Resources

Resources- Class-8

I. Very short answer and questions

1. What are non-renewable resources?
Answer: Non-renewable resources are those which have a limited
stock.

2. How does something become a resource?

Answer: Things become resources only when they have a value. “Its
use or utility gives it a value. All resources have some value.

3. What is a patent?
Answer: Patent means the exclusive right over any idea or invention.

4. What do you mean by stock of resource?

Answer: Stock of resource is the amount of resources available for
use.

5. What is utility?
Answer: If a substance can be used in any way, it is said to have a
utility.

6. How are resources classified based on their origin?

Answer: Based on the origin, resources can be classified as abiotic or
biotic.

7. What makes a substance a resource?

Or
How does something become a resource?
Answer: Utility or usability is what makes an object or substance a
resource.

8. Why is air a ubiquitous resource?

Answer: Air is a ubiquitous resource because air we breathe is found
everywhere.

9. What are renewable resources?

Answer: Renewable resources are those which get renewed or
replenished quickly.

10. How are resources classified according to their distribution?

Answer: On the basis of their distribution resources can be ubiquitous
or localised.
11. How are resources classified broadly?
Answer: Resources are generally classified into natural, human made
and human.

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12. What is technology?

Answer: Technology is the application of latest knowledge and skill in
doing or making things.

13. Name some natural resources.

Answer: The air we breathe, the water in our rivers and lakes, the
soils, minerals are all natural resources.

14. What are natural resources?

Answer: Resources that are drawn from nature and used without
much modification is called natural resources.

15. What is resource conservation?

Answer: Using resources carefully and giving them time to get
renewed is called resource conservation.

16. What is sustainable development?

Answer: Balancing the need to use resources and also conserve them
for the future is called sustainable development.

17. How are human-made resources different from natural

resources?
Answer: Human-made resources have been created by human beings,
whereas natural resources are provided by nature.

18. What is the condition for a substance to be called a

resource?
Answer: A substance needs to have some utility to be called a
resource.

19. What is the name given to the type of resources that have
limited stock?
Answer: The resources having limited stock are called non-renewable
resources.

II. Short Type Answer Questions

1. What is a Human Resource?
Answer: Human Resource refers to the number (quantity) and abilities
(mental and physical) of the people.

2. How natural resources are classified?

Answer: Natural resources are classified into renewable and non-
renewable resources.

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3. How are resources classified according to their development

and use?
Answer: On the basis of their development and use resources can be
classified into two groups, actual resources and potential resources.

4. What is human resource development?

Answer: Improving the quality of people’s skills so that they are able
to create more resources is known as human resource development.

5. What are the physical factors that affect the distribution of

natural resources?
Answer: The distribution of natural resources depends upon number
of physical factors like terrain, climate and altitude.

6. Write a note on renewable resources.

Answer:

 Renewable resources are those which get renewed or

replenished quickly.
 Some of these are unlimited and are not affected by human
activities, such as solar and wind energy.
 Yet careless use of certain renewable resources like water, soil
and forest can affect their stock.
 Water seems to be an unlimited renewable resource. But
shortage and drying up of natural water sources is a major
problem in many parts of the world today

7. Write a note on non-renewable resources.

Answer: Non-renewable resources are those which have a limited

stock. Once the stocks are exhausted it may take thousands of years
to be renewed or replenished. Since this period is much more than
human life spans such resources are considered non-renewable.
Coal, petroleum and natural gas are some examples.

8. Why are resources distributed unequally over the earth?

Answer: The distribution of natural resources depends upon number

of physical factors like terrain, climate and altitude. The distribution of
resources is unequal because these factors differ so much over the
earth.

9. Why are human resources important?

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Answer: Human resources are important because people can make

the best use of nature to create more resources by applying
knowledge, skill and the technology.

10. Write a note on human made resources.

Answer:

 Sometimes, natural substances become resources only when their

original form has been changed.
 Iron ore was not a resource until people learnt to extract iron from
it.
 People use natural resources to make buildings, bridges, roads,
machinery and vehicles, which are known as human made
resources.
 Technology is also a human made resource.

11. Why are people considered as a resource?

Answer: People are considered a resource because people can make
the best use of nature to create more resources when they have the
knowledge, skill and the technology to do so. That is why human
beings are a special resource. People are human resources. Education
and health help in making people a valuable resource.

12. Mention how stock of certain renewable resources may get

affected by overuse.
Or
Why certain renewable resources need to be used judiciously?
Answer: Careless use of certain renewable resources like water, soil
and forest can affect their stock. Water seems to be an unlimited
renewable resource. But shortage and drying up of natural water
sources is a major problem in many parts of the world today.

III. Long Type Answer Questions

1. Differentiate between abiotic and biotic resources.
Answer:

Abiotic Resources Biotic Resources

Abiotic resources are non-living. Biotic resources are living.

Soils, rocks and minerals are abiotic Plants and animals are biotic
resources. resources.

2. Mention our duty to maintain and preserve the life support

system that nature provides us.
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Answer: The future of our planet and its people is linked with our
ability to maintain and preserve the life support system that nature
provides. Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that.

 all uses of renewable resources are sustainable

 the diversity of life on the earth is conserved
 the damage to natural environmental system is minimised.

3. What is the significance of time and technology in making a

substance a resource?
Answer: Time and technology are two important factors that can
change substances into resources. Each discovery or invention leads
to many others. The discovery of fire led to the practice of cooking
and other processes while the invention of the wheel ultimately
resulted in development of newer modes of transport. The
technology to create hydroelectricity has turned energy in fast
flowing water into an important resource.
4. Write the basic principles of sustainable development.
Answer: Some Principles of Sustainable Development

 Respect and care for all forms of life.

 Improve the quality of human life.
 Conserve the earth’s vitality and diversity.
 Minimise the depletion of natural resources.
 Change personal attitude and practices toward the environment.
 Enable communities to care for their own environment.

5. Differentiate between natural resources and human made

resources.

Answer:

Natural Resources Human Made Resources

1. Resources that are drawn 1. People use natural resources to

from nature and used without make buildings, bridges, roads,
much modification are called machinery and vehicles, which are
natural resources. known as human made resources.

2. Many of these resources are 2. Sometimes, natural substances

free gifts of nature and can be become resources only when their
used directly. original form has been changed.

3. The air we breathe, the water 3. Technology is a human made

in our rivers and lakes, the soils, resource.
minerals are all natural
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resources.

6. Explain the terms of resource conservation and sustainable

development.
Answer:
Resource conservation is the concept of using resources carefully so
that they do not end up quickly. The future generations also need the
resources, but if we keep using them at a fast pace, they may end up,
thus posing problems for the future. We should use resources in such a
balanced way that we satisfy our needs as well as conserve them for
the future. This concept is called sustainable development.

7. Explain how resources are classified broadly.

Answer:Resources are broadly classified into natural, human-made
and human.

 Natural resources are those that are taken from nature. They
are used without modifying them, i.e. in the same form as they
exist in. Rivers, lakes, air, soils, minerals, trees, mountains, etc.
are natural resources.
 Human-made resources have not been provided to us by
nature. Human beings have used their intelligence to
manufacture them for their own use. Examples include
vehicles, buildings, roads, telephones, etc.

Human resources include people who serve us in any way. A
teacher, doctor, carpenter, cobbler, etc. are human resources.

8. Write a short note on the significance of time and technology

in making a substance a resource.
Answer:

 Time and technology are important factors in making

substances resources.
 With time, technology develops.
 As technology develops, we begin to discover new ways to
make life better.
 In this process, certain substances which were useless to us
earlier become useful.
 An invention and discovery give us new resources.
 An example is hydroelectricity. This technology has made water
a source of electricity.

IV. Fill in the blanks:

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1. Peoples ____, _____, _____ and _____ that lead to the creation of more
resources.(ideas, knowledge, invention, discoveries)
2. ____________ is what makes an object or substance a resource.
(Utility or usability)
3. All resources have some _____.(value)
4. Some resources can become economically valuable with _____.
(time)
5. _____ means the exclusive right over any idea or invention. ( Patent)
6. ______and ______ are two important factors that can change
substances into resources. (Time, technology)
7. In some cases____ and____ may be needed to use a natural resource
in the best possible way. (Tools, technology)
8. __________ is human made resource. (Technology)
9. _____________ refers to the number (quantity) and abilities (mental
and physical) of the people. (Human Resource)