation, force due to gravity, acceleration due to gravity, free fall and the mass and weight pair come in the later sections.

• 3.1 Force
• 3.2 Contact Forces
• 3.3 Non-Contact Forces
• 3.4 Newton’s First Law of Motion
• 3.5 Mass and Inertia
• 3.6 Kinds of Inertia and Its Examples as Illustration of First Law
• and 12 more

The multiple choice type set runs to 49 questions.

Chapter 4: Pressure in Fluids and Atmospheric Pressure (Physics)

Thrust and pressure lead, with pressure in fluids and the liquid column relation P = h rho g, then the laws of liquid pressure and their consequences. Pascal’s law and its application to hydraulic machines take the middle sections. Atmospheric pressure, its demonstration, consequences, measurement, variation with altitude and the altimeter come later.

• 4.1 Thrust and Pressure
• 4.2 Pressure in Fluids
• 4.3 Pressure Exerted by a Liquid Column (P = h rho g)
• 4.4 Laws of Liquid Pressure
• 4.5 Some Consequences of Liquid Pressure P = h rho g
• 4.6 Transmission of Pressure in Liquids; Pascal’s Law
• and 8 more

Exercise 4 (A) alone sets 32 questions.

Chapter 5: Upthrust in Fluids Archimedes Principle and Floatation (Physics)

Buoyancy and upthrust open the chapter, with the characteristic properties of upthrust, the reason for it and the proof that upthrust equals the weight of displaced liquid. Archimedes’ principle and its experimental verification follow, then density, relative density and their determination by Archimedes’ principle. The principle of floatation, the relation between the submerged volume of a floating body and the densities involved, and applications of the principle are the later sections.

• 5.1 Buoyancy and Upthrust
• 5.2 Characteristic Properties of Upthrust
• 5.3 Reason for Upthrust
• 5.4 Upthrust IS Equal to the Weight of Displaced Liquid (Mathematical proof)
• 5.5 Archimedes’ Principle
• 5.6 Experimental Verification of Archimedes’ Principle
• and 8 more

The multiple choice type set carries 42 questions.

Chapter 6: Heat and Energy (Physics)

Heat as energy and the concept of temperature come first, then thermal expansion, the anomalous expansion of water and Hope’s experiment, with the consequences of that anomaly. The energy half moves from flow in an ecosystem and the laws of thermodynamics applied to that flow, to renewable and non-renewable sources of energy. Later sections cover electricity from solar, wind, hydro and nuclear energy, energy degradation, the green house effect and ways to minimise the impact of global warming.

• 6.1 Concept of Heat (Heat as Energy)
• 6.2 Concept of Temperature
• 6.3 Thermal Expansion
• 6.4 Anomalous Expansion of Water
• 6.5 Hope’s Experiment to Demonstrate the Anomalous Expansion of Water
• 6.6 Consequences of Anomalous Expansion of Water
• and 13 more

Exercise 6(A) offers 18 questions.

Chapter 7: Reflection of Light (Physics)

The chapter opens with reflection itself — its related terms, laws and experimental verification — then the plane mirror: images of point and extended objects, position of the image, lateral inversion, characteristics of the image and images in inclined, parallel and perpendicular mirror pairs.

The spherical mirror half covers the related terms, focus and focal length, convenient rays, ray diagrams for concave and convex mirrors, the focal length-radius of curvature relationship, sign convention, the mirror formulae and uses of spherical mirrors.

• 7.1 Reflection of Light
• 7.2 Some Terms Related with Reflection
• 7.3 Laws of Reflection
• 7.4 Experimental Verification of the Laws of Reflection
• 7.5 Formation of Image by Reflection
• 7.6 Image of a Point Object Formed by a Plane Mirror
• and 21 more

Exercise 7(C) sets 35 questions across the mirror material.

Chapter 8: Propagation of Sound Waves (Physics)

Sound is traced first to its production from vibrations, then to its need for a material medium, propagation in a medium, the terms of wave motion and the relationship between wavelength, wave velocity and frequency. The chapter compares the speed of sound across media and against light, sets out the factors that affect and do not affect the speed of sound in a gas, and describes the experimental determination of the speed of sound in air.

Infrasonic, sonic and ultrasonic frequencies and the applications of ultrasound are the later sections.

• 8.1 Sound and Its Production from Vibrations
• 8.2 Sound Propagation Requires a Material Medium
• 8.5 Propagation of Sound in a Medium
• 8.4 Some Terms Related to Wave Motion
• 8.5 Relationship Between the Wavelength, Wave Velocity and Frequency
• 8.6 Speed of Sound in Different Media
• and 6 more

Exercise 8 (A) presents 35 questions.

Chapter 9: Current Electricity (Physics)

Sources of direct current start the chapter, then electric current as a rate of flow of electric charge, the symbols used in circuit diagrams and a simple electric circuit. Closed and open circuits and the flow of electrons between conductors follow, with the conventional and electronic direction of current. Work done in transferring charge leads to potential difference as V = W/Q. Electrical resistance and the efficient use of energy are the later sections.

• 9.1 Sources of Direct Current
• 9.2 Electric Current (as Rate of Flow of Electric Charge)
• 9.3 Symbols Used in Circuit Diagrams
• 9.4 Simple Electric Circuit
• 9.6 Closed and Open Circuits
• 9.7 Flow of Electrons Between the Conductors
• and 4 more

Exercise 9(A) provides 22 questions.

Chapter 10: Magnetism (Physics)

Induced magnetism comes first, then lines of magnetic field and their properties. Earth’s magnetic field and the plotting of uniform and non-uniform field lines, including neutral points, take the middle sections. The electromagnet and the permanent magnet, their comparison and the advantages of an electromagnet over a permanent magnet are the later sections.

• 10.2 Induced Magnetism (Magnetism Induced by a Bar Magnet on the Magnetic Materials)
• 10.3 Lines of Magnetic Field
• 10.4 Properties of Magnetic Field Lines
• 10.5 Magnetic Field of Earth (Evidences of existence of earth’s magnetic field)
• 10.6 Plotting of Uniform Magnetic Field Lines of Earth
• 10.7 Plotting of Non Uniform Magnetic Field of a Strong Bar Magnet and Neutral Points
• and 4 more

Exercise 10 (A) asks 26 questions.

How to revise Class 9 Physics chapter by chapter

1. Start with Chapter 1, Measurements and Experimentation. Least count, vernier callipers and the screw gauge are the instruments practical questions assume everywhere else.
2. Take Chapter 2, Motion in One Dimension next. Its acceleration and velocity-time graph sections supply the language Chapter 3 uses.
3. Then Chapter 3, Laws of Motion. Momentum, F = ma and free fall build directly on Chapter 2, and its 113 questions make it the heaviest practice block in the book.
4. Treat Chapters 4 and 5 as one fluids block. Chapter 4’s liquid pressure relation and density ideas feed Chapter 5’s sinking and floating comparisons and relative density.
5. Move to Chapter 7, Reflection of Light, then Chapter 8, Propagation of Sound Waves. Both treat ray and wave behaviour, and neither depends on the fluids block. Chapter 7’s 27 named sections need the most reading time of any chapter.
6. Work Chapters 9 and 10 together — current electricity first, then magnetism. Chapter 10’s 40 questions make it the fastest chapter to work through.
7. Slot Chapter 6, Heat and Energy in anywhere. Its heat half links to expansion ideas, but no earlier chapter depends on its energy sections, so it can wait for a free block.

If revision time is one evening, go straight to the chosen chapter’s multiple choice set. In Chapters 1 to 3 that set alone runs 40 to 52 questions.

Which Class 9 Physics chapter answers your homework question

Eight homework phrases, from least count to electromagnet, and the chapter that teaches each one:

• Least count, vernier callipers or screw gauge — Chapter 1, Measurements and Experimentation.
• Velocity-time graphs or motion under gravity — Chapter 2, Motion in One Dimension.
• Newton’s laws, momentum or F = ma — Chapter 3, Laws of Motion.
• Pascal’s law or hydraulic machines — Chapter 4, Pressure in Fluids and Atmospheric Pressure.
• Archimedes’ principle, relative density or floatation — Chapter 5, Upthrust in Fluids, Archimedes’ Principle and Floatation.
• Anomalous expansion of water or sources of energy — Chapter 6, Heat and Energy.
• Ray diagrams for concave or convex mirrors — Chapter 7, Reflection of Light.
• Electromagnet or permanent magnet — Chapter 10, Magnetism.

Where the practice sits in the Class 9 Physics book

• 769 practice questions sit across the ten chapters, added up from the exercise counts in the directory table.
• The first three chapters set 305 questions — 91 + 101 + 113 — the densest practice run in the book.
• 272 questions sit inside the multiple choice sets. As a share of the 769, that is 35.4% — just over a third of the book’s practice questions.

Revision priority follows the load. Chapters 1 to 3 ask the most of a student, so they deserve the first revision sessions. Chapter 10 tests the least at 40 questions and can be cleared fastest.

Sources and data verification

What the counts describe. The directory table’s counts — sections, practice questions, pages — describe the Physics textbook whose ten chapters appear above.

How the counts were made. Every count was read from that book, section by section and exercise by exercise, and can be checked against the linked PDF of the chapter.

What this page covers. All ten chapters of the book are on this page — none are missing.

Who settles the syllabus. CISCE sets the ICSE syllabus and examinations, so open cisce.org to confirm the official Class 9 Physics syllabus and exam scope. Textbooks are chosen by schools, and CISCE prescribes none of them.

Class 9 Physics books: frequently asked questions