Q.1 Mention any three characteristics of ferrous group of minerals found in India.(2011 D)
Answer:
Metallic minerals that have iron in them are called ferrous minerals. For example, iron ore, manganese, nickel, cobalt etc.
Three characteristics of ferrous group of minerals found in India are:

1. Ferrous minerals account for about three fourths of the total value of the production of metallic minerals.
2. They provide a strong base for the development of metallurgical industries.
3. India exports substantial quantities of ferrous minerals to Japan and South Korea after meeting her internal demands.

Q.2 Why is there a pressing need to use non-conventional sources of energy in India? Explain any three reasons. (2011 D)
Answer:

1. The growing consumption of energy has resulted in India becoming increasingly dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas which are found in limited quantity on the earth.
2. Rising prices of oil and gas and their potential shortages have raised uncertainties about the security of energy supply in future, which in turn has serious repercussions on the growth of the national economy.
3. Increasing use of fossil fuels also causes serious environmental degradation like air pollution, water pollution etc.
   So there is an urgent need to use sustainable energy resources like solar, water, wind, tide biomass etc.

Q.3 Make a distinction between hydroelectricity and thermal electricity stating three points of distinction.
Or
What are the two main ways of generating electricity? How are they different from each other. Explain. (2011 OD, 2014 OD)
Answer:
Electricity is generated mainly in two ways:

1. By running water which drives hydro turbines to generate hydro electricity.
2. By burning other fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas to drive turbines to produce thermal power.

Hydroelectricity	Thermal electricity
(i) Hydroelectricity is generated by fast flowing water which drives turbines to generate electricity.	(i) Thermal electricity is generated by using coal, petroleum and natural gas.
(ii) It is a renewable resource and is cheap.	(ii) The thermal power stations use non­renewable fossil fuels.
(iii) India has a number of multipurpose projects like the Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley Cor­poration etc. producing hydroelectric power.	(iii) There are over 310 thermal power plants in India.

Q.4 Differentiate between ferrous and non-ferrous minerals with examples. (2013 D)
Answer:
Ferrous minerals:

1. Ferrous minerals account for about three fourths of the total value of the production of metallic minerals.
2. They provide a strong base for the development of metallurgical industries.
3. India exports substantial quantities of ferrous minerals to Japan and South Korea after meeting her internal demands.

Non-ferrous minerals:

1. India’s reserves and production of non-ferrous minerals is not very satisfactory.
2. Non-ferrous minerals include copper, bauxite, lead, zinc and gold.
3. They provide a strong base for the development of metallurgical, engineering and electrical industries.
4. Non-ferrous minerals like copper and bauxite are mainly found in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha respectively.

Q.5 Environmental degradation has been seen everywhere/ Explain any three values that can help to prevent environment degradation. (2014 D)
Answer:
Three values that can help to prevent Environmental Degradation:

1. We must ensure sustainable and equitable use of resources without degrading the environment or risking health or safety.
2. We must raise awareness and consciousness among people about the importance of judicious use of resources to prevent degradation of land, water, vegetation and air.
3. The following measures must be adopted to prevent environmental degradation:
   • Minimising use of water for processing by reusing and recycling it.
   • Smoke can be reduced by using oil or gas instead of coal in factories.
   • Almost all machinery can be redesigned to increase energy efficiency and reduce noise.

Q.6 Which is the most abundantly available fossil fuel in India? Mention its different forms. (2015 OD, 2014 OD, 2008)
Answer:
The most abundantly available fossil fuel is Coal.
There are four types of coal:

1. Anthracite. It is the highest quality hard coal. It contains more than 80% carbon content. It gives less smoke.
2. Bituminous. It is the most popular coal in commercial use and has 60-80% carbon content. Metallurgical coal is high grade bituminous coal and is of special value for smelting iron in blast furnaces.
3. Lignite. It is a low grade brown coal. It is soft with high moisture content.
4. Peat. It has a low carbon and high moisture content. It has low heating capacity and gives lot of smoke on burning.

Q.7 How can solar energy solve the energy problem to some extent in India? Give your opinion. (2015 OD)
Or
Why does solar energy have a bright future in India?
Answer:
Reasons:

1. India is a tropical country and gets abundant sunshine.
2. It has enormous possibilities of tapping solar energy.
3. It is an inexhaustible source of energy which is freely available in nature.
4. It is a cheaper source of energy and is fast becoming popular in rural and remote areas.
5. Photovaltic technology is available which converts sunlight directly into electricity.
6. Because of its abundant and free availability in all parts of India in addition to its ecofriendly nature, solar energy is called the energy of future.

Also use of solar energy will minimise the dependence of rural households on firewood. It will contribute to environmental conservation and reduce pressure on conventional sources of energy.

Q.8 Consumption of energy in all forms has been rising all over the country. There is an urgent need to develop a sustainable path of energy development and energy saving/ Suggest and explain any three measures to solve this burning problem. (2016 OD)
Answer:
Every sector of the national economy—agriculture, industry, transport, (commercial and domestic), needs greater inputs of energy.

With increasing population and changing lifestyles energy consumption is increasing very fast. We are not self sufficient in energy according to demands. Therefore we have to adopt a cautious approach for the judicious use of our limited resources. Conservation of energy should be done at all levels.
Three measures to reduce consumption of energy in all forms:

1. We can do our bit by using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles.
2. Switching off electricity when not in use.
3. Using power saving devices or using non-conventional sources of energy such as solar energy, wind energy etc.
4. Checking the power equipments regularly can help in saving of energy.

Q.9 What are the main types of formations in which minerals occur?
Answer:
Minerals generally occur in the following forms:

1. Veins and lodes. In igneous and metamorphic rocks minerals may occur in the cracks, faults or joints by getting solidified in them. The smaller occurrences are called veins and the larger lodes, eg., metallic minerals like tin, copper, zinc and lead etc. are found in lodes and veins.
2. In sedimentary rocks minerals occur in beds or layers. They are formed as a result of deposition, accumulation and concentration in horizontal strata. Some sedimentary minerals are formed as a result of evaporation, especially in arid regions eg., gypsum, potash and salt.
3. Another mode of formation involves decomposition of surface rocks and the removal of soluble contents, leaving a residual mass of weathered material containing ores. Bauxite is formed this way.
4. Placer deposits. Certain minerals occur as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of hills, eg., gold, silver, tin and platinum. These are called placer deposits and contain minerals which are not corroded by water.
5. Ocean waters contain vast quantities of minerals, eg., common salt, magnesium and bromide are largely derived from the ocean waters. The ocean beds are rich in manganese nodules.

Q.10 Distinguish between conventional and non-conventional sources of energy. (2013 D)
Or
Classify energy resources into two categories. Give two examples of each. (2014 OD)
Answer:
Energy sources can be classified as conventional and non-conventional sources.

Conventional Sources	Non-conventional Sources
(i) They have been in use since ages.	(i) The technology for their large-scale development is relatively new.
(ii) Except hydel power they are exhaustible or non-renewable, e.g., coal, petroleum and natural gas.	(ii) They are inexhaustible sources of energy, e.g., solar, wind and tidal energy.
(iii) These non-renewable resources create pollution.	(iii) They are pollution-free, therefore are eco­friendly.
(iv) Except water, all other sources of energy are available in limited quantities.	(iv) They are freely and abundantly available in nature.
(v) It is costly.	(v) It is a cheaper source.

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