Class 10 ICSE Chemistry

Your board exams are already round the corner and Science is as essential as other subjects. Chemistry can be time-consuming and may appear dry but having a clear understanding of concepts would make it a lot easier to prepare for it. Every year the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) conducts Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) for class 10th. However, for year 2021, ICSE has reduced the syllabus for Class 10 ICSE Chemistry in interest to the pandemic. In this blog, you can see the general syllabus and reduced Chemistry syllabus as well:

Class 10 ICSE Chemistry Paper Pattern

Before going any further with your preparation, it is important to understand the paper pattern. Doing so would help you manage your time efficiently and understand the required word length for each question. The paper pattern for ICSE includes 2 sections for a total of 80 marks and 20 marks for Internal Assessment of practical work. Section-I (compulsory) contains Short Answer-type Questions and has 40 marks while as the Section-II contains 6 questions out of which only 4 are to be answered. All the questions are supposed to be answered by students in the given time duration of 2 hours with respect to the experiments, diagrams, observations and equations studied in the classroom. 

Class 10 ICSE Selina Chemistry Syllabus

Once you have understood the paper pattern, the next thing you should be doing is to keep a copy of syllabus by your side and start your preparations. Consisting of 9 chapters, the syllabus is comprehensively designed to give students complete liberty to solidify their understanding of the subject. The Class 10 ICSE Chemistry Syllabus is given below:

Chapter 1: Periodic Table, Periodic Properties and Variations of Properties

• Periodic Properties and their Variations in Groups and Periods: Atomic Size, Metallic Character, Non-metallic Character, Ionisation Potential, Electron Affinity, Electronegativity.
• Periodicity on the Basis of Atomic Number for Elements: The study of Modern Periodic Table up to Period 3 (students to be exposed to the complete Modern Periodic Table but no question will be asked on elements beyond Period 3 – Argon); Periodicity and other related properties to be explained on the basis of nuclear charge and shells (not orbitals).

Chapter 2: Chemical Bonding

• Electrovalent Bonding: Electron Dot Structure of Electrovalent compounds NaCl, MgCl2, CaO; Characteristic properties of Electrovalent Compounds – state of existence, melting and boiling points, conductivity (heat and electricity), dissociation in solution and in the molten state to be linked with Electrolysis.
• Covalent Bonding: Electron Dot Structure of Covalent Molecules on the basis of duplet and octet of electrons (example: Hydrogen, Chlorine, Nitrogen, Ammonia, Carbon Tetrachloride, Methane; Polar Covalent Compounds – based on the difference in electronegativity (examples: HCl and H2O including structures; Characteristic properties of Covalent Compounds – state of existence, melting and boiling points, conductivity (heat and electricity), ionisation in solution.
• Coordinate Bonding: Definition; The lone pair effect of the Oxygen atom of the water molecule and the Nitrogen atom of the Ammonia molecule to explain the formation of H3O+ and OH- ions in water and NH4+ ion.

Chapter 3: Acids, Bases and Salts

• Simple definitions in terms of the molecules and their characteristic properties.
• Ions present in mineral acids, alkalis and salts and their solutions; use of litmus and pH paper to test for acidity and alkalinity.
• Definition of salt and their types.
• Action of dilute acids on salts.
• Methods of preparation of normal salts with relevant equations

Chapter 4: Analytical Chemistry: Uses of Ammonium Hydroxide and Sodium Hydroxide

• Action of Ammonium Hydroxide and Sodium Hydroxide on solution of salts: colour of salt and its solution; formation and colour of hydroxide precipitated for solutions of salts of Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb; special action of Ammonium Hydroxide on solutions of Copper salt and Sodium Hydroxide on Ammonium salts.
• Action of alkalis (NaOH, KOH) on certain metals, their oxides and hydroxides.

Chapter 5: Mole concept and Stoichiometry

• Gay Lussac’s Law of Combining Volumes; Avogadro’s Law.
• Refer to the atomicity of Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Chlorine (proof not required).
• Vapour Density and its relation to relative molecular mass.
• Mole and its relation to mass.
• Simple calculations based on chemical equations. 

Chapter 6: Electrolysis

• Electrolytes and Nonelectrolytes: Definitions and examples.
• Substances containing molecules only, ions only, both molecules and ions.
• Definition and explanation of electrolysis, electrolyte, electrode, anode, cathode, anion, cation, oxidation and reduction (on the basis of loss and gain of electrons).
• An elementary study of the migration of ions, with reference to the factors influencing selective discharge of ions (reference should be made to the activity series as indicating the tendency of metals, e.g. Na, Mg, Fe, Cu, to form ions).
• Applications of Electrolysis: Electroplating with Nickel and Silver, choice of electrolyte for Electroplating; Electrorefining of Copper.

Chapter 7: Metallurgy

• Occurrence of Metals in Nature: Mineral and ore – Meaning only; Common ores of Iron, Aluminium and Zinc.
• Stages involved in the Extraction of Metals: Dressing of the ore, Conversion of concentrated ore to its Oxide; Reduction of Metallic Oxides – some can be reduced by Hydrogen, Carbon and Carbon Monoxide, Electrorefining – reference only.
• Extraction of Aluminium: Chemical method for purifying Bauxite by using NaOH – Baeyer’s Process; Electrolytic Extraction – Hall Heroult’s Process.
• Alloys: Composition and uses.

Chapter 8: Study of Compounds – Hydrogen Chloride

Hydrogen Chloride: Preparation of Hydrogen Chloride from Sodium Chloride; refer to the density and solubility of Hydrogen Chloride (fountain experiment); reaction with Ammonia; acidic properties of its solution.

Chapter 9: Study of Compounds – Ammonia

• Ammonia: Its laboratory preparation from Ammonium Chloride and collection; Ammonia from Nitrides like Mg3N2 and AlN and Ammonium salts; Manufacture by Haber’s Process; density and solubility of Ammonia (fountain experiment); an aqueous solution of Ammonia; its reactions with Hydrogen Chloride and with hot Copper (II) Oxide and Chlorine; the burning of Ammonia in Oxygen; uses of Ammonia.

Chapter 10 Study of Compounds – Nitric Acid

Nitric Acid: One laboratory method of preparation of Nitric Acid from Potassium Nitrate or Sodium Nitrate; Large scale preparation; Nitric Acid as an oxidizing agent.

Chapter 11 Sulphuric Acid

Sulphuric Acid: Large scale preparation, its behaviour as an acid when dilute, as an oxidizing agent when concentrated – oxidation of Carbon and Sulphur; as a dehydrating agent – dehydration of Sugar and Copper (II) Sulphate crystals; its non-volatile nature. 

Chapter 12 Organic Chemistry

• Introduction to Organic compounds.
• Structure and Isomerism.
• Homologous series – Characteristics with examples.
• Simple Nomenclature.
• Hydrocarbons: Alkanes, Alkenes and Alkynes.
• Alcohols: Ethanol – preparation, properties and uses.
• Carboxylic Acids (aliphatic – monocarboxylic acid): Acetic Acid – properties and uses of Acetic Acid.

Reduced Syllabus for Class 10th Chemistry Exams in 2021

Owing to the pandemic situation, ICSE has reduced their exam syllabus. First the syllabus was reduced 25% and eventually, it has been further reduced by 30%. Before knowing the syllabus of the upcoming ICSE Exams for Class 12th, let’s check the new rules for the upcoming ICSE Chemistry exams: 

1. The written exam will be for two hours with 80 marks for the written test. 
2. There will be an internal assessment of 20 marks for practical exams.
3. Section I of the external exam will contain compulsory short questions
4. Section II of the external exam will contain six questions. Four of which you need to answer.

The topics for Syllabus of Class 10th Chemistry are as follows:

• Periodic Properties and variations of Properties – Physical and Chemical.
• Chemical Bonding
• Study of Acids, Bases and Salts
• Analytical Chemistry
• Mole Concept and Stoichiometry
• Electrolysis
• Metallurgy
• Study of Compounds
• Nitric Acid
• Organic Chemistry

Here is the detailed reduced syllabus for the upcoming ICSE Chemistry Exams for Class 10th:

Download the ICSE Reduced Syllabus PDF Here

Also Read:

• Class 11 Chemistry Syllabus
• CBSE Chemistry Syllabus for Class 12
• Class 12 Organic Chemistry
• How to Ace Chemistry Practical in Class 12th

Preparing for matriculation at the beginning can appear challenging as it is the first stage where you appear in board exams but it is no big deal when you have a strategic study plan by your side. To prepare for class 10 ICSE Chemistry or any other subject, the basic thing is to give equal weightage to each topic. Having a clear thought about your future aspirations will keep you motivated while preparing for the exam. Having a future plan beforehand helps you begin your career on time. Reach out to our experts at Leverage Edu and start your journey to higher studies earliest possible.