ICSE Board

Class X Physics
Gold Series
Sample Paper - 4
Time: 1½ hrs Total Marks: 80

General Instructions:
1. Answers to this paper must be written on the paper provided separately.
2. You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes. This time is to be spent in
reading the question paper.
3. The time given at the head of paper is the time allotted for writing the answers.
4. Attempt all questions from Section I and any four questions from Section II.
5. The intended marks of questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].

Section 1 (40 Marks)

Attempt all questions from this section

Question 1 [10]
(a) A spring is kept compressed by a small trolley of mass 0.5 kg lying on a smooth
horizontal surface as shown in the figure given below:

When the trolley is released, it is found to move at a speed of 2 ms−1.

i. What type of potential energy did the spring possess when compressed?
ii. Find its value.
(b) State the energy changes which occur in the following when they are in use:
i. A photovoltaic cell
ii. An electromagnet
(c) Draw a ray diagram to illustrate the determination of the focal length of a convex
lens using an auxiliary plane mirror.
(d)
i. Sketch a graph to show the change in potential difference across the ends of an
ohmic resistor and the current flowing in it. Label the axes of your graph.
ii. What does the slope of the graph represent?
(e)
i. Which radiation produces maximum biological damage?
ii. What happens to the atomic number of an element when the radiation named by
you in part (i) above is emitted?
Question 2 [10]
(a)
i. Why is the mechanical advantage of a lever of the second order always greater
than one?
ii. Name the type of single pulley which can have a mechanical advantage greater
than one.
(b) We can burn a piece of paper by focusing the sun rays on it using a particular type of
lens.
i. Name the type of lens used for the above purpose.
ii. Draw a ray diagram to support your answer.
(c) Name the SI unit of
i. Linear momentum
ii. Rate of change of momentum
(d) Why do pieces of ice added to a drink cool it much faster than icy cold water added
to it?
238
(e) How many alpha and beta particles are emitted when the uranium nucleus 92 U
206
decays to lead 82 Pb ?

Question 3 [10]
(a) In a three pin plug, why is the earth pin made longer and thicker than the other two
pins?
(b) State the condition for each of the following:
i. A symmetrical biconvex lens has both its focal lengths equal.
ii. A ray passes undeviated through the lens.
(c) Where is the fuse placed in an electrical circuit? Name a material suitable for making
fuse wire.
(d) Two balls of mass ratio 1:2 are dropped from the same height.
i. What is the ratio of their velocities when they strike the ground?
ii. Find the ratio of the forces acting on them during motion.
(e)
i. A flag is made using three strips of cloth of colours yellow, white and cyan. Name
the colour of a particular light in which this flag will appear to be of a single
colour.
ii. Explain why radium paint consisting of zinc sulphide and a trace of radium salt
glows in the dark.
Question 4 [10]
(a) Why is the efficiency of a single movable pulley system not 100%? Give two reasons.
(b) The ratio of the amplitudes of two waves is 5:7. What is the ratio of their intensity?
(c) Complete the ray diagram showing its emergence into air after passing through an
equilateral prism.

(d) A family uses a light bulb of 100 W, a fan of 100 W and a heater of 1000 W, each for
8 hours a day. If the cost of electricity is Rs 2 per unit, what is the expenditure for
the family per month of 30 days on electricity?
(e) Radio waves of speed 3 × 108 m/s are reflected off the moon and received back on
the earth. The time elapsed between the sending of the signal and receiving it back
on the earth station is 2.5 seconds. What is the distance of the moon from the earth?
 Section 2 (40 Marks)
Attempt any four questions from this section

Question 5 [10]
(a)

Two parallel rays of red and violet travelling through air meet the air–glass
boundary as shown in the above figure.
i. Will their paths inside the glass also be parallel? Give a reason for your answer.
ii. Compare the speeds of the two rays inside the glass. What is their speed ratio in
air?
(b)
i. A certain radioactive nucleus emits a particle which leaves its mass unchanged,
but increases its atomic number by one. Identify this particle and write its symbol.
ii. Name the process, nuclear fission or nuclear fusion, in which the energy released
per unit mass is more.
iii. State two uses of nuclear fission.
(c)

i. A person is tuning his radio set to a particular station. What is the person trying
to do to tune it?
ii. Name the phenomenon involved in tuning the radio set.
iii. Define the phenomenon named by you in part (ii).

Question 6 [10]
(a) A piece of ice of mass 40 g is dropped into 200 g of water at 50°C. Calculate the final
temperature of water after all the ice has melted. (Specific heat capacity of water =
4200 J/kg°C, specific latent heat of fusion of ice = 336 × 103 J/kg)
(b) Explain the following:
i. Why does the weather become pleasant when it starts freezing in cold countries?
ii. Why is it advisable to pour cold water over burns caused on the human body by
hot solids?
(c) Complete the following reaction using the appropriate values in place of A.
92 U + 0 n  z Ba + 36 Kr +30 n
A 1 148 A 1
Question 7 [10]
(a) The circuit shows three resistors of 2 ohm, 4 ohm and R ohm connected to a battery
of e.m.f. 2 V and internal resistance 3  . A main current of 0.25 A flows through the
circuit.

Find:
i. The potential difference across the 4  resistor.
ii. The potential difference across the internal resistance of the cell.
iii. Value of R.
iv. The potential difference across RΩ and 2  resistors.
(b) Study the given diagram and answer the questions:
i. Name lens L.
ii. Name points F₁ and F₂.
iii. Draw a ray diagram to show the position and the nature of the image formed.

Question 8
[10]
(a) A mixed source of α and β particles along with γ rays are coming from the
radioactive source placed in a lead container. All these radiations pass through the
magnetic field as shown in the figure. Show how each radiation is deflected in the
magnetic field.
 .

(b) How does the value of the angle of deviation produced by a prism change with an
increase in the
i. Value of angle of incidence (represent graphically as well)
ii. Wavelength of incident light
(c)
i. If a monochromatic beam of light undergoes minimum deviation through an
equiangular prism, how does the beam pass through the prism, w.r.t. its base?
ii. If white light is used in the same way as in (i) above, what change is expected in
the emergent beam?

Question 9 [10]
(a) The figure below shows the combination of a movable pulley P₁ with a fixed pulley
P₂ used for lifting a load W.

i. State the function of the fixed pulley P₂.

ii. If the free end of the string moves through a distance x, find the distance by
which the load W is raised.
iii. Calculate the force to be applied at C to just raise the load W = 20 kg, neglecting
the weight of the pulley P₁ and friction.
 (b) A stamp placed under a glass slab of refractive index 1.5 appears raised by 0.6 cm.
Find the real thickness of the glass slab.
(c) A body of mass 10 kg is moving with a velocity of 15 m/s. When a force is applied on
it, its velocity becomes 35 m/s after 10 s. Calculate the applied force.

Question 10 [10]
(a) What is meant by total reflection? What are the two conditions which must be
fulfilled for total internal reflection to occur?
(b)
i. What is meant by an echo?
ii. Mention one important condition necessary for an echo to be heard distinctly.
iii. Mention one important use of an echo.
(c) A bullet of mass 5 g travelling at a speed of 100 m/s penetrates a fixed target and is
brought to rest in 0.015 s.
Calculate:
i. Distance of penetration
ii. Average force exerted by the bullet
 ICSE Board
Class X Physics
Gold Series
Sample Paper – 4 Solution

Section 1
Answer 1
(a)
i. The spring possesses elastic potential energy when compressed.
ii. Potential energy of the spring = Kinetic energy when released
= (1/2) m v2
= (1/2) × 0. 5 × (2)2 = 1 joule

(b)
i. Light energy  Electrical energy
ii. Electrical energy  Magnetic energy

(c)

(d)
i. Change in potential difference across the ends of an ohmic resistor and the current
flowing in it is as shown:

ii. The slope of the I–V graph represents the resistance of the ohmic conductor.
(e)
i. Gamma radiation
ii. There will be no change in atomic number (Z) of the nucleus in gamma emission,
except that its excess energy will be released.

Answer 2
(a)
i. In the second order lever, the load L is in between the effort E and fulcrum F. The
effort arm is thus always longer than that of the load arm.
Effort arm
Therefore, MA = >1
Loadarm
ii. A single movable pulley

(b)
i. Biconvex lens
ii.

(c)
i. Linear momentum, p = mv = kg m/s or Ns
ii. Rate of change of momentum, (mv − mu)/t = kg m/s2 or N

(d) Ice has high latent heat of fusion (336 J/g). It absorbs this much amount of heat from
the drink and melts. In this process, the drink gets cooled. Water at 0°C is actually
melted ice. It does not need to absorb any heat from the drink.

(e) 238
92 U  842α  60-1β  82
206
Pb
Atomic mass difference = 238 – 206 = 32
32
So, 8
4
Therefore, α-particles=8
But atomic number of 8 alpha particles is 8 × 2 = 16
Atomic number on the RHS = 82 + 16 = 98
Atomic number on the LHS = 92. Therefore, 98 − 92 = 6 beta particles
Answer 3
(a) The earth pin is longer so that the earth connection can be made first. This ensures the
safety of the user. The earth pin is thicker so that it cannot be inserted into a live or
neutral hole of the socket even by mistake.

(b)
i. Both focal lengths of a lens are equal when the medium is the same on both sides of
a lens.
ii. A ray of light passes undeviated after refraction from a thin lens when it passes
through the optical centre of the lens.

(c) The fuse is placed in the live wire just after the electricity meter of the consumer.
Fuse wires are generally made of an alloy of tin and lead.

(d)
i. Ratio of their potential energies:
1
m v2
m1 gh 2 1 1
=
m2 gh 1
m2 v 22
2
v 12 = v 22
v1
= 1 :1
v2
ii. 1:2
Using F = ma, here acceleration acting is that due to gravity.

(e)
i. Green light
ii. Radioactive radiation causes fluorescence in zinc sulphide.
Answer 4
(a)
i. A part of the input is inevitably wasted to overcome friction between the moving
pulleys.
ii. The string used in the pulley is not perfectly elastic.

(b) Intensity  (amplitude) 2

2
 A   5  25
2
I
So, 1= 1  =  =
I2  A 2   7  49
Therefore, I1:I2 = 25:49

(c)

(100+100+1000)×8×30)
(d) Total power consumed = kWh=288units
1000
Rate per unit = Rs 2
Total expenditure = Rs 288 × 2 = Rs 576

(e) Distance = speed × time

= 3 × 108 × 2.5
= 7.5 × 108 m
D = 7.5 × 105 km
Actual distance between the earth and the moon,
7.5×105
= km = 3.75×105 km
2
 Section 2
Answer 5
(a)
i. No, they will not be parallel. This is because both rays refract to different extents as
they enter the glass.
ii. The speed of violet light is less than the speed of red light, so the speed ratio of
violet light to red light will be less than 1 in glass. In air, the speed ratio will be equal
to 1.

(b)
i. Tungsten has high melting point and high resistance.
ii. Efficient thermionic emitters like oxides of barium or strontium have low work
function and high melting point.
iii. It has the property of fluorescence.

(c)
i. The man is trying to match the frequency of his radio set with the frequency of the
broadcasting radio waves transmitted by the broadcasting station.
ii. Resonance
iii. When the frequency of the incoming electrical signal is matched with the frequency
of the electrical circuit inside the radio set, we say that resonance occurs and the
station is said to be tuned.

Answer 6
(a) Let θ be the final temperature of water
Heat lost by water = mc  t = 200 × 4.2 × (50 − θ )
= 42000 – 840 θ
Heat gained by ice = mL + mc  t
= 40 × 336 + 40 × 4.2 × θ
= 13440 + 168 θ
Therefore, heat lost by water = heat gained by ice
42000 – 840 θ = 13440 + 168 θ
28560 = 1008 θ
28560
θ=
1008
= 28.3°C
(b)
i. Ice has the highest specific latent heat of fusion of 3,36,000 J/kg. Thus, every
kilogram of water at 0°C on freezing releases 3,36,000 J of heat energy. This
enormous amount of heat energy is released into the atmosphere. So, the weather
becomes pleasant when it starts freezing in cold countries.
 ii. Water has the highest specific heat capacity of 4.2 kJ/kg°C, and hence, it can absorb
a large amount of heat energy without raising the temperature.

(c)
A U +1 n 148 Ba +A Kr +31 n
92 0 z 36 0

235 U +1 n 148 Ba +85 Kr +31 n

92 0 56 36 0

Answer 7
(a)
i. Potential drop across the 4  resistor:
V = I × R = 0.25 × 4 = 1 V
ii. Potential drop across the internal resistance of the cell (3  ) is
V= I × R = 0.25 x 3 = 0.75 V
V 2
iii. Equivalent resistance of the circuit, R equi = = =8 Ω
I 0.25
In the combination, 2Ω and RΩ are connected in parallel and their combination is
connected in series with the 4Ω and 3Ω resistors of the circuit.
2R
So, the equivalent resistance of the combination is R equi= +7
R +2
2R
But +7=8
R +2
Now, solving for R, we have R = 2  .
iv. R = 2  and 2  is connected in parallel and their equivalent resistance = 1 Ω.
Now, the potential drop across R = 2  and 2  is
V = I × R = 0.25 × 1 = 0.25 V

(b)
i. The lens is a convex lens.
ii. F₁ and F₂ are called the focal points of the lens.
iii. The image will be formed on the same side of the object. It is an enlarged, upright
and virtual image.
Answer 8
(a)

(b)
i. The angle of deviation initially decreases till it reaches its minimum value called
angle of minimum deviation. It then increases with further rise in value of the angle
of incidence.

ii. With an increase in the wavelength of incident light, the angle of deviation increases.

(c)
i. The beam remains parallel to the base of the prism.
ii. White light splits into its constituent colours and a spectrum is formed.
Answer 9
(a)
i. P₂ changes the direction of effort of force applied at C in the downward direction.
ii. We know that
distancemoved by theeffort
Velocity ratio =
distancemoved by theload
VR = Total number of pulleys in the system
2T
V.R = =2
T
x
2=
Distance moved by the load
x
Distance moved by the load =
2
x
Therefore, load moves by a distance =
2
L
iii. M.A=
E
L 20
So, MA = or 2 =
E E
20
Therefore, E = = 10 kgf
2

(b) Let the real thickness of the glass slab = x

So, the apparent thickness of the glass slab = (x – 0.6 cm)
real thickness
Therefore,  =
apparent thickness
x
 1.5=
(x-0.6cm)
 1.5x -0.9= x
 1.5x -1x =0.9
 0.5x =0.9
0.9
Therefore, x =  1.8 cm
0.5
(c) Mass m =10 kg, final velocity v = 35 m/s, initial velocity u = 15m/s and t = 10 seconds
vu
We know that a =
t
35-15 20
a= = = 2m/s 2
10 10
Therefore, F = m × a = 10 × 2 = 20
Answer 10
(a) When a ray of light travelling from an optically denser medium to an optically rarer
medium is incident at an angle greater than the critical angle for the pair of media in
contact, the ray is totally reflected into the denser medium. This phenomenon is known
as total internal reflection.
Conditions:
i. A ray of light undergoes total internal reflection only when it is travelling from
denser to rarer medium.
ii. It should be incident at an angle of incidence (i) greater than the critical angle (ic).

(b)
i. Sound heard after reflection from a rigid obstacle (such as a cliff, hillside, wall of a
building etc.) is called an echo.
ii. An echo is heard only if the distance between the person producing the sound and
the rigid obstacle is long enough to allow the reflected sound to reach the person at
least 0.1 second after the original sound is heard.
iii. The 2 important uses of echo are SONAR (sound ranging) and echo depth sounding.

(c) Here, mass m = 5 g = 0.005 kg u = 100 m/s, v = 0 m/s, t = 0.015 s

a = (v − u)/t = (0 − 100)/0.015
= −(100/0.015) m/s2
(the negative sign indicates retardation)
i. s = ut + (1/2) at2
1 100
∴ s = (100 × 0.015) − x x(0.015)2
2 0.015
s = 1.5 – 0.75 = 0.75 m
ii. F = ma = 0.005 × (−100/0.015) = −33.3 N