CBSE Class 10 Geography Minerals And Energy Resources Questions and Answers

MCQ

Question. Which one of the following minerals are formed by decomposition of rocks , leaving a residual mass of weathered material ?
(a) Coal
(b) Bauxite
(c) Gold
(d) Zinc
Answer. B

Question. Koderma , in Jharkhand is the leading producer of which of the following minerals
(a) Bauxite
(b) Mica
(c) Iron ore
(d) Copper
Answer. B

Question. Minerals are deposited and accumulated in the stratas of which of the following rocks ?
(a) Sedimentary rocks
(b) Metamorphic rocks
(c) Igneous rocks
(d) None of these
Answer. A

Question. Which of the following minerals is contained in monazite sand ?
(a) Oil
(b) Uranium
(c) Thorium
(d) Coal
Answer. C

Question. Which of the following place is known as lignite deposit?
(a) Khetri
(b) Neyveli
(c) Bailadila
(d) Bokaro
Answer. B

Question. Minerals are generally found in.
(a) Ore
(b) Rocks
(c) Soil
(d) None of these
Answer. A

Question. Gold, silver, and platinum are example of
(a) Ferrous minerals
(b) Precious minerals
(c) Non-essential minerals
(d) None of these
Answer. B

Question. Sandstone and mica areexample of .
(a) Non -metallic minerals
(b) Wasteful minerals
(c) Ferrous minerals
(d) Precious minerals
Answer. A

Question. India’s _________ deposit are mainly found in the Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills and plateau region of Bilaspur-Katni .
(a) Bauxite
(b) Steel
(c) Iron ore
(d) Manganese
Answer. A

Question. The________, Mahandi, son and Wardha valley contain coal deposit.
(a) Sutlej
(b) Krishna
(c) Narmada
(d) Godavari
Answer. D

VERY SHORT ANSWER QUESTION

Question. Name the best variety of iron ore.
Answer. magnetite

Question. Where are Kudurmukh mines are located?
Answer. Westerns Ghat of Karnataka

Question. Name the leading producer of copper?
Answer. Balaghat mines of MP, Khetri mines in Rajasthan etc

Question. Name the mica deposit region of India .
Answer. Chotanagpur plateau , koderma Ajmer in Rajasthan

Question. Why is copper mainly used in electrical cable and electrical Industries?
Answer. Because it is good conductor of electricity

Question. Why are there a wide range of colours , hardness, crystal forms , lustre and density found in minerals ?
Answer. Due to physical and chemical condition.

Question. How do minerals occurs in igneous and metamorphic rocks?
Answer. Minerals occur in cracks , crevices ,faults and joints .

Question. Why should the use of cattle cake as fuel is discourage?
Answer. Because it create pollution and consume most valuable manure that used in agriculture

Question. How are gobar gas plant beneficial to farmer?
Answer. It is beneficial in the form of energy and improved quality of manure production.

Question. Name the best variety of iron ore found in India?
Answer. Magnetite

1. Highlight the importance of petroleum. Explain the occurrence of petroleum in India. 

Answer :  Importance of Petroleum are as follows :

(i) Petroleum is the major energy source in India.

(ii) It provides fuel for heat and lighting. (iii) It provides lubricant for machinery.

(iv) It provides raw material for a number of manufacturing industries.

(v) Petroleum refineries act as core industry for synthetic, textile, fertilizer and chemical industries. Availability :

(i) Most of the petroleum reserves in India are associated with anticlines and fault traps.

(ii) In regions of folding anticline or domes, it occurs where oil is trapped in the crust of the upfold.

(iii) Petroleum is also found in fault traps between porous and non-porous rocks.

2. Describe any three characteristics of 'Odisha- Jharkhand belt' of iron ore in India. 

Answer :  Odisha-Jharkhand belt:

(a) In Odisha high grade hematite ore is found in Badampahar mines in the Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts.

(b) In the adjoining Singbhum district of Jharkhand hematite iron ore is mined in Gua and Noamundi.

(c) These mines feed the steel industry in the eastern and other parts of India.

3. “There is a pressing need to use renewable energy resources.” Justify the statement with suitable arguments. 

Answer :  Need to use renewable energy resources are :

(i) The growing consumption of energy has resulted in the country becoming increasingly dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.

(ii) Rising prices of oil and gas and their potential shortages have raised uncertainties about the security of energy supply in future.

(iii) Has serious repercussions on the growth of our country.

(v) Hence, there is a pressing need to use renewable energy source like solar energy, wind, tide, biomass and energy from waste material.

4. Describe any three features of ferrous minerals found in India. 

Answer :  Ferrous minerals in India account for approximately three-fourths of the total price of the production of metallic minerals. They provide a strong foundation for the expansion of metallurgical industries. India is also a leading exporter of ferrous minerals, magnetite, hematite are some of the common ferrous minerals. Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra are the chief states where these minerals are found.

5. "Minerals are indispensible part of our lives." Support the statement with examples.

Answer :  Minerals are important part of our lives.

(i) Almost everything we use, from a tiny pin to built a towering building or a big ship, all are made from minerals.

(ii) The railway lines and the roads, our implements and machine are all made from minerals.

(iii) Cars, buses, trains, aeroplanes are manufactured from minerals and run on power resources derived from minerals.

(iv) Even the food that we eat contains minerals.

(v) In all stages of development, human being have use minerals for their livelihood, decoration, festivities, religious and ceremonial rites.

6. Why should we use renewable energy resource? Explain with arguments. 

Answer : In the present circumstances particularly in India there is a pressing need to use renewable energy resources because :

1. Non-renewable resources are limited and will get exhausted in few decades, thus there is a need to use inexhaustible energy resources such as solar power, for sustainable development.

2. There has been a rapid depletion of nonrenewable resources like coal, gasoline, petroleum that took millions of years to form. Thus, it makes immense sense to use renewable nonpolluting energy resources.

3. Fossil fuels like coal, petroleum products etc., create pollution which has resulted in environmental degradation making clean energy an urgent requirement.

4. Newer sources of fossil fuels are becoming more and more difficult to find hence they have become more expensive. Thus, it again points to adaptation to renewable energy sources like solar, geothermal wind energy etc.

7. Which minerals are used to obtain nuclear energy? Name all the six nuclear power stations of India. 

Answer :  The minerals which are used to obtain nuclear energy are Uranium, Thorium.

(i) Narora nuclear power station.

(ii) Kakrapara nuclear power station.

(iii) Tarapur nuclear power station.

(iv) Kaiga nuclear power station.

(vi) Rawat Bhata nuclear power station.

8. Describe any three characteristics of the Durg- Bastar-Chandrapur Iron-ore belt in India. 

Answer :  Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt lies in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

(a) It provides very high grade hematite from the famous Bailadila range of hills in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.

(b) The range of hills comprise of 14 deposits of super high-grade hematite iron ore. It has the best physical properties needed for steel making.

(c) Iron ore from these mines is exported to Japan and South Korea via Vishakhapatnam port.

9. What efforts are required to use mineral resources in a planned and sustainable manner? Explain in three points. Conservation of Minerals ; Energy Resources : Conventional and Non- Conventional; Conservation of Energy Resources.

Answer :  Following efforts have to be made to use minerals in a planned and sustainable manner :

(i) Recycling of metals : We should recycle the metal or metal-made products to prevent its scarcity. For example : Used steel blade should be sent for recycling, so that the steel can be used again for other purposes.

(ii) Improved technologies need to be evolved : Traditional technologies should be replaced with new and improve technologies, so that the wastages can be minimised.

(iii) Use of substitute or alternative resource : The resources which cannot be recycled or reused should be replaced with the recyclable resources. e.g. Use of green gas instead of coal for cooking purpose.

10. How are 'Gobar Gas Plants' beneficial to the farmers? 

Answer :  Gobar Gas Plant are beneficial to the farmers by two ways. It provides a clean fuel for domestic cooking and lighting. It also provides high quality manure.

11. What is a mineral?  Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Minerals ; Non-Metallic Minerals ; Rock Minerals 

Answer :  Mineral is a naturally occurring substance with a definite chemical and crystallographic structure.

12. '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.

Answer :  Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. The strategy of economic development that India adopted since independence required increasing amount of energy consumption. As a result, consumption of energy in all forms has been rising. To take care of this concern various measures that need to be adopted are as follows.

(i) We need to increase the use of renewable energy resources like solar, wind power, biogas, tidal energy and geothermal energy. This will decrease the dependence on non-renewable sources. (ii) We have to adopt a cautious approach for judicious use of our limited energy resources. For example, as a concerned citizen we can use public transport system in place of individual vehicle. (iii) Another measure that needs to be adopted is promotion of energy conservation, e.g., switching off electrical devices when not in use, using power saving devices etc.

13. What is tidal energy? Name a region of India which provides ideal conditions for utilising tidal energy.

Answer : Oceanic tides can be used to generate electricity. Floodgate dams are built across inlets. During high tide water flows into the inlet and gets trapped when the gate is closed. After the tide falls outside the flood gate, the water retained by the floodgate flows back to the sea via pipe that carries it through a power generating turbine. In India, the Gulf of Kuchchh, provides ideal conditions for utilising tidal energy. A 900 mw tidal energy power plant is set up here by the National Hydropower Corporation.

14. Where are uranium and thorium available in India? What are they used for?

Answer : Uranium and thorium are available in Jharkhand and the Aravali ranges of Rajasthan. They are used for generating atomic or nuclear power.

15. Where is the largest wind farm cluster located in India?

Answer : The largest wind farm cluster is located in Tamil Nadu from Nagarcoil to Madurai.

16. How are minerals indispensable part of our lines?

Answer : Almost everything we use, from a tiny pin to a towering building or a big shop, all are made from minerals. Life processes cannot occur without minerals.

17. Name one hardest mineral and one softest mineral.

Answer : Hardest mineral – diamond
Softest mineral – tale

18. Which energy can be produced from ocean water?

Answer : Tidal energy can be produced from ocean water.

19. Which region of India provides ideal conditions for utilising tidal energy?

Answer : In India, the Gulf of Kuchchh provides ideal conditions for utilising tidal energy.

20. What is meant by geo-thermal energy?

Answer : Geothermal energy refers to the heat and electricity produced by using the heat from the interior of the earth.

21. What efforts can be made to conserve energy resources in India?

Answer : Following efforts can be made to conserve energy resources in India:

(i) Using public transport instead of individual vehicle.

(ii) Switching off electricity when not in use.

(iii) Using power-saving devices.

(iv) Non-conventional resources should be used more and more because they are renewable and eco-friendly.

(v) Use of automobiles, engines should be decreased and electric motors should be introduced.

(vi) Judicious use of our limited energy resources.

22. How do geologists define minerals?

Answer : Geologists define minerals as a homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal structure.

Points to remember for Contemporary India Chapter 05 Minerals and Energy Resources

What is a Mineral?
A homogeneous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal structure is called mineral. Rocks are the combinations of minerals. Some rocks consist of single mineral, but most of them consist of several minerals in different quantity.
The formation of minerals depend upon physical and chemical conditions that in turn, results in a wide range of colours, hardness, crystal forms, lustre and density of a particular mineral.
Minerals are found in varied forms in nature, ranging from the hardest diamond to the softest talc.
For better understanding of Earth’s landforms, Geographers study minerals as part of the earth’s crust. Geologists study the formation, age and composition (Physical and Chemical) of minerals.
Materials of daily use are made of minerals like toothpaste contain silica, limestone, phosphate, etc. Minerals are needed by our body too and are also the basis of all economic activities.
They are also studied to know the formation, age and composition of the earth.

Mode of Occurrence of Minerals
Minerals are usually found in ores. An ore is a naturally occurring material having one or more minerals in sufficient concentration so that their extraction is done successfully.
Mineral generally occur in the following forms
• Veins and Lodes In igneous and metamorphic rocks, minerals occur in cracks, crevices, faults or joints.
Smaller occurences are called veins and larger are called lodes. These veins and lodes are formed when minerals in liquid/molten and gaseous forms are forced upward through cavities towards the earth’s surface.
They cool and solidify when they reach the earth’s surface and fill in the cracks, crevices, faults or joints.
Metallic minerals like tin, copper, zinc and lead are obtained from it.
• Beds or Layers In sedimentary rocks, minerals occur in the form of beds or layers due to deposition, accumulation and concentration in horizontal layers of the rock. Coal, some forms of iron ore, gypsum, potash salt and sodium salt are also found in these beds or layers. These minerals (except coal and iron ore) are formed due to evaporation, especially, in arid regions.
• Decomposition of Surface Rocks When decomposition of surface rocks and the removal of soluble constituents takes place, it leaves a residual mass of weathered material containing mineral ores. Bauxi Bauxite is formed by the decomposition of surface rocks.
• Alluvial Deposits Some minerals are found in sands of valley floors and at the base of hills. These are known as placer deposits1. They are not corroded by water, e.g. gold, silver, platinum and tin.
• Ocean Waters These contain many minerals. Common salt, magnesium and bromine are derived from ocean waters, whereas manganese nodules occur in ocean beds.

Rat Hole Mining
It is a type of mining that is done by diging long narrow tunnels to reach the coal deposits under the ground. It is practiced in Jowai and Cherapunjee.
The practice of Rat hole mining is declared illegal by National Green Tribunal.
But in most of the tribal areas of the North-East India, minerals are owned by individuals or communities.
In Meghalaya, there are large deposits of coal, iron ore, limestone and dolomite, etc. Rat hole mining is done here.

Distribution of Minerals in India
In India, there are found large variations in occurrence of minerals. It is because of the differences in the geological structure, processes and time involved in the formation of minerals.
The distribution of minerals in India is
• Peninsular Plateau Peninsular rocks contain most of the reserves of coal, metallic minerals, mica, non-ferrous mineral and non-metallic minerals.
• Gujarat and Assam Sedimentary rocks on the Western and Eastern flanks of the Peninsula which are found in Gujarat and Assam have most of the petroleum deposits.
• Rajasthan Rajasthan with the rock systems of the peninsula has many reserves of non-ferrous minerals.
• Northern Plains There is very little or no minerals of economic value in vast alluvial plains of the North India.

Classification of Minerals
Minerals are mainly classified as metallic, non-metallic and energy minerals.

Metallic Minerals
Minerals containing metals are called metallic minerals, like gold, silver, tungsten, etc. They are of two types

(i) Ferrous Minerals
Metallic minerals having iron content are called ferrous minerals.

These minerals account for about three-fourth of the total value of the production of metallic minerals. India exports a fairly large amount of ferrous minerals. These minerals
provide a strong base for the development of metallurgical industries.
The distribution of major ferrous mineral, iron ore and manganese is

Iron Ore

It is the basic mineral and the backbone of industrial development. India has abundant resources of good quality iron ore. The finest iron ore is magnetite. It has a very high iron content upto 70%. Magnetite has excellent magnetic qualities, especially valuable in the electrical industry.
Haematite ore has an iron content upto 50-60%. It is the most important industrial iron ore in terms of the quantity used.

Iron Ore Belts in India
The major iron ore belts in India are
• Odisha-Jharkhand Belt In Odisha, high grade haematite ore is found in Badampahar mines in the Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts.
• In the adjoining Singbhum district of Jharkhand haematite iron ore is mined in Gua and Noamundi.
• Odisha has the largest share in iron ore production in India i.e. 52% in 2016-17.
• Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur Belt It lies in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Very high grade haematites are found in the famous Bailadila range of hills in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.
• The range of hills comprises of 14 deposits of super high grade haematite iron ore. It has the best physical properties needed for making steel. Iron ore from these mines is exported to Japan and South Korea via Vishakhapatnam port.
• Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru Belt This belt in Karnataka has large reserves of iron ore. The Kudremukh mines are located in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. They are a 100% export unit and are known to be one of the largest in the world.
• The ore from this belt is transported as slurry through a pipeline to a port near Mangaluru.
• Maharashtra-Goa Belt It includes the state of Goa and Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Though, the ores are not of very high quality, yet they can be efficiently used. From this belt, iron ore is exported through Marmagao port.

Manganese
It is a metallic element used in manufacturing of steel and ferro-manganese alloys. Nearly 10 kg of manganese is used to manufacture one tonne of steel. It is also used in manufacturing insecticide, bleaching powder and paints.
Madhya Pradesh has the largest share in manganese production in India, i.e. 27% in 2016-17.

(ii) Non-Ferrous Minerals
Minerals that do not contain iron content are called non-ferrous minerals. The reserves and production of non-ferrous minerals in India is not sufficient.
These minerals include copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold etc which are vital for various industries like metallurgical, engineering and electrical industries. The distribution of non-ferrous minerals i.e. copper and bauxite is discussed below.

Copper
It is an important mineral due to its excellent electrical conductivity. It is used in manufacturing of electrical cables and in electronics and chemical industries. The leading producers of copper in India are Khetri mines in Rajasthan, Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh and Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.

Bauxite
Bauxite ore is used for obtaining aluminium. It is formed by decomposition of a wide variety of rocks rich in aluminium silicates.
Bauxite is a clay-like substance from which alumina is extracted and later alumina developed into aluminium.
Aluminium is known for its strength and lightness. It is widely used in manufacturing of utensils, electrical goods, etc.
Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills and the plateau region of Bilaspur-Katni are the main regions of bauxite deposits in Madhya Pradesh. Odisha is the largest bauxite producing state in India with 49% of the country’s total production in 2016-17.
Panchpatmali deposits in Koraput district are the most-important centres of bauxite deposits in Odisha.

Non-Metallic Minerals
The basic characteristic of non-metallic minerals is that they do not yield new products on melting. Mica is an important non-metallic mineral.

Mica
It is used in electrical and electronics industries due to its di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating properties and resistance to high voltage.Mica occurs in the form of plates or leaves, which can be split into thin sheets.Mica can be clear, black, green, red, yellow or brown.
Its deposits are mainly found in the Northern edge of the Chota Nagpur plateau. Koderma-Gaya-Hazaribagh belt of Jharkhand is the leading producer of mica. Other mica producing regions are Ajmer (Rajasthan) and Nellore (Andhra Pradesh).

Rock Minerals
Limestone is a rock mineral found in sedimentary rocks. It is composed of calcium carbonates or calcium and magnesium carbonates.
Limestone is used for smelting iron ore in blast furnaces of steel plants and is the basic raw material for manufacturing of cement. Rajasthan has the largest share in limestone production in India i.e. 21%, in 2016-17.

Hazards of Mining
Mining is a hazardous industry. It is known as a killer industry due to the following reasons
• Risk to life due to collapse of roofs, overflow of water, fire is always there inside the mines.
• Dumping of waste and slurry leads to land degradation, soil erosion and increases the stream and river pollution.
• Mining causes respiratory diseases and pulmonary disorder to miners.

Conservation of Minerals
Mineral resources are finite (exhaustible) and non-renewable. So, there is need to conserve our mineral resources and use it judiciously in the following ways
• Mineral resources should be used in planned and sustainable manner.
• Technologies should be developed to use lower grade ores at lower costs.
• Metals should be recycled and alternative materials like scrap metal should be used so that minerals can be conserved.

Energy Resources
Resources which are used as power to run industries are called energy resources. Fuel minerals like coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium and electricity can generate energy.
Energy resources3 can be classified as conventional or non-conventional sources.
Conventional Sources like firewood, cattle dung cake, coal and petroleum, natural gas and electricity (both hydel and thermal) have been used for a long time.
Non-conventional sources of energy have come into use recently. These include wind power, solar energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, atomic energy and biogas energy.
They are freely available, usually inexhaustible and renewable.

Conventional Sources of Energy
Some prominent conventional sources of energy are

Coal
It is the most abundantly available fossil fuel in India. It fulfills a greater amount of energy needs of the country. It is because India is highly dependent on coal for meeting its commercial energy needs.
Coal is a bulky material (of large size for its weight), which loses weight on use as it is reduced to ash. Thus, heavy industries and thermal power stations are located on or near the coalfields.
Coal is used for power generation, to supply energy to industry and for domestic needs. Coal is formed by the compression of plant materials over millions of years.
The degree of compression formed due to pressure of upper layers of the Earth and the depth at which compression takes place results in the formation of different types of coal.
Depending on the degrees of compression, the depth and time of burial during its formation, there are following varieties of coal
• Peat It is formed by decaying of plants in swamps. It has a low carbon content and low heating capacity and high moisture content.
• Lignite It is a low grade brown coal. It is soft and has high moisture content. It is used for electricity generation. The important lignite reserves are in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu.
• Bituminous It is the most popular coal in commercial use.
High grade bituminous coal is ideal for use in metallurgy.
It has special value for smelting iron in blast furnaces. It is found in greater depths.
• Anthracite This is the highest quality hard coal.

Occurrence of Coal in India
In India, coal occurs in rock series of the following two main geological ages
• Gondwana Coal This coal was formed over 200 million years ago. This type of coal is used in metallurgy. The major sources of Gondwana coal are located in the Damodar valley (West Bengal-Jharkhand). In this belt, Jharia, Raniganj and Bokaro are important coal fields.
Coal deposits are also present in the Godavari, Mahanadi, Son and Wardha valleys.
• Tertiary Coal This coal was formed 55 million years ago.
This type of coal is found in the North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

Petroleum
It is also known as mineral oil and ‘liquid gold’. It is the second highest energy source (after refining into various products like furnace oil, diesel, petrol, kerosene, etc) used in India after coal. It is used as a fuel.
Petroleum refineries provide raw materials for synthetic textile, fertiliser, chemical industries, lubricants and fuel due to which it is called ‘Nodal Industry’.

Occurrence of Petroleum in India
Natural occurrence of petroleum in India is associated with anticlines4 and fault traps of tertiary rocks. In anticline, folding or dome region, oil is trapped in the crest (top portion) of the upfold (stratified rocks).
The oil bearing layer is a porous limestone or sandstone through which oil may flow. But it is prevented from rising or sinking by intervening non-porous layers surrounding the oil occurrences.
Mumbai high, Gujarat and Assam are major oil producers of India. Ankeleshwar is the most important oil field in Gujarat.
Assam is the oldest oil producing state of India. Important oil fields of Assam are Digboi, Naharkatiya and Moran-Hugrijan.

Natural Gas
It is a clean energy resource as it gives out very little carbon and pollutants on burning. It is found with or without petroleum. As compared to coal and petroleum products, it burns with a very low emission of harmful gases and other pollutants.
It is used as a source of energy as well as an industrialist material in the petrochemical industry. Natural gas is mainly used by the fertiliser and power industies. Use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for vehicles to replace liquid fuel is also increasing.

Occurrence of Natural Gas
The offshore region of the Krishna–Godavari basin has the largest amount of natural gas currently available in India.
It is also available along the West coast in Mumbai high, in Gulf of Cambay and in Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Electricity
It has a wide range of application in today’s world. The per capita consumption of electricity in a place is considered as an index of development. There are two ways through which electricity is generated.
These are
(i) Thermal electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels, (coal, petroleum, natural gas etc) that supplies energy to drive turbines. The thermal power stations use non-renewable resources i.e. fossil fuels for generating electricity.
(ii) Hydro electricity6 is generated by flowing water. This energy is pollution free and commonly used all over India by constructing multi-purpose projects, like Bhakra Nangal, Damodar valley, the Kopili Hydel Project, etc.

Non-Conventional Sources of Energy
The excessive use of non-renewable resources causes several environmental problems. Hence, a shift towards renewable resources is necessary.
Some prominent non-conventional sources of energy are

Nuclear or Atomic Energy
It is generated by altering the structure of atoms that releases heat and energy which is used to generate electric power.
Uranium and thorium are found in Aravalli ranges of Rajasthan and Jharkhand and monazite sands of Kerala which are used for generating nuclear or atomic energy.

Solar Energy
India is a tropical country. It has enormous possibilities of tapping solar energy. It is used for a variety of purposes like electric power generation (using photovoltaic panels) and for heating purposes.
It is fast emerging as a fuel source in rural and remote places, thereby reducing their dependence on fire wood and dung cakes. The cow dung cake then be used as manure in agriculture.

Wind Power
India has great potential of wind power. The largest wind form cluster is located in Tamil Nadu from Nagar coil to Madurai. Apart from these, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra and Lakshadweep have important wind farms. Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) are very famous for effective use of wind energy in India.

Biogas
It is generated by the decomposition of organic matter like shrubs, farm waste, animal and human wastes in biogas plants. It has higher thermal efficiency than Kerosene, dung cake and charcoal. It is cheap, environment friendly and prevents loss of trees used for firewood.
It is used as a fuel for cooking and lighting in rural areas. It also provides improved quality of manure. Biogas plants are set up by municipal, cooperatives and also by individuals.
Biogas plants are also known as ‘Gobar gas plants’ in rural India.

Tidal Energy
It is the energy generated by movement of oceanic tides, which can be harnessed to generate electricity. To produce electricity, flood gate dams are built across inlets from where water enters during high tide. The gates are closed, once enough water flows in after the tide falls outside the flood gate.
The water retained inside the gate is made to flow out through a pipe that carries it through a power generating turbine. In India, the Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat on the Western coast and Gangetic delta in Sunderban regions of West Bengal provide ideal conditions for utilising tidal energy.

Geo-thermal Energy
It refers to the heat and electricity produced by using the heat from the interior of the Earth. Geothermal energy exists because the Earth grows hotter with increase in depth. At some places, this geothermal gradient is so high that high temperatures are found at a shallow depth.
Groundwater present in these areas absorb heat from the rocks and becomes hot and rises as steam. This steam is used to drive turbines for the generation of electricity.
Parvati valley near Manikarn in Himachal Pradesh and Puga valley in Ladakh are two experimental projects to produce geothermal energy.

Conservation of Energy Resources
Since, energy is a basic requirement for economic development, we need to conserve it. To have sustainable development, we need to promote energy conservation by avoiding wastage and to increase the use of renewable energy sources. So, we should conserve energy resources by • using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles.
• switching off electrical appliances when not in use.
• using power-saving devices.
• using non-conventional sources of energy.