Resources | Class 8 Social Science Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 4 min read
Resources – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of Resources from Class 8 Social Science, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
What are Resources?
Resources are elements found in the environment that are useful to humans and satisfy their needs. Anything that can be used to satisfy a need is considered a resource. This includes tangible objects like clothes, utensils, food grains, combs, bottles of honey, and books, as well as intangible things like electricity, water, and transportation. The key characteristic that makes something a resource is its utility or usability – the ability to be used to fulfill human needs. For example, water quenches thirst, electricity powers homes, rickshaws provide transport, and textbooks aid in education. The value of a resource is derived from its use or utility, which gives it worth. Some resources have economic value, such as metals, while others like a beautiful landscape may not have direct economic value but still satisfy human needs. The value of resources can also change over time due to technological advancements or changing needs. For instance, grandmother's home remedies may not have commercial value today but could become economically valuable if patented and sold in the future. Thus, resources are dynamic and context-dependent, influenced by human perception, technology, and needs.
📊 Diagram: See figure_1: Mona and Raju were helping Amma to clean their house. "Look at all these things... clothes, utensils, foodgrains, combs, this bottle of honey, books...Each of these has a use," said Mona. "That is why"
🧪 Activity: Activity: Circle those resources from Amma’s list that are regarded as having no commercial value. Amma’s list includes cotton cloth, iron ore, intelligence, medicinal plants, medical knowledge, coal deposits, beautiful scenery, agricultural land, clean environment, old folk songs, good weather, resourcefulness, a good singing voice, grandmother’s home remedies, affection from friends and family.
🔗 Connection: This section introduces the concept of resources, leading naturally to the classification of resources based on origin, availability, and renewability.
Frequently asked questions
1. Answer the following questions. (i) Why are resources distributed unequally over the earth? (ii) What is resource conservation? (iii) Why are human resources important? (iv) What is sustainable development?
(i) Resources are distributed unequally over the earth because of differences in physical conditions such as climate, soil, terrain, and availability of water. Also, human factors like technology, economic development, and population affect resource distribution.
(ii) Resource conservation means the careful and planned use of resources to prevent their depletion or destruction, ensuring their availability for future generations.
(iii) Human resources are important because they include the skil
2. Tick the correct answer. (i) Which one of the following does NOT make substance a resource? (a) utility (b) value (c) quantity (ii) Which one of the following is a human made resource? (a) medicines to treat cancer (b) spring water (c) tropical forests (iii) Complete the statement. Non-renewable resources are (a) those which have limited stock (b) made by human beings (c) derived from non-living things
(i) Correct answer is (c) quantity. Quantity alone does not make a substance a resource; it must have utility and value.
(ii) Correct answer is (a) medicines to treat cancer. These are human made resources.
(iii) Correct answer is (a) those which have limited stock. Non-renewable resources are those which are available in limited quantities and cannot be replenished easily.
3. Activity "Rahiman paani raakhiye, Bin paani sab soon. These lines were written by the poet Abdur Rahim Khankhana, one of the nine gems of Akbar’s court. What kind of resource is the poet referring to? Write in 100 words what would happen if this resource disappeared? For Fun 1. Pretend that you live in the prehistoric times on a high windy plateau. What are the uses you and your friends could put the fast winds to? Can you call the wind a resource? Now imagine that you are living in the same place in the year 2138. Can you put the winds to any use? How? Can you explain why the wind is an important resource now? 2. Pick up a stone, a leaf, a paper straw and a twig. Think of how you can use these as resources. See the example given below and get creative!
Part 1: The poet is referring to water as a resource. Water is essential for all forms of life and various human activities. If water disappeared, life would cease to exist. Plants, animals, and humans would die. Agriculture would fail, leading to food shortages. Industries and daily activities would come to a halt, causing economic and social collapse.
Part 2: In prehistoric times, fast winds could be used for cooling, drying clothes or food, or even for signaling. Yes, wind can be called a re
Mona and Raju were helping Amma to clean their house. They found clothes, utensils, foodgrains, combs, a bottle of honey, and books. Amma said these are resources because they have a use. What is the definition of a resource?
Anything that can be used to satisfy a need
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Clear NCERT-aligned notes on Law and Social for Class 8 Social Science.