Work, Energy and Power — ICSE Class 10 Physics Important Questions
13 hand-picked ICSE Class 10 Physics important questions for Work, Energy and Power, each with a full model answer — the formats and topics most likely to appear in your board exam.
- 13
- Questions
- 6
- Question types
- 32
- Total marks
- ₹0
- With answers
High-yield ICSE Work, Energy and Power questions use W=F\,s, P=W/t, kinetic energy KE=12 mv^2, potential energy PE=mgh, and the principle of conservation of energy. Numericals on power of a machine, energy of a falling body, and 1 kWh=3.6×10^6 J appear almost every year.
About Work, Energy and Power
In the ICSE Class 10 Physics chapter Work, Energy and Power you learn how work is done by a force, the difference between kinetic and potential energy, the expressions KE=12 mv^2 and PE=mgh, power as the rate of doing work, energy transformations, and the principle of conservation of energy for a freely falling body and a simple pendulum. Numericals apply these formulas with correct SI units.
Key concepts & formulas
Work done by a constant force = force × displacement in the direction of the force: W=F\,s. SI unit is the joule (J); 1 J=1 N m. Work is zero when =90^.
Kinetic energy KE=12 mv^2; gravitational potential energy PE=mgh. Both are measured in joules. The work-energy theorem states work done = change in kinetic energy.
Power is the rate of doing work: P=W/t. SI unit is the watt (W); 1 W=1 J s^-1, 1 kW=1000 W, and 1 hp=746 W.
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed. For a freely falling body KE+PE= constant =mgh; the commercial unit 1 kWh=3.6×10^6 J.
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Important questions with answers
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| Question type | Count | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| MCQ | 4 | 1 |
| Assertion–Reason | 1 | 1 |
| Very Short | 2 | 2 |
| Short Answer | 3 | 3 |
| Long Answer | 2 | 5 |
| Case-based | 1 | 4 |
Multiple-choice questions (1 mark)
A coolie carries a load on his head and walks on a level platform. The work done by him against gravity is:
- (a)
maximum
- (b)
equal to the weight × distance
- (c)
zero
- (d)
negative
Show model answer
Answer: (c) zero.
The force (weight) is vertical while the displacement is horizontal, so =90^ and W=Fs90^=0. No work is done against gravity.
The commercial unit of electrical energy, 1 kWh, equals:
- (a)
3.6×10^3 J
- (b)
3.6×10^6 J
- (c)
1000 J
- (d)
746 J
Show model answer
Answer: (b) 3.6×10^6 J.
1 kWh=1000 W×3600 s=3.6×10^6 J.
If the speed of a body is doubled while its mass stays the same, its kinetic energy becomes:
- (a)
double
- (b)
half
- (c)
four times
- (d)
unchanged
Show model answer
Answer: (c) four times.
KE=12 mv^2, so KE v^2. Doubling v multiplies KE by 2^2=4.
A body of mass 2 kg is thrown vertically up with an initial kinetic energy of 100 J. Taking g=10 m s^-2, the maximum height it reaches is:
- (a)
2.5 m
- (b)
5 m
- (c)
10 m
- (d)
20 m
Show model answer
Answer: (b) 5 m.
At the maximum height all KE converts to PE: mgh=100 J, so h=100/2×10=5 m.
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Practise free with the AI tutor →Assertion–Reason questions (1 mark)
Assertion (A): When a satellite moves in a circular orbit around the Earth, the gravitational force does no work on it.
Reason (R): The gravitational force on the satellite is always perpendicular to its direction of motion.
- (a)
Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
- (b)
Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
- (c)
A is true but R is false
- (d)
A is false but R is true
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Answer: (a) In a circular orbit the gravitational (centripetal) force points to the centre while the velocity is tangential, so =90^ and W=Fs90^=0. R correctly explains A.
Very short answer questions (2 marks)
Define work and power. State their SI units.
Show model answer
Work is done when a force acts on a body and moves it in the direction of the force; it equals the product of the force and the displacement in the direction of the force, W=F\,s. Its SI unit is the joule (J).
Power is the rate of doing work, P=W/t. Its SI unit is the watt (W), where 1 W=1 J s^-1.
A machine raises a load of 750 N through a height of 16 m in 5 s. Calculate the power of the machine.
Show model answer
Work done = force × height:
W=F× h=750 N×16 m=12000 J.
Power:
P=W/t=12000 J/5 s=2400 W=2.4 kW.
Short answer questions (3 marks)
A body of mass 5 kg is moving with a velocity of 10 m s^-1. Calculate its kinetic energy. If a retarding force brings it to rest over a distance of 25 m, find the magnitude of this force.
Show model answer
Kinetic energy:
KE=12 mv^2=12×5×(10)^2=12×5×100=250 J.
By the work-energy theorem, the work done by the retarding force equals the loss in kinetic energy:
F× s=250 J
F×25=250 F=10 N.
The retarding force is 10 N.
State the principle of conservation of energy. Show that for a body of mass m falling freely from a height H, the total mechanical energy at any point is constant.
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Principle of conservation of energy: Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it only changes from one form to another, so the total energy of an isolated system remains constant.
Consider a body of mass m dropped from height H (take g constant, no air resistance).
At the top (h=H, v=0): PE=mgH, KE=0, total =mgH.
At a point after falling a distance x (height H-x): velocity v^2=2gx.
KE=12 mv^2=12 m(2gx)=mgx, PE=mg(H-x).
Total=mgx+mg(H-x)=mgH.
At the ground (h=0): v^2=2gH, so KE=mgH, PE=0, total =mgH.
At every point the total mechanical energy equals mgH, hence it is conserved.
An electric heater is rated 2 kW. Calculate the energy it consumes in 2.5 hours (i) in kilowatt-hours and (ii) in joules. If electricity costs Rs 6 per unit, find the cost.
Show model answer
(i) Energy in kWh:
E=P× t=2 kW×2.5 h=5 kWh (=5 units).
(ii) Energy in joules:
E=5 kWh×3.6×10^6 J kWh^-1=1.8×10^7 J.
Cost = units × rate =5×Rs 6=Rs 30.
Long answer questions (5 marks)
(a) State the work-energy theorem. (b) Distinguish between kinetic energy and potential energy with one example each. (c) A ball of mass 0.5 kg is thrown vertically upward with a speed of 20 m s^-1. Taking g=10 m s^-2, find its kinetic energy at the start, its potential energy at the highest point, and the maximum height reached.
Show model answer
(a) Work-energy theorem: The net work done by all the forces acting on a body equals the change in its kinetic energy, W=Δ KE=12 mv^2-12 mu^2.
(b) Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by a body due to its motion, e.g. a moving car. Potential energy is the energy possessed by a body due to its position or configuration, e.g. water stored in a dam at a height.
(c) Initial kinetic energy:
KE=12 mv^2=12×0.5×(20)^2=12×0.5×400=100 J.
By conservation of energy, at the highest point all KE becomes PE:
PE_max=100 J.
Maximum height:
mgh=100 h=100/0.5×10=20 m.
A pump lifts 3000 kg of water from a well 20 m deep and delivers it through a pipe with a speed of 4 m s^-1, all in 10 minutes. Taking g=10 m s^-2, find (a) the potential energy gained by the water, (b) the kinetic energy given to the water, and (c) the power of the pump.
Show model answer
Given m=3000 kg, h=20 m, v=4 m s^-1, t=10 min=600 s.
(a) Potential energy gained:
PE=mgh=3000×10×20=6×10^5 J=600000 J.
(b) Kinetic energy given:
KE=12 mv^2=12×3000×(4)^2=12×3000×16=24000 J.
(c) Total energy supplied =PE+KE=600000+24000=624000 J.
P=total energy/t=624000/600=1040 W=1.04 kW.
The power of the pump is 1040 W.
Case-based questions (4 marks)
A simple pendulum bob of mass 0.2 kg is pulled aside so that it is raised a vertical height of 0.45 m above its lowest point and then released. Take g=10 m s^-2 and ignore friction.
(i) Name the energy of the bob at the extreme (highest) position.
(ii) Calculate the potential energy of the bob at that position.
(iii) Find the speed of the bob as it passes through the lowest point.
(iv) State how the total mechanical energy varies during the swing.
Show model answer
(i) At the extreme position the bob is momentarily at rest, so its energy is entirely gravitational potential energy.
(ii) Potential energy at the top:
PE=mgh=0.2×10×0.45=0.9 J.
(iii) At the lowest point all PE converts to kinetic energy:
12 mv^2=0.9 J v^2=2×0.9/0.2=9 v=3 m s^-1.
(iv) In the absence of friction the total mechanical energy (KE+PE) stays constant at 0.9 J throughout the swing; only the form of energy changes between PE and KE.
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Frequently asked questions
Are these Work, Energy and Power important questions free?
Yes. All 13 ICSE Class 10 Physics important questions for Work, Energy and Power are free, with full model answers and no login required.Do these Work, Energy and Power questions follow the latest ICSE syllabus?
Yes — they are aligned to the CISCE latest syllabus syllabus for ICSE Class 10 Physics, so nothing here is outside the current course.How should I practise the Work, Energy and Power important questions?
Attempt each question on paper first, then reveal the model answer to check your method — not just the final result. Re-do anything you got wrong the same day.What types of questions are covered for Work, Energy and Power?
A full mix — multiple-choice questions, assertion–reason questions, very short answer questions, short answer questions, long answer questions, case-based questions — so every format in the ICSE paper is covered.
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