EXERCISE

Q1. What do you mean by resource?
Answer: A resource is any object or quality that is useful for human beings and is used to fulfil their demands for living and progress. This includes both natural elements and man-made objects. In a broader sense, human beings themselves are also considered a resource due to their ability, intelligence, and skills.

Q2. What are the human factors that play important role in recognising natural elements as resource?
Answer: The human factors that play an important role in recognizing natural elements as resources are:

1. Cultural values: Traditions, customs, and religious beliefs of a society can determine whether a natural element is accepted or rejected for use.
2. Technology: The technological knowledge and know-how of a society are crucial for collecting, processing, and using natural elements.
3. Economic system: The economic condition of a society determines its ability to acquire and use different commodities.

Q3. What are the factors that influence the concept of resource?
Answer: The concept of a resource is not static. It is influenced by:

1. Time: In the past, some materials were not seen as useful, but with changing needs and new technology, they can become valuable.(e.g., tea plants in Assam).
2. Population growth: The increasing demand from a growing population forces people to find new resources or alternatives for exhausted ones.
3. Changing social and economic situations: As societies develop, their needs and demands change, leading to a new understanding and use of resources.

Q4. Discuss the effects of the growing population on resources.
Answer: A growing population puts increasing pressure on resources.

1. Increased Demand: As the population grows, the demand for all kinds of resources, especially non-renewable ones, increases.
2. Scarcity: If non-renewable resources like fossil fuels are used at a high rate, they become scarce. This forces people to search for and use alternatives (e.g., nuclear power instead of coal).
3. Environmental Degradation: The extraction and use of resources, along with the disposal of waste, can lead to environmental degradation. Misuse of resources can also lead to their exhaustion.

Q5. What is natural resource?
Answer: A natural resource is any resource that is derived directly from nature. Examples include land, water, vegetation, minerals, wildlife, solar energy, etc. Natural resources can be further classified as biotic (living, e.g., plants and animals) or abiotic (non-living, e.g., rocks and minerals).

Q6. Give few examples of man-made resources.
Answer: Man-made resources are those that are created by human beings by using natural resources. Examples include houses, machineries, cars, roads, buildings etc.

Q7. What is human resource?
Answer: Human resource refers to human beings themselves as a resource. The ability, skills, intelligence, knowledge, and efficiency of a person to satisfy their own needs and contribute to the well-being of others are considered valuable resources. The more a person gains knowledge and skills through education and training, the richer they become as a human resource.

Q8. What is meant by renewable resource? Give few examples of it.
Answer: Renewable resources are those natural resources that can be renewed or replenished naturally over a relatively short period. Examples of renewable resources are air, water, plants, etc.

Q9. Name few non-renewable resources.
Answer: Non-renewable resources are those that cannot be renewed or take millions of years to form. Once they are used up, they are lost forever. Examples include:

iron ore, gold, silver, coal, petroleum and natural gas etc.

Q10. Why should wastage of resource be checked?
Answer: The wastage of resources should be checked because they are limited, and some of them, like non-renewable resources, cannot be replenished easily. If we misuse or waste resources, they will become scarce and may get exhausted in the future. This will create problems for future generations and hinder economic progress.

Q11. Think over and write how extraction and use of resources can degrade the environment.
Answer: The extraction and use of resources can degrade the environment in several ways:

1. Mining: The extraction of minerals through mining can lead to deforestation, soil erosion, and the destruction of landscapes.
2. Pollution: The use of fossil fuels and other resources in industries releases harmful gases and pollutants into the air, water, and soil, leading to pollution.
3. Deforestation: The felling of forests for wood and other resources leads to a loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and climate change.
4. Overexploitation: Overuse of resources like water and soil can lead to their degradation and depletion.

Q12. What are the sources of natural resources available in
your locality? How have the people used and misused
the sources of these resources? Write how the misuse
can be checked.
Answer:In my locality, the main sources of natural resources are land, water, forests, and minerals. The fertile land is used for agriculture, while rivers, ponds, and groundwater provide water for drinking, irrigation, and fishing. Forests supply timber, firewood, fruits, and medicinal plants, and some areas also have minor minerals like sand and clay. People have used these resources for farming, building houses, fishing, and daily needs. However, there has also been misuse—such as overuse of groundwater, deforestation, unplanned sand mining, and pollution of water bodies. These activities reduce soil fertility, cause floods or droughts, and threaten biodiversity. Misuse can be checked by adopting sustainable farming, planting more trees, conserving water, stopping illegal sand mining, recycling resources, and spreading awareness among people to use resources wisely for future generations.