CBSE CLASS 10 SCIENCE MODEL PAPER 2026: YOUR ROADMAP TO 80/80

 

CBSE CLASS 10 SCIENCE MODEL PAPER 2026: YOUR ROADMAP TO 80/80

The 2026 board exam is designed to test your "thinking" skills. No more simple definitions; the examiners want to see if you understand why a reaction happens or how a circuit behaves under pressure. This paper follows the 80-mark, 3-hour format.

SECTION A: OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS (20 MARKS)

Q1. A student adds $Zn$ granules to dilute $HCl$. A gas is evolved which burns with a 'pop' sound. The residue left in the test tube is:

(a) $ZnCl_{2}$

(b) $ZnO$

(c) $Zn(OH)_{2}$

(d) $ZnSO_{4}$

Q2. Which of the following represents the correct order of reactivity?

(a) $Al > Mg > Zn > Fe$

(b) $Mg > Al > Zn > Fe$

(c) $Fe > Zn > Al > Mg$

(d) $Mg > Zn > Al > Fe$

Q3. In humans, the life process that ensures the continuity of species is:

(a) Nutrition

(b) Respiration

(c) Reproduction

(d) Excretion

Q4. A beam of light is incident through the holes on side A and emerges out of the holes on the other side of a box. What could be inside the box?

(a) Concave lens

(b) Rectangular glass slab

(c) Prism

(d) Convex lens

Q5. Assertion (A): The sky appears dark instead of blue to an astronaut in space.

Reason (R): There is no atmosphere in space to scatter sunlight.

(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.

SECTION B: VERY SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (12 MARKS)

Q6. Why does the color of copper sulfate solution change when an iron nail is dipped in it? Write the chemical equation.

Q7. Name the plant hormone that:

  1. Promotes cell division.

  2. Inhibits growth and causes wilting of leaves.

Q8. A wire of resistance $R$ is cut into three equal parts. These parts are then connected in parallel. What is the new equivalent resistance?

SECTION C: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (21 MARKS)

Q9. (a) Why are decomposition reactions called the opposite of combination reactions?

(b) Give one example of a thermal decomposition reaction.

Q10. Explain the process of 'double circulation' in humans. Why is it necessary to keep oxygenated and deoxygenated blood separate?

Q11. An object is placed at a distance of $10\text{ cm}$ from a convex lens of focal length $15\text{ cm}$. Find the position, nature, and magnification of the image.

SECTION D: LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (15 MARKS)

Q12. Chemistry:

(a) Explain the formation of $NaCl$ using electron dot structures.

(b) Why do ionic compounds have high melting points?

(c) Define 'Alloy' and give one example.

Q13. Biology:

(a) Draw a neat labeled diagram of the human female reproductive system.

(b) What happens when the egg is not fertilized?

(c) List two methods of contraception.

Q14. Physics:

(a) State the factors on which the resistance of a conductor depends.

(b) Derive the expression for equivalent resistance of three resistors $R_{1}$, $R_{2}$, and $R_{3}$ connected in series.

(c) Why are series arrangements not used for domestic circuits?

SECTION E: CASE-BASED QUESTIONS (12 MARKS)

Q15. Case Study: pH in Daily Life

The pH of our stomach is around 2.0 due to $HCl$. However, during indigestion, the stomach produces too much acid, causing pain and irritation. To get relief, people use bases called antacids.

  1. What is the nature of an antacid (acidic/basic)? (1M)

  2. Name a common antacid used. (1M)

  3. Why is the pH of the mouth important in preventing tooth decay? (2M)

✅ QUICK ANSWER KEY & SOLUTIONS

  • Q1: (a) $Zn + 2HCl \rightarrow ZnCl_{2} + H_{2}\uparrow$.

  • Q2: (b) $Mg$ is most reactive among the given options.

  • Q8: Each part has $R/3$. In parallel: $\frac{1}{R_{p}} = \frac{1}{R/3} + \frac{1}{R/3} + \frac{1}{R/3} = \frac{3}{R} + \frac{3}{R} + \frac{3}{R} = \frac{9}{R}$. So, $R_{p} = R/9$.

  • Q11: Using lens formula $\frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{v} - \frac{1}{u}$:

    $$\frac{1}{15} = \frac{1}{v} - \frac{1}{-10} \implies \frac{1}{v} = \frac{1}{15} - \frac{1}{10} = \frac{2-3}{30} = -\frac{1}{30}$$

    $v = -30\text{ cm}$. The image is virtual, erect, and magnified.

Topper's Tip: Always write the SI units in Physics numericals. Writing "$30$" instead of "$30\text{ cm}$" can cost you half a mark!

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