SEBA Class 10 Social Science (Geography) Chapter 1 – Economic Geography: Matter and Resources Solutions & Summary
Looking for SEBA Class 10 Social Science Chapter 1 – “Economic Geography: Matter and Resources” solutions? At Ospin Academy, we provide NCERT-based solutions, important MCQs, and exam-focused explanations to boost your preparation.
📖 Chapter Overview:
This chapter introduces economic geography, focusing on the classification, distribution, and utilization of resources, and their importance in human activities.
📌 Key Topics Covered:
- Meaning and Scope of Economic Geography
- Classification of Resources: Renewable and Non-Renewable
- Distribution of Natural Resources Globally and in India
- Conservation and Sustainable Use of Resources
- Economic Activities and Their Relation to Resources
📌 Important Questions for Exams:
- What is economic geography and its importance?
- How are resources classified into renewable and non-renewable?
- What are the major natural resources found in India?
- Why is the conservation of resources necessary?
- How do economic activities depend on natural resources?
📝 How Ospin Academy Helps:
- Detailed NCERT-based answers for SEBA Class 10 Geography
- Exam-focused MCQs and extra questions
- Clear explanations with geographical context
- Concise revision notes for quick preparation
Access complete SEBA Class 10 Social Science Chapter 1 – “Economic Geography: Matter and Resources” solutions at Ospin Academy now!
Class 10 Science (English Medium) PDF Solutions 2025-26 | SEBA Assam
Download Class 10 Science (English Medium) PDF with detailed solutions, MCQs, and extra practice questions for SEBA Assam 2025-26.
Economic Geography: Matter and Resources
Textual Questions And Answers Exercise
Q1. What is economic geography? What is its main subject matter? Mention the important branches of economic geography.
Answer:- The branch of Geography in which the study of human activities relating to the production, consumption and exchange of resources is done with respect to space and time is called Economic Geography.
The subject matter of the Economic Geography is the story of human relationship between man’s productive activities and environmental conditions. The economic activities of man are not same in everywhere. Actually, due to the prevalence of variation in the elements of natural and man-made environments, human’s way if life and its economic activities also do not remain the same everywhere. In view of such differency if one place is agriculturally developed, another place may be developed in trade and commerce, or even rich in industrial or fish production activities. That is why all the places on the earth having dependent on one another continue to maintain a kind of interrelationship. In fact, resources and all the phenomena relating to various activities of man are discussed in Economic Geography.
The important branches of Economic Geography are- (a) Agricultural Geography, (b) Industrial Geography, (c) Resources Geography, (d) Transport Geography, (e) Marketing Geography, (f) Tourism Geography etc.
Q 2. Write in brief about the scope of economic geography.
Answer:- AAccording to Dudley Stamp, Economic Geography “involves consideration of the geographical and other factors which influence man’s productivity, but only in limited depths, so far as they are connected with production and trade.” Professor E. W. Zimmermann pointed out that, Economic Geography deals with the economic life of man with relation to environment.
R. S. Thoman in his book ‘The Geography of Economic Activity’ has remarked, “Economic Geography may be defined as an enquiry into the production, exchange and consumption of goods by people in different areas of the world. Particular emphasis is placed on the location of economic activity upon asking just why economic functions are situated where they are in this world.
The scope of the Economic Geography mainly based on the following questions:
(i) Where is the economic activity located?
(ii) What are the characteristics of the Economic Geography?
(iii) To what other phenomena is the economic activity related?
(iv) Why is the economic activity located where it is?
(v) Would it not be better located elsewhere?
Among the above mentioned five questions, the traditional economic geography is associated with the first three. But the latter two questions have laid the foundation of modern Economic Geography.
Q 3. What do you mean by economic activities of man? What are such economic activities?
Answer:- An economic activity is an activity of providing, making, buying, or selling of commodities or services by people to satisfy their day-to-day needs of life. Economic activities include any activity that deals with the manufacturing, distributing, or utilising of products or services.
There are four types of economic activities/occupations of man are: (a) Primary Occupation, (b) Secondary Occupation, (c) Tertiary Occupation, (d) Quaternary Occupation.
(a) Primary Occupation: The human activity through which man collects resources from the nature is called Primary Occupation. For example, agricultural activity, fishing activity, forest resource collection, mineral resource collection, etc.
(b) Secondary Occupation: The human activity through which man transforms the commodities collected from the nature into a usable form by using various technologies is called secondary occupation. For example, manufacturing process, various types of construction and repairing works, etc.
(c) Tertiary Occupation: The human activity through which the commodities produced by means of primary and secondary activities reach the consumers is called tertiary occupation. For example, transport, communication, marketing, wholesale of retail selling, tourism activity etc.
(d) Quaternary Occupation: The human activity through which the secondary and tertiary activities can be made more easy and productive is called quaternary occupation. For example, bank or other financial institutions. publicity media, administration, education and research, etc.
Q 4. Write briefly about the subject matter of the important branches of economic geography.
Answer:- Economic geography is the branch of geography which studies human activities related to production, distribution, consumption and exchange of resources with respect to spatial and temporal aspects.
The subject matter of the important branches of economic geography are:
(a) Agricultural Geography: An important branch of Economic Geography Here, factors associated with agricultural activity, types of agriculture distribution and methods of agricultural activity, crop production and associated theory, marketing and export-import of agricultural produces, etc are studied.
(b) Industrial Geography: Here, economic and other factors associated with establishment of industry, types of industry and geographical distribution production of industrial goods, theories associated with location of industry, marketing and export-import of industrial produces, etc. are studied.
(c) Geography of Resources: Here, types of resource, regional distribution of resources, the factors associated with exploration and production of resources, relationship between resource and development, conservation and management of resources etc. are studied.
(d) Transport Geography: Here, types of transport system and factors associated with it, role of transport on resource distribution, role of transport in movement and economic activities of man, role of transport system towards economic development, viz. industrial development, agricultural development, etc. are studied.
(e) Geography of Marketing: Here, the need of establishing markets and the associated factors, types and distribution of markets and associated theories, etc. are studied.
(f) Geography of planning and Development: Here, factors associated with economic development, planning strategies, sustainable development, regional and resource-based development process, etc are studied.
(g) Geography of Tourism: Here, tourism and factors associated with its growth, types of tourism development and planning process of tourism system etc are studied.
Q 5. Why is ‘resources geography’ know as an important branch of economic geography?
Answer:- Economic geography and its various subdivisions are inextricably linked to resource geography. It is because a country9s economic development is heavily reliant on the quality and availability of its resources. Because every economic activity or development process is inextricably linked to the environment, a greater emphasis is placed on sustainable development.
Q 6. What is meant by ‘resource’? Mention it’s characteristics.
Answer:- all the materials available in our environment which are technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally sustainable and help us to satisfy our needs and wants.
Main Characteristics of a resource are:
(a) utility.
(b) functionality.
(c) dynamism.
Q 7. ‘Resource is dynamic’. Explain.
Answer:- Resources are dynamic because their quantity keeps on increasing with the passage of time. More and more resources remain unexplored and once they are being explored then their quantity rises. So we cannot say that resources are static or stagnant. The only thing is their proper exploitation and utilisation is necessary.
Resource is dynamic. Even though a commodity is not used by man today or it is harmful to man today, the same may be used for human welfare in future. In fact, of these materials found on the earth, which are in no way useful or harmful to man are known as Natural Stuff. For instance, until man did not learn about the use of coal or mineral oil in generation of power, they were simply Neutral Stuffs.
On the other hand, the materials or phenomena harmful to man are called Resistance. For example, infertile soil, severely flood-affected region etc. are resistances. It may be mentioned here that until construction of dam on the river
Damodar for generation of hydropower and creation of irrigation facility, the Damodar river that used to create flood havoc in West Bengal was considered as a resistance.
Thus, with the expansion of human knowledge and development of science and technology many such neutral stuffs and resistances found on the earth are getting transformed into resource through human efforts. It is due to such a dynamic attribute of resource, a material of phenomenon which is found to be useful today may get transformed in the course of time into a resistance or neutral stuff. It means with change in society simultaneous change occurs in the concept of resource, and consequent change in resource collection and use.
Q 8. Briefly discuss about the necessity of resources with example?
Answer:- The usage of resources and their availability are inextricably linked to the advancement of human civilization. Human welfare and socioeconomic growth have resulted from resource exploitation. The resources received from nature are exploited by man, who employs his or her own energy, knowledge, wisdom, and talent. Apart from meeting man9s basic necessities of food, housing, and clothes, as well as many other requirements, the availability of these resources has allowed for an improvement in man9s living conditions.
Following are some of the necessities of resources:
(i) Resources when used as a raw material satisfy the needs and comforts of human beings.
(ii) They also provide employment opportunities.
(iii) Natural resources are a source of agricultural activities which adds to the economic importance.
Q 9. Write in brief about the relationship between resource and man.
Answer:- There is a close relationship between man and the environment. Man gets his livelihood by using various mean and natural resources found in the environment. With the increase in the number of population, the use of means and resources also increases.
There is a big relationship between resource and man. Man is associated resources in two different ways. Such as:
(a) as producer of resources, (b) as consumer of resources. Many of the resources useful to man are made available from the nature, most of them are transformed as per requirement into more consumable form by man. For example technology,
house, roads, schools, vehicles, agro- farm equipment etc. are produced by man. That is why are called man-made resources. Moreover as a producer or a creator of resource man is also a kind of resources. It is known as Human Resources. It is notable that the variation in the use of natural and man-made resources is dependent on the change in human demand and development of new technology.
Q 10. Briefly discuss about the relationship between resource and science-technology.
Answer:- There is a good relationship between resource and science and technology. All the natural resources useful to man, can not be used directly from the nature. With the help of science and technology man can transform various neutral stuff to resource. Generally all the resources are found as a result of the interaction among the nature, man and culture including science and technology. The variation in the use of natural and man-made resources is dependent on the change in human demand and development of new technology.
With the expansion of human knowledge and development of science and technology many such neutral stuff and resistances found on the earth are getting transformed into resource through human efforts. Science and Technology also help us to give appropriate shape of resource as the requirement of man.
Q 11. Write about classification of resources with examples.
Answer:- The classification of resources can be explained on the basis of: Abiotic resources:
(i) Abiotic refers to non-living things that exist apart from living things.
(ii) Land, water, air, and minerals such as gold, iron, silver, and copper are examples of abiotic resources.
Biotic resources:
(i) Biotic resources are those resources that are obtained from the biosphere.
(ii) Forests, wildlife, humans, fisheries, and livestock, among other things, provide these resources.
(iii) These resources can only be accessed by living things.
Renewable resources:
(i) A natural resource that can be replenished to replace the portion used up by usage and consumption is known as a renewable resource, also known as a flow resource.
(ii) This replenishment can occur naturally through reproduction or through other recurring processes in a limited amount of time on a human time scale.
These are referred to be permanent resources when the rate of resource recovery is unlikely to ever exceed a human time scale.
Non-renewable resources:
(i) A natural resource that cannot be easily replaced by natural means quickly enough to keep up with us is referred to as a non-renewable resource (also known as a finite resource).
(ii) Fossil fuels made of carbon are one instance.
(iii) With the use of heat and pressure, the original biological substance transforms into fuel like gas or oil.
(iv) Non-renewable resources include earth minerals and metal ores, fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, and natural gas), and groundwater in specific aquifers.
Q 12. What is meant by natural resources? Write briefly with examples.
Answer:- Natural resources are materials from the Earth that are used to support life and meet people’s needs. Any natural substance that humans use can be considered a natural resource. The resource, for example: sunshine, air, water, soil, plants, animals. minerals, river, etc. which after natural formation remain distributed on the earth, are known as Natural Resources. The natural resources are found in solid, liquid or gaseous states, and in metallic or non-metallic form. Many of such natural resources are use as raw materials in different industries. Besides, Coal, mineral oil, natural gas etc are also natural resources which are used by us as sources of energy.
Q 13. What are man-made resources? Write in briefly about its use with examples.
Answer:- Man-made resources are materials or items that are produced through human effort by transforming natural resources into usable forms. Examples include technology, houses, roads, industries, schools, offices, farm equipment, vehicles, etc.
Humans utilize raw materials from nature and, with the help of technology and skill, convert them into valuable products. For instance:
Paper is made from bamboo.
Cloth is derived from cotton.
Dyes, paints, naphtha, synthetic fabrics, chemical fertilizers, insecticides, soap, and plastic are created from plants and natural chemicals.
Medicines, food items, and construction materials are also manufactured from natural resources.
These resources enhance the quality of life and support economic growth. However, their creation requires education, technical knowledge, and innovative skills, making human resources critical.
Countries like Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea exemplify how advanced human resources can transform limited natural resources into development opportunities, achieving global prominence. Hence, human efforts and innovations are key to the creation and utilization of man-made resources.
Q 14. What are the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources? Discuss briefly with examples.
Answer:- The difference between renewable and non-renewable are: Renewable resources:
(i) Renewable resources cannot be depleted over time.
(ii) Renewable resources include sunlight, water, wind and also geothermal sources such as hot springs and fumaroles.
(iii) These emit low carbon and thus have a low carbon footprint.
Non-renewable resources:
(i) Non-renewable resources deplete over time.
(ii) Non-renewable resources includes fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum.
(iii) These emit comparatively higher carbon and thus have a higher carbon footprint.
Q 15. What is meant by ‘conservation of resources’? What it’s necessary?
Answer:- Resources conservation are important aspects of the environment as not all would present in abundant quantities. Overuse of resources will deplete its amount, which will lead to many issues, hampering our natural life. Conversation of resources is the process of preservation and judicious use of resources to achieve maximum utility, abovid wasteful consumption and misuse.
Conservation of Resources is very essential for men:
Although resource conservation is more associated with non-renewable resources, actually the concepts of conservation are applicable to all the resources. It may be mentioned that destruction of forests (renewable resource) results in decline of animal habitat including its bio-diversity and disturbance in the environmental balance in such areas. In view of such a situation many plans and projects for conservation of some rare and important biotic resources, such as tiger, elephant, rhino, dolphin etc have been taken up throughout the world.
Besides, many of the valuable plant-species of Assam, such as Sarpagandha, Chalmugra, Kalmegh, Arjun, Agaru, Chirata, Jaifal, Satmul, Suklati etc are getting extinct. Among the animals getting extinct, Golden Langur, Hoolock Gibbon, wild Buffalo, Pigmy Hog, River’s Dolphin, White Wood Duck, Hornbill, Greater Adjutant Stork etc. are worth mentioning.
Moreover, the rapid increase in the use of mineral oil, coal etc. as the sources of energy and chemical fertilizer, chemical insecticides and pesticides, etc in agriculture has caused serious environmental problems due to pollution of air, water and soil.
Thus, we have to take up necessary steps for resource conservation including economical use of resources so that our development process lasts long.
For instance, in respect of soil conservation, we have to make use of a plot of land for agriculture in such a way so that we continue to get good harvest of crops without depletion of soil fertility. Even though fish is a kind of renewable natural resource, its rapid increase of production has given rise to shortage of fish including its variety in many fishing grounds in the world. Besides, due to rapid increase of motor vehicles and industries and expansion of man’s luxurious modern life style the non-renewable energy resources like coal, petroleum, natural gas etc. are getting gradually vanished. In view of such a situation, conservation and rational use of resources have become very important globally. Otherwise, it would become difficult for substance of human and its civilization on the earth.
Q 16. Write in brief about the methods of resources conversation.
Answer:- Mainly these methods are important for conservation of resources:
(i) Effective control on population growth: When populations increases more than the availability of resources then the speed of resources exploitation increases. In such situation, due to excessive exploitation, the non-renewable resources quickly get exhausted. So, for resource conservation in a country, effective control on population growth is necessary.
(ii) Holistic view in planning: Proper use and conservation of different environmental factors is called holistic view in planning. The different environment factors are interrelated. The shortage of a single factor of environment causes imbalance. Thus, in making development plans, it is necessary to keep in mind the holistic view. In doing so, help is obtained in maintaining environmental balance, and on the other hand, there is a contribution in conservation of resources.
(iii) Enforcement of conversation related acts: For the proper Conversation of resources there should be p
SEBA Class 10 Social Science Chapter 1 – Economic Geography: Matter and Resources FAQs
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