Grade 8 – Industries - NOTES

Question 1.
Answer the following questions.
(i) What is meant by the term ‘industry’?
(ii) Which are the main factors which influence the location of an industry?
(iii) Which industry is often referred to as the backbone of the modern industry and why?
(iv) Why cotton textile industry rapidly expanded in Mumbai?
(v) What are the similarities between the information, the technology industry in
Bangalore and California?
Answer:
(i) Industry refers to economic activity that is concerned with the production of goods,
extraction of minerals, or provision of services.

(ii) The location of industries is affected by the availability of raw material, land, water,
labor, power, capital, transport, and market.

(iii) Iron and Steel Industry is often called the backbone of the modern industry. Almost
everything we use is either made of iron or steel or has been made with the tools and
machinery of these metals.
Ships, trains, trucks, and autos are made largely of steel. Even the safety pins and the
needles we use are made from steel.

(iv) Cotton textile industry expanded rapidly in Mumbai initially because of the presence
of a lot of favorable conditions. Warm and moist climate, a port situated nearby to import
machinery, easy availability of raw material, and skilled labor were factors behind this.

(v) Similarities between the information technology industry in Bangalore and Silicon
Valley in California:

 Bangalore is located on Deccan Plateau, Silicon Valley (Santa Clara Valley) next
to the Rocky Mountains.
 Both have a clean environment.
 The mild climate throughout the year (pleasant climate).
 Close to educational, scientific, and technological centers.
 Close to major roads and airports.
 Good access to markets.
 Skilled workforce.
 Low rents and low cost of living.
Question 2.
Tick the correct Answer:
(i) Silicon Valley is located in
(a) Bangalore
(b) California
(c) Ahmedabad

(ii) Which one of the following industries is known as the sunrise industry?
(a) Iron and steel industry
(b) Cotton textile
(c) Information Technology

(iii) Which one of the following is a natural fiber?

(a) Nylon
(b) jute
(c) acrylic
Answer:
(i) (b),
(ii) (c),
(iii) (b).
Question 3.
Distinguish between the following.
(i) Agro-based and mineral-based industry.
(ii) Public sector and joint sector industry.
Question 4.
Give two examples of each the following.

1. Raw materials
2. End products
3. Tertiary activities
4. Agro-based industries
5. Cottage industries
6. Co-operatives

Answer:

1. Ores, plants.
2. Clothes that we wear, a car.
3. Trade, banking.
4. Food processing, leather industry.
5. Basket weaving, pottery.
6. AMUL, Sudha Dairy.

EXTRA QUESTIONS:
1) Distinguish between primary sector, secondary sector and tertiary sector.
Question 2.
Describe briefly the classification of industries on basis of raw material used.
Answer:
On the basis of raw material used, industries are classified into agro, mineral, marine,
and forest-based. The raw material of agro-based industries consists of plant and
animal-based products. Some examples are food processing, cotton textile industry,
and leather industry. The raw material used in mineral-based industries consists of
mineral ores.

An example: iron and steel industry. Marine-based industries use products obtained
from the sea and oceans as raw materials. Seafood industry is one such industry. A
forest-based industry uses forest produce as raw material. Examples are the paper
industry and furniture.

Question 3.
Describe briefly the classification of industries on basis of ownership.
Answer:
On the basis of ownership, industries are classified into the private sector, state-owned
(public sector), joint sector, and cooperative sector. Private-sector industries are owned
by individuals or a group of individuals. Public sector industries are owned by the
government. Joint sector industries are owned and operated by the state and
individuals. Maruti Udyog is an example of such an industry. Cooperative sector
industries are owned and operated by the producers or suppliers of raw materials,
workers, or both. AMUL is one such industry.

Question 4.
Describe the inputs, processes, and outputs in an industrial system with an example.
Answer:
An industrial system consists of inputs, processes, and outputs. Raw materials, labor,
costs, transport, power and infrastructure are inputs. In a cotton textile industry, for
example, inputs are cotton, human labor, transport cost, etc. Processes are activities
done to convert raw material into finished products. In a cotton textile industry, ginning,
spinning, weaving, dyeing, etc. process. The finished product and all profits earned are
the outputs. In the cotton textile industry, the outputs are clothes we wear.

Question 5

What are marine based industries?

Solution:
Marine based industries use products from the sea and oceans as raw materials.
Examples of Marine based industries are processing sea food or manufacturing fish oil.
EXTRA QUESTIONS

1. How is the steel used by other industries as raw materials?

Answer-
Steel is used by other industries as raw material in many ways.

1. Steel is tough and it can be easily shaped, cut, or made into wire.
2. Special alloys of steel can be made by adding small amount of other metals such
as aluminum, nickel and copper.
3. Alloys give steel unusual hardness, toughness or ability to resist rust.
4. Steel is often called the backbone of modern industry.

2. What are the stages involved in converting iron ore into steel?
There are 3 stages in converting iron ore into steel.
Stage I
Iron Ore, coal and lime stone are put in a blast furnace and melted to extract the
metal. This process is called smelting.
Stage II
The iron that is extracted from the furnace is refined. This extract is called steel.
Stage III
The steel is then cast as billets or slabs. These billets and slabs are used by other
Industries as raw material.

3. Differentiate between small scale industries and large scale industries.