CBSE Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Important Questions Chapter 3 - Mineral and Power Resources - Free PDF Download
FAQs on Important Questions for CBSE Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter 3 - Mineral and Power Resources
1. What topics can I learn from the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Geography Chapter 3?
Chapter 3 of the Class 8 Geography book is titled Mineral and Power Resources. The chapter explains to you what a mineral is, how and on what basis they are categorized and how they can be extracted. It helps you understand why minerals are valuable and their geographical distribution over the world. It tells you why we should conserve minerals. The chapter also teaches you about the conventional and unconventional sources of power generation and why there is a need to move away from conventional towards unconventional sources of energy.
2. What are Minerals?
Minerals are naturally occurring substances. They have a definite chemical composition. Their concentration varies over the world. Not all minerals are accessible to mankind. Some formations of minerals are found in areas such as deep oceanic surfaces or submerged beneath Arctic ice sheets. It is possible to identify minerals based on their physical properties such as colour, texture, hardness and chemical properties such as porosity. Minerals can be further classified into metallic and non-metallic based on the presence or absence of metal.
3. What is the difference between metallic and non-metallic minerals?
Minerals are categorized into metallic and non-metallic minerals. Metallic minerals are minerals in which metal is available in raw forms such as iron ore and manganese ore. Metals are characterized by their properties of being a good conductor of heat and electricity, being ductile and malleable and have a characteristic lustre. Nonmetallic minerals do not contain metal in raw form and hence do not exhibit the properties of metal. Examples of non-metallic minerals are gypsum and limestone.
4. How are coal and petroleum formed?
Minerals such as coal and petroleum are formed in the layers of sedimentary rock formations. Coal is formed when ferns and swamps remain submerged beneath the layers of earth for billions of years. That is why coal is also referred to as buried sunshine. Major coal producing countries are China, the USA and Germany. Petroleum occurs between the layers of rocks. Petroleum is formed as a result of the decomposition of organic matter over millions of years subjected to intense heat and pressure. Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia are some of the leading producers of petroleum.
5. What are non-conventional sources of energy?
As the increase in the use of conventional sources of energy has led to the depletion of resources and an increase in pollution, nations over the world are moving towards non-conventional sources of power. Non-conventional sources of energy are renewable such as solar energy and wind energy. These sources are employed on a large basis to produce heat, light and energy. They do not harm our environment and at the same time also fulfil the energy demand of houses, industries, automobiles etc.