What can you as an individual do to reduce your consumption of the various natural resources?
Natural resources are the resources which exists in the nature without the interference of human beings. These are the important resources which are used to support the life and to meet the requirements of the people. Like oil, water, soil, air, metals, stones etc. all those substances which are taken from the nature are refer to as natural resources. As an individual, we can reduce our consumption of natural resources to meet the requirements of present generation as well as the future generation and these are following:-
1. Deforestation should be stop. There can be many cause of the deforestation like forest fires, pests and the diseases, weather (storm and snow damages the forest) etc.
2. Recycling of agricultural waste (agricultural waste including paddy husks, corn cobs, fibrous coats of coconuts, tobacco waste and used papers can be converted into the usable papers), waste paper (old books, newspapers, magazines, notebooks are converted into the new or usable papers by the paper mills. Recycling of papers are very costly but it can save trees from being cut), jute (jute waste is converted into the hardboards), cattle dung (used in gobar gas plants provides in cooking gas), composting (domestic wastes and sludge can be decomposed in our own house by composting to provide humus to the replenish depleted soil resources), metals, glass and plastics etc. should be done.
3. Wastewater management:- many waste water treatment methods has been given to clean the water that can be reused.
4. We should also apply the rainwater harvesting system.
5. We should avoid the running of automobiles to cover the short distances, we should use bicycle.
6. Some alternative fuels like bio- diesel, refuse- derived fuel, batteries, non- fossil methane, vegetable oil, biogas and some biomass sources are used instead of coal or petroleum which is used in reducing the pollution.
7. Some alternative sources of energy are used like solar power, nuclear power, hydro- power, wave energy, natural gas, geothermal power plants are used instead of inverter or generators.
Find out about the traditional systems of water harvesting/management in your region.
Suggest some approaches towards the conservation of forests.
We saw in this chapter that there are four main stakeholders when it comes to forests and wildlife. Which among these should have the authority to decide the management of forest produce? Why do you think so?
List five things you have done over the last one week to —
(a) conserve our natural resources.
(b) increase the pressure on our natural resources.
Find out the source of water in your region/locality. Is water from this source available to all people living in that area?
How can you as an individual contribute or make a difference to the management of (a) forests and wildlife, (b) water resources and (c) coal and petroleum?
Why should we conserve forests and wildlife?
Compare the above system with the probable systems in hilly/mountainous areas or plains or plateau regions.
What changes can you make in your habits to become more environment-friendly?
Why do you think that there should be equitable distribution of resources? What forces would be working against an equitable distribution of our resources?
Did Döbereiner’s triads also exist in the columns of Newlands’ Octaves? Compare and find out.
What is a good source of energy?
Why is diffusion insufficient to meet the oxygen requirements of multi-cellular organisms like humans?
What are trophic levels? Give an example of a food chain and state the different trophic levels in it.
What is the difference between a reflex action and walking?
What is the importance of DNA copying in reproduction?
If a trait A exists in 10% of a population of an asexually reproducing species and a trait B exists in 60% of the same population, which trait is likely to have arisen earlier?
Why should a magnesium ribbon be cleared before burning in air?
Define the principal focus of a concave mirror.
You have been provided with three test tubes. One of them contains distilled water and the other two contain an acidic solution and a basic solution, respectively. If you are given only red litmus paper, how will you identify the contents of each test tube?
Fe2O3 + 2Al → Al2O3 + 2Fe
The above reaction is an example of a
(a) combination reaction.
(b) double displacement reaction.
(c) decomposition reaction.
(d) displacement reaction.
Explain the following.
(a) Why is the tungsten used almost exclusively for filament of electric lamps?
(b) Why are the conductors of electric heating devices, such as bread-toasters and electric irons, made of an alloy rather than a pure metal?
(c) Why is the series arrangement not used for domestic circuits?
(d) How does the resistance of a wire vary with its area of cross-section?
(e) Why are copper and aluminium wires usually employed for electricity transmission?
An electric heater of resistance 8 Ω draws 15 A from the service mains 2 hours. Calculate the rate at which heat is developed in the heater.
What is the function of an earth wire? Why is it necessary to earth metallic appliances?
Which uses more energy, a 250 W TV set in 1 hr, or a 1200 W toaster in 10 minutes?
When does an electric short circuit occur?
Explain the underlying principle and working of an electric generator by drawing a labelled diagram. What is the function of brushes?
Compare the power used in the 2 Ω resistor in each of the following circuits:
(i) a 6 V battery in series with 1 Ω and 2 Ω resistors, and (ii) a 4 V battery in parallel with 12 Ω and 2 Ω resistors.
State the rule to determine the direction of a (i) magnetic field produced around a straight conductor-carrying current, (ii) force experienced by a current-carrying straight conductor placed in a magnetic field which is perpendicular to it, and (iii) current induced in a coil due to its rotation in a magnetic field.
Two circular coils A and B are placed closed to each other. If the current in the coil A is changed, will some current be induced in the coil B? Give reason.