The chapter, Nature's Treasures, opens with two students, Bhoomi and Surya, spending their school vacation at their Ajji's home in a village on the edge of a forest in the Western Ghats. The air is clean, the soil is fertile and the sunlight falls through the trees in the morning in a way the children have not experienced in the city. Ajji introduces them to the nellikai trees in the forest and tells them they can only collect fruits that have already fallen to the ground, leaving enough for the birds and other animals that depend on the trees. The message of the chapter is that nature provides everything we need to survive, but only if we use it responsibly and leave enough behind for others and for the future.
Through Bhoomi and Surya's stay in the village and their eventual return to the city, the chapter introduces the concept of natural resources and explains the difference between resources that nature can replenish and those that cannot be replaced once used. The chapter covers air, water, sunlight, soil, forests, rocks, minerals and fossil fuels, explaining how each one is formed, how it is used and why it must be protected. NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science for this chapter cover all in-text, activity-based and back exercise questions, which include matching questions, true or false, short answer and application-based questions that test both factual knowledge and environmental reasoning.
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NCERT Exercise Solutions for Class 6 Science Chapter 11 Nature's Treasures
NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Chapter 11 given below cover all the questions in this chapter. These solutions are prepared according to the latest CBSE Board Class 6 syllabus and are designed to help students understand the concepts clearly and write accurate and well-structured answers. By practicing these solutions regularly, students can improve their understanding of the chapter and prepare confidently for school tests and exams.
Q1. Fig. 11.9 shows items related to natural resources. Match them with their jumbled up names. Make another table and write the names of these resources. Classify these resources as renewable or non-renewable.
Answer:
| Jumbled Name | Correct Name | Type of Resource |
|---|---|---|
| ocrk | Rock | Non-renewable |
| refost | Forest | Renewable |
| ndiw | Wind | Renewable |
| atwre | Water | Renewable |
Q2. State whether the following statements are True [T] or False [F]. If False, correct them.
(i) Nature has all the resources to meet human needs.
Answer: True (T)
(ii) Machines are a resource found in nature.
Answer: False (F)
Correct Statement: Machines are human-made resources, not natural resources.
(iii) Natural gas is a non-renewable resource.
Answer: True (T)
(iv) Air is a renewable resource.
Answer: True (T)
Q3. Fill in the blanks using the most appropriate option -
(i) A fuel that is commonly used in two wheelers like scooters or bikes is ______.
(a) Kerosene
(b) Petrol
(c) Diesel
(d) LPG
Answer: (b) Petrol
(ii) An example of a renewable resource is ______.
(a) Coal
(b) Water
(c) Natural gas
(d) Petrol
Answer: (b) Water
Q4. Classify the following as renewable or non-renewable resources - coal, natural gas, forests and minerals.
Answer:
| Renewable Resources | Non-renewable Resources |
|---|---|
| Forests | Coal |
| Natural gas | |
| Minerals |
Explanation: Forests can grow again over time if they are protected and managed properly. Coal, natural gas and minerals take millions of years to form, so they are non-renewable resources.
Q5. Why do we say that petroleum is a non-renewable resource?
Answer: Petroleum is called a non-renewable resource because it takes millions of years to form from the remains of plants and animals buried deep inside the Earth.
Once petroleum is used, it cannot be replaced within a short period. Since its supply is limited, we should use it carefully and avoid wasting it.
Q6. It is difficult to regrow forests. Justify this statement.
Answer: Forests take many years to grow because trees need a long time to become fully mature.
When forests are cut down:
- The fertile topsoil is washed away.
- Many plants and animals lose their habitat.
- The natural balance of the environment gets disturbed.
Even if new trees are planted, it takes many years to develop into a healthy forest. Therefore, it is difficult to regrow forests.
Q7. Make a list of five daily activities in which you use natural resources. Suggest ways by which you can reduce their use.
Answer:
| Daily Activity | Natural Resource Used | How to Reduce Its Use |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking water | Water | Use only the amount needed and avoid wastage. |
| Cooking food | LPG/Natural Gas | Cook efficiently and switch off the gas after use. |
| Travelling | Petrol or Diesel | Walk, cycle or use public transport whenever possible. |
| Using electricity | Coal, Water, Wind or Solar Energy | Switch off lights and fans when not in use. |
| Writing on paper | Trees | Use both sides of paper and recycle paper whenever possible. |
Q8. List four activities that are possible due to the presence of air.
Answer: Air helps us perform many daily activities, such as:
- Breathing
- Flying kites
- Burning of fuels
- Flying birds and aeroplanes
Q9. How can you contribute towards enhancing the green cover of your locality? Make a list of actions to be taken.
Answer: I can help increase the green cover by:
Planting more trees and caring for them.
- Taking part in tree plantation drives.
- Watering plants regularly.
- Protecting trees from unnecessary cutting.
- Encouraging friends and neighbours to plant trees.
- Creating awareness about the importance of forests.
These actions help keep the environment clean and healthy.
Q10. In the given illustration, we see that food is being cooked.
(i) What type of energy is being used for cooking?
Answer: Solar energy is being used for cooking.
(ii) Name one benefit and one drawback of using this type of energy for cooking.
Answer:
Benefit:
Solar energy is clean, renewable and does not cause air pollution.
Drawback:
It cannot be used effectively during cloudy or rainy weather or at night because it depends on sunlight.
Q11. Cutting down trees on a large scale impacts the quality of the soil. Why do you think it is so?
Answer: Trees help hold the soil firmly with their roots. When trees are cut down in large numbers:
- The soil becomes loose and is easily washed away by rain or blown away by wind.
- The fertile top layer of the soil is lost.
- The soil becomes less suitable for growing plants.
Therefore, large-scale cutting of trees reduces the quality and fertility of the soil.
Q12. Explain two ways in which human activities pollute the air. Propose one action which can help in reducing air pollution.
Answer: Two ways human activities pollute the air:
- Burning petrol and diesel in vehicles releases harmful gases and smoke into the air.
- Factories and industries release smoke and harmful pollutants that pollute the atmosphere.
One action to reduce air pollution: We should use public transport, cycle or walk whenever possible. This reduces the number of vehicles on the road and helps lower air pollution.
Q13. A family uses solar panels to generate electricity, a gas stove to cook food and a windmill for pumping water from a well. What would happen if there were no sunlight for a week?
Answer: If there is no sunlight for a week:
- The solar panels will not generate electricity.
- The gas stove will continue to work because it uses natural gas, not sunlight.
- The windmill can still pump water if there is enough wind.
This shows that depending on only one source of energy is not always practical.
Q14. Fill up the blanks using the following terms -
(fossil fuels, forest, air, petroleum, coal, water and non-renewable resource)
Answer: Natural Resources are classified into two types:
1. Non-renewable Resources
- Fossil Fuels
Coal
Petroleum
2. Renewable Resources
Air
Water
Forest
Q15. There is an increasing demand of trees to meet the requirements of industries and for housing. Therefore, trees are being felled. Is it justified? Discuss and prepare a brief report.
Answer: Report: Saving Trees for a Better Future
Cutting a few trees when necessary may sometimes be unavoidable, but cutting large numbers of trees is not justified. Trees provide oxygen, prevent soil erosion, support wildlife and help keep the environment healthy.
To meet our needs without harming nature, we should:
- Plant more trees.
- Reduce unnecessary use of wood.
- Recycle paper and wooden products.
- Protect forests through strict laws.
- Promote sustainable use of natural resources.
By protecting trees today, we can ensure a healthier environment for future generations.
Q16. Propose a plan to use less water in your school. What steps would you take to make this plan happen and how would it help the environment?
Answer: Water Conservation Plan for School
Steps to follow:
- Repair leaking taps and pipes immediately.
- Turn off taps properly after use.
- Use buckets instead of running hoses for cleaning.
- Collect rainwater for watering plants.
- Reuse water, wherever possible, for gardening.
- Create awareness through posters, assemblies and campaigns.
Benefits:
- Saves clean water.
- Reduces water wastage.
- Protects natural water resources.
- Encourages students to develop good environmental habits.
- Supports a cleaner and more sustainable environment.
Topics Covered in This Chapter
- Natural resources and how they differ from human-made resources.
- Air, water, sunlight, forests, soil, rocks and minerals as natural resources and their uses.
- Solar energy and its applications.
- Fossil fuels, products derived from petroleum and CNG as a cleaner fuel compared to petrol and diesel.
- Renewable and non-renewable resources, including the classification of given resources.
- Forest conservation: the Chipko Movement, Van Mahotsav and why it is difficult to regrow forests once they are destroyed.
- Consequences of cutting large forest areas, including how large-scale deforestation affects soil quality, leads to soil erosion and disrupts ecological balance.
- Air and water pollution.
- The role of trees in preventing soil erosion, controlling floods and maintaining ecological balance.
- Ways to conserve natural resources.
Chapter Summary
The resources we need for survival are provided by nature and these are called natural resources. Some of the most important natural resources include air, water, energy from the Sun, forests, soil, rocks, minerals and fossil fuels. On the other hand, resources that human beings create to meet their needs, such as electric bulbs, furniture, solar panels and bicycles, are called human-made resources. These human-made resources are built using natural resources. Natural resources are classified into two broad categories based on how quickly they can be replaced. Resources that get renewed, replenished or restored by natural processes within a reasonable period of time are called renewable resources.
Air, water and forests fall into this category. Air is constantly renewed through natural processes, water moves through the water cycle of evaporation, condensation and precipitation and forests regrow over time as trees mature and produce seeds. Resources that are found in limited quantities and do not get replenished within a reasonable period of time are called non-renewable resources. Rocks, minerals, soil, coal, petroleum and natural gas fall into this category. These resources, once used up, cannot simply be made again on any timescale relevant to human life.
Soil is the uppermost layer of the Earth's crust in which plants grow. It is formed through the weathering of rocks over long periods of time, combined with the decomposition of organic matter. Soil supports plant life and agriculture, and different types of soil can hold different amounts of water and nutrients. Rocks are made up of minerals and minerals are the natural materials in which metals or other useful compounds are found within the Earth. Important metals such as aluminium, copper, iron and gold are extracted from minerals. These minerals are used in manufacturing cars, airplanes, jewellery, cosmetics and electronic devices.
A basic mobile phone contains many different minerals, including gold, silver, copper and cobalt. Fossil fuels, namely coal, petroleum and natural gas, are formed from the remains of microorganisms and plants that were buried deep inside the Earth millions of years ago. Under enormous pressure and heat over this long period, these remains were gradually transformed into the energy-rich substances we use today. Petrol, diesel and kerosene are all derived from petroleum, while natural gas is used for cooking, generating electricity and as CNG, a cleaner fuel for vehicles that produces less pollution than petrol or diesel.
Because fossil fuels take millions of years to form and exist only in limited quantities, they are classified as non-renewable resources. Once they are extracted and used, they cannot be replaced. This is why the chapter stresses the need to use fossil fuels carefully and to explore alternative sources of energy. The chapter also discusses pollution. When Bhoomi and Surya return to the city after their vacation, they immediately notice that the air smells different and the sky looks different from what they experienced near their grandmother's village.
Their mother explains that burning fossil fuels in vehicles releases smoke, which pollutes the air. Human activities such as vehicular pollution and factories release harmful substances into the air, while deforestation reduces the number of trees available to absorb carbon dioxide, both of which contribute to air pollution.
Using renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power, is one important way to reduce this pollution and our dependence on fossil fuels. Throughout the chapter, the message is that resources must be used responsibly. Even renewable resources like forests can take many years to regenerate once damaged and overusing non-renewable resources guarantees that future generations will not have access to them.
Exam Preparation Tips
For Chapter 11 of Class 6 CBSE Board, you must first thoroughly read the NCERT textbook and learn the factual ideas: the composition of air, how fossil fuels are formed, the products derived from petroleum, the definition of renewable and non-renewable resources and examples of each. If you are unsure about any concept, you can refer to the NCERT Solutions after reading the chapter. These concepts often appear as fill in the blanks, MCQs and one-mark definition questions in school exams. You must remember renewable and non-renewable resources with two or three examples each and a one-line reason for their classification.
Next, there are reasoning and justification-based questions such as why petroleum is non-renewable, why it is difficult to regrow forests, why cutting trees affects soil quality and what the consequences of deforestation are. They require students to explain a chain of cause and effect rather than a simple definition. For these, practice writing answers in a structured way: state the claim first, then give the reason and finally the consequence. For example, forests are difficult to regrow because large-scale deforestation removes not just the trees but also damages the soil and destroys the conditions needed for the forest to grow. Without fertile soil, enough moisture and the seed dispersal provided by forest animals, forests take a long time to grow back naturally.
For conservation questions, such as how to propose a water-saving plan for your school or how to increase the green cover in your locality, you must always give three to four specific, practical points. Writing "we should not waste water" will not get full marks. Instead, write points like "fix leaking taps immediately, fill drinking water cups only halfway, reuse water from handwashing for watering plants and raise awareness among classmates." These are specific answers that match the expected exam format.
For solar energy, you should remember both an advantage and a disadvantage: solar energy does not cause pollution and is renewable, but it is not available during rainy or cloudy weather and requires expensive equipment. Questions on the advantages and disadvantages of a specific energy source are often asked.
After completing the chapter, practice all the textbook questions yourself before checking the solutions. For Class 6 Nature's Treasures MCQs, the most frequently asked questions are the definition and classification of natural and human-made resources, examples of renewable and non-renewable resources, the composition of air, how fossil fuels are formed, why petroleum is non-renewable, the consequences of deforestation, the role of trees in preventing soil erosion and the definition of CNG as a cleaner fuel.
