4/11/2019 Natural Resources

Introduction to Natural Resources

Earth is the only one on which life exists.
The resources of the earth are the land, the water and the air. Other resources include
sunlight, wind, fossil fuels, minerals etc.
Biotic factors referred as living things in the ecosystem.
The air, the water and the soil form the non-living or abiotic component of the
biosphere.

Air and Air Pollution

Air and its composition

An atmosphere is a layer of gases that surrounds a planet.

Atmospheric air has 78% nitrogen, 21%oxygen and, 1% of other gases by volume.

Role of atmosphere

The atmosphere keeps the average temperature of earth steady.

It prevents sudden increase in temperature during day
It slows down escape of heat into outer space during night

Air pollution

Air pollution is the introduction of pollutants, organic molecules, or other unsafe

materials into Earth’s atmosphere
Causes: Man-made sources include combustion of fuel, smoke from industries,
Burning crackers etc. Natural sources include forest fires, volcanoes etc.
Effects: Respiratory diseases, Global warming, Acid Rain etc.

Ozone layer

The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region of Earth’s stratosphere that absorbs most
of the Sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
 It contains high concentrations of ozone (O3) in relation to other parts of the
atmosphere

Ozone layer depletion

Ozone layer depletion is the reduction of the amount of ozone in the stratosphere
which results in higher UV radiations reaching on the earth.

CFCs

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Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) is an organic compound that contains carbon, chlorine, and

fluorine

Greenhouse effect

 The greenhouse effect occurs when Earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation because
of the presence of certain greenhouse gases.
Ozone, methane, carbon dioxide, water vapour and chlorofluorocarbons are called
greenhouse gases.

Water: A natural resource

Role of water in everyday life: Water forms two-thirds of our body, it keeps body's
temperature normal, It is also used for agricultural purposes, Domestic Purposes,
Industrial Purposes etc.
Distribution of water on earth: Only 3% of water on the surface is fresh, the remaining
97% resides in the ocean.

Water pollution

Water pollution occurs when pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged into
water bodies without adequate treatment.
Causes:-Urbanisation, Industries, Agriculture, Religious and Social Practices,
Withdrawal of water and drying up of water bodies

Water cycle
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is the continuous movement of
water from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere and then back to the ground.

Water Cycle

Transpiration and Evaporation

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Evaporation of water from leaves is called transpiration.

In evaporation,  water gets converted from a liquid form to vapour form.

Soil
Soil and its formation

Soil is the uppermost layer of Earth’s crust, formed by the continuous weathering of
mountains
Factors causing soil formation are:- Parent material, Time, Climate, and Organisms.

Soil composition

Soil is a mixture of varying amounts of inorganic matter, organic matter, water, and air
Various types of soil are clay, loam, silt, sand, etc.

Humus

Leaves and organic constituents decompose to form the upper organic layer, known as
humus.
 It plays an important role in increasing soil fertility.

Soil pollution

The addition of harmful or toxic chemicals to the soil which renders it unproductive is
called soil pollution.
Causes:- Insecticides, fertilizers, industrial wastes, Accidental oil spills, Acid rain etc.
are its causes.

Soil erosion

Soil erosion is one form of soil degradation.

Flowing water, rainwater, and the wind are the prime agents which cause soil erosion.
This causes loss of topsoil and also reduces crop production potential.

Bio-geo-chemical cycle
A biogeochemical cycle is a natural cycle in which conserved matter moves through
the biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem. 
Biogeochemical = Biological Chemical + Geological Process

Carbon

Carbon is found in various forms

Elemental forms- Diamond, graphite

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Combined form-carbon dioxide, carbonates

Carbon-containing molecules- proteins, carbohydrates, fats, nucleic acids, vitamins.

Carbon cycle
The circulation and transformation of carbon between the living things and the
environment is called as the Carbon Cycle.

Carbon Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is the recycling and reusing of nitrogen in different forms to meet
the demand for various environmental activities.

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Nitrogen Cycle

Oxygen Cycle
Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is a biological process used by plants to prepare their food with the help of
sunlight and energy.

Oxygen cycle

It is a biological process which helps in maintaining the oxygen level

Oxygen Cycle

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