This MCQ module is based on: Energy Resources — Conventional & Non-Conventional
TOPIC 14 OF 21
Energy Resources — Conventional & Non-Conventional
🎓 Class 10
Social Science
CBSE
Theory
Ch 5 — Minerals and Energy Resources
⏱ ~15 min
🌐 Language: [gtranslate]
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[myaischool_lt_sst_assessment grade_level="class_10" subject="geography" difficulty="intermediate"]
Energy Resources — An Overview
Energy is required for all activities — cooking, lighting, heating, propelling vehicles, and driving industrial machinery. Energy can be generated from fuel minerals? like coal, petroleum, natural gas, and uranium, as well as from electricity. Energy resources are classified as conventional (firewood, cattle dung cake, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydel and thermal electricity) and non-conventional (solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas, and atomic energy).
Geographical Fact
In rural India, firewood and cattle dung cake meet over 70% of household energy requirements. However, continuing to use these is becoming difficult due to decreasing forest area, and using dung cakes is discouraged because it consumes valuable manure needed for agriculture.
Conventional Sources of Energy
Coal
Coal? is India's most abundantly available fossil fuel, providing a substantial part of the nation's energy needs for power generation, industry, and domestic purposes. Coal is formed by the compression of plant material over millions of years and exists in several forms depending on the degree of compression and the depth and time of burial.
| Type | Grade | Characteristics | Example Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peat | Lowest | Low carbon, high moisture, low heating capacity | Decaying swamp plants |
| Lignite | Low | Soft brown coal, high moisture content | Neyveli, Tamil Nadu |
| Bituminous | Medium-High | Most popular commercial coal; formed under high temperature at depth | Damodar Valley (Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro) |
| Anthracite | Highest | Hardest coal with highest carbon content | Limited deposits in India |
In India, coal occurs in two main geological ages: Gondwana (over 200 million years old) and Tertiary (about 55 million years old). The major Gondwana coal resources (metallurgical grade) are located in the Damodar Valley? spanning West Bengal and Jharkhand — Jharia, Raniganj, and Bokaro are important coalfields. The Godavari, Mahanadi, Son, and Wardha valleys also contain coal deposits. Tertiary coals occur in north-eastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland.
Did You Know?
Coal is a bulky material that loses weight on use (reduced to ash). This is why heavy industries and thermal power stations are typically located on or near coalfields to minimise transport costs.
Petroleum
Petroleum? (mineral oil) is the next major energy source after coal in India. It provides fuel for heat and lighting, lubricants for machinery, and raw materials for manufacturing industries. Petroleum refineries act as a 'nodal industry' for synthetic textile, fertiliser, and numerous chemical industries.
Most petroleum occurrences in India are associated with anticlines? and fault traps in rock formations of the tertiary age. The oil-bearing layer is porous limestone or sandstone, with non-porous layers preventing the oil from rising or sinking. Gas, being lighter, usually occurs above the oil. Major production areas include Mumbai High, Gujarat (Ankeleshwar), and Assam (Digboi, Naharkatiya, Moran-Hugrijan — India's oldest oil producing state).
Natural Gas
Natural gas? is found alongside petroleum deposits and released when crude oil is brought to the surface. It is used as fuel in the power sector, for industrial heating, as raw material in chemical and petrochemical industries, and as transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG). Major reserves are found in Mumbai High and allied fields along the west coast, supplemented by the Cambay basin, and new reserves in the Krishna-Godavari basin along the east coast.
Infrastructure Update
The first 1,700 km long Hazira-Vijaipur-Jagdishpur (HVJ) cross-country gas pipeline, built by GAIL (India), linked Mumbai High and Bassein gas fields with fertiliser, power, and industrial complexes in western and northern India. India's gas infrastructure has expanded from 1,700 km to over 18,500 km and is expected to reach 34,000 km as a unified Gas Grid connecting all sources and markets, including north-eastern states.
Electricity
Electricity's per-capita consumption is considered an index of development. It is generated in two main ways: hydroelectricity (from fast-flowing water driving hydro turbines — a renewable resource) and thermal electricity (by burning coal, petroleum, or natural gas — using non-renewable fossil fuels). India has multipurpose projects like Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley Corporation, and Kopili Hydel Project producing hydroelectric power.
Conventional vs Non-Conventional Energy Sources
L4 AnalyseFigure: Comparison of India's energy sources — conventional (fossil-fuel based) vs non-conventional (renewable)
DIG A LITTLE DEEPER — Power Plants
L3 Apply
Collect information about thermal and hydel power plants located in your state. Also, name some river valley projects and the dams built on these rivers.
Guidance
Key river valley projects include: Bhakra Nangal (Sutlej), Damodar Valley (Damodar), Hirakud (Mahanadi), Nagarjuna Sagar (Krishna), Tehri Dam (Bhagirathi). Thermal plants are located near coalfields (e.g., Talcher in Odisha, Ramagundam in Telangana). Identify which type predominates in your state based on its geography and resource availability.
Non-Conventional Sources of Energy
Growing consumption has made India increasingly dependent on fossil fuels. Rising prices, potential shortages, and serious environmental problems have created a pressing need to develop renewable energy? sources. India is blessed with abundant sunlight, water, wind, and biomass, and has the largest programmes for developing these resources.
Nuclear Energy
Obtained by altering atom structures. Uses uranium (Jharkhand, Aravalli ranges) and thorium (Monazite sands of Kerala). Six nuclear power stations operate across India.
Solar Energy
India's tropical location offers enormous potential. Photovoltaic technology converts sunlight directly into electricity. Big solar plants are being established across India to reduce rural dependence on firewood.
Wind Energy
Largest wind farm cluster: Tamil Nadu (Nagarcoil to Madurai). Other important states: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Lakshadweep. Jaisalmer is also well-known.
Biogas
Produced from shrubs, farm waste, animal and human waste. Higher thermal efficiency than kerosene or dung cakes. 'Gobar gas plants' provide twin benefits: energy and improved quality of manure.
Tidal Energy
Oceanic tides can generate electricity using floodgate dams built across inlets. During high tide, water flows in and gets trapped; when the tide falls, the retained water flows back through a power-generating turbine. Ideal conditions exist at the Gulf of Khambhat and Gulf of Kuchchh (Gujarat) and the Gangetic delta in Sundarbans (West Bengal).
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy? uses heat from the Earth's interior. Where the geothermal gradient is high, groundwater absorbs heat from rocks and turns to steam at the surface, driving turbines. India has several hundred hot springs. Two experimental projects exist: Parvati Valley near Manikaran (Himachal Pradesh) and Puga Valley (Ladakh).
Conservation of Energy Resources
Energy is a basic requirement for every sector — agriculture, industry, transport, commercial, and domestic. Consumption has been steadily rising. There is an urgent need for a sustainable path of energy development through promoting energy conservation and increasing use of renewable sources. India is presently one of the least energy-efficient countries in the world.
Remember
"Energy saved is energy produced." As concerned citizens, we can use public transport instead of individual vehicles, switch off electricity when not in use, use power-saving devices, and adopt non-conventional energy sources.
THINK ABOUT IT — Solar Energy's Future
L5 Evaluate
Why do you think solar energy has a bright future in India? Consider India's geographical position, climate, and current energy challenges.
Guidance
India lies in the tropical zone, receiving abundant sunshine for most of the year. This provides enormous potential for solar power. Solar energy is renewable, clean, and reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels. It can serve remote rural areas not connected to the power grid. Falling costs of photovoltaic technology and government initiatives like the National Solar Mission make solar increasingly viable. It also reduces carbon emissions, addressing climate change concerns.
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Competency-Based Questions
Case Study: A coastal village in Gujarat is considering two energy projects: a tidal energy plant at the Gulf of Kuchchh and a solar farm on barren land nearby. The village currently depends on a thermal plant 200 km away. The state government has offered subsidies for renewable energy. The village panchayat must decide which project to prioritise.
Q1. Which conventional energy source is most likely powering the existing thermal plant 200 km away?
L3 ApplyQ2. Analyse why the Gulf of Kuchchh provides ideal conditions for tidal energy generation.
L4 AnalyseQ3. Evaluate which project (tidal or solar) would be more practical for the village, considering cost, reliability, and India's geographical advantages.
L5 EvaluateHOT Q. Design a comprehensive energy plan for a rural village that combines multiple non-conventional sources to achieve energy self-sufficiency.
L6 CreateAssertion-Reason Questions
Options:
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true, but R is false.
(D) A is false, but R is true.
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true, but R is false.
(D) A is false, but R is true.
Assertion (A): Heavy industries and thermal power stations are typically located on or near coalfields.
Reason (R): Coal is a bulky material that loses weight on use as it is reduced to ash, making transport costly.
Assertion (A): Natural gas is emerging as a preferred transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG) in Indian cities.
Reason (R): Natural gas is found exclusively in the Krishna-Godavari basin.
Assertion (A): Biogas plants using cattle dung provide twin benefits to farmers.
Reason (R): The slurry from biogas plants serves as improved manure, and the gas provides energy, preventing loss of both manure and trees from burning dung cakes and firewood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is covered in Class 10 Geography Chapter 5 Energy Resources — An Overview?
This section of NCERT Class 10 Geography Chapter 5 covers Energy Resources — An Overview, Conventional Sources of Energy, Non-Conventional Sources of Energy. Students learn key concepts, definitions, and real-world applications through interactive activities, diagrams, and competency-based practice aligned with the CBSE curriculum.
What are the key concepts in this chapter for CBSE exams?
The key concepts include Energy Resources — An Overview, Conventional Sources of Energy, Non-Conventional Sources of Energy. Students should understand definitions, be able to explain cause-and-effect relationships, and apply these concepts to case-study questions as per CBSE competency-based question formats for Class 10 Geography.
How is this topic important for Class 10 board exams?
This topic from NCERT Class 10 Geography Chapter 5 is frequently tested in CBSE board exams through MCQs, short answers, and competency-based questions. Understanding the core concepts and practising application-based questions from this section is essential for scoring well.
What activities are included in this NCERT lesson?
This lesson includes interactive activities such as Think About It, Let us Explore, and discussion prompts aligned with NCERT pedagogy. These activities develop critical thinking, analysis, and evaluation skills as per Bloom's Taxonomy levels used in CBSE assessments.
How to study Class 10 Geography Chapter 5 effectively?
Study this chapter by first reading the NCERT text carefully, then reviewing all highlighted keywords and definitions. Practise the in-text activities, attempt CBQ-format questions, and revise using diagrams and summary tables. Focus on understanding concepts rather than rote memorisation.
Where can I find NCERT solutions for Class 10 Geography Chapter 5?
NCERT solutions for Class 10 Geography Chapter 5 are available on MyAISchool.in with detailed explanations for all exercise questions. The interactive lessons include CBQ practice, assertion-reason questions, and activity guidance aligned with CBSE guidelines.
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