FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN PHYSICS FOR CLASS IX:

AN EXEMPLAR

INTRODUCTION

For designing and developing tools for formative assessment in

Physics, we may follow the following steps.

1. CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE UNIT :- First of all , identify the concepts , facts,
formulae, rules and laws, relations, derivations, activities and experiments in
a unit.

2. CONSTRUCTION OF TOOLS AND ASSESMENT:- Formative Assessments can be

done using one or more of the following :
 Pen and paper test- it could be VSA, SA or MCQ(with only
one option correct).

 Task based on activities /experiments; it could be

interpretation and /or analysis and / or prediction from a
given set of data based on an experiment; or a graph
constructed from data obtained from an experiment. It can
be an enquiry oriented question based on activities /
experiments done by students during the coursework.

 Task based on project work: it could be school based or

home based. For example, students can be given a task of
collecting information about electric gadgets used in their
houses, and power rating of each gadget. Alternatively,
students may be asked to collect information about no. of
electric points in their house, identify power points, find out
sanctioned load of electricity for a particular house, etc. One
can relate project work to social and envoi mental issues
also.

 Group-discussion on a particular concept/ topic / theme: The

objective is that each student forms the concept of the terms
used and understands the topic/theme under discussions.

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 Societal, technological, economical and environmental aspects
of the topic/ theme may also form part of the discussion.

 Quiz method: this method can also be used to develop

understanding of the particular concept.

3. All the five types of tasks listed in point 2 above can be designed to test
knowledge, understanding and application.

4. Methods / value points for assessing performance of students should be

developed for each task, so it will depend upon nature of task.

We shall present some task for formative assessment related to the domain of
three chapters of class ix, namely: Ch.10-GRAVITATION, Ch.11-WORK AND
ENERGY, and Ch.12- SOUND. Attempts have been made to include different type
of tasks, but it has not exhaustive. We are sure teachers will be able to develop
many more tasks.

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 Chapter 10 - Gravitation
Content Analysis
 Concept of gravitation
 Law of gravitation and its importance
 Concept of free fall
 Acceleration due to gravity
 Motion of object under gravity
 Mass and weight
 Thrust and pressure
 Buoyancy and Archimedes principle
 Relative density

Learning outcomes
Learner is able to define:
 Gravitation
 Gravitational constant
 Acceleration due to gravity
 Mass
 Weight
 Thrust
 Pressure
 Buoyancy
 Relative density

Learner is able to distinguish between:

 Mass and weight
 Gravitational constant and acceleration due to gravity
 Thrust and pressure
 Density and relative density

Learner is able to understand and apply the following formulae:

 Law of gravitation
 Equations of motion under gravity
 Weight of object on different planets
 Pressure in fluids
 Relative density
Learner is able to apply the knowledge and understanding to solve problems
based on experiments/activities/projects/data /figures.

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TASK 10.1
Based on law of gravitation
1. Study the four situations given in the following diagrams. In which case is the force of
gravitation maximum?

m m

O
O
d

(i)

m m/4

O
O
d/2

(ii) 2m
2m

2d

(iii)

m/4 4m4 4m

d
O

(iv)

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Assessment Method
This question has been generated using the law of gravitation formulae and using the fact that
m1m2/d2 is the same if the force between objects is same. Therefore different diagrams show
objects of different masses and varying distance between them. 1 mark for calculating force for
each part and one for inference.

TASK 10.2

You and your classmate sitting next to you are at a distance of 50cm.According to law of
gravitation both of you are attracting each other. Yet both of you remain sitting at the same
position. Why so? Give reason for your answer.

Assessment Method:

This question is based on the concept that the value of g is very small. Therefore, the force acting
between two objects in our daily life is very small and negligible.
1 mark for answer and one for reasoning

TASK 10.3

Theory based project:

Visit a website of NASA/read any textbook of Physics and Collect and tabulate the value of mass
and radii of different planets like Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury.
(i) Calculate the value of g in each case.
(ii) Find the ratio of g on each of these planets with that on Earth.
(iii) If your mass on Earth is 50kg, what is your weight on each of the above planets?

Assessment Method:
This question is based on formula for acceleration due to gravity and its understanding. It can be
given as a home project work.
1 mark each for calculating ‘g’ on each planet.
1 mark each for finding the ratio in three cases.
1 mark each for finding the weight.
The number of planets included in the above task may be changed by the teacher.

TASK 10.4
Problems based on equations of motion under gravity
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Numerical problems

Your book gives three equations of motion under gravity namely Eq .10.10, 10.11 and 10.12 on Pg
136 of NCERT book. Which one of these can be generated using the other two?
These equations consist of 5 parameters namely u, v, t, a and s. Which one of these should be
constant for these equations to be valid?

TASK 10.5

(i) A ball is dropped from a height of 500m. Calculate the magnitude of displacement traveled by
the ball in 2s, 4s, 6s,8s and10s.
(ii) Plot a graph between distance and time.
(iii) What is the shape of the graph so obtained? (iv) From the graph, find the distance traveled in
1st second, 2 nd second 4 th second, 6th second and so on. Do these numbers form any
mathematical pattern?

Assessment Method:
Task 10.4 and 10.5 test understanding of derivation of equations between five parameters .This
also tests that only two of them are independent equations and the third equation can be
obtained using the other two.
Marks for each part can be suitably assigned.

TASK 10.6

Based on - Thrust, Pressure, Buoyancy and Archimedes’s principle:

In figures (A) and (B), two beakers are filled with the same liquid. In Beaker (A), cube is completely
immersed. In beaker (B), cylinder having same volume as that of the cube is fully immersed.
Which of the two objects experience greater buoyant force? Give reason for your answer.

Figure A Figure B

Assessment method
This question is based on the concept that buoyant force is equal to the weight of the fluid
displaced.1 mark for correct option and 1 mark for correct reason

TASK 10.7

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GROUP DISCUSSION
After the teacher has taught the concept of thrust, pressure and Buoyancy, students will be invited
to distinguish between thrust, pressure and Buoyancy with suitable examples from daily life.

Assessment method

The objective is that each student form the concept of three terms correctly and is able to
understand the difference between the three.
The objective of group discussion should not be value judegment.Rather; this method should be
used to ensure that each student attains a desired level of learning.

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 CHAPTER 11 - WORK AND ENERGY

Content Analysis
 Scientific concept of work
 Work done by constant force
 Energy
 Forms of energy
 Kinetic energy
 Potential energy
 Laws of conservation of energy
 Rate of doing work
 Commercial unit of energy

Learning outcome

Learner is able to define

 work
 energy
 K.E and P.E.
 power,
 commercial unit of energy
Learner will be able to distinguish between
 work and energy
 K.E and P.E.
Learner is able to understand and apply this in situations involving
work, energy, power, law of conservation of energy, and rate of doing
work.

TASK 11.1
Based on concept of work

Work is said to be done

1. by a force on an object if the displacement of the object is in the direction of force.
2. by a force on an object if the displacement of the object is perpendicular to the direction of
force.
3. by a object if the displacement of the object is in the direction of force
4. by a object if the displacement of the object is perpendicular to the direction of the force.

Assessment method

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 This is MCQ and can be one mark question. If the student ticks the right option, she/he gets
full marks. This question tests the understanding of the concept by playing with the word force
and object in the beginning of the option. If she/he
ticks the wrong answer, she/he can be explained the source of mistake committed by her/him.

TASK 11.2

PROJECT BASED TASK

List all the gadgets in your house. Identify the power rating of each gadget. (usually written on the
gadget itself.).Find out the sanctioned load of electricity for your house (written on electricity
bill).Can you run all the gadgets at the same time, given the sanctioned load?

Assessment method: -
This task consists of 4 parts. Each part may be assigned one mark. So the total marks for this task
is four.

TASK 11.3
ACTIVITY/ EXPERIMENT BASED TASK

This task is based on activity no. 11.7 on page 150 of NCERT class IX Science Text book.
The activity is set up as shown in figure 11.5. of the book. A wooden block of known mass is placed
in front of a trolley at a conveniently fixed distance.When a known mass is placed on the pan, the
trolley starts moving and ultimately hits the wooden block.

1) Note the displacement of the block: - which one is doing work, Trolley or the Block? Which one
has gained energy?
2) If the mass on the pan is increased, will the displacement increase or decrease? Give reason
for your answer.

Assessment Method: -
 Part 1) carries 3 marks, one mark for each part.
 Part 2) carries 2 marks, one for giving reason.

TASK 11.4

FORMULA AND LAW BASED TASK

An object of mass 0 .1 Kg is dropped from a height of 100 m.

1) Calculate the potential energy, at the height of 100 m, 60m, 30m, and 0m.
2) Calculate the kinetic energy at the height of 100 m, 60m, 30m, and 0m.
3) Find out the total energy in each case. Is the total energy a constant?
4) Which law of Physics is exhibited in this question? Take the value of g as 10m/s².

Assessment Method
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  Calculation of potential energy may carry two marks, ½ marks for each height.
 Calculation of kinetic energy carry 4 marks, 1 mark for each height(1/2 mark for calculation
of velocity)
 Part 3) carries one mark
 Part 4) carries one mark

CHAPTER 12- SOUND

CONTENT ANALYSIS:
 Production of sound
 Propagation of sound – Need for material medium
 Sound waves: longitudinal waves
 Characteristics of sound wave
 Speed of sound in different media
 Reflection of sound – Echo , Reverberation
 Uses of multiple reflection of sound
 Range of hearing
 Applications of ultrasound
 Structure of human ear

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The learner is able to define
 Waves
 Longitudinal waves
 Transverse wave
 Mechanical waves
 Frequency, Amplitude, Speed, Wave Length , Time Period
 Loudness
 Intensity
 Pitch
The learner is able to describe
 Types of Waves
 Compression and Rarefaction
 Crest and Trough
 Relation between u, λ, υ

The learner is able to distinguish between

 Longitudinal wave and transverse wave
 Echo and reverberation
 Intensity and loudness
 Tone and note
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  Noise and music
 Sound and Ultra Sound
The learner is able to understand and learn the Use Of

 Ultrasound
 Multiple reflections

The learner is able to explain the following:

 Sound is produced by vibrations

 Sound needs a material medium for propagation
 Sound waves travel fastest in solids
 Waves transfer energy
 Speed of sound depends on temperature

The learner is able to apply the knowledge and understanding to solve problems
based on experiments/activities /projects/data collection/designing questions

TASK 12.1

Multiple Choice Questions

Read the following statements carefully:
a) Vibration is essential of production of sound.
b) Sound needs a medium for propagation.
c) Sound waves can be longitudinal or transversal.
d) Sound waves travel faster in air than in water.

Which one of the following is correct?

1. Statement a), b), c) are correct.
2. All the statements are correct.
3. Statement c) and d) are wrong.
4. Statements a) and b) are wrong.

Assessment Method

Only one option is correct. It carries one mark.

TASK 12.2

Multiple Choice Question

Figures A, B, C represents sound waves produced by three different instruments.

Which are the following statements is true?
1. Frequencies of instruments A, B, C are in ratio 1:4:2.
2. Frequencies of all the instruments A,B,C are same

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 3. Amplitude of sound waves are different
4. Speed of sound waves are different

Assessment Method

One mark for the correct answer

A T
0

B
T
0

C
T
0

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TASK 12.3

ACTIVITY BASED QUESTION

Consider activity 12.5 and figure 12.11, Page 167 of IX NCERT.

1. Does this activity for three values of angle of incidence say 30º, 45º, and60 º.
2. Find the angle at which reflected sound is maximum.
3. Can you infer that the sound waves also follow same laws of reflection as light follows?

Assessment Method

 1 mark for each angle in part 1.

 1 mark for inference in part 2.
½ mark for correct answer and ½ for reasoning in part 3

TASK 12.4

GROUP DISCUSSION/ SKIT

Do you know that too much noise can permanently damage our hearing? Mention some sources
of sound which are noisy. Discuss about the ways to make our world less noisy and more peace
full.

ASSESSMENT METHOD:
Same as task in 10.6
TASK 12.5

PROJECT BASED TASK

In order to reduce the effect of echo in auditoriums/ cinema halls, special arrangements are made.
Visit at least two-three nearby auditoriums/halls. Observe the walls, floors, ceilings of these halls
carefully. Now, answer the following questions on the basis of these observations.

a) What measures have been taken for walls, ceilings of all the halls you visited to reduce the
effect the echo?
b) How do you find the walls and floors of your room different from that of a hall?
c) Can you produce echo in a room in your house? Give reason for your answer.

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ASSESSMENT METHOD:

1. Observation of features of walls and ceilings and floors carries 2 marks.

2. Part (b) carries one mark.
3. Reasoning out carries 1 mark

TASK 12.6

PROJECT BASED TASK

Below is the list of animals, find out the range of frequencies produced by each one of them. Does
this range falls in Human :audible range.

S.No. Animal Range of frequency Audible to humans

Yes/No
1. Bee
2. Rhinoceros
3. Whale
4. Elephant
5. Dolphin
6. Bat

Assessment Method

½ mark for correct range of frequency of each animal.

½ mark for correct answer of question “whether audible to human or not”.
You may add to the animals,depending on availability of data.

TASK 12.7

PROJECT BASED TASK

Make List of at least 4 different types of musical instruments available in your school. Observe
them carefully and note which part of the instrument vibrates to produce sound?

ASSESSMENT METHOD:

 ½ mark each for collecting information about each instrument.

 ½ mark for naming each vibrating part correctly


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 REMEDIAL MEASURES

It could consist of the following

 Re teaching the same concept

 Administration of the assessment tool
 Presentation of project work by students to the whole class to
encourage the ones who have not done.
 PEER GROUP INTERACTION: Students who have done well can be
encouraged to share their performance or methods of solving
problems to other student.

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