Q. 1. Give examples of abiotic resources?
Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and
Ans. Rocks, Minerals, etc.
Q. 2. In which type of energy is the state of
Rajasthan rich?
Ans. Wind energy and solar energy
Q. 3. Which cold desert is relatively isolated
from the rest of the country?
Ans. Ladakh
Q. 4. What are resources which are found in
a region but have not been utilised called?
Ans. Potential Resources
Q. 5. Which resources are surveyed and
determined on the basis of their quantity and Ans. Regur soil
quality for utilisation?
Ans. Developed Resources
Q. 6. Which relief features of India has 30
percent of the total surface area of country? Madhya Pradesh
Ans. Mountain
Q. 7. Give examples of biotic resources?
Ans. Human beings, Flora and fauna, etc.
Q. 8. Which regions of India have well
developed terrace farming?
Ans. Western and Central Himalayas
Q. 9. Which soil types is made up of lava
flows?
Ans. Black soil
Q. 10. In which states has mining caused
severe land degradation?
Ans.
Madhya Pradesh
Q. 11. What is the percentage share of plains
in the total land area?
Ans. 43%
Q. 12. What is the main cause of land
degradation in Punjab?
Ans. Over Irrigation
Q. 13. In which states is black soil found?
Ans. Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya
Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
Q. 14. Which soil is ideal for growing cotton?
Q. 15. In which states overgrazing is
responsible for land degradation?
Ans. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and
Q. 16. Which soil is known as regur soil?
Ans. Black soil
Q. 17. In which states laterite soil is found?
Ans. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya
Pradesh and hilly areas of Assam
Q. 18. Which soil type is the result of intense
leaching due to heavy rainfall?
Ans. Laterite soil
Q. 19. Name the land with deep channels that
is unfit for cultivation.
Ans. Ravines or bad land
Q. 20 ‘Laterite’ has been derived from which Q. 25. What are the three stages of resource
word and what is its meaning ? planning in India?
Ans. Laterite has been derived from a latin word
Ans. (i) Identification and inventory of
‘later’ which means brick resources across the regions of the country
(ii) Evolving a planning structure endowed with
Q. 21. Which state has the largest area under appropriate skill, technology, and institutional
black soil? setup for implementing resource development
Ans. Maharashtra plans
(iii) Matching the resource development plans
Q. 22. What are the methods of checking soil with national development plans
erosion?
Q. 26. What is meant by the term resource”?
Ans. Afforestation, Strip Cropping, Contour
Ans. Anything in the environment which can
Ploughing, Terrace Farming
satisfy human need, provided it is
technologically accessible, culturally acceptable
Q. 23. Distinguish between stock and
and economically feasible
potential resource. Give one example of
each.
Ans. Q. 27. Explain the types of resources on the
Stock Potential basis of exhaustibility with the help of
They are found in They are found in a examples.
environment region Ans. The types of resources on basis of
They are not They are not exhaustibility are :-
accessed due to lack accessed due to (a) Exhaustible resources:
of technology various reasons (i) They cannot be reproduced once
Eg- Water is a Eg- Gujarat and exhausted
compound of 2 Rajasthan have good (ii) They are limited in nature
inflammable gases-H2 potential for solar (iii) They do not depend on the environment
and O2 ,which are a and wind energy but (iv) Eg- Coal, Petroleum, etc
good source of they are yet to be (b) Non-Exhaustible resources:
energy. But they are developed due to (i) They can be reproduced once exhausted
not used due to lack many reasons (ii) They are unlimited in nature
of technology (iii) They depend on the environment
(iv) Eg- Water, Solar energy, Wind energy, etc
Q. 24. Gully erosion is common in which
basin? Q. 28. “India’s vast and diverse size is the
Ans. Chambal basin most important resource.” Support the
statement.
Ans. In India, there are regions which are rich in (i) As resources are limited, their planning is
some resources but deficient in other necessary so that we can use them properly and
resources: save them for future
(i) Ladakh is known for its scenery but is (ii) Resources are not only limited but also
deficient in infrastructure, water resources spread over different parts of the country
(ii) Arunachal Pradesh has abundant water (iii) Resource planning is also essential for
resources production of resources and protect them from
(iii) Rajasthan is endowed with solar energy and over exploitation
wind energy
Q. 32. Provide a suitable classification for
Q. 29. Differentiate between Stock and resources on the basis of ownership.
Reserve stating two points of difference. Mention main features of such resources.
Ans. Stock: Materials which have potential to Ans. (i) Individual Resources: Resources
satisfy human need but human do not have which are privately owned against the payment
appropriate technology to access them. of revenue by individuals. e.g., ponds, pasture
Eg- Water is a compound of 2 inflammable lands etc.
gases-H2 and O2, which are a good source of (ii) Community Owned Resources: Resources
energy. But they are not used due to lack of which are accessible to all the members of a
technology community, e.g., picnic spots.
Reserve: These are subsets of stock. They can (iii) National Resources: All the resources
be put into use with existing know-how but their which are present in the political boundaries of
use has not started a nation up to 12 nautical miles in the ocean
from the coast, termed as terrestrial water and
Q. 30. How can you contribute to minimize resources there in belong to the nation.
the pollution? Explain. (iv) International Resources: There are
Ans. (i) Plant more trees international institutions which regulate some
(ii) Using renewable resources like solar energy resource. The oceanic resources beyond 200
and wind energy nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone
(iii) Use public transport instead of private belong to open ocean ocean and no individual
transport country can utilise theses without the
(iv) Save water and electricity concurrence of international institutions.

Q. 31. What is resource planning? Why is
resource planning essential? Explain it with
three reasons.
Ans. Resource planning is a technique or skill
for proper utilization of resources
Q. 33. ‘Indiscriminate use of resources had
led to numerous problems.’ Justify this
statement.
Ans. Resources are vital for human survival and
it was believed that resources are free gift of
nature. The indiscriminate use of resources led
to the following problems :
(a) To satisfy the greed of few individuals,
depletion of resources were continued.
(b) Due to the accumulation of resources in few
hands, the society gets divided into two
segments, i.e., rich and poor.
(c) Indiscriminate use of resources led to
ecological crises, e.g., ozone layer depletion,
land degradation, global warming and
environmental pollution.
Q. 36. Which is the main cause of land
degradation in Gujarat, Rajasthan and
Madhya Pradesh? How can it be checked?
Explain.
Ans. The main cause of land degradation is Over
grazing. Measures to check include :-
(i) Afforestation
(ii) Check on overgrazing
(iii) Planting of shelter belts of plants
(iv) Stabilizing of sand dunes by growing thorny
bushes

Q. 34. State any three physical factors as Q. 37. ‘Land is a natural resource of utmost
well as 3 human factors which determine the importance’. Justify the statement with
use of land in India. appropriate arguments.
Ans. (i) The land use is determined by physical Ans. (i) We live on land, we perform our
factors like topography, climate, soil type economic activities on land, we use it in many
(ii) It is also determined by human factors such ways
as tradition and culture, population density, (ii) It supports natural vegetation, wildlife,
technological capability human life, economic activities, etc.
(iii) Land is an asset on a finite magnitude
Q. 35. Distinguish between red soil and
laterite soil stating any three points of Q. 38. List some features of “regur” soil.
distinction. Ans. (i) Regur soil is also known as black soil
Ans. (ii) It is good for growing cotton, so it is called
Red soil Laterite soil black cotton soil
Red soil develop on Laterite soil are (iii) It can hold moisture and is sticky when wet
crystalline igneous formed due to
(iv) It is made up of extremely fine clayey
rocks intensive leaching of
particles
soil
They are found in They are found in (v) It develops cracks during summer
areas of low rainfall areas of high rainfall (vi) It is rich in minerals like calcium carbonate,
and high temperature potash, magnesium and lime
Red soils are found in Laterite soil are found
parts of Odisha and in Karnataka, Kerala Q. 39. Distinguish between Khadar and
Chhattisgarh and hilly areas of Bangar soils ?
Odisha and Assam Ans.
Khadar Bangar
 New alluvial Old alluvial erosion. Explain the two types of soil erosion
It has more fine It has less fine mostly observed in India?
particles particles Ans. Human activities which led to soil erosions
More fertile Less fertile are deforestation, mining, overgrazing, etc.
Less kankar deposits More kankar deposits Types of soil erosion:
(i) Sheet erosion: Water flows as sheet over a
Q. 40. Which geographical factors are large area of land down the slope, it washes the
responsible for the evolution of black soil? top layer of soil. It is called sheet erosion
Why is it considered the most suitable for (ii) Gullies: Running water cuts through the
clayey soil and make gullies. The unfit land
growing cotton?
caused by gullies are called ravines or bad land
Ans. The climatic condition along with the
nature of parent rock are responsible for Q. 43. Define the following terms:
evolution of black soil (a) Current fallow land
Black soil is considered suitable for growing (b) Other than current fallow
cotton as : (c) Culturable waste land
(i) Deep cracks help in proper aeration Ans. (a) Current fallow land is the land that is
(ii) It is rich in calcium carbonate, potash, lime left uncultivated for less than 1 agricultural year
and magnesium (b) Other than current fallow is the land left
(iii) It has good capacity to hold moisture uncultivated for 1 to 5 agricultural years
(c) Culturable waste land is the land that is left
Q. 41. Explain 5 factors for soil formation. uncultivated more than 5 agricultural years
Ans. (i) Parent rock is the first factor that
provides basic material for formation of soil Q. 44. Describe any five distinct
characteristics of ‘Arid soils’.
(ii) Climate breaks the parent rock into small
Ans. (i) It is red to brown in colour
pieces
(ii) It is sandy in texture
(iii) Plant and animals helps in the weathering of
(iii) Evaporation is faster, soil lacks moisture
rocks slowly but continuously and humus content
(iv) Various forces of nature such as change in (iv) There is increasing kankar particles
temperature, action of running water, etc. downward
contribute to formation of soil (v) It is saline in nature
(v) Chemical and organic changes take place in
the soil Q. 45. Why is soil considered as a resource?
Explain with five arguments.
Q. 42. Mention any two human activities Ans. (i) Soil is considered as a resource as it is
which are responsible for the process of soil used to satisfy our needs
(ii) It is most important renewable resource
(iii) It is medium of plant growth
(iv) It supports all organisms on earth
(v) It is base of our life
Q. 46. What type of soil is found in the river
deltas of the eastern coast? Give four main
features of this type of soil.
Ans. Alluvial soil is found in the river deltas of
eastern coast. Features:
(i) It is highly fertile
(ii) It is rich in phosphoric acid, potash, lime but
deficient in organic matter
(iii) It has various proportions of sand, silt and
clay
(iv) It is formed by deposition of material
brought down by Himalayan rivers
(v) It supports variety of crop like paddy,
sugarcane, etc.
Q. 47. Explain any three human activities
responsible for land degradation in India.
Ans. (a) Mining: Mining sites are abandoned
after excavation work is complete leaving deep
scars in states such as Jharkhand,
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
Deforestation due to mining has caused severe
land degradation.
(b) Over irrigation: Over irrigation in the states
of Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, has
caused water logging and increase in salinity of
soil.
(c) Overgrazing: Overgrazing in states such as
Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra is a huge cause due to cattle
population.
(d) Industries: Mineral processing industry like
grinding of limestone for cement industry and
calcite and soapstone for ceramic industry
generate huge quantity of dust, this retards the
process of infiltration of water into the soil.
(e) Industrial Waste: Industrial effluents also
have become a major source of land
degradation.
Q. 48. Suggest any three methods of soil
conservation suitable to Indian conditions.
Ans. Methods of soil conservation:
(a) Ploughing along the contour lines can
decrease the speed of water flow down the
slopes.
(b) Step or terrace cultivation on slopes
restricts erosion. Western and Central
Himalayas have well-developed terrace farming.
(c) In strip cropping large fields can be divided
into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow
between the crops. This breaks up the force of
the wind.
(d) In Shelter Belt Plantation Trees are planted
in rows. These shelter belts have led to the
stabilisation of sand dunes and in stabilising the
desert in western India.
Q. 49. What are the main advantages of
India’s land under a variety of relief
features?
Ans. India has land under a variety of relief
features namely; mountains, plateau, plains and
islands.
(a) 43% Land is plain: provides facilities for
agriculture and industry.
(b) 30% Land is mountainous: provides
facilities for tourism and ecological aspects.
(c) Plateau (27%): possesses rich reserves of
minerals, fossil fuels and forests.