3 TYPES OF NATURAL RESOURCES 1 Land provides us with most of the requirements like food houses clothing etc 30 of the land available is use to man Many parts are mountainous rocky or deserts which are not of much use for the purpose of building or cultivation Noted As the requirement for land for urbanization increases more and more forests are being cut down to make more land available Due to rapid deforestation the natural cycle of generation of forests is being disturbed due to which the area of forests is decreasing considerably This in turn is affecting the plant and animal kingdom Forests Play a Vital Role They purify the air and control pollution to some extent Regulate the climatic conditions Replenish the ground water Decrease the run off rate of rainwater Maintain the fertility of the soil Control floods Prevent soil erosion Support a wide variety of plant and animals species and provide a natural habitat to them 2 Water is one of the unique features of the earth which makes life possible in its present form 70 75 of the surface of the earth covered with water 90 of water is present as oceans and seas Exists in 3 forms solid liquid gas Sea Water sodium chloride or common salt forms 80 of the dissolved salts found in sea water Products extracted from sea water are cooking salt magnesium and bromine Fresh Water suitable for human consumption are found in lakes rivers rain ground water etc In the form of rain or snow is formed from the condensation of the water vapour present in air Rain water accumulates in lakes and rivers and seeps into the soil as ground water NOTED The water on the earth s surface and in its atmosphere is always in motion The sun evaporates it from the ocean s surface the wind blows over the resulting vapour over the land where it falls as rain collects in rivers and flows back to the sea called water cycle HUMAN USES THE WATER RESOURCES Human use water for drinking washing cooking agriculture etc Industries set up by man use water extensively for purposes The gaseous form of water steam is used as a source of energy Waterfalls dams and tides are used to generate electricity Oceans are the productive environments for marine vegetation and marine animals Oceans are source of various minerals and salt Salt used in our food Oceans seas and rivers provide us with a ready made transport pathway on Fishes and other marine life are source of food and livelihood which ships and boats Shells pearls and other semi precious stones from the sea beds are used in making jewellery and other aesthetic objects Water plays an important role in the wear and tear of rocks resulting in the formation of soil 3 Air is a renewable and inexhaustible natural resource It is indispensable for all life forms humans plants and animals is a mixture of gases Atmosphere envelope of air that surrounds us Can be divided into many other layers or zones USES OF THE ATMOSPHERE Use in respiration Ozone layer of the atmosphere protects us from the harmful ultraviolet rays coming from the sun UV radiation is responsible for giving people sun burn and can cause skin cancer Heat type of energy absorbed or reflected by the gases in the atmosphere The air currents help to maintain suitable climatic conditions and facilitate the formation of rain Wind is the fast moving air Used as a source of energy to pollinate plants to disperse seeds to transport rain bearing clouds from one place to another Aviation transport reduces the pressure on land transport Air plays a vital role in communication Sound like radio and television signals need air to be transmitted Ionosphere reflects back radio waves to the surface of the earth making this type for communication Noted Heat from the sun is reflected by the atmosphere so that the earth does not get too hot At night the atmosphere prevents the earth heat from escaping into space The surface does not het too cold at night