GSEB Solutions Class 10 Social Science

Chapter 8 Natural Resources

September 12, 2020 / By Prasanna
I. Answer the following questions in detail.
Question 1.
What is meant by resource? Describe its usages.
Answer:
Things on which man is dependent which can fulfil his needs and for
which man has the physical and intellectual capacity to utilize them are called
as resources.

Usage of Resources:
(i) Resources as food: The resources obtained from nature feed us. Fruits,
crops, milk and milk products and meat obtained from domestic animals, fish
and other aquatic animals from reservoir, honey prepared by honey bees, etc,
are used as food. Thus, nature serves as a food resource.
(ii) Resource as a source of raw material: Nature gives a large variety of
products from forests. Agro products, wool, hides and meat available from
animals, minerals ores, etc, serve as raw material for many industries.
(iii) Resource as energy resources: Nature gives us coal, petroleum, natural gas,
etc. These resources are used as fuel in industries as well as domestic fuel.
Moreover, elements of nature such as sun, wind, sea waves, tides and ebbs
and waterfalls, etc, are also used in generating energy.

Question 2.
What is meant by soil conservation? State the remedies of soil conservation.
Answer:
Soil conservation refers to the prevention of soil erosion and to maintain its
quality. The most important aspect of soil conservation is to retain the soil
particles at their original place.

Remedies for Soil Conservation (erosion):

1. The roots of the forest cover hold up the soil particles. So, more trees
should be planted.
2. Plant trees in the river gorges and on mountain slopes.
 3. A series of trees should be grown near a desert region to prevent the
winds with more velocity. It will stop the advancing desert.
4. The river floods should be controlled by diverting their flow in other
rivers or in dry river beds.
5. Unrestricted grazing loosens the soil layer on the mountains. Hence, it
should be prevented.
6. Methods like horizontal cultivation, terraced farms, etc, should be
implemented.
7. Humus content should be added to the soil whose fertility is lost.
8. Government, society and the people should work together for soil
conservation.
II. Answer the following questions as directed.
Question 1.
Describe the process of soil formation and state on which basis these Are
classified.
Answer:
Soil is a thin layer on the surface of the earth and is composed of various
elements. The part of the surface of the earth where the vegetation grows is
known as ‘soil’. In other words, the soil is a natural mixture of minerals and
biotic elements which have the capacity to grow and develop vegetation.

Soil formation takes place on the parental material also called parental rocks.
Natural factors like temperature, climate, vegetation, topography, time, etc.,
results into denudation of the flat top portion of rocks. This process results in
the formation of thin layer of small rocks, clay and dust. The humus formed
due to the disintegration or decay of vegetation or insects is added to this thin
layer. These biotic elements play an important role in the development of
vegetation. Together all these form a crust of land or say soil. Soils are
classified on the basis of their colour, climate, parental rocks, structure, humus,
etc.

Question 2.
Write a short note on alluvial soil.
Answer:
Alluvial soil is formed due to the alluvium that the river’s deposits along their
banks. This soil contains potash, phosphoric acid and limestone in large
proportion whereas nitrogen and humus in small proportion. About 43% area
of India is covered with alluvial soil. This soil is found in the northern plain
from the Brahmaputra Valley in the east up to Satluj in the west and in the
delta regions of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rivers. The nitrogen
content of the alluvial soil can be stabilized if crops of pulses are grown in it.
Crops like wheat, paddy, sugarcane, jute, cotton, maize, oilseeds etc can be
grown in this soil.

Question 3.
Write note on black soil.
Answer:
It is believed that black (Regular) soil was formed due to the solidification of
lava spread over large areas during volcanic activity in the Deccan Plateau,
thousands of years ago. So, we can say that rocks and climate played an
important role in the formation of black soil. Black soil is very fertile. It has
good capacity of retaining moisture. Whenever the moisture dries up, the soil
develops fissures and then cracks.

Black or regur soil covers about 15% of the total area of India. It is found in
entire Maharashtra, Western Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and certain
area of Karnataka. In Gujarat, it is found in Surat, Bharuch, Narmada, Vadodara,
Tapi and Dang districts. Black soil contains iron, lime, calcium, potash,
aluminium and magnesium carbonates in more proportion. Crops like cotton,
linseed, mustard, groundnut, tobacco and urad are grown in this soil. The soil
is quite suitable for cultivating cotton and hence is also known as cotton soil.

III. Answer the following questions in brief:

Question 1.
What is soil erosion? State the measures to prevent it.
Answer:
Soil Erosion: When land particles get transferred from one place to another
due to fast-moving air i.e. wind and water, it is called soil erosion.

It takes many years to form the upper layer of soil. When this top layer of soil
erodes due to heavy rain or by stormy wind, the agricultural production on
that soil decreases. Hence, it is extremely important to check that the soil does
not erode. Measures to prevent soil erosion:

1. Control grazing activity on the land.

2. Plantation should be carried out in contour method in sloppy regions.
3. Trees should be planted in fallow land.
 4. Construct check dams on streams.
5. To reduce the speed of the water cultivation should be done very
deeply in the fields.
Question 2.
What is called as Mountain Soil?
Answer:
Mountain Soil: The layer of the mountain soil is very thin and is
underdeveloped. Mountain soil is found in the valley and sloppy regions of
Himalayas at an altitude of about 2700 to 3000 metres. This soil is found in
Assam, Darjeeling, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir. This soil is
found in the regions of pipe and child trees in Himlayas.

Question 3.
Write short note on the Desert Soil.
Answer:
Desert soil is sandy and infertile. It contains more of dissolved minerals and
lacks organic matter. Desert soil is found in areas having arid or semi-arid
climate. This soil is found in Rajasthan, Haryana and Southern Punjab. In
Gujarat, this type of soil is found in Kachchh and some parts of Saurashtra. If
proper irrigation facilities are used, then crops like millet and jowar can be
cultivated in this soil.

IV. Select the correct option and write answer.

Question 1.
The resource available at one or two places in the world is …………..
(a) Universal resource
(b) Common available resource
(c) Rare resource
(d) Solitary resource
Answer:
(d) Solitary resource

Question 2.
Soil information takes place due to …………….. elements of parental rocks.
(a) Weathering and erosion
(b) Transportation and stagnancy
(c) Sequence and non-sequence
(d) Vertical and headwords
Answer:
(a) Weathering and erosion

Question 3.
Which is the other name of Padkhau soil?
(a) Alluvial soil
(b) Laterite soil
(c) Black soil
(d) Red soil
Answer:
(a) Alluvial soil

Question 4.
Recently the soil of India are classified into ………….. types by Indian Council for
Agricultural Research (ICAR).
(a) Seven
(b) Sixteen
(c) Five
(d) Eight.
Answer:
(d) Eight.

Gujarat Board Class 10 Social Science Natural Resources Additional

Important Questions and Answers

I. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Question 1.
Given below is the discussion between students about resources. Which is the
correct statement regarding it?
(a) Meet : Resource is a source.
(b) Preet: Anything which can be used to fulfil the needs of man can be
resource.
(c) Jeet : Resource can only be made by the internal process among nature,
man and culture.
(d) Esha : The quality of uselessness is essential in the natural resource.
Answer:
(b) Preet: Anything which can be used to fulfil the needs of man can be
resource.
Question 2.
Find out which is wrong statement from the following:
(a) Man’s needs are unlimited while natural resources are limited.
(b) In the planning of resource the matters like its judicious use, its
conservation and its reuse are included.
(c) Direct relationship of the word conservation is attached with the lack of
resources.
(d) Conservation of resources means judicious use of resources.
Answer:
(c) Direct relationship of the word conservation is attached with the lack of
resources.

Question 3.
Which one of the following statements is not related with ‘Planning and
Conservation of resources’?
(a) The resources which are limited or renewable should be used only where it
is utmost necessary to use them.
(b) Attempts should be made to develop those resources the quantity of
which can be increased.
(c) The resources which are cheaper and are easily available should be saved
for future use.
(d) Necessary laws should be formed for the Constitution of resources and
should be enforced quickly.
Answer:
(c) The resources which are cheaper and are easily available should be saved
for future use.

Question 4.
Which one of the pairs is incorrect?
(a) Indian Council of Agricultural
Research – ISAR
(b) Alluvial soil – North Indian plains.
(c) Red soil – ferric oxide
(d) Laterite soil – iron oxide
Answer:
(a) Indian Council of Agricultural
Question 5.
Chittorgarh: Red soil; Narmada :
(a) Alluvial soil
(b) Black soil
(c) Laterite soil
(d) Peaty soil
Answer:
(b) Black soil

Question 6.
Which of the following statements is suitable for Red soil?
(a) It contains 19% of the total area of India.
(b) It contains lime, pebbles and carbonate.
(c) It contains more amount of lime, magnesium phosphate, nitrogen and
potash.
(d) Due to presence of iron oxide its colour becomes red and at the bottom it
turns into yellow colour.
Answer:
(a) It contains 19% of the total area of India.

Question 7.
Which of the following statements is for black soil?
(a) It contains 15% of the total area of India.
(b) It is formed due to spreading of the lava from the north.
(c) The role of lava rocks and climate is major in its formation.
(d) It has more moisture retaining power and when moisture dries soil cracks
and fissures are formed.
Answer:
(b) It is formed due to spreading of the lava from the north.

Question 8.
Identify the areas where red soil is found.
(a) Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Banaswada, Bhilwada
(b) Surat, Tapi, Bharuch, Narmada
(c) Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Kashmir
(d) Odisha, West Bengal, Almoda, Tamil Nadu
Answer:
(a) Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Banaswada, Bhilwada
Question 9.
Find out the false statements from the following.
(a) Forest soil is found in Sahyaderi, Eastern Ghats and Tarai region of middle
Himalaya.
(b) Alluvial soil contains less amount of nitrogen and potash.
(c) Black soils cover entire Maharashtra, western Madhya Pradesh, Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka.
(d) Some areas of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab contains desert type of soil.
Answer:
(b) Alluvial soil contains less amount of nitrogen and potash.

Question 10.
Which of the following statements is related to soil erosion?
(a) Transportation of soil particles from one place to another with the help of
natural forces.
(b) Diverting flood water of rivers to till up the dry rivers.
(c) To grow row of trees to stop the winds to the trees near the desert.
(d) Soil erosion is necessary to maintain the quality of soil.
Answer:
(a) Transportation of soil particles from one place to another with the help of
natural forces.

II. Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
When does a thing become resources?
Answer:
When a thing fulfils the human needs, it becomes a resource.

Question 2.
Which characteristics must be there in a resource?
Answer:
There must be two characteristics in a resource:

1. Utility
2. Capability to work.
Question 3.
The resources are made of by interaction of which three things?
Answer:
The resources are made of the interaction of three things – Nature, Man and
Culture.

Question 4.
In how many sections and on what basis are resources classified? .
Answer:
Resources are classified in three sections:

1. On the basis of ownership,

2. On the basis of reavailability,
3. On the basis of distribution centre.
Question 5.
Mention the types of resources classified on the basis of re-availability.
Answer:
The resources are divided into two sections on the basis of re-availability.

1. Renewable resources
2. Non-renewable resources.
Question 6.
Explain the meaning of renewable resources with example.
Answer:
The resources which reproduce themselves as per usage during a specific time
or they are inexhaustible are called renewable resources, e.g. forests, solar
insolation, animals, birds, etc.

Question 7.
What is meant by conservation of resources?
Answer:
Proper planning and rational usage of resources is called conservation of
resources.

Question 8.
Which three things are included in conservation of resources?
Answer:
The following three things are included in conservation of resources.

1. Rational usage
 2. Conservation
3. Re-usage.

Question 9.
What is meant by soil?
Answer:
Generally soil means the upper layer of the surface of the earth where the
vegetation grows. Soil means a thin layer composed of various elements on
the surface of the earth.

Question 10.
In how many types of ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) classified
Indian Soils? Name them.
Answer:
ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) has classified Indian soils into 8
types:

1. Alluvial soil
2. Red soil
3. Black soil
4. Laterite soil
5. Desert soil
6. Mountain soil
7. Forest soil
8. Marshy or Peaty soil.
Question 11.
What is the meaning of soil erosion?
Answer:
Erosion means the transportation of soil particles from one place to another
with the help of natural elements like moving air and water.

Question 12.
What is soil conservation?
Answer:
Soil conservation means to prevent the soil erosion and to maintain its quality.
In short, soil conservation means to retain the soil particles at their original
place.

III. Short Answer with Answers

Question 1.
State the ways in which resources are classified.
Answer:
Resources can be classified in the following ways:

1. On the basis of ownership

2. On the basis of re-availability
3. On the basis of distribution area
4. On the basis of time of their exhaustion i.e. renewable resources and
non-renewable resources.

Question 2.
Classify resources on the basis of ownership.
Answer:
Classification of resources on the basis of ownership can be understood with
the following table:

Ownership Details Examples

1. Individual resource Owned by an individual or a family. Land, building, etc.

2. National resources Owned by a country or a region. Army, international trade

All physical or non-physical resources Resources of common ow

3. Global resource which are used for human welfare. of all nations of the world
Question 3.
Classify resources on the basis of their distribution areas.
Answer:
Classification of resources on the basis of their distribution areas can be
understood with the following table:

According to distribution area Details Examples

1. Universal resources Useful gases in the atmosphere Oxygen, nitrogen

2. Generally available
resource They Eire easily available Land, soil, water, pasture

3. Rare resources Those available at limited places Minerals like coal, petrol
 Minerals available only at one of two Cryolite, which is availab
4. Solitary resources places in the world. in Greenland
Question 4.
Define renewable and non-renewable resources and state their examples.
Answer:
Renewable Resources:
The resources which reproduce themselves as per their usage within a specific
time are called renewable resources or inexhaustible resources. Sunlight, wind,
tidal energy, etc, are such resources.

Non-renewable Resources: Non-renewable resources are those which cannot

be re-used or reproduced within short period of time once they are used.
Minerals, coal, natural gas, petroleum, etc, are examples of such non-
renewable resources.

Question 5.
Give reason – Conservation of resources is necessary.
Answer:
Conservation of resources means proper management of resources. In past,
we have used resources carelessly and without worrying about future
generations. Our resources are very precious and limited. Soon they will get
exhausted. So, we should learn to conserve resources. Conservation means a
judicious and planned use of natural resources. It teaches us to use resources
wisely and save them for future generations. Therefore,in order to conserve
the resources, we should conserve non-renewable sources of energy and make
maximum use of renewable sources of energy.

Question 6.
What is the impact of climate on the type of social formed?
Answer:
Climate plays a very important role in the soil formation. It creates such an
impact that even if the soil of a given region is formed from different types of
rocks, over a long period of time the soil of entire region becomes of same
type.

Question 7.
How is soil classified? State the names of various types of soil.
Answer:
Soil is classified on the basis of its colour, climate, parental rocks, structure,
humus,etc. Recently, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has divided
the types of soil found in India into 8 types. They are:

1. Alluvial soil
2. Red soil
3. Black Soil
4. Laterite Soil
5. Desert Soil
6. Mountain Soil
7. Forest Soil
8. Marshy or Peaty Soil.
Question 8.
Explain red soil briefly.
Answer:
The red soil is red in colour due to the presence of ferric oxide. It becomes
yellow as one goes deep down into the soil. About 19% area of India is
covered with red soil. This soil is spread from Tamil Nadu in the peninsular
India upto Bundelkhand in the north, and from Rajmahal Hills in the east up to
Kachchh in the west. Such soil is found in the districts of Udaipur, Chittorgadh,
Dungarpur, Banaswada & Bhilwada. This soil is deficient in magnesium
phosphate, nitrogen and potash. Moreover, it also does not contain lime,
gravel and carbonate. Crops like millet, cotton, wheat, jowar, linseed,
groundnut, potato, etc, are grown in this soil.

Question 9.
Write a note on marshy or peaty soil.
Answer:
Marshy or Peaty Soil:
This soil develops in humid regions due to the accumulation of biotic
elements. During rainy season, the marshy land gets submerged under water.
This soil has an excess of biotic elements and minerals, but has lesser quantity
of phosphate and potash. The soil is found in a very limited area. It is found in
Odisha, West Bengal, coastal Tamil Nadu, central area of northern Bihar and in
Almoda district of Uttrakhand. When the water recedes, paddy can be grown
in this soil.

Question 10.
The black soil is called self-ploughing soil. Give reason.
Answer:
The black soiLhas the ability to hold moisture for a long time. In the rainy
season, black soil becomes sticky and wet and so it becomes difficult to
plough it. In summer, the upper layer of black soil becomes dry and starts
cracking. Eventually, these cracks become large and deep. Thus, due to such
properties of black soil, it is called self-ploughing.

Question 11.
Black soil is also called soil of cotton. Give reason.
Answer:
Black soil has property to hold moisture for a long time. In the rainy season,
black soil becomes sticky and wet. While in summer, the upper layer of black
soil becomes diy. The soil starts cracking in summer and hence it ploughs itself
naturally. Such soil is favourable for growing cotton. Therefore, black soil is
called soil of cotton.

Question 12.
What is soil conservation? Why is it important to conserve soil?
Answer:
Soil Conservation :
Soil conservation refers to the prevention of soil erosion and to maintain its
quality. The most important aspect of soil conservation is to retain the soil
particles at their original place. Importance of Soil Conservation Soil cannot be
conserved with same methods everywhere. It is based on the location.

Question 13.
What are the factors responsible for soil erosion?
Answer:
Factors responsible for soil erosion:
Heavy rainfall and floods carry away the top layer of the fertile soil. In dry
regions, strong winds cause soil erosion. These winds scatter the particles of
clay and sand from the soil. Farms which are not surrounded by borders or
shelter beds get eroded soon. Soil of region which has less tree cover gets
eroded.

Question 14.
Soil-erosion comes in the way of growing crops. Give reason.
Answer:
Removal of soil from one place to another by some natural agents like wind
and water is known as soil erosion. Due to soil erosion, the soil loses its
fertility. Natural agents like flowing” water or blowing wind remove the top
fertile layer of soil. Moreover, it takes hundreds of years for the formation of
new soil. As a result, crops cannot be grown on such soil and if grown, they
have lesser market, value. Thus, soil erosion comes in the way of growing
crops.

Question 15.
All our activities are land-based. Give reason.
Answer:
Right from agriculture to mining, man does all activities on land. Water, land,
air or gas, vegetation, animals and man are all related to land directly or
indirectly. All human activities are mainly done through lithosphere. Thus, land
is a platform on which man does all economic activities and so land holds the
greatest importance in the biosphere. Land is thus, not only a ‘stage’ for
activity, but also a source to provide raw material for economic activity.

IV. Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What is a resource? When can an element be considered as a resource?
Answer:
Things on which man is dependent which can fulfil his needs and for which
man has the physical and intellectual capacity to utilize them are called as
resources.
Explanation:
There are thousands of elements in the nature but all cannot be called
resources. Only those elements which can be fully utilized by man through his
knowledge, skills and expertise can be called resources. Thus, we can conclude
that anything which can fulfil human needs becomes a resource.

In ancient times, man did not know about the minerals buried within the land,
so these were not considered resources at that time. Today, with development
in science and technology man is able to utilize them in various ways. Hence,
these minerals have become extremely useful resources to him now. From this
discussion, we conclude that an element should have the property of ‘utility’
and ‘capability to work’ in order to be considered as a natural resource. The
resources are formed due to the interactions of the three components namely
‘nature’, ‘man’ and the ‘culture’.
Question 2.
Discuss the need for planning and conservation of resource:
Answer:
Human needs are unlimited while the resources are limited. The use of
resources has increased tremendously during the last 100 years due to
extremely large amount of development in science and technology and
population explosion. There is haphazard and irrational use as well as waste of
resources that too on a very large scale. If we keep on exploiting the resources
this way then soon, they will exhaust and we will not be able to maintain the
development and the current life style.

Looking to these problems and situations it is duty of all to conserve resources

for the future generations. Hence, it is extremely important to plan for the
conservation of resources. When there is a danger of existence on the life of a
tree, a specific bird or animals, environment, etc, the arrangement made for it
is called its conservation. Conservation includes rational usage and re-usage of
resources.

Steps to conserve resources and resource planning:

First of all, it is important to gather information about the availability of
utilized, unutilized and probable resources of any region or a country as a unit.
The resources that are found to be limited or non-renewable should be either
banned or used in a systematic and limited way. Attempts should be made to
develop those resources whose quantity can be increased in nature. Cheap
and easily available resources should also not be wasted.

Instead, they should be used judiciously so that they can last for long. Those
resources which are in limited quantity should be strictly conserved. Research
should be done to find out alternative to such resources. Necessary laws
should be formed for the conservation of resources and should be enforced
strictly. Public should be made aware about the rational usage of resources.

Question 3.
Give reason – Resource planning is very essential for a country.
Answer:
Human needs are unlimited while the resources are limited. The use of
resources has increased tremendously during the last 100 years due to
extremely large amount of development in science and technology and
population explosion. There is a haphazard and irrational use as well as waste
of resources that too on a very large scale. If we keep on exploiting the
resources this way then soon they will exhaust and we will not be able to
maintain the development and the current life style.

Moreover, the economic development of a country depends on the richness,

development and management of its resources. Due to excessive use of
resources, the problem of waste and pollution arises. Wildlife and vegetation
also gets disturbed largely. Thus, in order to reduce wastage, it is very
important to keep the environment clean and secure our future resources.

Question 4.
Write a note on laterite soil and forest soil.
Answer:
Laterite Soil

The name laterite soil is derived from the Latin word ‘later’ which means ‘a
brick’. This soil is red in colour due to presence of iron oxide in it. When this
soil becomes wet, it becomes smooth like butter and when it gets dry it
becomes very hard. This soil . is formed due to the change in dry and moist
climate and due to the leaching of silica. The soil is deficient in silica because
silica gets leached out when water passes from this soil continuously. This soil
is found in the higher area of peninsular plateau in states like Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, etc. The soil contains more of iron, potash and
aluminium. Red soil is less fertile, but cotton, paddy, ragi, sugarcane, tea,
coffee, cashew etc, can be grown after using fertilizers.

Forest Soil:
The surface of the forest land is covered with the shaded leaves of the trees.
These leaves decay and form humus which in turn makes the upper part of the
forest soil black. The soil is blue or red coloured while going down within the
land. The soil is found in limited area only. It is found within the altitude
between 3000 metres to 3100 metres in the coniferous forests of Himalayas
and in Sahyadri, Eastern Ghats and the Terai region of Himalayas. Tea, coffee,
spices and other crops like wheat, maize, barley, paddy, etc. are grown in
forest soil.
V. Fill in the blanks
1. ……………. are classified on the basis of their colour climate, parenteral rocks,
structure and humus, etc.
2. Alluvial soil contains about ……………… of total surface area of India.
3. The red colour of red soil is due to ………………. in it.
4. Black soil is formed due to the spreading of Deccan ……………. .
5. In the formation of ……………… the role of lava rocks and climate is important.
Answer:
1. Soils
2. 43%
3. ferric oxide
4. lava
5. black soil

VI. Answer in one word

Question 1.
What type of the resource is natural gas?
Answer:
Universal.

Question 2.
What type of the soil do Northern plains have?
Answer:
Alluvial.

Question 3.
What type of the soil is found in Udaipur?
Answer:
Red.

Question 4.
What type of the soil is found in Maharashtra?
Answer:
Black.

Question 5.
What is another name of padkhau soil?
Answer:
Laterite.
VII. Map-based Question
on an outline map of India show the major soil types.

VIII. Identify me:

1. I am also known as laterite soil.
2. I am also known as black soil.
3. I am considered as rare resource.
4. I am the soil situated in Vadodara District.
5. I am known as renewable resource.
Answer:
1.Padkhau soil
2. Regur
3. Uranium
4. Black
5. Sunlight

IX. Write whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Resource is a source.
2. Biogas is a renewable resource.
3. Necessities of man are limited while natural resources are unlimited.
4. Conservation of resources means reasonable use of resources.
5. The relation of reservation is directly connected with the demand of
resources.
Answer:
1. True
2.True
3.False,
4. True
5. (False)

X. Match the following

Answer:
1. (d) 2. (c) 3. (b) 4. (a)