CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test) Science and Pedagogy (Paper II) Syllabus

What is the difference between fibres and fabrics, and name two natural plant fibres.

Fibres are thin thread-like strands; fabrics are made by weaving/knitting fibres into yarn. Natural plant fibres include cotton and jute.

Classify materials based on whether light can pass through them.

Transparent (allow light through, e.g., glass), translucent (allow partial light, e.g., butter paper), and opaque (block light, e.g., wood).

What is the difference between a reversible and an irreversible change? Give one example of each.

A reversible change can be undone (e.g., melting of ice/freezing of water); an irreversible change cannot be undone (e.g., burning of paper, cooking of food).

What is the difference between a physical change and a chemical change?

In a physical change no new substance forms and it is usually reversible (melting ice); in a chemical change a new substance forms and it is usually irreversible (rusting of iron).

What are the three states of matter, and what happens during melting and evaporation?

Solid, liquid, and gas. Melting is solid→liquid on heating; evaporation is liquid→gas (vapour).

What is rusting of iron and the two conditions required for it?

Rusting is the slow chemical change where iron reacts to form reddish-brown rust (iron oxide); it requires both oxygen (air) and moisture (water).

What is the composition of air by approximate percentage of its main gases?

Air is about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and about 1% other gases including carbon dioxide, water vapour, and inert gases.

What is the water cycle?

The continuous circulation of water — evaporation from water bodies, condensation into clouds, precipitation as rain/snow, and flow back to seas/rivers.

What are the three main methods of separating impurities to get clean water?

Sedimentation (settling), decantation (pouring off clear water), and filtration; followed by purification such as boiling or chlorination.

What are the main components of soil and the soil types based on particle size?

Soil contains minerals, humus, water, and air. By particle size: sandy soil, clayey soil, and loamy soil (loamy is best for crops).

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is the distance travelled per unit time (a scalar, no direction); velocity is speed in a specific direction (a vector).

State Newton's first law of motion.

An object remains at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external unbalanced force (law of inertia).

What is force, and name its two broad effects on objects?

Force is a push or pull on an object. It can change an object's state of motion (speed/direction) and can change its shape.

Name the six types of simple machines.

Lever, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge, and screw.

What is friction, and give one advantage and one disadvantage of it?

Friction is the force that opposes motion between two surfaces in contact. Advantage: lets us walk/grip; disadvantage: causes wear and tear and wastes energy as heat.

Distinguish between uniform motion and non-uniform motion.

In uniform motion an object covers equal distances in equal intervals of time; in non-uniform motion it covers unequal distances in equal intervals of time.

How does light travel, and what is the law of reflection?

Light travels in a straight line. Law of reflection: the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.

What is the difference between a plane mirror, concave mirror, and convex mirror image use?

A plane mirror gives an erect, same-size virtual image; a concave mirror can magnify (used in shaving/torch); a convex mirror gives a diminished, wider view (used in vehicle side mirrors).

How does heat flow, and what are the three methods of heat transfer?

Heat flows from a hotter body to a colder body. The three methods are conduction, convection, and radiation.

What is the difference between a conductor and an insulator of electricity? Give one example each.

Conductors allow electric current to pass through (e.g., copper/iron); insulators do not allow current to pass (e.g., rubber/plastic).

What is a simple electric circuit and what is needed to make a bulb glow?

A closed path through which current flows. A bulb glows when a cell (battery), connecting wires, switch, and bulb form a complete (closed) circuit.

How is sound produced and can it travel through vacuum?

Sound is produced by vibrating objects. Sound needs a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to travel and cannot travel through a vacuum.

Name three natural phenomena and one safety precaution for lightning.

Earthquakes, cyclones (storms), and lightning. During lightning, stay indoors or avoid open fields and tall isolated trees; do not use open vehicles.

What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable natural resources? Give one example each.

Renewable resources can be replenished (e.g., solar energy, water); non-renewable resources are limited and exhaustible (e.g., coal, petroleum).

According to NCF and pedagogy, what is the nature of science as understood in school education?

Science is a dynamic, evolving body of knowledge built through observation, experimentation, and reasoning; it is tentative, evidence-based, and self-correcting rather than absolute truth.

What is the recommended approach for teaching science at the upper primary level according to NCF 2005?

An activity-based, child-centred, inquiry/discovery approach that links science to the child's everyday environment and encourages hands-on exploration over rote learning.

Name four common methods/approaches used in teaching science.

Lecture-cum-demonstration method, project method, problem-solving method, and the inquiry/discovery (heuristic) method.

What is the difference between formative and summative evaluation in science teaching?

Formative evaluation is continuous, diagnostic assessment during learning to improve it; summative evaluation is done at the end of a unit/term to judge overall achievement.

What is remedial teaching, and when is it used in science instruction?

Remedial teaching is specially designed instruction to help slow learners overcome specific learning difficulties identified through diagnostic testing, by reteaching concepts using simpler methods.