LIWA

Conventional Sources of Energy

ICSE Class 10 · Geography · Chapter 10

What this chapter covers

Key points

Questions answered

Define conventional sources of energy and name four of them.
Conventional sources of energy are the sources that have been in common use for a long time and supply most of a country's energy. Coal, petroleum, natural gas and hydel power.
Why are coal, petroleum and natural gas called fossil fuels? Why are they non-renewable?
They formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient plants and animals. They take so long to form that, once used, they cannot be replaced within human time.
Name the four types of coal in order of carbon content. Which type is most common in India?
Anthracite, bituminous, lignite and peat, from highest to lowest carbon. Bituminous coal is the most common.
Distinguish between Gondwana coal and Tertiary coal.
Gondwana coal is older (about 250 to 300 million years), forms about 98 per cent of India's reserves and lies in the Damodar, Mahanadi, Son, Godavari and Wardha valleys. Tertiary coal is younger, lower in carbon, often high in sulphur, and is found mainly in Assam and Meghalaya.
Name two important coalfields of Jharkhand and one each of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Jharia and Bokaro (Jharkhand); Talcher (Odisha); Korba (Chhattisgarh).
State two advantages and two disadvantages of coal.
Advantages: India has large reserves, and coal fuels thermal power and the steel industry. Disadvantages: burning it pollutes the air and adds carbon dioxide, and Indian coal has a high ash content.
Name India's largest offshore oil field and its oldest oil field, with their states.
Mumbai High, off the coast of Maharashtra; Digboi, in Assam.
Give two advantages and two disadvantages of petroleum.
Advantages: it is easy to transport and runs almost all vehicles, and it gives many by-products for the petrochemical industry. Disadvantages: India's reserves are small, so most oil is imported, and vehicle exhaust pollutes the air.

Past board exam questions

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 2 marks

There is ample potential of setting up biogas plants in India. The National Bioenergy Programme has been recommended by the concerned Ministry, for implementation in two phases. The spread of biogas technology is a boon for Indian farmers with its direct and guaranteed benefits. -(https://biogas.mnre.gov.in) (a) Why can generation of biogas be achieved in every household of rural India? (b) Mention two ways in which generation of this form of energy can prove to be a boon for Indian farmers.

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(a) Every rural household produces organic kitchen waste and animal dung, the raw materials that can be converted into biogas. (b) Any two: the slurry left behind is a rich bio-fertilizer (manure); it is cheap as no raw material has to be bought; it reduces the volume of waste; it improves hygiene in rural areas; it provides clean cooking fuel and saves firewood.

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 2 marks

With reference to the picture of the Hirakud Dam (captioned ‘HIRAKUD DAM – INDIA’S LARGEST DAM’), answer the following questions: (a) On which river is this project based? (b) Name an Indian state benefitted by this project.

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(a) River Mahanadi. (b) Odisha.

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 3 marks

Give a reason to explain each of the following: (a) Though a fossil fuel, the popularity of natural gas is very high in both domestic and industrial sectors. (b) Use of Copper as a vital base for major alloys is undeniable. (c) Bituminous coal is mostly widely used in generation of thermal power.

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(a) Natural gas is cheaper and cleaner – it burns with little smoke and produces fewer greenhouse gases – and is easily transported by pipelines; it is also a raw material for fertilizer and petrochemical industries. (b) Copper adds strength and hardness when alloyed: with zinc it forms brass and with tin it forms bronze. (c) Bituminous coal is the most abundant coal in India and has a high carbon content and calorific value.

ICSE 2026 sample paper · 1 mark

Arrange the following in descending order according to their carbon content:

  1. Anthracite, Bituminous, Peat, Lignite
  2. Bituminous, Lignite, Anthracite, Peat
  3. Anthracite, Bituminous, Lignite, Peat
  4. Anthracite, Lignite, Peat, Bituminous
Show answer
Anthracite, Bituminous, Lignite, Peat

ICSE 2026 board paper · 1 mark

Identify the type of coal that has the highest calorific value.

  1. Peat
  2. Lignite
  3. Bituminous
  4. Anthracite
Show answer
Anthracite

ICSE 2026 sample paper · 2 marks

With reference to the picture given below, answer the following: [Picture: a large dam, captioned “HIRAKUD DAM – INDIAS LARGEST DAM”] (a) On which river is it based? (b) Name an Indian state benefitted by the project.

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(a) The Mahanadi. (b) Odisha.

ICSE 2026 board paper · 2 marks

State two advantages that Natural gas has over Coal.

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1. Natural gas is a clean fuel: it burns without smoke or ash and causes much less pollution than coal. 2. It can be transported easily and cheaply through pipelines (and has a higher calorific value); it is also used as a raw material for fertilisers and petrochemicals.

ICSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks

(a) The Bhakra Nangal project is a joint venture of which state governments? (b) Name the river on which this project is based. (c) Mention two benefits of the Bhakra Nangal project.

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(a) Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. (b) The Sutlej. (c) 1. It provides canal irrigation to large areas of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. 2. It generates hydroelectric power for these states (it also controls floods and supplies drinking water).