Very Short Answer Questions

1. Define natural resources.

Resources that are drawn from nature and used without much modification are called natural
resources.
2. Give five examples of natural resources.
The examples natural resources are soil, minerals, air, sun and water.
3. What do you mean by resources?
Anything that can be used to satisfy a need is called resource.
4. What is patent?
Patent means the exclusive right over any idea or invention.
5. What is technology?
Technology is the application of latest knowledge and skill in doing or making things.
6. How people are the most important resource?
People are the most important resource, as their ideas, knowledge, inventions and discoveries lead
to the creation of more resources.
7. How value of resources is measured?
Some resources have economic value, some do not. For example, metals may have an economic
value, a beautiful landscape may not. But both are important and satisfy human needs. 8. What does
resource conservation mean?
Using resources carefully and giving them time to get renewed is called resource conservation.
9. What are actual resources?
Actual resources are those resources whose quantity is known. These resources are being used in
the present.
10. How does an object or a substance become a resource?
All the things used by us have utility. Utility or usability is what makes an object or substance a
resource.

Short Answer Questions

1. Describe the types of resources. Resources are usually classified into three types which are
(i) Natural resources
(ii) Human-made resources (iii) Human resources
2. Write the classification of natural resources.
The classification of natural resources depends upon:
(i) Level of development and use.
(ii) On the basis of their origin.
(iii) On the basis of stock.
(iv) On the basis of distribution.
3. What does actual resources mean? Give example.
Actual resources are those resources whose quantity is known. These resources are being used in
the present. Example: The rich deposits of coal in Ruhr region of Germany and Petroleum in the
West Asia, the dark soils of the Deccan plateau in Maharashtra are all actual resources.
4. Define potential resources? Give example.
Potential resources are those resources whose entire quantity may not be known and these are not
being used at present. These resources could be used in the future. Example: Uranium found in
Ladakh is an example of potential resource that could be used in the future.
5. Write a short note on biotic and abiotic resources.
Biotic resources: All the living things are included in biotic resources. Examples: Plants and animals.
Abiotic resources: Abiotic resources are non-living things. Example: Soils, rocks and minerals.
6. Briefly describe the resources on the basis of stock.
The resources on the basis of stock are as follows:
(i) Renewable resources: These resources are those which can get renewed or
replenished quickly. These resources are unlimited. For examples: Wind energy, solar energy, etc.
(ii) Non-renewable resources: Those resources which have a limited stock are called Non-renewable
resources. These resources are limited in stock. For example: Coal, petroleum and natural gas.
7. Write some principles of sustainable development.
Some principles of sustainable development are
(i) Respect and care of all forms of life.
(ii) Improve the quality of human life.
(iii) Conserve the earth's vitality and diversity.
(iv) Minimise the depletion of natural resources.
8. Mention our duty to maintain and preserve the life support system that nature provides?
(i) All uses of renewable resources are sustainable.
(ii) The diversity of life on the earth should be conserved.
(iii) The damage to natural environment system should be minimised.

Long Short Answer Questions

1. Answer the following questions:
(i) Why are resources distributed unequally over the earth?
Ans. The distribution of resources is unequal because it depends upon number of physical factors
like terrain (land), climate and altitude which also differ very much over the earth.
(ii) What is resource conservation?
Ans. Resource conservation is the process of using resources carefully so that they could be renewed
and continued to be used in future.
(iii) Why are human resources important?
Ans. Human resources are important because they use their skills, intelligence and knowledge and
help in transferring the physical material into a valuable resource.
(iv) What is sustainable development?
Ans. Sustainable development is the concept of balancing the need to use resources as well as to
conserve them for the future generation.
2. Differentiate between the potential and actual resources.
(a) Potential and actual resources
Potential resources
(i) These resources could be used in the future.
(ii) These resources are those resources whose entire quantity may not be known.
(iii) Example: Uranium found in Ladakh.
Actual resources
These resources are being used in present.
These resources are those resources whose entire quantity are known. Example: Coal deposits in
Ruhr region of Germany.
3. Give a comparative study of Human-made resource and Human Resource?
Human Made Resources: Human-made resources are those resources which are created
from its original form by the human to produce valuable things. People use natural resources to
make buildings, bridges, roads, machinery and vehicles. Technology is also an example of a human-
made resource.
Human Resources: Human resources refers to the number and abilities of the people. Human have
used their knowledge, skill, intelligence and technology to change the natural material into a
valuable product or thing. Education and health help in making people a valuable resource.
Improving the quality of people's skill so that they are able to create more resources is known as
human resource development.
4. Give a brief description on the classification of natural resources.
Natural resources are broadly classified into four divisions: (i) On the basis of level of development
and use.
(ii) On the basis of origin.
(iii) On the basis of stock.
(iv) On the basis of distribution.
(i) On the basis of level of development and use: Natural resources are divided into two sub-divisions
that is actual resources and potential resources.

(a) Actual resources: Actual resources are those resources whose quantity is known and is used in
the present.
(b) Potential resources: Potential resources are those resources whose entire quantity may not be
known and these are not being used at present. These resources may be used in the future
sometimes.
(ii) On the basis of origin: On the basis of their origin, the natural resources can be biotic or abiotic.
reproduce.
(a) Biotic resources: Biotic resources include all the living resources and can
(b) Abiotic resources: Abiotic resources are non-living resources and they cannot
be reproduce.
(iii) On the basis of stock: On the basis of stock, natural resources are of two types:
renewable resources and non-renewable resources.
(a) Renewable resources: It can be used endlessly, as it is renewed or
replenished quickly. Some of these are unlimited and are not affected by human activities. (b) Non-
renewable resources: These resources are limited in stock. Once they
end up, then they cannot be replenished in a short period of time. It takes thousands of years to be
renewed or replenished.
(iv) On the basis of distribution: On the basis of distribution natural resources can be ubiquitous or
localised.
(a) Ubiquitous resources: These resources are available everywhere on the earth like the air we
breathe.
(b) Localised resources: These resources are found only in certain places on the earth like copper
and iron-ore.
5. Which two important factors can change substances into resources?
(i) Time and technology are two important factors that can change substances into resources.
(ii) Both are related to the needs of the people.
(iii) People themselves are the most important resource.
(iv) It is their ideas, knowledge, inventions and discoveries that lead to the creation of
more resources.
(v) Each discovery or invention leads to many others.