MCQ Questions Class 10 Science: Chapter-Wise Practice with Answers
52 chapter-wise MCQs for CBSE Class 10 Science covering all 13 chapters, each with the answer and a one-line reason, plus tips to avoid common MCQ mistakes.
Chapter-wise MCQ practice is one of the quickest ways to revise Class 10 Science. Below are four original multiple-choice questions for each of the 13 chapters in the current NCERT syllabus, each with its answer and a short reason. Attempt all four options before checking, and re-read the NCERT section for any question you get wrong.
MCQs are the fastest way to check how well you know a chapter. A quick set of four questions after reading a chapter tells you immediately what you have understood and what you need to read again. Below are 52 original MCQs, four for each of the 13 chapters of CBSE Class 10 Science, each with the answer and a short reason. They follow the current rationalised NCERT syllabus.
How to use this page
- Try first: answer all four questions of a chapter before opening any answer.
- Read every option: two options are often close; the difference is the concept.
- Mark mistakes: for each wrong answer, find the line in the NCERT textbook that explains it.
Chapter 1: Chemical Reactions and Equations
1. Which is a combination reaction? (a) CaCO₃ → CaO + CO₂ (b) CaO + H₂O → Ca(OH)₂ (c) Zn + CuSO₄ → ZnSO₄ + Cu (d) NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H₂O
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(b). Two substances combine to form a single product.
2. Silver chloride turns grey in sunlight. This is a: (a) combination reaction (b) decomposition reaction caused by light (c) displacement reaction (d) double displacement reaction
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(b). Light breaks silver chloride into silver and chlorine.
3. Barium chloride and sodium sulphate solutions react to form a white precipitate. The reaction is: (a) displacement (b) double displacement (c) decomposition (d) combination
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(b). The two compounds exchange ions, forming insoluble barium sulphate.
4. Rusting of iron is an example of: (a) reduction (b) corrosion (c) rancidity (d) decomposition
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(b). Iron is slowly eaten away by reacting with air and moisture.
Chapter 2: Acids, Bases and Salts
1. The pH of a neutral solution at room temperature is: (a) 0 (b) 5 (c) 7 (d) 14
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(c). Below 7 is acidic, above 7 is basic.
2. Which gas is released when an acid reacts with a metal carbonate? (a) Hydrogen (b) Oxygen (c) Carbon dioxide (d) Chlorine
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(c). Acid + metal carbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide.
3. The chemical formula of baking soda is: (a) Na₂CO₃ (b) NaHCO₃ (c) NaCl (d) NaOH
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(b). Sodium hydrogencarbonate. Na₂CO₃ is washing soda (in its hydrated form).
4. Plaster of Paris is: (a) CaSO₄·2H₂O (b) CaSO₄·½H₂O (c) CaCO₃ (d) Ca(OH)₂
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(b). Calcium sulphate hemihydrate. CaSO₄·2H₂O is gypsum.
Chapter 3: Metals and Non-metals
1. Which metal is a liquid at room temperature? (a) Sodium (b) Mercury (c) Aluminium (d) Zinc
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(b). Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature.
2. Which non-metal is a good conductor of electricity? (a) Sulphur (b) Graphite (c) Iodine (d) Phosphorus
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(b). Graphite, a form of carbon, conducts electricity.
3. Oxides of most metals are: (a) acidic (b) basic (c) neutral (d) always amphoteric
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(b). Most metal oxides are basic; a few, such as aluminium oxide and zinc oxide, are amphoteric.
4. Which of these is the most reactive metal? (a) Copper (b) Iron (c) Potassium (d) Zinc
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(c). Potassium is at the top of the reactivity series.
Chapter 4: Carbon and its Compounds
1. How many covalent bonds are there in a molecule of methane (CH₄)? (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 5
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(c). One carbon atom shares an electron pair with each of four hydrogen atoms.
2. The functional group in ethanoic acid is: (a) –OH (b) –CHO (c) –COOH (d) >C=O
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(c). The carboxylic acid group.
3. The next member after CH₄ in its homologous series is: (a) C₂H₄ (b) C₂H₆ (c) C₃H₈ (d) C₂H₂
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(b). Ethane; consecutive members differ by CH₂.
4. Vegetable oils are converted into vanaspati ghee by: (a) oxidation (b) hydrogenation (c) esterification (d) saponification
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(b). Hydrogen is added in the presence of a nickel catalyst.
Chapter 5: Life Processes
1. Photosynthesis takes place in the: (a) mitochondria (b) chloroplasts (c) nucleus (d) ribosomes
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(b). Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, which traps light energy.
2. The enzyme in saliva that breaks down starch is: (a) pepsin (b) salivary amylase (c) trypsin (d) lipase
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(b). It converts starch into sugar.
3. The basic filtration unit of the kidney is the: (a) neuron (b) nephron (c) alveolus (d) villus
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(b). Each kidney has a large number of nephrons.
4. Which blood vessel carries oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart? (a) Pulmonary artery (b) Pulmonary vein (c) Vena cava (d) Aorta
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(b). It is the one vein that carries oxygenated blood.
Chapter 6: Control and Coordination
1. The junction between two neurons is called a: (a) axon (b) dendrite (c) synapse (d) cell body
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(c). Signals cross the synapse chemically.
2. Which plant hormone promotes cell elongation? (a) Abscisic acid (b) Auxin (c) Insulin (d) Thyroxine
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(b). Auxin helps cells grow longer, for example when a shoot bends towards light.
3. Which part of the brain maintains posture and balance? (a) Cerebrum (b) Cerebellum (c) Medulla (d) Hypothalamus
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(b). The cerebellum coordinates voluntary movement and balance.
4. Iodine is needed by the thyroid gland to make: (a) insulin (b) thyroxine (c) adrenaline (d) growth hormone
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(b). A lack of iodine can cause goitre.
Chapter 7: How do Organisms Reproduce?
1. Hydra commonly reproduces asexually by: (a) binary fission (b) budding (c) spore formation (d) multiple fission
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(b). A bud grows on the body and detaches as a new Hydra.
2. The male reproductive part of a flower is the: (a) pistil (b) stamen (c) ovary (d) stigma
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(b). Stamens produce pollen grains.
3. In humans, fertilisation normally takes place in the: (a) uterus (b) oviduct (fallopian tube) (c) ovary (d) vagina
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(b). The egg meets the sperm in the oviduct.
4. Which method helps prevent sexually transmitted infections as well as pregnancy? (a) Copper-T (b) Oral pills (c) Condom (d) Surgery
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(c). A barrier method stops contact between body fluids.
Chapter 8: Heredity
1. A human male has the sex chromosomes: (a) XX (b) XY (c) YY (d) X only
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(b). Females are XX.
2. When Mendel crossed pure tall and pure short pea plants, the F1 plants were: (a) all short (b) all tall (c) half tall, half short (d) of medium height
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(b). Tallness is dominant.
3. In the F2 generation of this cross, the ratio TT : Tt : tt is: (a) 1 : 2 : 1 (b) 3 : 1 (c) 1 : 1 (d) 9 : 3 : 3 : 1
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(a). This gives 3 tall : 1 short by appearance.
4. Genes are located on: (a) ribosomes (b) chromosomes (c) the cell wall (d) vacuoles
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(b). Genes are sections of DNA on chromosomes.
Chapter 9: Light: Reflection and Refraction
1. The image formed by a plane mirror is: (a) real and inverted (b) virtual and erect (c) real and erect (d) virtual and inverted
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(b). It is the same size as the object and appears behind the mirror.
2. A spherical mirror has a radius of curvature of 20 cm. Its focal length is: (a) 40 cm (b) 20 cm (c) 10 cm (d) 5 cm
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(c). f = R/2.
3. A lens has a power of −2 D. It is a: (a) convex lens of focal length 50 cm (b) concave lens of focal length 50 cm (c) convex lens of focal length 2 m (d) concave lens of focal length 2 m
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(b). f = 1/P = −0.5 m; negative power means a concave lens.
4. When light passes from air into glass, it bends: (a) away from the normal (b) towards the normal (c) not at all (d) back into the air
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(b). Light slows down in the denser medium.
Chapter 10: The Human Eye and the Colourful World
1. The least distance of distinct vision for a young adult with normal eyes is about: (a) 25 m (b) 25 cm (c) 2.5 cm (d) infinity
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(b). Objects closer than this cannot be focused comfortably.
2. Hypermetropia (far-sightedness) is corrected using a: (a) concave lens (b) convex lens (c) plane glass (d) cylindrical lens
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(b). A converging lens helps focus nearby objects on the retina.
3. The splitting of white light into its colours by a prism is called: (a) reflection (b) dispersion (c) scattering (d) absorption
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(b). Different colours bend by different amounts.
4. Which colour bends the most when white light passes through a prism? (a) Red (b) Yellow (c) Green (d) Violet
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(d). Violet bends the most, red the least.
Chapter 11: Electricity
1. The SI unit of resistance is the: (a) volt (b) ampere (c) ohm (d) watt
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(c). Symbol Ω.
2. A 10 Ω resistor is connected to a 5 V battery. The current is: (a) 2 A (b) 0.5 A (c) 50 A (d) 15 A
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(b). I = V/R = 5/10.
3. Three 6 Ω resistors are connected in parallel. The total resistance is: (a) 18 Ω (b) 6 Ω (c) 3 Ω (d) 2 Ω
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(d). 1/R = 1/6 + 1/6 + 1/6 = 1/2, so R = 2 Ω.
4. One kilowatt-hour equals: (a) 3.6 × 10⁶ J (b) 3.6 × 10³ J (c) 1,000 J (d) 36 J
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(a). 1,000 W × 3,600 s = 3.6 × 10⁶ J.
Chapter 12: Magnetic Effects of Electric Current
1. Outside a bar magnet, magnetic field lines go from: (a) south to north (b) north to south (c) east to west (d) west to east
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(b). Inside the magnet they go from south to north, forming closed loops.
2. The magnetic field lines around a straight current-carrying wire are: (a) straight lines (b) concentric circles (c) ellipses (d) parabolas
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(b). Their direction is given by the right-hand thumb rule.
3. Earthing an appliance mainly protects the user from: (a) short circuit (b) electric shock from current leaking to the metal body (c) overloading (d) low voltage
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(b). Leaked current flows to the earth instead of through the user.
4. The magnetic field of a solenoid becomes stronger when: (a) the number of turns is reduced (b) the current is increased (c) the current is reduced (d) the current is switched off
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(b). More current or more turns gives a stronger field.
Chapter 13: Our Environment
1. Which of these is a producer? (a) Grass (b) Deer (c) Lion (d) Mushroom
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(a). Green plants make their own food by photosynthesis. Mushrooms are decomposers.
2. Which of these is biodegradable? (a) Plastic bottle (b) Glass (c) Vegetable peels (d) Aluminium foil
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(c). Microorganisms break them down.
3. Ozone in the upper atmosphere is formed by the action of: (a) infrared radiation on oxygen (b) ultraviolet radiation on oxygen (c) CFCs on oxygen (d) carbon dioxide on oxygen
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(b). UV radiation splits O₂ molecules, and the free oxygen atoms combine with O₂ to form O₃.
4. Plants in a food chain capture 10,000 J of energy. Following the 10% law, how much reaches the secondary consumers? (a) 1,000 J (b) 100 J (c) 10 J (d) 10,000 J
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(b). 10,000 → 1,000 J (primary consumers) → 100 J (secondary consumers).
Common MCQ mistakes to avoid
- Missing "not" or "except" in the question.
- Choosing the first plausible option without reading the rest.
- Unit slips: centimetres vs metres in lens power, joules vs kilowatt-hours.
- Confusing similar terms: baking soda vs washing soda, gypsum vs Plaster of Paris.
Check how MCQs fit the full paper in CBSE's 2025-26 Class 10 sample papers, and find more practice in the NCERT Exemplar problems. Then move on to assertion-reason questions for Science and competency-based questions, which together make up much of the paper. To make what you revise stick, read how to study for exams without forgetting. On Intellicamp, you can take chapter-wise Science tests with instant marking and see your weakest chapters after each one. See how it works for students.
- Four MCQs per chapter is a quick, honest check of what you know.
- Read every option and watch for "not", "except" and units.
- Fix every mistake by re-reading the NCERT section behind it.
Frequently asked questions
How many MCQs are there in the Class 10 Science board paper?
Section A of recent CBSE Science papers has about 20 one-mark objective questions, including MCQs and assertion-reason. Check the 2025-26 sample paper for the exact number.
Are MCQs enough to prepare for the Science board exam?
No. MCQs are good for quick revision of facts and concepts, but about half the paper is competency-based and around 30% is written answers. Practise all types.
How do I avoid silly mistakes in MCQs?
Read every option before choosing, watch for words like 'not' and 'except', and check units in numerical MCQs.
Do these questions cover the rationalised syllabus?
Yes. They cover all 13 chapters in the current rationalised NCERT Class 10 Science textbook.
Can I take these as an online test?
Intellicamp offers chapter-wise Class 10 Science tests with instant marking and a breakdown of your weak topics.
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Take a short practice test on any chapter, get it marked instantly, and see exactly which topics are costing you marks.