Sustainable Management of Natural Resources Class 10 Important Questions and Answers
Important Questions for Class 10 Science Chapter 16 Sustainable Management of Natural Resources covers each topic of the chapter. These questions aim at providing a better understanding of the chapter to the students and can be downloaded in PDF format. These important question bank help students in clearing their doubts so that they can score well in the exam.
While preparing for exams, students should practise these important questions of Class 10 Science to understand the concepts better. Solving important questions of Class 10 Science Chapter 16 will teach students time management skills and enhance their problem-solving skills. Also, students may come across a few of these questions in the board exam.
Important Questions for Class 10 Science Chapter 16 – PDF
1. List any two measures that you suggest for better management of water resources.
Answer: Two measures for better management of water resources are:
(i) Adopting rainwater harvesting techniques so that we can capture and store rainwater for future use. Construction of dams to store water for irrigation purposes.
(ii) At individual level, we can repair faulty taps, pipes and prevent water loss. We should close the water taps when not in use.
2. Why does the management of natural resources require a long-term perspective?
Answer: Management of natural resources requires a long-term perspective so that it helps in sustainable development and it should be available for our future generations too.
Exploiting resources for long-term prospective meet the needs of future generation also. The management of natural resources for future use is a sustainable practice. The judicious use of natural resources in present generation enables the future generation too, to use them for their benefits.
3. State what happened when the “Chipko Movement” spread across communities and media.
Answer: Chipko movement was originated from a small village Reni in 1974 where a group of women under the leadership of Gaura Devi protest against indiscriminate felling of trees by hugging them. The Chipko movement spread slowly to other parts under the leadership of Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna of Silyara in Tehri region. Chipko movement is the movement where people form a circle around the tree and hug them to prevent falling of trees. The local people of Tehri-Garhwal district of UP realize the importance of forests and protest against felling of trees as well as giving forest products to other regions.
It helped in saving trees which ultimately result in conserving soil and water sources which maintain balance in our nature.
4. “Reuse is an important step in saving environment”. Justify.
Answer: Reuse is considered better than recycling as recycling consume some energy to generate new things which is not seen in case of reuse. Reuse prevents environment pollution by not creating any waste. Reuse also saves money as material is used again without any process.
5. List any two sources which add greenhouse gases to the environment.
Answer: Two sources are burning of fossil fuels and exhausts from automobiles. Both produce carbon dioxide gas which is a major greenhouse gas.
6. How does mining cause pollution?
Answer: Mining causes soil erosion, loss of biodiversity. The chemicals released from mining activities cause contamination of soil, groundwater, surface water. Dust from mining causes air pollution. Mining activities too cause noise pollution. In this way, mining practices cause air, water, soil and noise pollution.
7. Every one of us can do something to reduce our consumption of various natural resources. List four such activities based on 3-R’s approach.
Answer: Four such activities are-
(i) By reusing things instead of throwing away. Example – old clothes, toys etc. can be given to needy people, plastic bottles of jam, pickles can be used to store other things etc.
(ii) We can recycle things like paper, plastics, metals, glass etc.
(iii) We can use waste water that is produced from water purifier in watering plants, moping floor, cleaning vehicles etc.
(iv) Using CFLs bulbs, fluorescent tubes which consume less energy instead of conventional bulbs or tubes.
8. Suggest two ways to conserve forests.
Answer: Two ways to conserve forests are-
(i) Large-scale afforestation programmes.
(ii) By implementing law for severe punishment to anyone who is involved in illegal cutting down of trees.
9. Give an example to show that the prejudice against the traditional use of forest areas has no basis.
Answer: The Great Himalayan National park contains Alpine meadows within its reserved areas which were once grazed by Nomadic shepherds but this practice has been stopped now. So, grasses have become very tall now which then fall over and prevent fresh growth in alpine meadows. This is an example which shows that the prejudice against the traditional use of forest areas has no basis.
10. Name the old-age water harvesting techniques/structures of Rajasthan still in use today.
Answer: Khadins, tanks and nadis are the old-age water harvesting techniques/structures of Rajasthan still in use today. Khadins is a traditional way of harvesting rainwater and it is mainly followed by people of Rajasthan. These are very long earthen embankments which are built
across the lower edge of the sloping farmlands which are called bund. Rainwater flows down the slopes and fills the bunds to form a reservoir. Pathways are made from bund to nearby well which are mainly dug behind the bund where water seeps and fills the wells.
11. State two reasons of launching the “Ganga Action Plan”. Which bacteria was found in Ganga’s water indicating contamination?
Answer: Two reasons for launching Ganga Action plan are-
(i) To improve quality of water of River Ganga.
(ii) To reduce the pollution load of River Ganga and make people aware of preventing pollution of Ganga river.
This plan was launched in 1985 by Mr. Rajeev Gandhi.
Coliform bacteria were found in water of Ganga indicating contamination.
12. State the meaning of biodiversity hotspots. What is the criteria of measuring biodiversity of an area?
Answer: Forests where a large number of flora and fauna species are found are termed as biodiversity hotspots. The criteria for measuring biodiversity are-
(i) Number of species found in that area.
(ii) Range of different life forms like algae, bacteria, mosses, flowering plants, insects, animals, birds etc.
13. What do the three R’s refer to? Explain the main purpose of following these strategies in daily life.
Answer: The three R’s means Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Reduce means less use of resources like switching off lights, fans, television, computers, music players when not in use. Closing the taps while brushing teeth, repairing the faulty taps from which water leaks. Reuse means using things again and again like we can write on both sides of a paper, we can give our unused and old things to needy and poor people, bottles of jams, jellies, pickles when finished can be used to
store other things etc. Recycle means using recycling technology new things can be produced from old ones like old newspaper, glass bottles, plastics etc. 3R’s approach is the best technique to save our environment.
14. List four benefits that could be provided to the local people in Arabari forest range.
Answer: Four benefits provided to local people were employment in silviculture and harvesting operation, collection of firewood, collection of fodder at nominal price, use of forest products etc.
15. Mention two reasons to explain why forests and wildlife should be conserved.
Answer: Wildlife maintains an ecological balance of nature. It provides a great biological diversity. Many valuable products like musk, ivory, leather etc. are obtained from them. Forests provide us various valuable products like honey, medicines, lac, gums, resins, wood, prevent soil erosion and flood, brings rainfall, release oxygen to atmosphere which is a life supporter. Forests are habitat of variety of living organisms. Loss of biodiversity would lead to ecological imbalance so we need to conserve forests and wildlife.
16. Why management of natural resources should ensure equitable distribution of resources?
Answer: There should be an equitable distribution of resources because everyone has equal rights to use natural resources and gets benefits from them. Everyone whether rich or poor has equal rights to get benefits from natural resources. Geographical factors and economic factors are the forces working against an equitable distribution of our resources. The rich and powerful people take advantage and get more benefits by using resources as compared to poor people. Over exploitation and mismanagement of resources also works against equitable distribution of our resources. So natural resources should be managed in such a way that everyone should get equal benefits from our natural resources.
17. Local people around forests are referred to as “stakeholders” for conservation of forests. Give reasons.
Answer: Local people know the practices to use these resources in a sustainable manner without causing any harm or damage to environment. Because as we have seen in our past how local people protect the Sal forests of Arabari and tribal women of Tehri-Garhwal district of UP protest against the felling of trees by hugging them. So the local people who live in or around forest are referred to as “stakeholders” for conservation of forests.
18. Sustainable development implies a change in all aspects of life. Justify the statement.
Answer: (i) Sustainable development implies various forms of growth in all levels like agriculture, ecological, social, natural resources etc. and meets the current basic needs.
(ii) It helps in preserving resources for future generations too.
(iii) It leads to conservation of environment and leads to economic development.
19. What is the aim of water harvesting?
Answer: The aim of water harvesting is to collect and store rainwater by using special techniques for future use when there is shortage of water or during non-rainy days. This water can be used for irrigation or it can be purified and can be used for drinking and other domestic purposes.
20. “Burning of fossil fuels results in global warming.” Justify the statement.
Answer: Burning of fossil fuels releases various types of gases like carbon dioxide, oxides of sulphur, oxides of nitrogen etc. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and when released in large quantities formed as a layer on our atmosphere causing greenhouse effect. It traps the sunlight rays inside the surface of earth thus the temperature of earth increases. Hence the consequence of greenhouse effect is global warming. Besides the oxides of sulphur, oxides of nitrogen etc. which are released into the atmosphere are the main causes of acid rain.
21. The construction of large dams leads to
(i) social, and
(ii) environmental problems. List two problems in each case.
Answer: (i) Social problems – Vast area of land get submerged under water so many people become homeless. It also leads to unequal distribution of water. People close to the source will get enough water for agriculture whereas those far from the source cannot get sufficient water.
(ii) Environmental problems – Large-scale deforestation, loss of flora and fauna of that particular area, displacement of large number of people living in that area etc.
22. “Industrialization is one of the main causes of deterioration of environment”. List any four reasons in favor of this statement.
Answer:
- Industrialization causes air, water, soil and noise pollution.
- Effluents released from industries to nearby water bodies destroy the quality of water.
- Toxic gases release into air pollutes it and causes many respiratory disorders.
- Constant running of heavy machines causes noise pollution.
23. Mention any reasons for which environmentalist protested against raising height of the “Sardar Sarovar Dam” on river Narmada.
Answer: The problems which arise due to construction of big dams are:
(i) Social problems: Vast area of land get submerged under water so many people become homeless. It also leads to unequal distribution of water. People close to the source will get enough water for agriculture whereas those far from the source cannot get sufficient water.
(ii) Economic problems: It involves a huge expenditure and low benefits as compared to the cost.
(iii) Environmental problems: Large-scale deforestation, loss of flora and fauna of that particular area, displacement of large number of people living in that area etc.
24. What are fossil fuels? How are they formed?
Answer: Fossil fuels are obtained by degradation of dead remains of plants and animals which are buried under the surface of earth over a million years ago. They are called so as they are produced by degradation of biomass over a million years ago. They are an important source of fuels. The two fossil fuels are coal and petroleum.
25. List three reasons to justify the need to manage the available resources carefully.
Answer: Three reasons are-
(i) We should manage our available resources carefully so that our future generations can take benefits from them.
(ii) Every one of us can take benefits from them without any shortage.
(iii) Some resources are non-renewable so we should use them wisely without leading to any exhaustion of these resources.
26. List any four human activities responsible for the pollution of river water.
Answer: Four human activities that cause pollution of river water are-
- Disposal of sewage, human unburnt corpses.
- Bathing and washing of clothes.
- Bathing of domestic animals
- Immersion of ashes, garbage disposal.
27. We should use coal and petroleum judiciously. Why? State any four reasons.
Answer: We should use them judiciously because-
(i) They are an important source of fuels. Petroleum products like petrol, diesel etc. are used as fuel in automobiles. Coal is used in thermal power plants to generate electricity and also used as a fuel for domestic purposes.
(ii) They took millions of years to get formed hence if consumption will over exceed it may lead to exhaustion of these resources.
(iii) We should use them judiciously so that our future generations can take benefits from them.
(iv) Burning of these fuels cause pollution, global warming so we should use them wisely.