# Nature’s Treasures

## Overview

In this chapter, Bhoomi and Surya visit their grandmother (Ajji) who lives near a forest. Through their journey, they explore various treasures of nature—air, water, sunlight, soil, forests, rocks, minerals, and fossil fuels. The chapter emphasizes how natural resources are vital for life and the importance of conserving them.

## Key Topics Covered

### 1. Air – The Breath of Life

* Air is a mixture of gases, mainly nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and small amounts of other gases.
* Oxygen is essential for breathing and survival of most living beings.
* Moving air is called wind; it can be fast (storm) or gentle (breeze).
* Activities: Breathing exercise, making a firki (paper pinwheel) to observe air movement.
* Wind energy is used in windmills to generate electricity and draw water.

### 2. Water – The Precious Resource

* Essential for drinking, cooking, washing, and growing food.
* Water exists in oceans, rivers, lakes, underground, and as ice.
* Only a small portion is freshwater and suitable for human use.
* Water is often wasted; we must take steps like fixing leaks, turning off taps, and recycling water to save it.
* Pollution from domestic and industrial waste makes water unfit for use.
* Rainwater harvesting and stepwells (like Bawadis) are traditional methods to conserve water.

### 3. Energy from the Sun

* The Sun is the main source of energy for all life.
* Sunlight helps plants prepare food (photosynthesis).
* Sun’s heat is used to dry food (e.g., chillies) and clothes.
* Solar energy is used via devices like solar panels, cookers, and heaters.
* Lack of sunlight would affect plant growth, energy supply, and daily activities.

### 4. Forests – The Green Cover

* Forests house a variety of plants (herbs, shrubs, trees) and animals.
* Provide food and shelter, support biodiversity, and enrich soil.
* Leaves decay and return nutrients to the soil—natural recycling.
* Van Mahotsav (Forest Festival) encourages tree plantation.
* Deforestation reduces forest cover and harms ecosystems.
* Chipko Movement: People, especially women, protected trees by hugging them to prevent cutting.

### 5. Soil, Rocks and Minerals

* Soil supports plant growth and is home to organisms like earthworms.
* Soil varies in texture, color, and composition depending on location.
* Soil is formed over thousands of years from rock disintegration.
* Rocks like granite, slate, marble are used in construction and tools.
* Minerals in rocks provide metals like copper, gold, iron, etc.
* Rocks and minerals are essential but take time to form—must be used wisely.



### 6. Fossil Fuels – Buried Treasures

* Petrol, diesel, coal, and natural gas are called fossil fuels.
* Formed from remains of plants and microorganisms over millions of years.
* Widely used for transport, cooking, and electricity.
* Burning fossil fuels causes pollution and leads to depletion of resources.
* CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) is a cleaner alternative.
* Fossil fuels are non-renewable and limited in quantity.

### 7. Renewable and Non-renewable Resources

* **Renewable Resources**: Can be naturally replenished in a reasonable time (e.g., air, water, sunlight, forests).
* **Non-renewable Resources**: Cannot be replenished quickly; once used, they are gone (e.g., coal, petroleum, minerals).
* We must use all resources judiciously to ensure their availability for future generations.

### 8. Human-made Resources

* Resources like furniture, vehicles, solar panels are created using natural resources for human convenience.
* They are not found in nature but are made using human skills and technology.

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## New Terms and Their Meanings

| Term | Simple Definition |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Air | A mixture of gases around the Earth that we breathe |
| Oxygen | Gas in air needed by humans and animals to survive |
| Wind | Moving air |
| Renewable Resource | Resource that can be replaced or regrown in a short time |
| Non-renewable Resource | Resource that cannot be replaced quickly, once used it’s gone |
| Solar Energy | Heat and light energy we get from the Sun |
| Rainwater Harvesting | Collecting and storing rainwater for later use |
| Stepwell (Bawadi/Vav) | Traditional deep wells with steps to store rain and seepage water |
| Fossil Fuels | Fuels like coal, petrol formed from dead plants and animals over millions of years |
| Soil | Top layer of Earth in which plants grow |
| Minerals | Natural materials found in rocks used to make metal and other items |
| Chipko Movement | A forest protection movement where people hugged trees to prevent cutting |

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## Practice Questions

### Easy (3)

1. **What is the main source of energy on Earth?**
**Answer**: The Sun
**Explanation**: The Sun provides light and heat needed by all living beings.

2. **Name two renewable resources.**
**Answer**: Water and Air
**Explanation**: These are naturally replenished and available in plenty.

3. **Why do we need oxygen?**
**Answer**: To breathe and survive
**Explanation**: Oxygen helps our body perform essential functions.

### Medium (2)

4. **How can we reduce wastage of water while brushing teeth?**
**Answer**: By turning off the tap while brushing
**Explanation**: Water flows unnecessarily if the tap is kept open.

5. **What is the role of forests in supporting life?**
**Answer**: Forests provide food, shelter, and maintain the balance of nature
**Explanation**: They support biodiversity and enrich soil.

### Difficult (3)

6. **Why is solar energy considered clean and sustainable?**
**Answer**: Because it doesn’t pollute and is continuously available
**Explanation**: Unlike fossil fuels, it doesn’t emit harmful gases.

7. **What happens when we cut too many trees?**
**Answer**: It leads to loss of biodiversity and soil erosion
**Explanation**: Trees are homes to animals and protect the soil.

8. **Why is fossil fuel called a non-renewable resource?**
**Answer**: Because it takes millions of years to form and cannot be quickly replaced
**Explanation**: Once used, it’s gone forever in our lifetime.

### Very Difficult (2)

9. **Suggest three ways to reduce air pollution in cities.**
**Answer**: Use public transport, switch to electric vehicles, plant more trees
**Explanation**: These actions reduce smoke and increase fresh air.

10. **How does the decay of leaves in a forest help new plants grow?**
**Answer**: Leaves turn into nutrients that enrich the soil
**Explanation**: This natural recycling helps new plants get food from soil.

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