UNIT-II

NATURAL RESOURCES

The word resource means a source of supply. The natural resources include water, air, soil,
minerals, coal, forests, crops and wildlife are examples. All the resources are classified based on
quantity, quality, re-usability, men‘s activity and availability.
Classification of Resource
Exhaustible Resources: These resources have limited supply on the earth and liable to be
exhausted if used indiscriminately. These resources are of two types.
(1) Renewable resources: These resources have the capacity to reappear themselves by quick
recycling with a reasonable span of time.
Eg: forests, wildlife.
(2) Non-renewable resources: Resources that exist in a fixed quantity in earth‘s crust are
called non–renewable resources. These resources lack the ability of recycling and replacement.
Eg: minerals, fossil fuels etc..
A few mineral resources which occur in the earth‘s crust namely copper, aluminum, mercury,
gold etc.., minerals of asbestos, clay and mica are considered as non-renewable resources. Fossil
fuels are derived from organic matter that accumulated during hundreds of millions of years of
early bio-geological history. There is no way of recycling the energy in fossil fuels.
Inexhaustible Resources: These resources are present in unlimited quantity in the nature and
they are not likely to be exhausted by human activities.
Eg: solar energy, wind power, tidal power, rain fall, atomic energy etc…
It is very important to protect and conserve, the natural resources. Natural resources are to be
used in a judicious manner so that they cannot be exhausted. It doesn‘t mean that we should stop
using them. Natural resources are to be used in such a way that we can make use for future
generations. Among the natural resources, Water resources; Mineral resources; Energy
resources; Land resources are the major ones to discuss.

WATER RESOURCES

Hydrologic Cycle: The continuous circulation of water from land, water bodies etc., which joins
the atmosphere and finally condenses into the form of precipitation. A part of water is lost by
evapo-transpiration and certain portion percolates into the ground to form ground water reservoir
and the remaining water flows on the ground as runoff and joins the streams, rivers and finally
into sea. This cycle is continuously repeated. Water is the main constituent of hydrosphere & is
renewable resource. Water is next to air that man requires for his survival and existence. Water is

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needed for daily use by organisms, for irrigation, industrial electricity production and domestic
use. Hence, water is an important resource in all economic activities ranging from agriculture to
industry. The distribution of water resources is not uniform over the earth‘s surface. About 97%
of it is salt water in the seas & oceans, 2.6% is trapped in polar ice caps & glaciers. Only 0.4% is
available as fresh water.

Fresh water occurs mainly in two forms as .

1. Ground water
2. Surface water
The distribution of fresh water is geographically uneven varying greatly from country to country
& even one region to another region.
Uses of water:
1. Domestic use: Water used in the houses for the purposes of drinking, bathing, washing
clothes, cooking, sanitary & other needs. The recommended value according to Indian standard
specification for domestic use is 135 liters/day
2. Industrial use: Water is required for various industries such as cement, mining, textile, leather
industries.
3. Public use: This includes water used for public utility purpose such as watering parks, flushing
streets; jails etc.
4. Fire use: Water is used in case of accidents and to prevent the fire issues.
5. Irrigation: To grow crops this is the main sources for food.
6. Other uses: Hydro electric power generation requires water.

Effects of over use of ground water:

Over use of groundwater has following effects.
1. Lowering of water table: Excessive use of ground water for drinking, irrigation and domestic
purposes has resulted in rapid depletion of ground water in various regions leading to lowering
of water table & drying of wells.

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The reasons for shortage of water are:
1. Increase in population,
2. Increasing demand of water for various purposes.
3. Unequal distribution of fresh water.
4. Increasing pollution of water sources cause over exploitation.
2. Ground subsidence: When ground water withdrawal is greater than its recharge rate, the
sediments in the aquifer become compacted. This is called ground subsidence which may cause
damage of buildings, destroy water supply systems etc.

Floods: A Large area of land with water for several days in continuation is called flood. Floods
have been regular features of some parts of India & Bangladesh. Floods are caused by both
natural as well as human factors. The (i) anthropogenic activities such as deforestation,
construction activities, and diversion of river channels cause floods (ii) over-grazing also cause
floods. Floods are also caused by various factors such as, climatologically (due to rain), failure of
dams (i.e., excessive release of water) and floods could get intensified because of basin
characters. Flooding also takes place when the river channels are unable to contain the discharge.

Drought: The condition of dryness for prolonged period is called drought due to drop of average
rainfall. Drought cause famine and starvation of human & animal population of region
concerned. Drought is the most serious physical hazard to agriculture. Shortage of water for even
the basic needs is the main problem in the drought areas. Shallow rooted plants don‘t grow.
Infiltration wells, construction of dams, water sheds are being taken up in drought prone areas.
Clouds seeding techniques, artificial rains etc., are to be implemented.
Conflicts over water: Conflict means a situation in which people, groups, countries are involved
in a serious argument. Water is an essential resource for sustaining life and environment. The
available water resources are under tremendous pressure due to increased demands. Conflicts
over sharing of river water between neighboring countries or different states of a country have
now become quite common. The conflicts over water are continuing phenomena and leads to
wars.
Some examples of such conflicts in past & at present are listed below:
1. During Second World War many water dams were bombed.
2. Central dams over YALU River were attacked during Korean War.
3. Water supply systems in North Vietnam were bombed by US in1960‘s during Vietnam War.
4. The construction of Farakka Barrage across Ganga has become a dispute between India and
Bangladesh. The Barrage is intended to divert water into river Hoogly to protect Calcutta port.
5. The Cauvery water dispute is between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Tamil Nadu is
occupying the downstream region of the river wants to use of upstream water whereas the
upstream state Karnataka refused to do so.
6. The Sutlej –Yamuna link is the dispute between Punjab & Haryana.
7. The river basin of Fordan and the Nile are the shared water resources for Middle East
Countries (Asia; Africa; Europe ). Ethiopia controls 80% of Nile River water whereas Sudan
(South Africa) too is trying to divert more water. The sufferer is Egypt.
The following statuses have disputes:

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 Rivers Disputing states
1. Yamuna Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh.
2. Narmada Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
3. Krishna Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka.
4. Godavari Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh.
5. Cauvery Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
Dams benefits & problems : The construction of dams has their own benefits & drawbacks.
Excess amount of water flowing in rivers which otherwise Join Sea can be stored as reservoirs by
constructing the dams across the rivers. The dam‘s viz., Bhakra-Nangal, Heerakud, Nagarjuna
sagar; srisailam etc generate electricity, to supply drinking water. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru
called these dams as ―THE TEMPLES OF MODERN INDIA‖.
Uses:
1. More land can be brought under irrigation.
2. Hydro-Electric power can be generated.
3. Water can be supplied to towns & cities.
Disadvantages:
1. Causes change in a climate of region at micro level.
2. Loss of vegetation & soil erosion.
3. Generation of seismic activities due to heavy pressure of water.
4. Blasting operations during construction of dams cause landslides.
5. Sedimentation & silting of reservoirs.

MINERAL RESOURCES

Minerals are naturally occuring inorganic, crystalline, solid having a definite chemical
composition with a certain physical properties or a substance that is naturally present in the earth
and is not formed from animal or vegetable matter. In any country, the growth and development
of industry depends on the availability and quality of deposits of minerals of economic
importance. Mineral resources can be classified under three main types. They are metallic,
nonmetallic and atomic minerals. Metallic minerals include native elements such as gold and
silver ; haematite and magnetite (iron) ; Cuprite ( copper) ; Laterite ( aluminum) and non-
metallic minerals include sand ( quartz ), garnet ; steatite (talc); muscovite ( mica ) whereas
atomic minerals include Pitchblende (Uranium, Thorium ). The geological processes are caused
for the formation of the minerals over million of years ago in the earth‘s crust. Minerals are
generally localized in occurrence and the deposits are very sporadic in distribution. Mineral
resources are non renewable and the mineral /ore is extracted by the process of mining. Much
risk is involved in mining process because of high temperature, pressure variations, fire hazards
and lack of ventilation in mines. Minerals are used in a large number of ways for domestic,
industrial, commercial sectors etc… Generation of energy by using coal ( lignite / anthracite ) ;
uranium, gold, silver, platinum, diamond are used in jewellery. Copper, aluminum etc are used as
cables for transmission of power. Some of the minerals are used in ayurvedam as medicine. Gold
is reputed to strengthen the heart muscle and increase energy and stamina. By placing a piece of
gold (devoid of stones) into 1000 ml of water and boiling it until reduced to 500 ml. Historical
dose used gold ash of 10 mcg/day or gold water of 1 tsp 3x/day. Silver is a very important
healing substance due to its cooling and antiseptic properties. It is most useful for treating Vata

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and Pitta especially conditions involving weakness, and some of chronic fevers. It is also used
for gastritis, inflammatory of the intestines. Historical dose used silver ash of 10-30 mcg/day or
silver water of 1 tsp 3x/day. Copper was used to treat conditions of excess kapha (primarily) and
vata (secondarily). Historical dose used: copper ash: 10-30 mcg/day or copper water: 1 tsp
3x/day
Environmental effects: Mineral extraction and processing in mines involves a negative impact
on environment. Mining process involves removal of over burden of soil, ore extraction &
transportation, crushing & grinding of ore, water treatment of ore, storage of waste material As a
result of these activities cause air pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, loss of habitat of
wildlife, concentration of toxic substances in tailing ponds and spreading of dust. People
working in mines often suffer from serious respiratory system and skin diseases. Mining often
causes ground subsidence which results in tilting of buildings, cracks in houses, buckling of
roads, bending of rail tracks etc. Exploration process before a mining involves, geochemical,
geophysical surveys drilling activities which causes for air pollution, noise pollution etc.. In
addition, disturbance of all vegetation ( flora ) and fauna ( animals ) from that a region.

Remedial measures: Atmospheric pollution due to mining and associated activities can be
minimized by planning and using dust extractors, by optimizing the blast design, maintenance of
roads and sprinkling of water for easy movement of dumpers, by using eco generators ( sound
proof ), proper maintenance of equipment and the machines not only minimize the air pollution
but also the noise generation.
case studies of mineral resources
1)Aravalli hills in Rajasthan: The Aravallis hills spread across Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat
and control the climate and drainage system of the region. Mining activity is being taken in this
region due to immense mineral wealth ( Talc, marble, granite ).
Rajasthan state alone has 9700 industrial units connected with mining and 90% of forest has
been depleted over the past 20 years. When the mining activity reached below the under ground
water level, a cone of depression was formed in the surrounding areas and ultimately bore wells,
dug wells, dried up and affected agriculture in a massive level. Several studies have pointed out
that the natural drainage system and the ground water table of the entire region have been badly
affected. Pollution levels have also increased. Lung diseases, silicosis were attacked by the
laborers. In November 2002, the Supreme Court imposed a blanket ban on mining activities in
the Aravalli hills. The court ruling closed all 9700 units. The environmentalists have alleged that
mining has affected the water, forest and the land.
2)Uranium mining in Nalgonda: The Uranium Corporation of India proposed to mine Uranium
from the deposits of Lambapur and Peddagattu villages of Nalgonda dist. Processing unit was
proposed at Mallapur village in Nalgonda dist by offering employment opportunities. But experts
didn‘t propose mining activity because of possible contamination of water. The proposed mines
are just 1 km away from human habitation and 10 km from Nagarjuna sagar dam and 4 km away
from Akkampalli reservoir, which is a source for drinking water.
3) Gold mining in Europe: Potassium Cyanide is used during the process of gold treatment. In
2000, the Baia Mare Gold mine in Romania ( Europe ), released 80 million litres of less
concentrated cyanide into the Tisza river. The cyanide flowed 500 km via Hungary and Serbia
cities caused for diseases.

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4) A Gold and Copper project of Tedi Island in New Guinea released 1000 cubic meters of less
concentrated cyanide into a river and affected the cultureand lifestyle of Guinea people.

LAND RESOURCES

Land is the major part of the lithosphere. Land is made up of soils / rocks and are considered as
very important resources of earth. Land plays a major role for growth of crops, vegetation,
forests etc., Soils are formed due to disintegration of rocks by various physical processes like
change in temperature, pressure, blowing wind and flow of water. The top layer of soil consists
of mixtures of Humus (dead leaves & plants), some of the living organisms and Inorganic
components which supply nutrients to the soil. Soil fertility depends on inorganic matter, organic
matter, water, air and a variety of micro-organisms viz., bacteria, fungi, which help in the
decomposition of organic matter and regeneration of nutrients.
Distribution of land resources
The utilization of land distribution in India as under:
Agriculture land 43.60 %
Pastures 14.60 %
Waste lands but cultivable 12.20 %
Forests 10.70 %
Barren land 8.40 %
Urban land 5.30 %
Unavailable information on lands 5.20 %
Total 100.00 %

Types of Indian Soils

Different types of soils are identified by taking into account the geographical extent, physical
and chemical properties for the purpose of agriculture, nutritional factors.
(a) Alluvial soils: This is generally alkaline and best soil for agricuture. Alluvial soils are derived
from debris brought by the floods or rivers or by tidal waves. Eg: North Indian Plains; Indo–
Gangetic Plain; Ganga and Brahmaputra Plains …
(b) Black soils: Black soils are predominantly with clay and sandy loams. These soils are found
in the regions of AP (Krishna and Tungabhadra basins) , Maharashtra ( Deccan Traps ) and
Madhya Pradesh.
(c) Red soils: The red colour is due to the presence of high proportion of iron component and
characterized by low water retention capacity. Red soils are found in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu and parts of Bihar, Orissa and Western Ghats of Karnataka..
(d) Laterite soils: These soils are rich in hydroxides of Ferrous and aluminum. At low elevation
areas, the laterite soils are suitable for paddy cultivation whereas at higher elevations, they are
suitable for coffee, tea, rubber etc., Western Ghats, Northern part of Eastern Ghats, North of
Bangalore and West of Hyderabad are examples for laterite soils.
(e) Mountain soils: These are stony. Mountain soils are formed due to dislodgement of rocks due
to landslides and occur over altitudes between 2000 to 3000 mts. Eg: Aravallis and East of
Himalayas. Mountain soils are favour for growth of vegetation / forest .

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(f) Desert soils: These soils cover the parts of areas of Rajasthan and Kutch where the annual
rainfall is less than 50 cms per annum.
(g) Saline soils: Presence of salt and water retention make the soils unsuitable for agriculture.
Eg: Arid (no rain ) and Semi arid ( partly rain ) regions of northern plains and Maharashtra.
Soil erosion and causes for soil erosion
The top layer of the earth is called as soil. Soil erosion occurs due to deforestation, overgrazing,
industrialization; desertification etc.
Deforestation: Mining, industrial, urban development etc causes deforestation and leads to
exposure of the land to wind and rains causing soil erosion. Cutting trees leads to deforestation
which in turn loss of organic matter in the soils.
Overgrazing: When sufficient amount of grass is available for the organisms usually the entire
land /area may be subjected to exhaust and the land is exposed without grass and ultimately the
land expose to wind/rain causing soil erosion. .
Industrialization: Different processes carried out by industries and mining operations cause soil
pollution which leads to degradation of land.
Desertification: The process of conversion of productive lands to unproductive lands is called
desertification. This occurs due to loss of top layer of soil by erosion. Erosion of top layer results
in loss of water holding capacity and finally converted in to unproductive areas .

Land degradation and control of land degradation

Land degradation can be defined as any change in the land that alter its conditions or reduces its
quality. Land degradation occurs due to both natural disasters like volcanic eruptions,
earthquakes, heavy rains, fire etc or human induced activities. The other causes of land
degradation consists of wind blow, salinity of water, water logging, soil acidity, loss of flora and
fauna. Desertification is land degradation occurring in the arid, semi-arid regions of the world.
These dry lands cover about 40% of the earth‘s surface and puts at risk more than 1 billion
people who are dependent on these lands for survival. Land clearing and deforestation; Mining
activity in forest areas; urban conversion; bringing more land under cultivation; soil pollution ;
loss of organic matter in the soils; alkalinization of soils; salinity of water etc leads to land
degradation. Severe land degradation affects in decreasing the mineral wealth and economic
development of nations. The methods that are followed for the prevention of land degradation
are called soil conservation methods. Some of the popular methods are;
(a) Contour farming: The land is prepared with alternate furrows (a long narrow cut in the
ground ) and ridges at the same level . The water is caught and held in furrows and stores which
reduces run off and erosion.
(b) Mulching: Stems of maize, cotton, tobacco etc are used as a mulch (decay of leaves) to
reduce soil moisture, evaporation.
(c) Crop rotation: Growing same crop year after year depletes the nutrients and land becomes
unproductive. This is overcome by changing the crops and cultivating legumes (plants like peas,
beans) after a regular crop.
(d) Strip cropping: It consists of planting crops in rows or strips along contours to check flow of
water.
(e) Agrostological methods: Korean grass, Mexican grasses are grown as erosion – resisting
plants.

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(f) Miscellaneous methods: Construction of bunds, drains, widening of gullies, Afforestation
methods prevent the soil erosion.
Landslides and man induced land slides
Landslides are always exist on this planet and the term land slide is used to describe a wide
variety of process that result a downward movement of rocks under gravitational forces. In other
words, mass movement of rocks, debris and soil down a slope of land. Landslides are primarily
associated with steep slopes. Surface run-off and changes in drainage also cause for landslides.
Landslides can also be initiated by rainfall; earthquakes; volcanic activity, changes in
groundwater movement or any combination these factors. Debris-flows can travel down a
hillside of speeds upto 200 miles per hour (more commonly, 30 – 50 miles per hour) depending
on the slope angle, water content, and type of earth and debris in the flow. While landslides are a
naturally occurring environmental hazard they have recently increased in frequency in certain
areas due to human activities. Building excavations, collapses in mining ( eg : coal mine) causes
landslides. However, landslides can be triggered by the human beings by induced changes in the
environment.
Simply landslides can be explained in three ways:
(a) Inherent of rocks (weakness in the structure of a rock )
(b) due to heavy seismic or volcanic activity and
(c) due to various environmental conditions.

ENERGY RESOURCES

The term energy means capacity to do work. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed but
transformed from one form to other. Energy is closely related to force. When a force causes an
object to move, energy is being transferred from the force to kinetic energy. Energy is present in
a number of forms such as mechanical, thermal, chemical, biological energy etc.. Energy
production and utilization have become essential to carry out many activities in modern life.
Energy is one of the important requirements that a country needs for its economic growth. At the
same time, energy production has its impact on environment due to pollution and finally affects
the quality of life of people. The energy is used for the following purposes:
a) Cooking, heating and lighting
b) Transporting people and goods by means of vehicles.
c) Manufacturing consumer goods and equipment
d) Conversion of fuels into other forms of energy for various use.
For Example:
(1) Burning coal to produce electrical energy or mechanical energy
(2) Chemical to electrical by dry cell batteries
(3) Using water in dams to produce electricity through mechanical energy.
The power generation capacity in the country has increased from 1400 MW at the end of 1947 to
92,894 MW at the end of 1999 from various sectors comprising as under:
Hydro sector 22,438 MW
Thermal sector 67,618 MW
Nuclear sector 1,870 MW
Wind sector 968 MW
From all sectors 92,894 MW

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There are two types of energy sources namely:
(1) Renewable energy sources and (2) Non – renewable energy sources.
The important renewable energy resources are described below:
Solar energy: The energy which is derived from the sun is known as solar energy. It can be used
for direct heating or sun‘s heat is converted into electricity. Photo voltaic cells convert direct
solar energy into electricity. A number of solar equipments have been developed to utilize sun
rays to heat water, to cook food, to pump water and to run certain machines and used for street
lighting, railway signals etc. But the major problem with solar energy is that during cloudy
weather it is available in less quantity than on sunny days.
Hydro-Power energy: Electrical power is generated by hydro-electric projects in which dams
are constructed across the river. The kinetic energy of water is converted into mechanical energy
by means of turbines and in turn, the mechanical energy is transferred into electrical energy by
generators. Hydro power projects lead to several environmental problems like destruction of
animal habitats, deforestation, migration of people etc..
Geothermal energy: Geothermal energy found within rock formations. Inside the earth the
o
temperature rises with depth .The temperature in earth‘s crust is around 4000 C. Geysers (a
natural spring that emits hot water) and hot springs are examples for geothermal energy where
the steam and hot water come to the surface, in areas where the steam is tapped by drilling. The
obtained steam is then used to generate power. Air pollution results in case of geothermal energy
where the gases like H2S, NH3, CO2 present in the steam coming out of the geothermal sources.
The overall efficiency for power production is low (15%) as compared to fossil fuels (40%).
Wind energy: Wind energy is the kinetic energy associated with the movement of atmospheric
air. Wind mills convert the wind energy into electrical energy. On an average wind mills can
convert 30 – 40 % of available wind energy into electrical energy at a steady wind speed of 8.5
mts / sec. The efficiency of wind mill is increased with the speed of wind and length of rotor
blade. The total wind energy potential in India‘s estimate is 25,000 MW of this about 6000 MW
is located in Tamil Nadu; 5000 MW in Gujarat and contribute the states of Andhra Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan for balance quantity.
Merits & demerits of wind energy:
1. It is a non – polluting and environment friendly source of energy.
2. It is a renewable energy available at free of cost
3. Power generation is cheaper with nil recurring expenses.
4.Wind mills are suitable to erect at on shore, remote and rural areas where wind blows with
required intensity.
5. Favorable in geographic locations which are away from cities.
6. Wind turbine design, manufacturing, installation is complex due to varying atmospheric
conditions.
7. Wind power doesn‘t suitable for large scale generation.
Ocean energy: Seas and oceans are large water bodies. Seas absorb solar radiation and a large
amount of solar energy is stored in the tides and waves of the ocean. Ocean energy is non –
polluting in nature and suitable at a few places only. Energy from seas or oceans is obtained from
the following:
(1) Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: The oceans collect and store huge quantities of solar on
the surface of the water while the temperature of deep waters is very low. Using this temperature
difference it is possible to convert heat into electricity.

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(2) Tidal energy: Tidal waves of the sea can be used to turn turbine and generate electricity.
Asia‘s first tidal power plant of 800 - 1000 MW capacity is proposed to be set up at Kandla in
Gulf of Kutch.
(3) Wave energy: The wind blowing over water generates waves. A unique property of ocean
waves is their ability to travel vast oceanic distances with negligible loss of energy and
ultimately arrives the continental margin of that basin. India‘s first wave energy power plant of
150 KW capacity has been commissioned in Thiruvananthapuram, Tamil Nadu. 1 MW wave
energy plant is being set up in Andaman and Nicobar islands.
(4) Current energy: Theoretically, the ocean water used to generate energy by allowing the water
to pass through a series of turbines installed under water. The turbines are to be sealed and are
kept at a depth of 10 to 20 mts. A propeller with a dia of 5 mts can generate about 150 MW of
power.
Bio mass energy: Bio-mass is an organic material from living beings or its residues. It is a
renewable source of energy derived from the waste of various human and natural activities. The
bio-mass energy sources include Wood, animal manure, sugarcane waste, agriculture crops,
house hold waste, roots of plants, garbage etc. The simplest way of using bio-mass energy
sources is to allow them to dry out in the sun and burn them.
Bio-gas: Bio-gas is a sustainable source of energy by virtue of its production from available
natural organic wastes of cattle dung, human excreta, poultry waste, plant leaves, paddy husk
etc…. Bio-gas is a mixture of methane (68%), CO2 (31%) and N2 (1%). Methane gas (CH4) is
produced by bio-gas plants and this gas is utilized as cooking gas whose calorific value varies
from 4400 – 6200 Kilo Calories / cum. Heat value of bio gas can be improved by reducing its
CO2 content. Bio-gas production is carried out in an enclosed bio-gas plant made of bricks or
steel. Slurry of waste organic matter is fed into the plant through an inlet and gas formed is
tapped by an inverted drum. As gas is produced the drum rises and the gas may be drawn
through an outlet. Bio-gas is commonly produced from cattle dung in a bio gas plant known as
Gobar Gas plant. Bio-gas is a clean, cheap fuel that can be used for lighting purpose, lifting
water through small pumps.
Non – renewable energy resources include (a) fossil fuels such as coal, crude oil, natural gas
and (b) nuclear energy.
(a)Fossil fuels: Fossil means the remains of an animal or a plant which have become hard and
turned into rock. All these found in earth‘s crust which has been formed in the past by the
geological processes. Fossil fuels are solid coal (lignite), liquid (crude oil / petroleum) and gases
(natural gas).
Coal: Huge quantity of plant materials buried under earth‘s crust and altered by geological
process and converted into carbon rich fuel. It is a non – renewable source because it takes a very
long period (million of years) for its formation. Coal is extracted by the process of mining and
involves accidents due to mine collapse, ground water pollution, accumulation of poisonous
material, explosive gases etc cause diseases. CO2 pollution leads to green house effect (global
warming).
o
Crude oil: It is obtained in the form of liquid. The crude oil is heated upto 600 C in the oil
refinery and condense the vapours of hydro – carbons. Petrol and other petroleum products are
refined fuels from crude oil. Petroleum products are used in large quantities in the manufacture
of detergents, plastics, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, synthetic rubber etc. The transport sector

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consumes about 40% of diesel; 25% industries and 19% household and rest 16% agriculture and
other sectors. .
Natural Gas: Gas deposits are trapped from the sedimentary formations by means drilling holes
into the rock formations. While burning of natural gas, the emission of CO 2 is less and thus
reduces green house effect and global warming. A total of 734 billion cubic mts of gas is
estimated as proven reserves.
(b) Nuclear Energy or Atomic power: It is the energy which is trapped inside the atom. It is
non–renewable source of energy which is released during fission or fusion of certain radioactive
elements. The most important advantage of atomic power is the production of an enormous
amount of energy from a small quantity of radioactive element. For eg: 1 kg of Uranium liberates
energy equivalent to 30000 kgs of coal. Energy released during nuclear reaction (mass – energy
2
equation as per Albert Einstein‘s formula E = mc ). Nuclear Energy is produced by two
Processes namely
(1) Nuclear Fission (2) Nuclear Fusion.
(1)Nuclear Fission: The nucleus in atoms is split by fast moving neutrons and in turn a
tremendous amount of energy in the form of heat, light etc is released by a chain of reactions.
Uranium is used as fuel. The energy released slowly in this process is utilized to generate
electricity or else released suddenly all at once, results a tremendous explosion as in the case of
Atom bomb.
(2)Nuclear Fusion: Nuclear energy can be generated by fusion process which involves two
hydrogen atoms combine to produce one helium atom. Eg: hydrogen bomb. The disposal of
nuclear wastes during mining, fuel production and reactor operation for a long time period
resulting in adverse effects on environment. Disposable of nuclear waste is a national and global
problem.

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