Q1. [3] § Chemical Industries
'Petroleum refinery is the 'nodal industry' for the synthetic textile, fertiliser and numerous chemical industries.' Explain the statement with suitable arguments.
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2025 32/1/1 Q27
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:04 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Petroleum refinery is called a 'nodal industry' because it acts as a central hub supplying raw materials to several other industries:
- Petrochemicals produced by oil refineries are the key raw materials for manufacturing synthetic fibres (polyester, nylon) and synthetic rubber.
- Petrochemicals also supply inputs for the fertiliser industry, supporting agricultural production.
- They further provide raw materials for plastics, dye-stuffs, drugs and pharmaceuticals, making refineries central to numerous chemical industries.
Thus, without petroleum refining, these dependent industries cannot function, justifying the term 'nodal industry.'
Source: Chemical Industries, Chapter 6
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Explanation
- The examiner expects you to name at least 3 industries linked to petroleum refining with brief justification each.
- Key phrase to use: "petrochemicals as raw materials."
- The word nodal means a central connecting point — make sure your answer conveys this idea of petroleum refinery being the source for multiple industries.
- Avoid listing too many points without explanation; 3 well-explained points score full marks here.
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