Minerals And Energy Resources Questions | Class 10 | Social Science | Unit 2 | Chapter 3 | 2024

Last updated on July 14th, 2024 at 05:04 pm

Minerals And Energy Resources Questions

Below are some of the very important NCERT Class 10 Social Science Unit 2 Chapter 3 Minerals And Energy Resources Questions. These Class 10 Minerals And Energy Resources Questions have been prepared by expert teachers and subject experts based on the latest syllabus and pattern of term 2. Questions with Answers to help students understand the concept.

These Questions for Class 10 Social Science Minerals And Energy Resources Questions with answers are very important for the latest CBSE term 2 pattern. These class 10 notes,  Q and A are very important for students who want to score high in CBSE Board.

We have put together these NCERT  Questions of Class 10 Social Science unit 2 chapter 3 Minerals And Energy Resources Questions for practice on a regular basis to score high in exams. Refer to these Questions with Answers here along with a detailed explanation.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions 

1.  Explain any three types of formations in which minerals occur. 

2. Which state is the largest producer of manganese in India? Mention any four uses of manganese.
Or
Which is the largest producer of manganese in India? Mention two uses of manganese.

3. Name the non-metallic mineral which can split easily into thin sheets. Mention its uses.

4. What are the uses of limestone? Mention names of   two states of India which are major producers of limestone.

5. India is fairly rich in mineral resources, however its distribution is uneven. Comment.

6. What is the importance of energy resources? Give two examples each of conventional and non-conventional sources of energy.

7. Describe the distribution of coal in India. 

8. State the importance of petroleum as an energy resource. Mention any four oil fields of India.

9. Crude oil reserves are limited all over the world. If people continue to extract it at the present rate, the reserves would last only 35-40 years more. Explain any three ways to solve this problem.

10. What is natural gas? What is its advantage? Name one region of India where its reserves are found.
Or
“Natural gas is an important source of energy”. Support the statement.

11. Mention any three factors that determine the viability of a reserve.     

12.  What are the two main ways of generating electricity? How are they different from each other? Explain.   
Or
Make a distinction between hydroelectricity and thermal electricity stating three points of distinction.   

13. “Energy is an indispensable requirement in our modern lives.” Explain the statement with three examples.

14. Why do you think that solar energy has a bright  future in India?  

15. How is naturally occurring gas different from biogas?

16. “India is highly dependent on coal for meeting its commercial energy requirement.” Support this statement with three arguments.

17. What is tidal energy? Which regions in India provide ideal conditions for utilizing tidal energy?

18. Why does India have the potential to develop wind energy? Which places in India are sources of wind energy?

Short Answer Type Question Answers

Ans. 1

Three main types of formations in which mineral occurs are

(i) Veins and Lodes. Smaller occurrences are called veins and larger ones are called lodes. In igneous and metamorphic rocks minerals may occur in the cracks,   crevices, faults or joints.  

(ii) Beds or Layers. In sedimentary rocks, minerals occur in becl or layers. They are formed as a result of  deposition, accumulation and concentration in   horizontal strata. (layers) 

(iii) Placer Deposits. Certain minerals occur as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of hills as placer deposits.

Ans. 2

Odisha is the largest producer of manganese in India.

Uses of manganese are as follows: 

(i) It is used in the manufacturing of ferro-manganese alloy.

(ii) It is used in the manufacturing of bleaching powder.

(iii) It is used in insecticides, paint industries and manufacturing of batteries. 

(iv) It is used in the manufacturing of steel. Nearly 10 kg of  manganese is required to manufacture one ton of steel.

Ans. 3

Mica is the non-metallic mineral which can be split easily   into thin sheets as it occurs in the form of plates or leaves   of different colors.

Uses of Mica are as follows: 

(i) It is used in paints as a pigment extender. It also helps to brighten the tone of coloured pigments. 

(ii) It is used in the electrical and electronic industry due to its di-electric strength, insulating properties and resistance to high voltage.  

(iii) It is used in making toothpaste and cosmetics due to its shiny and glittery appearance.

Ans. 4

The uses of limestone are as follows:   

  • It is used in the cement industry. It is because it is the raw material of cement.  
  • It is essential for smelting iron ore in the blast furnace in a steel plant.

Rajasthan (largest producer) Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are important states which are  major producers of limestone.

Ans. 5

India is fairly rich in mineral resources, however its distribution is uneven. This can be said with the help of following examples  

(i) Gujarat and Assam have petroleum deposits as oiJ is found in sedimentary rocks on the Western and Eastern flanks of the peninsula. But the rest of India does  not have any oil deposits.

(ii) Minerals deposits are mostly available in the peninsular plateau region of Chotanagpur and rock systems of Rajasthan.

(iii) The vast alluvial plains of North India, mountainous regions and coastal plains do not have  any mineral deposits.

Ans. 6

Energy is required for all activities. Energy resources are needed to cook, to provide light and heat, for agricultural activities, propel vehicles and to drive machinery in industries.     

Thus, the sustainable development of energy resources is vital for all human activities.  

Examples

  • Two examples of conventional sources of energy are coal and petroleum.
  • Two examples of non-conventional sources of energy  are solar energy and wind energy.

Ans.7

In India, coal is the most abundantly available fossil fuel• Coal is found in a variety of forms depending on the degree of compression and the depth and time of burial As per these basis, coal deposits are found mainly of two geological ages. These are

(i) Gondwana Coal Deposits. These are about 200 million years old. The major coal deposits in India are Gondwana coal which are high quality metallurgical coal.

These coal deposits are located in Damodar Valley (West Bengal-Jharkhand). Jharia, Raniganj and Bokaro are important coal deposit fields. Besides, the Godavari, Mahanadi, Son and Wardha valleys also  contain such coal deposits.  

(ii) Tertiary Coal Deposits. These are around 55 million years old. Tertiary coal deposits are found in the  North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal  Pradesh and Nagaland. This coal is of lower quality than the Gondwana coal.

Ans. 8

Importance of petroleum can be scen through the  following points 

  • Petroleum or mineral oil is the next major energy source  in India after coal. 
  • It provides fuel for heating and lighting, lubricants for machinery and raw materials for a number of manufacturing industries.
  • It is a fuel used in all the automobiles. 

Four major oil fields of India are:   

(i) Mumbai High 

(ii) Ankleshwar and Kalol in Gujårat

(iii) Digboi, Naharkatiya and Moran is Assam

(iv) Rajasthan, Mangala, District Barmer

Ans. 9

Crude oil reserves are limited all over the world. If people continue to extract it at the present rate, the reserves would last only 30-40 years more. For energy conservation we can take the following steps

(i) We have to adopt a cautious approach for the  judicious use of our limited energy resources.

(ii) We can use public transport systems instead of  individual vehicles. 

(iii) We can switch off electricity when not in use, using   power saving devices. We can use non-conventional  energy like solar energy, wind power, biogas etc instead of using petroleum. 

Ans. 10

Natural gas is an important source of energy. It is an  important clean energy resource in association with or without petroleum. It is also used as an industrial raw material in the petrochemical industry. 

Advantages of natural gas are

  • Natural gas is an environmentally friendly fuel.
  • It generates low carbon dioxide emission during use.
  • It is increasingly replacing pollution causing fuels.

Large reserves of natural gas have been discovered in the hna-Godavari basin.

Ans. 11

The three factors the determine the economic viability of a reserve are:

  • The quality and quantity of mineral concentration in the ore. For example, magnetite is regarded better than hematite as it has more concentration of iron.
  • The cost of extraction if the cost of extraction is high then mining is not profitable.
  • Location of mines near the industries.

Ans. 12

The two main ways of generating electricity are by running water (hydro electricity) and by burning fuels (thermal electricity).

Differences between these two are

HYDRO ELECTROCITYTHERMAL ELECTRICITY
Generated from flowing water on turbinesGenerated from petroleum, coal and natural gas
Its source is perennial and inexhaustibleIt’s a non-renewable source of energy
Doesn’t cause pollutionCauses a lot of pollution
Cheaper in the long runExpensive in the long run
These plants should be near the sources of fast flowing waterThermal plants to generate electricity can be set up anywhere

Ans. 13

It is true that Energy is an indispensable requirement in our modern lives.

It can be understood through the following examples

(i) Every sector of the national economy requires energy. For example, agriculture, industry,  commercial and domestic needs require inputs of energy.

(ii) Implementation of econonnic development plans necessarily require increasing amounts of energy to remain operational.

(iii) Energy is required for all domestic activities like cooking, lighting and heating and even air-conditioning (cooling).

Ans. 14

Solar energy has a bright future in India due to the following reasons

 (i) Solar energy is an inexhaustible source of energy  that is produced from sunlight. India is a tropical country thus, there is enough scope for the development of solar energy.

(ii) Many parts (regions) of the country receive sunlight at least 300 days annually and so, it becomes possible to generate 20 MW solar energy per square kilometer in such areas. 

(iii) It is easy to establish solar plants in urban and rural areas. 

(iv) By setting up solar plants in rural areas, the dependence of people on fire wood can be reduced. 

(v) Solar energy is also becoming popular as it is used for cooking, heating water, lighting, etc. 

Ans. 15

In the following ways naturally occurring gas (Natural gas) is different from biogas

NATURAL GASBIOGAS
Mixture of hydrocarbon and occur frequently with petroleum in the rocks of earth’s crustFormed by the decomposition of animal, plant and farm wastes with the help of microorganisms in the presence of water
Occurs naturallyUndergoes a process of formation under controlled man-made conditions
Non-renewableRenewable
Used as a raw material in the petrochemicalUsed as a fuel for lighting purposes
Mainly used in urban areasMainly used in rural areas

Ans. 16

The fact that India is highly dependent on coal for meeting its commercial energy requirement can be supported from the following arguments

(i) The majority of electricity generation plants in India  are based on burning Of coal for generating steam to   power turbines. 

(ii) Many industries use coal in the blast furnaces for generating heat for their various operations.

(iii) Coal is an important constituent in steel production alumina refineries, and in chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Ans. 17

The electrical energy that can be generated through the oceanic tides is known as tidal energy. This can be done by  building flood gate clams in areas that get submerged during high tides. 

During high tide when the water flows inside the dam, the gates are closed. After the high tide, the water retained by the flood gate falls back to the sea via a pipe that carries it  through a power generating turbine.  

The regions in India that provide ideal conditions for utilizing tidal energy are the Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of Kachchh and Gangetic delta in Sundarban.

Ans. 18

India has a long coastline in which there is scope of  developing wind energy. The areas along the coastline are windy and windmills can be established there. 

The places in India having source of wind energy or wind mills are

(i) Wind farm cluster located in Tamil Nadu from  Nagercoil to Madurai.

(ii) Wind farms in Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Lakshadweep and Andhra Pradesh.  

(iii) Wind farm in Jaisalmer.


Long Answer (LA) Type Questions

1. Which is the most abundantly available fossil fuel in India? Assess the important characteristics of its different forms. 

2. How can biogas solve the energy problem mainly in rural India? Give your suggestion?

3. What are the major sources of energy in rural  households of India? Identify the major problems faced due to these sources. Give suggestions to solve these problems. 

4. Differentiate between metallic and nonmetallic Minerals with examples.

5 “Minerals are an indispensable part of our lives”. Justify this statement with suitable examples.

6. Formation of coal is a long process spread over various periods. Elaborate the statement with examples in Indian context.

7. “Nuclear energy is expected to play an increasingly important role in India.” Give arguments to support this statement.  

8. “There is a pressing need for using renewable  energy sources in India.” Justify the statement.

Long Answer Type Question Answer

Ans. 1

Coal is the most abundantly available fossil fuel in India. Important characteristics of its different forms are

(i) Peat. Decaying plants in swamps produce peat. 

  • It is burnt as fuel or applied to the soil to improve the texture or raise its water-retaining 

(ii) Lignite.

  • It has 60-70% carbon. It is soft and brown in color, and has a high moisture content. It is used for electricity generation. It has the lowest heat content per kg.

(iii) Bituminous.  

  • It is used for commercial purpose especially ideal for smelting iron in blast furnaces. 
  • It has 75-90% carbon content, dense sedimentary  rock, usually black in color and has medium heat content per kg.
  •  It is also used as making coke

(iv) Anthracite

  •  It is used in the metal smelting and fabrication industries especially used as a reduction agent for various applications i.e. briquetting charcoal, iron-ore pellets and other uses.
  • It has noore than 90% carbon content per kg and its heating eon tent per kg is highest,
  • It is also used in residential and commercial space heating.

Ans. 2

Biogas can solve the energy problem in the rural areas  due to the reason mentioned below

(i) It produces gas having higher thermal efficiency than charcoal and kerosene.     

(ii) It provides a way for optimum utilization of animal and plant waste. 

(iii) It produces enriched organic manure that can  supplement or even replace chemical fertilizers.

(iv) It burns smoothly and does not leave much residue  behind.

(v) It is easy to produce and store.  

Some suggestions to improve the biogas energy   production in rural areas are given below:

 (i) Government should provide monetary assistance to   people in the rural areas to set up biogas plants.

 (ii) Awareness must be created for using this alternative sources of energy. 

Ans. 3

Firewood and cattle dung cake are the major sources of  energy in rural households of India.

Major problems faced due to these sources are

(i) Using cow dung is discouraged because it consumes the most valuable manure which could be used in agriculture.  

(ii) Use of firewood as fuel is becoming difficult due to decreasing forest area.

Suggestions to solve these problems are

(i) Awareness must be developed in the rural areas regarding the non-conventional sources of energy like solar energy, wind energy, biogas, etc. 

It will minimize the dependence of rural households on fire wood and dung cakes,   which in turn will contribute to environmental

conservation and adequate supply of manure in  agriculture.

(ii) Government should take initiatives in setting up the biogas plants in rural areas.

Ans. 4

METALLIC MATERIALSNON-METALLIC MATERIALS
Minerals containing metalsMinerals containing non-metals
Malleable and ductileNon-malleable and non-ductile
Generally associated by igneous and metamorphic rocksMostly associated with sedimentary rocks
They show lustreThey don’t show lustre
Examples: Iron, manganese, tin etcExample: Gypsum, potash etc.

Ans. 5

It is true that minerals are an indispensable part of our lives.

This can be understood through the following examples   

  • Almost everything that xve use in our daily life, from  tiny pin to a towering building or a big ship, all  made from minerals.
  • The railway lines and the paving of the roads, machinery, implements and tools too are made from minerals.
  • Minerals form the basis of all industries.
  • Our food contains various minerals that are essential for our body. They are absorbed by the body.
  • In conclusion, can say that in all stages of development, human beings have used minerals  their livelihood, decoration, festivities, religious and  ceremonial rites.

Ans. 6

It is true that formation of coal is a long drawn process spread over various periods. Coal is formed due the compression of plant material (containing carbon, the  major component of coal) over millions of years. 

Thus, coal is found in any form depending on the degrees of compression, the depth and the tune of burial. Indian coal was mainly formed during two geological ages and the tertiary ages. 

The Condsvana coal deposits (called ‘metallurgical coal’), which are more than 200 million years old, are located in the valley (West Bengal, Jharkhand), Jharia, Raniganj and Bokaro are important coal fields. It is also found in Godavari, Mahanadi, Son and Wardha valleys.

The tertiary age deposits, only about 55 million years old, are mostly found in North-Eastern India in Meghalaya, Assam,  Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Thus, formation of coal is a long drawn process spread over various periods.

Ans. 7

Nuclear energy is expected 10 play an increasingly important role in India clue to the following reasons

(i) India has limited reserves of coal and petroleum.  Nuclear energy minerals like Thorium are found in  abundance in India. Hence, nuclear energy can compensate for Ibr deficiency of fossil fuels. 

(ii) Nuclear power stations can be established easily and conveniently in those areas where other sources  are not available. 

(iii) Nuclear power releases tremendous amounts of  energy. India can utilize this energy for peaceful purposes such as generation of electricity that can be used to run machines in industries. 

(vi) Nuclear energy is a non-conventional source of energy. After the initial expenses, it becomes very economical. 

Ans. 8

There is a growing need for increasing the use of renewable energy sources due to the following reasons:

(i) The conventional or non-renewable sources of energy is depleting very fast and we are dependent on imports of petroleum and natural gas to meet our needs. 

(ii) Renewable energy sources do not cause environmental  pollution with their use and so, to preserve our   environment, we must change over to use more of  such sources. 

(iii) Non-conventional or renewable sources of energy are very economical in use as compared to conventional sources. Thus, to save expenses, we should use renewable energy sources.


Case-Study Based Questions 

1. Read the case/source given and answer the  following questions. 

Source A Biogas

Shrubs, farm waste, animal and human waste are used to produce biogas for domestic consumption in rural areas. Decomposition of organic matter  yields gas, which has higher thermal efficiency in  comparison to kerosene, dung cake and charcoal.

(i) To what extent do you think biogas is better than dung cake for fuel?

Source B Solar Energy 

India is a tropical country. It has enormous  possibilities of tapping solar energy, Photovol laic technology converts sunlight directly into electricity. Solar energy is fast becoming popular in rural and remote areas.

(ii) Why solar energy has more potential to be developd as major fuel in rural areas?  

Source C Wind Energy

India has great potential for wind power. The largest wind farm cluster is located in Tamil Nadu from Nagercoil to Madurai. Apart from these, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra and Lakshadweep have important wind farms.

(iii) What similarity or trait can be seen in the places ideally suited for setting up wind farms?

2.  Read the case/source given and answer the following questions. 

Decaying plants in swamps produce peat which has a low carbon and high moisture content and low heating capacity. Lighite is low grade brown coal, which is soft with high moisture content. 

The principal lignite reserves are in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu and is used for generation of electricity. Coal that has been buried deep and subjected to increased temperatures is bituminous coal. 

It is the most popular coal in commercial use. Metallurgical coal is high grade bituminous coal which has a special value for smelting iron in blast furnaces. Anthracite is the highest quality hard coal.

In India coal occurs in rock series of two main geological ages, namely Gondwana, a little over 200 million years in age and in tertiary deposits which are only about 55 million years old. 

The major  resources of Gondwana coal, which are metallurgical coal, are located in Damodar valley (West Bengal,  Jharkhand). Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro are important coalfields. 

The Godavari, Mahanacli, Son and YVarclha valleys also contain coal deposits. Tertiary coals  occur in the North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.     

(i) Which reserves are important for lignite in India?

(ii) In what extent do you agree that bituminous coal is metallurgical coal? State its one property. 

Important Property of Bituminous Coal.

Bituminous coal is buried deep under the earth’s surface and is subjected to increased temperature. It makes it   unique to use in smelting iron-ore in blast furnaces. 

(iii) Why is coal associated with geological ages? State where it is found?

Case-Study Based Question Answers

Ans. 1

(i) Biogas is much better than clung cakes as it produces no smo and has move therlii[ll efficiency.

(ii) There is more potential of developing solar energy in rural areas as there are relatively more open spaces. This will reduce the dependence on firewood and dung cakes fuel. 

(iii) The similarities identified are that the areas should be close to sea where there is a lot of potential for blowing of wind or   other windy areas. 

Ans. 2

(i) Neyveli reserves in Tamil Nadu are important lignite reserves in India.

(ii) Bituminous coal is a high grade coal and thus, is a   metallurgical coal. This type of coal has a special value for smelting iron in blast furnaces.

(iii) Coal is associated with geological ages because coal is formed due to compression of plant material and takes millions of years to come into existence. 

In India, coal occurs in rock series of two Indian geological ages, namely  Gondwana rock series which is a little over 200 million years in age and in tertiary deposits rock series which are only about 55 million years old.

Distribution of Coal GoncÅvana coal deposits are found in Damodar valley (West Bengal, Jharkhand), Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro, coalfields. The Godavari, Mahanadi, Son  and YVardha valleys also contain coal deposits. 

Tertiary coal deposits are found in the North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.


Final Words

From the above article, you have practiced Class 10 Social Science unit 2 chapter 3 Minerals And Energy Resources Questions. We hope that the above-mentioned notes, Q & A for term 2 will surely help you in your exam. 

If you have any doubts or queries regarding Class 12 Economics unit 2 chapter 3 Minerals And Energy Resources Questions feel free to reach us and we will get back to you as early as possible.

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