ICSE Class 10th Biology Syllabus 2023: Biology paper is part of the science subject in ICSE Class 10, and studying science is a must for all ICSE students, making Biology essential to study for ICSE Class 10 students. Science (Code: 52) comprises three papers: 1-Physics, 2-Chemistry, and 3-Biology. The Biology paper is comparatively easier than physics and chemistry papers due to its theoretical nature. However, the ISCE Class 10 Biology syllabus is huge and introduces many foreign concepts to students. It’s not a subject to be taken lightly. On that note, take a look at the ICSE Class 10 Biology syllabus to make sure you haven’t missed out on any topics. Read and download the ICSE Board Class 10 Biology Exam 2023 in PDF here.
ICSE Board Class 10 Biology Syllabus
The ICSE class 10 Biology paper will carry 80 marks, and the duration will be two hours. There will also be a separate internal assessment of 20 marks to test students’ ability to put the theoretical topics to practical use. The internal assessment will consist of practical work on Plant Life and Animal Life.
- Basic Biology
(i) Cell Cycle and Cell Division.
Cell cycle – Interphase (G1, S, G2) and Mitotic phase.
Cell Division:
- Mitosis and its stages.
- A basic understanding of Meiosis as a reduction division (stages not required).
- A brief idea of homologous chromosomes and crossing over leading to variations.
- Significance and major differences between mitotic and meiotic division.
(ii) Structure of chromosome.
Basic structure of chromosome with elementary understanding of terms such as chromatin, chromatid, gene structure of DNA and centromere.
(iii) Genetics: Mendel’s laws of inheritance and sex-linked inheritance of diseases.
- The three laws of Mendel.
- Monohybrid cross – phenotype and genotype.
- Dihybrid cross – Only phenotype.
- The following terms to be covered: gene, allele, heterozygous, homozygous, dominant, recessive, mutation, variation, phenotype, genotype.
- Sex determination in human beings.
Sex linked inheritance of diseases to include only X-linked like haemophilia and colour blindness.
- Plant Physiology
(i) Absorption by roots, imbibition, diffusion and osmosis; osmotic pressure, root pressure; turgidity and flaccidity; plasmolysis and deplasmolysis; the absorption of water and minerals; active and passive transport (in brief); The rise of water up to the xylem; Forces responsible for ascent of sap.
- Understanding of the processes related to absorption of water by the roots.
- Characteristics of roots, which make them suitable for absorbing water.
- Structure of a single full-grown root hair.
- A general idea of Cohesive, Adhesive forces and transpirational pull.
- Experiments to show the conduction of water through the xylem.
(ii) Transpiration – process and significance. Ganong’s potometer and its limitations. The factors affecting rate of transpiration. Experiments on transpiration. A brief idea of guttation and bleeding.
- Concept of transpiration and its importance to plants
- Experiments related to transpiration:
(a) Loss in weight of a potted plant or a leafy shoot in a test tube as a result of transpiration.
(b) Use of cobalt chloride paper to demonstrate unequal rate of transpiration in a dorsiventral leaf.
- Adaptations in plants to reduce transpiration.
- A brief idea of guttation and bleeding.
(iii) Photosynthesis: the process and its importance to life in general; experiments to show the necessity of light, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll, formation of starch and release of oxygen.
The process and significance of Photosynthesis.
- The internal structure of chloroplast to be explained to give an idea of the site of light and dark reactions.
- Opening and closing of stomata based on potassium ion exchange theory.
- Overall balanced chemical equation to represent photosynthesis.
- Introduction of the terms “photochemical” for light phase and “biosynthetic” for dark phases.
- Light reaction – activation of chlorophyll followed by photolysis of water, release of O2, formation of ATP (photophosphorylation) and NADPH.
- Dark reaction – only combination of hydrogen released by NADP with CO2to form glucose. (detailed equations are not required).
- Adaptations in plants for photosynthesis.
- Experiments with regard to the factors essential for photosynthesis; emphasis on destarching and the steps involved in starch test.
(iv) Chemical coordination in Plants: A general study of plant growth regulators; Tropic movements in plants.
- A brief idea of the physiological effects of Auxins, Gibberellins, Cytokinins, Abscisic acid and Ethylene in regulating the growth of plants.
- A basic understanding of the tropic movements in plants with reference to – Phototropism, Geotropism, Hydrotropism, Thigmotropism and Chemotropism (supported with suitable examples).
Download and read the full ICSE Class 10th Biology Syllabus 2022-23 below:
