CPP - Solved FIITJEE Resources & Development

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1. Write a short note on ‘Conservation of soil’.

Ans. A. Afforestation or planting of trees in large numbers checks the process of soil
erosion. It will be more useful to plant trees on hill-slopes and uncultivated land. This
also prevents erosion caused by the wind.

B, Construction of terraces on hill-slopes will check gully erosion. As such the soil will
be saved from being eroded.

C. Construction of check-dams on hill slopes will help in the utilization of the water
flow for irrigational purposes in a better way. These dams will further prevent the
spread of gullies.

D. Soil erosion can also be reduced by reduced by reducing pressure of grazing,

especially on hill tops.

2. Distinguish between ‘Regur Soils’ and ‘Laterite Soils’.

Ans. Regur Soils are deposits of lava sheets and are black in colour. They are also called
cotton soils because they are useful for growing cotton. They are made of very fine
material. They are rich in calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, potash and lime
but, they are poor in phosphorus. They can hold moisture, but they develop deep
cracks in hot weather. These soils are sticky and are sown soon after the first pre-
monsoon showers.

Lateritre soils are commonly found in the hilly or flat uplands. These soils have a
surface layer of a red hard crush. They are formed due to intense leaching owing to
heavy tropical rains. Some of these soils also contain larger reserves of bauxite and
aluminium oxide. These soils are poor and support only pastures and scrub forests.
They are, however, suitable for tree plantation.

3. Distinguish between Reusable and Non Reusable resources.

Ans. Reusable Resources – They are those resources which can be used over and over
again. Solar and tidal energy, wind and water are some reusable resources because
they can be used over and over again.

Non reusable Resources – Resources which once used cannot be used again are
called non reusable resources. Mineral oil, gas, coal are all some non reusable
resources because after using them once we cannot use them again.

4. Write two characteristics each of ‘Khadar’ and ‘Bangar’.

Ans. Characteristics of Khadar or New Alluvium. (1) It belongs to the category of new
alluvium or new soil. (2) It is a very fertile soil.

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 Characteristics of Bangar or Old Alluvium. (1) It belongs to the category of old
alluvium or old soil. (2) It often contains Kankar nodules with calcium carbonates in
the sub-soil, so it is not so fertile.

5. Distinguish between: Sheet Erosion and Gully Erosion.

Ans. Sheet Erosion – When water flows as a sheet down a slope and as a result, the top
part of the land is washed away, such as erosion is called sheet erosion.

Gully Erosion – When the running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes
deep channels as gullies, then such an erosion is called gully erosion. The Chambal
ravines are the result of such gully erosion.

6. On the basis of ownership how resources can be classified?

Ans. On the basis of ownership the resources can be divided into four categories which
are the following: Individual, community-owned, national and international.

One Main Feature of Each.

(1) Individual Resources. They are those which are owned by private individuals.
Self owned houses and land are some examples of individual resources.

(2) Community-owned Resources. – They are accessible to all members of the

community. Burial grounds, parks etc. are community based resources.

(3) National Resources. All the resources within the boundaries of a country are
called national resources. Minerals, roads, rails within the boundary of a country are
national resources.

(4) International Resources. These resources belong to all the countries of the
world. They are controlled by international institutions. Air, Water, seas and oceans
beyond a certain limit are some such resources which are international in nature.

7. Distinguish between the Renewable and Non – Renewable Resources.

OR

Classify resources, on the basis of exhaustibility in two groups. Mention three

characteristics of each.

Ans. Renewable Resources

1. They are those sources which may be obtained continuously year after year for the
satisfaction of human needs, such as land, water and plants

2. These resources do not exhaust

3. They have the capacity to regenerate themselves

4. Water. Agriculture, fish and trees are some examples of replenish able resources.

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 Non-Renewable Resources.

1. These resources are those which once mined and used cannot be regenerated.

2. Such non-replenish able once they are mined and used, cannot be renewed.

3. In fact, all minerals resources are limited in quantity, which can neither be
increased nor renewed.

4. Coal, minerals oil, iron ore are non replenish able resources.

8. Distinguish between: Natural Resources and Cultural Resources.

Ans. Natural Resources – Resources which are provided to us by nature are called
natural resources some such resources are those of land, water, minerals and
forests etc.

Cultural Resources – Resources created by humans are called cultural resources.

Science and technology, engineering, machines, buildings, monuments, paintings as
well as social institutions like associations, families etc. are all cultural resources.

Without the human resources, the natural resources cannot be put to any beneficial
use. Minerals hidden under the earth become a resource when men big them up and
make use of them.

9. Explain any four human activities which are mainly responsible for land degradation
in India?

OR

How is man responsible for the degradation of land?

Ans. But man’s responsibility in rendering the land waste or his part in the degradation of
the land is far more than that of the Nature.

(i) Firstly, by cutting the trees indiscriminately, he turns the land into wasteland. If
there are not trees then there are no rains and if there are no rains the land is
automatically degraded.

(ii) Secondly, his indiscriminate building activities not only swallow the land but they
also render the surrounding land degraded.

(iii) Thirdly, the dirty and poisonous effluents of his factories which go on collecting in
the surrounding areas completely degrade lands and render them waste.

(iv) Not only this, the dumping of city waste on any land completely leads to its
degradation.

10. How is nature responsible for the degradation of land?

Ans. As far as Nature is concerned, torrential rains and storms play havoc with land
especially by taking away the upper layer of the land called solid by their
ferociousness. In a more or less, levelled lad, the rains take away the soil cover with

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 its water and render the land waste. This is called the sheet erosion. But is
mountainous areas, the rain water with its great speed cuts the land deep and make
gullies. It is called the gully erosion. Sometimes, winds also play havoc when it takes
away soft grains of the earth with it thereby rendering the land waste. Sometimes
when they take away particles of sand to far off places, they render the fertile lands
into wastelands. Such a degradation of land due to expansion of deserts is posing a
great danger to those states which are situated close to deserts.

11. What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas?

Ans. 1. Contour Ploughing – By this method, the fields are ploughed, harrowed and
sown along the natural contour of the hills instead, of up and down the slopes. This
prevents the rain water from flowing down the hill. It stands in the level furrows and
soaks into the ground, so the plants receive more water. This is suitable for a
forestation and grassland development work.

2. Terracing – By this method, a series of wide steps are made along the slope
following the contours. This method is very common in Asian Countries in regions of
rice cultivation.

3. Trip Cropping – In this method, cover crops, such as grasses and small grains
are planted alternatively with cultivated crops. These cover crops, absorb the
moisture and hold the surface soil together.

12. What is soil Erosion? Mention two main causes of it.

Ans. Removal of soil, especially of top soil, either naturally or as a result of human activity
is called soil erosion. Soil erosion is caused by running water or wind. Running water
takes away the upper layer of the soil with it and leaves the land quite barren.
Similarly, winds when they blow at a great speed take away with them the soil
particles. This action is most significant in dry and desert areas where they carry with
them top soils and deposit them in other areas. Sometime human action like over
grazing also leads to soil erosion and the removal of upper layer of the soil.

Soil erosion renders the land infertile and creates a lot of problems for the farmers.
They are not able to grow crops and are rendered poorer day by day. The country
also suffers because of the infertility caused by soil erosion.

13. Given the importance of soil. Explain any three factors responsible for soil formation.

Ans. Importance of soil – It is perhaps the most important renewable resource. It is the
source of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on this land.

Factors Responsible for Soil Formation.

1. The parent rock is the first factor which provides the basic material for the
formation of soils.

2. The second factor is the climate which breaks the parent rock into smaller pieces
in so many ways.

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 3. The third factor is the plant and animal organisms which enter the rocks through
many fissures and holes in the rocks and help in the weathering of the rocks slowly
but continuously.

14. What can be the harmful result of indiscriminate due of resources?

Ans. The indiscriminate use of resources is self suicidal and very disastrous for us in a
number of ways:

1. To meet the greed of few individuals, the resources will be depleted at a rapid
speed.

2. The accumulation of resources in few hands would divide the society into haves
and have-nots or the rich and the poor, which would be quite unjust and dangerous
for the harmonious development of the society.

3. Indiscriminate use of resources would lead to global crisis such as depletion of

ozone layers pollution of the environment, land degradation and global warming.

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