AI-generated practice question — model-generated for extra practice, not a previous-year CBSE board question.
Coal is a bulky material that loses weight on use, as it is reduced to ash after burning. Transporting such heavy, low-value-per-tonne material over long distances to cities would be expensive and inefficient. It is far more economical to generate electricity at the coalfield itself and then transmit the power through transmission lines to cities. Therefore, thermal power stations are deliberately located near coalfields like those in the Damodar Valley, minimising transport costs and logistical difficulties.
Source: Conventional Sources of Energy, Chapter 5
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The textbook directly states: "Coal is a bulky material, which loses weight on use as it is reduced to ash. Hence, heavy industries and thermal power stations are located on or near the coalfields." Examiners expect you to use this specific reasoning — bulky + weight loss on use = costly to transport → locate near source, not consumer. Mention the contrast: electricity (not coal) is then transmitted to cities. Naming a coalfield (e.g., Damodar Valley) adds precision and can earn the third mark.