Chapter 1 – Resources

Page No 6:

Question 1:

Answer the following questions.

(i) Why are resources distributed unequally over the Earth?

(ii) What is resource conservation?

(iii) Why are human resources important?

(iv) What is sustainable development?

Answer:

(i) The distribution of resources depends upon a number of physical factors like terrain, climate and altitude. Since these factors differ so much over the Earth, the distribution of resources is unequal.

(ii) Using resources carefully and giving them time to get renewed is called resource conservation.

(iii) People can make the best use of nature to create more resources when they have the knowledge, skill and technology to do so. This is why human beings are a special resource. It is the abilities of human beings which help in transferring a physical material into a valuable resource. Hence, human resources are important.

(iv) Balancing the need to use resources and also conserving them for the future is called sustainable development.

In other words, sustainable development means utilising resources in such a manner that not only are the present requirements met but also the needs of the future generations are taken care of.

Question 2:

Tick the correct answer.

(i) Which one of the following does not make a substance a resource?

(a) Utility

(b) Value

(c) Quantity

(ii) Which one of the following is a human-made resource?

(a) Medicines to treat cancer

(b) Spring water

(c) Tropical forests

(iii) Biotic resources are

(a) Derived from living things

(b) Made by human beings

(c) Derived from non-living things

Answer:

(i) Which one of the following does not make a substance a resource?

(a) Utility

(b) Value

(c) Quantity

(ii) Which one of the following is a human-made resource?

(a) Medicines to treat cancer

(b) Spring water

(c) Tropical forests

(iii) Biotic resources are

(a) Derived from living things

(b) Made by human beings

(c) Derived from non-living things

Question 3:

Differentiate between the following.

(a) Potential and actual resources

(b) Ubiquitous and localised resources

Answer:

(a)

Potential resource	Actual resource
A resource whose entire quantity is not known	A resource whose quantity is known
Not being used at present, but could be used in the future	Being used in the present
The present level of technology is not advanced enough to utilise it	The present level of technology is advanced enough to utilise it
Example: The uranium found in Ladakh, which could be used in the future	Example: The dark soils of the Deccan plateau in Maharashtra

(b)

Ubiquitous resource	Localised resource
A resource which is found everywhere	A resource which is found only in certain places
Example: The air we breathe	Example: Copper

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