CBSE Class 10 Social Science Minerals and Energy Resources HOTS Question Set 01

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)

Question 1. “Minerals are an indispensable part of our lives.” Support this statement with suitable examples.
Answer:
Almost everything we use, from a tiny pin to a towering building or a big ship, is made from minerals.
The railway lines and tarmac (paving) of roads are made from minerals.
Cars, buses, trains and aeroplanes are manufactured from minerals and run on power resources derived from the earth.
Even the food that we eat contains minerals.
In all stages of development, human beings have used minerals for their livelihood, decoration, festivities, religions and ceremonial rites.

Teacher's Note:
a) Minerals are used in everything from everyday objects to transport and infrastructure.
b) Human reliance on minerals spans livelihood, culture and even diet.

Question 2. Which type of mineral has provided a strong base for the development of metallurgical industries in India? Explain with the help of examples.
Answer:
Iron ore provides a strong base for the development of metallurgical industries in India; it is the basic mineral and the backbone of industrial development.
Manganese is mainly used in the manufacturing of steel and ferro-manganese alloy; nearly 10 kg of manganese is required to manufacture one tonne of steel.
Aluminium (from bauxite) is an important metal because it combines the strength of metals such as iron with extreme lightness, good conductivity and great malleability.
Copper is a good conductor of heat and is therefore used for electric wires; it is also used in the metallurgical industry.

Teacher's Note:
a) Iron ore is the backbone mineral of India's metallurgical industries.
b) Manganese, aluminium and copper each support different specific industrial uses.

Question 3. “India is fortunate to have fairly rich and varied mineral resources.” Elaborate the statement.
Answer:
India is endowed with fairly abundant resources of iron ore; iron ore from the mines of Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur is exported to Japan and South Korea via Visakhapatnam Port.
Coal is the most abundantly available fossil fuel; bituminous coal, the most popular coal in commercial use, is abundantly available in India.
By exporting these minerals, India is able to earn foreign exchange.
Mica is also abundantly available in India; due to its excellent dielectric strength, low power-loss factor, insulating properties and resistance to high voltage, mica is one of the most indispensable minerals used in electrical and electronic industries.

Teacher's Note:
a) India's mineral wealth spans iron ore, coal and mica.
b) These minerals are both used domestically and exported for foreign exchange.

Question 4. Which is the basic mineral that is the backbone of industrial development? What is the status of iron ore in India?
Answer:
Iron ore is the basic mineral and is the backbone of industrial development.
India is endowed with fairly abundant resources of iron ore, and is rich in good quality iron ores.
Magnetite is the finest ore, with a very high iron content of up to 70 per cent, and has excellent magnetic qualities, especially valuable in electrical industries.
Haematite ore is the most important industrial iron ore in terms of quantity used, but has a slightly lower iron content than magnetite (50-60 per cent).

Teacher's Note:
a) Iron ore underpins all of India's industrial development.
b) Magnetite has the highest iron content; haematite is used in the largest quantity.

Question 5. Which is the second most important energy resource in India after coal? Mention its two uses along with its deposits in India.
Answer:
Petroleum (mineral oil) is the second most important energy resource in India after coal.
Two uses: it provides fuel for heat and lighting and lubricants for machinery, and serves as a raw material for a number of manufacturing industries.
Petroleum refineries act as a 'nodal industry' for synthetic textiles, fertiliser and numerous chemical industries.
Deposits: 63 per cent of India's petroleum production is from Mumbai High, 18 per cent from Gujarat and 16 per cent from Assam.
Ankleshwar is the most important offshore field of Gujarat, and Assam is the oldest oil-producing state of India, with Digboi, Naharkatia and Moran-Hugrijan as important oilfields.

Teacher's Note:
a) Petroleum ranks second to coal as an energy resource.
b) Mumbai High is India's single largest source of petroleum production.

Question 6. Distinguish between Biogas and Natural Gas.
Answer:
Biogas is a man-made energy resource; natural gas is a natural resource.
Biogas is prepared from shrubs, farm waste, and animal and human waste; natural gas is found beneath the earth, usually above oil deposits.
Biogas is produced for domestic use; natural gas is basically used in industries as a raw material.
Biogas is the most efficient use of cow dung and farm/animal waste; Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), an environment-friendly fuel, is gaining popularity in India.

Teacher's Note:
a) Biogas is man-made from organic waste; natural gas is a naturally occurring fossil resource.
b) Biogas serves rural domestic needs, while CNG (from natural gas) is increasingly used as vehicle fuel.

Question 7. Why is there a pressing need to use renewable energy resources in India? Explain, giving any five reasons.
Answer:
The growing consumption of energy has resulted in the country becoming increasingly dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.
Rising prices of oil and gas and their potential shortages have raised uncertainties about the security of energy supply in future, with serious repercussions for the growth of the national economy.
Increasing use of fossil fuels also causes serious environmental problems.
Hence, there is a pressing need to use renewable energy sources like solar energy, wind, tidal, biomass and energy from waste material.
These are called non-conventional energy resources.

Teacher's Note:
a) Growing fossil-fuel dependence threatens both energy security and the environment.
b) Renewable sources (solar, wind, tidal, biomass) offer a more secure and sustainable alternative.

Question 8. “Energy saved is energy produced.” Justify the statement by giving any six measures to conserve energy resources.
Answer:
We have to adopt a cautious approach for the judicious use of our limited energy resources. As concerned citizens, we can:
Use public transport systems instead of individual vehicles.
Switch off electricity when not in use.
Use power-saving devices, like those carrying star ratings in electronic industries.
Use CNG as fuel, which is environment-friendly.
Increase the use of renewable energy.
Use biogas for domestic consumption in rural areas, and make use of non-conventional sources of energy.

Teacher's Note:
a) Simple everyday choices (public transport, switching off power, star-rated devices) add up to real energy savings.
b) Shifting to CNG, biogas and renewables reduces strain on finite fossil-fuel resources.

Question 9. Why is conservation of mineral resources essential? Explain any three methods to conserve them.
Answer:
We are rapidly consuming mineral resources that take millions of years to be created and concentrated.
The geological processes of mineral formation are so slow that the rates of replenishment are infinitely small compared to their consumption.
Continued extraction of ores leads to increasing costs, as mineral extraction comes from greater depths along with a decrease in quality.
Most minerals are also unevenly distributed on the Earth's surface, making mineral resources finite and non-renewable.
Three methods to conserve minerals: (i) make use of minerals in a planned and sustainable manner; (ii) constantly evolve improved technologies to allow the use of low-grade ores at low cost; (iii) recycle metals and use scrap metal and other substitutes.

Teacher's Note:
a) Minerals form over millions of years but are consumed far faster, making them effectively non-renewable.
b) Planned use, better technology and recycling are the main ways to conserve them.