Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Minerals are truly indispensable at every level of human existence, and no easy substitutes exist for them.

Biological Level: Life processes cannot occur without minerals. Although minerals constitute only about 0.3% of our total nutrient intake, they are so potent that without them we cannot utilise the remaining 99.7% of foodstuffs. For example, iron is essential for haemoglobin formation; no other element can perform this specific biochemical role.

Household Level: Toothpaste contains abrasive minerals like silica and limestone for cleaning, fluorite for fluoride (which prevents cavities), and titanium oxide for whitening. Each mineral performs a distinct function; removing them would make the product ineffective.

Industrial Level: Iron and aluminium minerals are used to manufacture buses, trains, ships, and machinery. Without these metals, large-scale infrastructure and transport would be impossible, as no equally strong and available substitute exists at industrial scale.

Thus, from body functions to daily use to nation-building, minerals remain irreplaceable.

Source: Chapter 5 – Minerals and Energy Resources, Introduction and "All living things need minerals" section

---

• The examiner expects one distinct example per level (biological, household, industrial) — each explained with why it cannot be substituted. That's the core of the "justify" demand.
• The source explicitly states minerals make up only 0.3% of nutrients yet are indispensable — use this fact for the biological point; it impresses examiners.
• For household, toothpaste is directly given in the passage — safe and textbook-accurate.
• For industrial, the introduction passage (buses, trains, ships made from minerals) is your anchor.
• Do not write general statements without linking back to the "cannot be substituted" part — that's where most students lose marks.