Class 8 Social Science — Chapter 1: Natural Resources and Their Use
72 practice questions · 24 Easy · 24 Medium · 24 Hard
Practise Class 8 Social Science Chapter 1, "Natural Resources and Their Use", with 72 NCERT-aligned multiple-choice questions. The set is split into 24 Easy, 24 Medium and 24 Hard questions, so you can warm up on the fundamentals and then push into the exam-level problems that separate top scorers in CBSE Board exams.
"Natural Resources and Their Use" is one of the chapters where dates, cause-and-effect reasoning and map/source interpretation really pays off. Each MCQ on this chapter is timed and uses exam-grade marking (+2 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped), training the same accuracy-under-pressure that real papers demand. Every question carries a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson rather than a dead end — the fastest way to close gaps before a test.
Use this chapter as targeted revision: attempt the Easy set first to confirm your basics on Natural Resources and Their Use, then move to Medium and Hard to test application and problem-solving. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically, and the chapter feeds into your overall Class 8 Social Science mastery score. A few sample questions are shown below; sign in free to practise all 72.
Key concepts: Natural Resources and Their Use (Class 8 Social Science)
Nature becomes a 'resource' only when humans can and choose to use it. This chapter classifies natural resources, shows how unevenly they are spread, and argues for using them as stewards so renewables keep regenerating and non-renewables last longer.
- Natural resource
- Materials and substances that occur in Nature and are valuable to humans.
- Three conditions for a resource
- To count as a resource something must be technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable.
- Renewable resource
- A resource that restores itself over time — sunlight, wind, flowing water, timber — but only if we do not use it faster than it regenerates.
- Non-renewable resource
- Formed over millions of years and impossible to replenish at the rate we consume it, such as coal, petroleum, iron and gold.
- Restoration and regeneration
- Restoration returns something damaged to its healthy state; regeneration goes further and creates new life and the conditions for thriving.
- Ecosystem functions and services
- A forest filtering water is a function of Nature; the clean water people then receive is an ecosystem service.
- Paradox of plenty
- Also called the resource curse: regions rich in resources can still grow slowly, usually because they cannot convert raw materials into higher-value products.
- Stewardship
- Using resources so renewables regenerate and non-renewables last long enough for sustainable alternatives to be found.
💡 Exam tips for Natural Resources and Their Use
- India's coal reserves are estimated to last about another 50 years — the reason the chapter insists on judicious use.
- Almost 80% of Punjab is classified 'over-exploited' for groundwater: short-term food security bought at a long-term cost.
- Sikkim became a 100% organic state in 2016; farmer incomes rose about 20% on average.
- A mature tree gives about 275 litres of oxygen a day, while one person needs about 350 litres.
Sample questions
According to the chapter, elements of Nature become 'resources' when:
Trees exist independently of humans; they become a resource when we use them, for example converting wood into furniture.
Petroleum lying deep under the ocean beyond our technology is NOT yet a resource because it fails the test of being:
It exists in Nature and is valuable, but until we can reach it, it does not meet the accessibility condition.
A village refuses to mine a hill it considers sacred, although the ore is shallow and would be profitable. Using the chapter's three conditions, the ore is not a resource here because it fails only the test of being:
Shallow ore is reachable and profit shows feasibility, so the community's values are the deciding condition.
Natural Resources and Their Use — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 8 Social Science Natural Resources and Their Use?+
Nature becomes a 'resource' only when humans can and choose to use it. This chapter classifies natural resources, shows how unevenly they are spread, and argues for using them as stewards so renewables keep regenerating and non-renewables last longer. Key ideas include Natural resource, Three conditions for a resource, Renewable resource, Non-renewable resource, Restoration and regeneration.
What does Class 8 Social Science Chapter 1 (Natural Resources and Their Use) cover on XamBaaz?+
It covers 72 NCERT-aligned MCQs on "Natural Resources and Their Use" — 24 Easy, 24 Medium and 24 Hard — each with a timed quiz and an instant explanation, suitable for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "Natural Resources and Their Use" questions free to practise?+
Yes — sign in with Google to practise "Natural Resources and Their Use" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year (limited-time launch price), with no per-chapter charges.
How should I revise "Natural Resources and Their Use" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to confirm your fundamentals, then attempt Medium and Hard for application-level practice. Review each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy on this chapter until it is consistently high.
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