Water Resources — Class 10 Social Science NCERT Solutions (Free)
Free step-by-step NCERT solutions for Class 10 Social Science chapter "Water Resources" — 6 important questions with detailed answers for CBSE board exam preparation.
TL;DR: Free step-by-step NCERT solutions for Class 10 Social Science chapter "Water Resources" — 6 important questions with detailed answers for CBSE board e…
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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science — Water Resources. Step-by-step answers to all 6 textbook questions from this chapter, written for CBSE board preparation and free to use.
Water Resources — All 6 Questions Solved
Q1. Why are water resources considered precious and what percentage of Earth's water is usable?
Water is essential for life and all human activities. Although water covers about 71% of Earth's surface, only 2.5% is freshwater, and of that, only 0.3% is accessible for human use. Most freshwater is frozen in ice caps or stored underground. Given limited availability and increasing demand, water is a precious resource facing serious depletion.
Q2. What are the major sources of freshwater and how are they being depleted?
Major sources include rivers, lakes, groundwater, and glaciers. Groundwater is being depleted faster than it is replenished due to overuse in agriculture and industry. Rivers are being dammed and diverted, affecting ecosystems and downstream communities. Glaciers are melting due to climate change. Pollution further reduces usable freshwater. Many regions face water scarcity affecting food and energy security.
Q3. What are traditional and modern water harvesting methods?
Traditional methods include check dams, tanks, and step wells used for centuries in India. Modern methods include rainwater harvesting systems, borewell recharge, and terrace cultivation. These methods capture and store rainwater, reduce runoff, and increase groundwater recharge. Effective water harvesting can address water scarcity and improve agricultural productivity in dry regions.
Q4. What are the causes and effects of water pollution?
Water pollution results from industrial waste, agricultural chemicals, urban sewage, and mining activities. Pollutants include toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and plastic. Pollution makes water unsuitable for drinking and farming. It harms aquatic ecosystems and public health. Eutrophication (excessive nutrient loading) causes algal blooms that deplete oxygen, killing aquatic life.
Q5. How can the problem of interstate water disputes be resolved?
Interstate water disputes arise when rivers flow across state boundaries. Solutions include fair water-sharing agreements negotiated between states and supported by the central government. Tribunals established by law (like the Krishna Waters Disputes Tribunal) resolve disagreements. Integrated basin management and cooperative approach can ensure fair distribution while protecting ecosystems.
Q6. What role can individuals play in water conservation?
Individuals can conserve water by reducing household consumption, fixing leaks, harvesting rainwater, and using water-efficient fixtures. Supporting policies that protect water resources and promote sustainable agriculture helps. Raising awareness about water scarcity and responsible consumption contributes to collective action. Individual choices multiplied across millions create significant impact on water conservation.
Water Resources — Practice MCQs with Answers
Attempt these 20 multiple-choice questions after working through the solutions above. Each carries the correct option and the reasoning behind it, so a wrong answer tells you which idea to revisit.
MCQ 1. Which of the following is NOT a primary cause of water scarcity in India?
- A. Overpopulation
- B. Industrialization
- C. Deforestation
- D. Rainwater harvesting
Answer: D. Rainwater harvesting — Rainwater harvesting is a method of conserving and managing water, thus it helps mitigate water scarcity rather than causing it.
MCQ 2. Multi-purpose river projects are primarily designed to address which of the following issues?
- A. Only flood control
- B. Only irrigation
- C. Hydropower generation, irrigation, and flood control
- D. Urbanization challenges
Answer: C. Hydropower generation, irrigation, and flood control — Multi-purpose projects are built to serve multiple objectives simultaneously, such as generating electricity, providing water for irrigation, and controlling floods.
MCQ 3. 'Khadins' and 'Johads' are traditional rainwater harvesting structures primarily found in which Indian state?
- A. Rajasthan
- B. Kerala
- C. Karnataka
- D. Himachal Pradesh
Answer: A. Rajasthan — Khadins and Johads are ancient and unique water harvesting systems developed and widely practiced in the arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan.
MCQ 4. What percentage of the world's precipitation does India receive?
- A. 1%
- B. 4%
- C. 10%
- D. 16%
Answer: B. 4% — Despite supporting a large percentage of the world's population, India receives only about 4% of the global precipitation.
MCQ 5. Which of the following is a major social consequence often associated with the construction of large dams?
- A. Increase in biodiversity
- B. Displacement of local communities
- C. Reduction in inter-state water disputes
- D. Improvement in soil fertility downstream
Answer: B. Displacement of local communities — Large dams often lead to the submergence of vast areas, forcing the displacement of thousands of local residents, especially tribals, from their ancestral homes and livelihoods.
MCQ 6. The 'bamboo drip irrigation system' is a 200-year-old traditional practice prevalent in which Indian state?
- A. Meghalaya
- B. Tamil Nadu
- C. Maharashtra
- D. Gujarat
Answer: A. Meghalaya — The bamboo drip irrigation system is an ancient and indigenous method used in Meghalaya to efficiently irrigate betel leaf and other plantation crops, utilizing gravity.
MCQ 7. What is 'water pollution' primarily caused by in most urban and industrial areas?
- A. Excessive rainfall
- B. Discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents
- C. Natural groundwater seeps
- D. Evaporation from water bodies
Answer: B. Discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents — The largest contributors to water pollution in urban and industrial areas are the direct and unregulated discharge of untreated domestic sewage and toxic industrial waste into water bodies.
MCQ 8. Which type of resource is water considered to be?
- A. Non-renewable resource
- B. Biotic resource
- C. Renewable resource
- D. Abiotic resource
Answer: C. Renewable resource — Water is a renewable resource because it is continuously replenished through the natural processes of the hydrological cycle (water cycle).
MCQ 9. The Krishna-Godavari dispute is an example of an inter-state water dispute involving which group of states?
- A. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra
- B. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka
- C. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan
- D. Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal
Answer: A. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra — The Krishna-Godavari water dispute primarily concerns the sharing of river waters among the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana).
MCQ 10. What is the primary reason for India's high demand for water, especially in rural areas?
- A. Drinking and domestic use
- B. Industrial consumption
- C. Agricultural irrigation
- D. Hydroelectric power generation
Answer: C. Agricultural irrigation — Agriculture, particularly for irrigation, consumes the largest share of India's freshwater resources due to the intensive cultivation required to feed a large and growing population.
MCQ 11. The Sardar Sarovar Dam is built on which river?
- A. Ganga
- B. Narmada
- C. Krishna
- D. Godavari
Answer: B. Narmada — The Sardar Sarovar Dam is a massive multi-purpose project constructed on the Narmada River in Gujarat, India, and has been a subject of significant environmental and social debate.
MCQ 12. What is the main benefit of rooftop rainwater harvesting?
- A. Increases groundwater table
- B. Prevents soil erosion
- C. Reduces air pollution
- D. Generates electricity
Answer: A. Increases groundwater table — Rooftop rainwater harvesting primarily involves collecting rainwater from rooftops and either storing it for direct use or directing it to recharge groundwater aquifers, thereby increasing the groundwater table.
MCQ 13. In arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, particularly Bikaner, Phalodi, and Barmer, nearly every house historically had underground tanks known as _____ for storing drinking water.
- A. Guls
- B. Kuls
- C. Khadins
- D. Tankas
Answer: D. Tankas — Tankas are well-known sophisticated underground tanks, often integrated into houses, specifically designed for collecting and storing rainwater for drinking purposes in the desert regions of Rajasthan.
MCQ 14. The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth is known as the:
- A. Carbon cycle
- B. Nitrogen cycle
- C. Hydrological cycle
- D. Rock cycle
Answer: C. Hydrological cycle — The hydrological cycle, also known as the water cycle, describes the incessant circulation of water through processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.
MCQ 15. Water scarcity occurs when:
- A. There is abundant rainfall throughout the year.
- B. Water demand exceeds water availability.
- C. Water bodies are completely dry.
- D. Only surface water is available.
Answer: B. Water demand exceeds water availability. — Water scarcity is fundamentally an imbalance where the demand for water, for various uses like drinking, agriculture, and industry, is greater than the available supply, both in quantity and quality.
MCQ 16. The Bhakra Nangal Project primarily serves which of the following regions with irrigation and hydropower?
- A. Southern India
- B. North-Eastern India
- C. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan
- D. Western Ghats
Answer: C. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan — The Bhakra Nangal Project, a monumental multi-purpose dam on the Sutlej River, is crucial for providing irrigation and generating hydropower for the states of Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Rajasthan.
MCQ 17. Water flowing over the surface of the land, especially during and immediately after a rainstorm, is called:
- A. Groundwater
- B. Evaporation
- C. Condensation
- D. Runoff
Answer: D. Runoff — Runoff refers to the portion of precipitation that flows over the land surface, eventually making its way into streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans, rather than infiltrating the ground.
MCQ 18. Consumption of contaminated water can lead to various diseases. Which of the following is a common water-borne disease?
- A. Malaria
- B. Cholera
- C. Tuberculosis
- D. Dengue
Answer: B. Cholera — Cholera is a severe diarrheal illness caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which is primarily transmitted through the consumption of water or food contaminated with the bacteria.
MCQ 19. The 'Narmada Bachao Andolan' (Save Narmada Movement) is a social movement that primarily focused on which issue?
- A. Preventing water pollution in the Narmada River
- B. Protesting against the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam
- C. Promoting traditional irrigation methods
- D. Advocating for inter-state water sharing agreements
Answer: B. Protesting against the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam — The Narmada Bachao Andolan is a prominent environmental and social movement that strongly opposed the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River, raising concerns about the displacement of people and environmental degradation.
MCQ 20. Despite 71% of the Earth's surface being covered with water, why is there a concern about water scarcity?
- A. Most of it is ice
- B. Most of it is saline ocean water
- C. Most of it is polluted
- D. Most of it is underground
Answer: B. Most of it is saline ocean water — A vast majority (approximately 97%) of the Earth's total water is saline ocean water, which is unsuitable for direct human consumption, agriculture, or most industrial uses without expensive desalination.
How to Use These Solutions
Attempt each question yourself first and only then compare with the worked answer. Marks in the CBSE board exam are awarded for the METHOD as much as the final result, so reproduce the steps rather than memorising the last line. Where a solution states a law, a formula or a definition, learn that wording — examiners look for it.
Related practice for this chapter: chapter MCQs, previous-year questions, revision notes and sample papers.