Physics X - Chapter 16: Management of Natural Resources
Chapter-wise Multiple Choice Questions with Instant Feedback
Quick Revision : Management of Natural Resources
- Sustainable Development: Meets present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs.
- Three R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – key to waste minimization and resource conservation.
- Stakeholders in Forests: Local communities, Forest Department, industries, wildlife enthusiasts.
- Chipko Andolan: Forest conservation movement (1970s) where people hugged trees to prevent felling.
- Bishnoi Community: Rajasthan community known for sacrificing lives to protect Khejri trees (1731).
- Joint Forest Management (JFM): Partnership between forest departments and local communities.
- Arabari Model: Successful participatory forest management in West Bengal (25% harvest share to villagers).
- Water Harvesting: Collecting and storing rainwater (e.g., khadins, kulhs, eris, surangams).
- Khadin: Traditional rainwater harvesting system in Rajasthan using earthen embankments.
- Kulh: Ancient canal irrigation system in Himachal Pradesh managed by local communities.
- Large Dams: Criticized for displacing people, submerging forests, and ecological damage (e.g., Tehri, Sardar Sarovar).
- Ganga Action Plan: Launched in 1985 to reduce pollution in the Ganga (sewage, industrial waste).
- Coliform Bacteria: Indicator of water pollution from human/animal fecal matter.
- Fossil Fuels: Coal, petroleum, natural gas – non-renewable, cause pollution, need judicious use.
- Coal Mining Impact: Produces slag (waste), causes land degradation, water pollution.
- CNG (Compressed Natural Gas): Cleaner fuel for vehicles – burns efficiently, reduces pollution.
- Equitable Distribution: Fair sharing of resources among all societal sections.
- Watershed Management: Scientific soil/water conservation to increase biomass sustainably.
- Monoculture Plantations: Ecologically poor – reduce biodiversity, fail to meet local needs.
- Groundwater Recharge: Advantages: no evaporation, less contamination, no mosquito breeding.
- Narmada Bachao Andolan: Movement against Sardar Sarovar Dam due to displacement and environmental issues.
- Brundtland Commission: Defined sustainable development (1987).
- Polluter Pays Principle: Polluter bears cost of pollution management.
- Precautionary Principle: Take preventive action even without full scientific certainty.
- Ecological Footprint: Measures human demand on nature (land/water area needed).
- Carbon Sequestration: Capture and storage of atmospheric CO₂ (e.g., by forests).
- Carrying Capacity: Maximum population an ecosystem can sustain indefinitely.
- Intergenerational Equity: Balancing needs of present and future generations.
Basic Level Questions
Chapter Summary : Management of Natural Resources
Management of Natural Resources, moves beyond textbooks into real-world dilemmas of how we use forests, water, and fossil fuels. It challenges you to think critically about who benefits from resources, who pays the cost, and how we can balance today's needs with tomorrow's survival. From the tree-huggers of Chipko to the water-wise farmers of Rajasthan, this chapter shows that sustainable solutions often come from communities, not just policies.
You'll explore the concept of sustainable development and the practical 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). You'll analyze forest management through multiple stakeholders—local people, industries, government, and conservationists—and study successful models like Arabari's community participation. The chapter covers traditional water harvesting systems (khadin, kulh, eri) and critiques large dams. You'll examine the pollution of the Ganga and the Ganga Action Plan, and understand why fossil fuels need judicious use. Key principles like equitable distribution, polluter pays, and precautionary approach are introduced, connecting ecology with ethics and economics.
This chapter is highly relevant for board exams and competitive tests like NTSE and Olympiads. It includes case-study based questions (Chipko, Arabari, Narmada), diagrammatic representations (water harvesting structures), and analytical questions on stakeholders and sustainable practices. You'll be asked to compare traditional vs. modern resource management, evaluate advantages/disadvantages of large projects, and suggest solutions to real environmental problems. Mastering this chapter helps you tackle application-based and value-oriented questions that carry significant marks.
Our platform transforms complex resource management concepts into clear, exam-ready insights. We provide a tiered set of MCQs—from basic definitions to advanced case analysis and principle application—that align perfectly with NCERT's emphasis on critical thinking. By practicing here, you reinforce stakeholder analysis, compare management strategies, and apply sustainability principles to scenarios. This targeted preparation builds analytical skills, improves answer precision, and ensures you can confidently handle any board or competitive exam question, turning resource management theory into scoring opportunities.