Chapter 22 of 23

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Tamil Nadu (TNBSE)Class 10 Science★ 3-6 marks in the TN SSLC Class 10 Science public exam through MCQs, short answers and awareness questions

Environmental Management

Samacheer Kalvi (TN State Board) Class 10 Science — Biology Chapter 22, Environmental Management. Renewable and non-renewable resources and energy, conservation strategies, waste management (biodegradable vs non-biodegradable, the 3 Rs, e-waste), and sustainable development. Notes with classifications, common mistakes, practice and quick revision.

⏱ 18 min readEasy difficulty✓ Free · NCERT-aligned

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By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

1Differentiate renewable and non-renewable resources
2Explain sustainable development
3Classify biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste
4Apply the 3 Rs
5Describe safe handling of e-waste

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Why this chapter matters

Environmental Management teaches wise use of resources, waste management and sustainable development — knowledge with real-world impact and dependable recall marks in the TN SSLC exam.

Before you start — revise these

A 5-minute refresher here will save you 30 minutes of confusion below.

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Class 9 Science — Natural resources

Basics of resources and the environment.

Environmental Management — Class 10 Science (Samacheer Kalvi)

TN State Board (Samacheer Kalvi) Class 10 Science, Biology — Chapter 22 (the final Biology chapter). Using resources wisely and protecting the environment.

1. About this chapter

This chapter covers natural resources and energy (renewable and non-renewable), conservation, waste management, and sustainable development.

2. Natural resources and energy

Renewable resources: naturally replenished — solar, wind, water (hydro), biomass.
Non-renewable resources: limited and exhaustible — coal, petroleum, natural gas (fossil fuels).
We should shift towards renewable energy to reduce pollution and conserve fossil fuels.

3. Conservation

Conserve forests, water, soil and energy. The principle of sustainable development means meeting present needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

4. Waste management

Biodegradable waste: decomposed by microbes (food scraps, paper) → can be composted.
Non-biodegradable waste: not broken down (plastics, glass, metals) → must be reduced/recycled.
The 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
E-waste: discarded electronics; needs safe, special disposal.

5. Common mistakes

Mistake: Calling coal a renewable resource. Fix: Coal, petroleum and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuels.
Mistake: Treating all waste the same. Fix: Separate biodegradable (compost) from non-biodegradable (recycle).
Mistake: Confusing the 3 Rs order/meaning. Fix: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle — reducing use comes first.

6. Practice (book-back style)

Differentiate renewable and non-renewable resources with examples.
What is sustainable development?
Differentiate biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.
Expand and explain the 3 Rs.
What is e-waste and how should it be handled?

7. Answer key

Renewable: naturally replenished (solar, wind); non-renewable: exhaustible (coal, petroleum).
Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
Biodegradable is decomposed by microbes (food, paper); non-biodegradable is not (plastic, glass).
Reduce (use less), Reuse (use again), Recycle (make new from old).
Discarded electronic items; handled by safe, specialised recycling/disposal.

8. Quick revision

Biology Ch 22 (final) · environmental management.
Renewable (solar, wind, hydro, biomass) vs non-renewable (coal, oil, gas).
Sustainable development: meet present needs without harming the future.
Waste: biodegradable (compost) vs non-biodegradable (recycle); 3 Rs = Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
E-waste needs safe, special disposal.

Key formulas & results

Everything you need to memorise, in one card. Screenshot this for revision.

Renewable vs non-renewable

solar/wind vs coal/oil/gas

Replenished vs exhaustible.

Sustainable development

meet present needs without harming the future

Balance use and conservation.

3 Rs

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce comes first.

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Common mistakes & fixes

These are the exact errors that cost students marks in board exams. Read them once, save yourself the trouble.

WATCH OUT

✗ Calling coal a renewable resource

✓ Coal, petroleum and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuels.

WATCH OUT

✗ Treating all waste the same

✓ Separate biodegradable (compost) from non-biodegradable (recycle).

WATCH OUT

✗ Confusing the 3 Rs

✓ Reduce, Reuse, Recycle — reducing use comes first.

NCERT exercises (with solutions)

Every NCERT exercise from this chapter — what it covers and how many questions to expect.

Multiple choice questions

MCQs on resources, energy and waste.

Questions

Short answer questions

Resource types, sustainable development, 3 Rs, e-waste.

Questions

Awareness activity

Plan a waste-segregation drive for your school.

Questions

Practice problems

Try each one yourself before tapping "Show solution". Active recall > rereading.

Q1MEDIUM· Comparison

Differentiate renewable and non-renewable resources with examples.

▶ Show solution

Renewable resources are naturally replenished (solar, wind); non-renewable resources are exhaustible (coal, petroleum).

Q2EASY· Concept

What is sustainable development?

▶ Show solution

Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Q3MEDIUM· Comparison

Differentiate biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.

▶ Show solution

Biodegradable waste is decomposed by microbes (food, paper); non-biodegradable waste is not (plastic, glass, metal).

Q4EASY· Recall

Expand and explain the 3 Rs.

▶ Show solution

Reduce (use less), Reuse (use again), Recycle (make new products from waste).

Q5EASY· Application

What is e-waste and how should it be handled?

▶ Show solution

Discarded electronic items; they should be collected and recycled or disposed of safely through specialised facilities.

Q6EASY· Recall

Name two renewable sources of energy.

▶ Show solution

Solar energy and wind energy (also hydro, biomass).

5-minute revision

The whole chapter, distilled. Read this the night before the exam.

•Biology Chapter 22 (final) of Samacheer Kalvi Class 10 Science.
•Renewable (solar, wind, hydro, biomass) vs non-renewable (coal, oil, gas).
•Sustainable development: meet present needs without harming the future.
•Biodegradable (compost) vs non-biodegradable (recycle) waste.
•3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
•E-waste needs safe, specialised disposal.

Tamil Nadu (TNBSE) marks blueprint

Where the marks come from in this chapter — so you can plan your prep.

Typical chapter weightage: 3-6 marks across MCQ, short answer and awareness questions

Question type	Marks each	Typical count	What it tests
MCQ	1	1-2	Resources and waste
Short Answer	2-3	1-2	Sustainable development, 3 Rs
Awareness	2	0-1	Waste-management activity

Prep strategy

Classify resources with examples
Define sustainable development crisply
Separate waste types and apply the 3 Rs
Note safe e-waste handling

Where this shows up in the real world

This chapter isn't just an exam topic — it lives in the world around you.

Energy choices

Guides the shift to solar, wind and other clean energy.

Waste management

Supports segregation, composting and recycling at home and school.

Sustainability

Encourages responsible use of resources for the future.

Exam strategy

Battle-tested tips from teachers and toppers for this chapter.

Give examples when classifying resources and waste
Define sustainable development in one sentence
Expand the 3 Rs correctly
Mention safe e-waste disposal

Going beyond the textbook

For olympiad aspirants and curious learners — topics that build on this chapter.

Compare the environmental impact of fossil fuels and solar energy.
Design a simple sustainable-living plan for a household.

Where else this chapter is tested

CBSE board isn't the only one — other exams test this chapter too.

TN SSLC Class 10 Public ExamHigh

Foundation / NTSE BiologyMedium

School unit testsHigh

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Questions students ask

The real ones — pulled from the Q&A community and tutor sessions.

Renewable sources like solar and wind are inexhaustible and cause far less pollution, while fossil fuels are limited and pollute the environment.

Separating biodegradable from non-biodegradable waste allows the first to be composted and the second to be recycled, reducing pollution and landfill.

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