CBSE Syllabus for Class 10 Science

Course Structure for Science Class X (2017-18)

Unit No. Unit Marks
I Chemical Substances – Nature and Behaviour 25
II World of Living 23
III Natural Phenomena 12
IV Effects of Current 13
V Natural Resources 07
Total 80
Internal assessment 20
Grand Total 100

Note : Above weightage includes the weightage of questions based on practical skills.

Theme: Materials
Unit I: Chemical Substances – Nature and Behaviour

Chemical reactions: Chemical equation, Balanced chemical equation, implications of a balanced chemical equation, Types of chemical reactions: combination, decomposition, displacement, double displacement, precipitation, neutralization, oxidation and reduction.

Acids, bases and salts: Their definitions in terms of furnishing of H+ and OH– ions, general properties of Acids and general properties of Bases , examples and uses of Acids and uses of Bases, Concept of pH scale (Definition relating to logarithm not required), importance of pH in everyday life; Preparation of Salts and uses of sodium hydroxide, bleaching powder, baking soda, washing soda and plaster of paris.

Metals and non metals: Properties of metals and non-metals, reactivity series, Formation and properties of ionic compounds, Basic metallurgical processes, corrosion and its prevention.

Carbon compounds: Covalent bonding in carbon compounds, Versatile nature of carbon, Homologous series, Nomenclature of carbon compounds containing functional groups, (halogens, alcohol, ketones, aldehydes, alkanes and alkynes), difference between saturated hydrocarbons and unsaturated hydrocarbons. Chemical properties of carbon compounds (combustion, oxidation, addition and substitution reaction). Ethanol (only properties and uses) , Ethanoic acid (only properties and uses), soaps and detergents.

Periodic classification of elements: Needs for classifcation, Modern Periodic table, gradation in properties, valency, atomic number, metallic and non-metallic properties.

Theme: The World of Living
Unit II: World of Living

Life processes: ‘Living being’. Basic concept of nutrition, respiration, transport and excretion in plants and animals.

Control and co-ordination in animals and plants: Tropic movements in plants; Introduction to plant hormones; Control and co-ordination in animals, nervous system; voluntary, involuntary and reflex action; Chemical co-ordination: animal hormones.

Reproduction: Reproduction in animals and plants (asexual) and (sexual) reproductive health – need and methods of family planning. Safe sex vs HIV/ AIDS. Child bearing and women’s health.

Heredity and Evolution: Heredity; Mendel’s contribution- Laws for inheritance of traits, Sex determination : brief introduction; Basic concepts of evolution.

Theme: Natural Phenomena
Unit III: Natural Phenomena

Reflection of light by curved surfaces; Images formed by spherical mirrors, centre of curvature, principal axis, principal focus, focal length, mirror formula (Derivation not required), magnification.
Refraction; laws of refraction, refractive index.
Refraction of light by spherical lens; Image formed by spherical lenses; Lens formula (Derivation not required); Magnification. Power of a lens;
Functioning of a lens in human eye, defects of vision and their corrections, applications of spherical mirrors and lenses.
Refraction of light through a prism, dispersion of light, scattering of light, applications in daily life.

Theme: How Things Work
Unit IV: Effects of Current

Electric current, potential difference and electric current, Ohms law, Resistance, Resistivity factors on which the resistance of a conductor depends; Series combination of resistors, parallel combination of resistors; and its application on daily life; Heating effect of Electric current, electric Power, Interrelation between P, V, and R.

Magnetic effects of current: Magnetic field, field lines, field due to a current carrying conductor, field due to current carrying coil or solenoid; Force on current carrying conductor, Fleming’s left hand rule. Electromagnetic induction, Induced potential difference, Induced current, Fleming’s right hand rule, Direct current, Alternating current, frequency of AC, Advantage of AC over DC, Domestic electric circuits.

Theme: Natural Resources
Unit V: Natural Resources

Sources of energy : Different forms of energy, conventional and non-conventional sources
of energy: Fossil fuels, solar energy; biogas; wind, water and tidal energy; Nuclear energy, Renewable versus non-renewable sources of energy.

Our environment: Eco-system, Environmental problems, Ozone depletion, waste production and their solutions. Biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances.

Management of natural resources: Conservation and judicious use of natural resources. Forest and wildlife; Coal and Petroleum conservation. Examples of people’s participation for conservation of natural resources. Big dams: advantages and limitations; alternatives, if any. Water harvesting. Sustainability of natural resources.

Practicals

Practicals should be conducted alongside the concepts taught in theory classes.
List of Experiments:

  1. Finding the pH of the following samples by using pH paper / universal indicator:
    1. Dilute Hydrochloric Acid
    2. Dilute NaOH solution
    3. Dilute Ethanoic Acid solution
    4. Lemon juice
    5. Water
    6. Dilute Hydrogen Carbonate solution
    7. Studying the properties of acids and bases (HCl & NaOH) by their reaction with:
      (a) Litmus solution (Blue/Red)
      (b) Zinc metal
      (c) Solid sodium carbonate
  2. Performing and observing the following reactions and classifying them into:
    1. Combination reaction
    2. Decomposition reaction
    3. Displacement reaction
    4. Double displacement reaction
      • Action of water on quick lime
      • Action of heat on ferrous sulphate crystals
      • Iron nails kept in copper sulphate solution
      • Reaction between sodium sulphate and barium chloride solutions
  3. Observing the action of Zn, Fe, Cu and Al metals on the following salt solutions:
    1. ZnSO4 (aq)
    2. FeSO4 (aq)
    3. CuSO4 (aq)
    4. Al2(SO4)3 (aq)
      Arranging Zn, Fe, Cu and Al (metals) in the decreasing order of reactivity based on the above result.
  4. Studying the dependence of potential difference (V) across a resistor on the current (I) passing through it and determine its resistance. Also plotting a graph between V and I.
  5. Determination of the equivalent resistance of two resistors when connected in series and parallel.
  6. Preparing a temporary mount of a leaf peel to show stomata.
  7. Experimentally show that carbon dioxide is given out during respiration.
  8. Study the following properties of acetic acid (ethanoic acid):
    1. odour
    2. solubility in water
    3. effect on litmus
    4. reaction with Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate
  9. Study the comparative cleaning capacity of a sample of soap in soft and hard water.
  10. Determination of the focal length of:
    1. Concave mirror
    2. Convex lens
      by obtaining the image of a distant object.
  11. Tracing the path of a ray of light passing through a rectangular glass slab for different angles of incidence. Measure the angle of incidence, angle of refraction, angle of emergence and interpret the result.
  12. Studying (a) binary fission in Amoeba, and (b) budding in yeast with the help of prepared slides.
  13. Tracing the path of the rays of light through a glass prism.
  14. Finding the image distance for varying object distances in case of a convex lens and drawing corresponding ray diagrams to show the nature of image formed.
  15. Identification of the different parts of an embryo of a dicot seed (Pea, gram or red kidney bean).

Prescribed Books

  • Science – Textbook for class IX – NCERT Publication
  • Science – Textbook for class X – NCERT Publication
  • Assessment of Practical Skills in Science – Class IX – CBSE Publication
  • Assessment of Practical Skills in Science – Class X – CBSE Publication
  • Laboratory Manual – Science – Class IX, NCERT Publication
  • Laboratory Manual – Science – Class X, NCERT Publication
  • Exemplar Problems – Class IX – NCERT Publication
  • ExempLar Problems Class X – NCERT Publication

NCERT Solutions