Environmental Studies

Air Pollution

2,340 Questions

Air pollution questions address the sources of emissions, indoor air quality, and the formation of photochemical smog. You will explore the impact of particulate matter, acid rain, and urban pollutants. This is a highly relevant subject for environmental studies and general awareness tests.

Photochemical smogParticulate matter emissionsAcid rain causesIndoor air pollutionAmmonia emissions

Air Pollution Questions

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements:

  1. Sulphur dioxide is a major air pollutant produced by nuclear power plants.
  2. Stainless steel is an alloy of aluminium.

Which of the given statements is/are correct?

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 2

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect. Sulphur dioxide is a major air pollutant produced by thermal power plants. Statement 2 is also incorrect. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, nickel and chromium.

Multiple choice

Which of the following processes adds sulphur dioxide to the air?

  1. Breakdown of glucose

  2. Roasting of metals

  3. Transpiration

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

During roasting, the sulphide is converted to an oxide, and sulphur is released as sulphur dioxide, a gas. 'Roasting' is a step of the processing of certain ores. The technology is useful, but is also a serious source of air pollution.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of secondary air pollutants?

  1. Water vapour

  2. Aerosol

  3. Ground-level ozone

  4. Carbon monoxide
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact. An important example of secondary pollutants is ground-level ozone, one of the many secondary pollutants that make up the photochemical smog.

Multiple choice

Indian Asian brown cloud is not seen over

  1. India
  2. Pakistan
  3. Indian Ocean

  1. 1 and 2

  2. 2 and 3

  3. 1 and 3

  4. none of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Indian Asian brown cloud is a layer of air pollution that recurrently covers parts of South Asia, namely the northern Indian Ocean, India, and Pakistan. Viewed from satellite photos, the cloud appears as a giant brown stain hanging in the air over much of South Asia and the Indian Ocean every year between January and March, possibly also during earlier and later months.

Multiple choice

Total suspended particulate matter (TSP) concentration in ambient air is to be measured using a high volume sampler. The filter used for this purpose had an initial dry weight of 9.787 g. The filter was mounted in the sampler and the initial air flow rate through the filter was set at 1.5 m3/min. Sampling continued for 24 hours. The airflow after 24 hours was measured to be 1.4 m3/min. The dry weight of the filter paper after 24 hour sampling was 10.283 g. Assuming a linear decline in the air flow rate during sampling, what is the 24 hour average TSP concentration in the ambient air?
  1. 59.2 $\mu$g/m3
  2. 118.6 $\mu$g/m3
  3. 237.5 $\mu$g/m3
  4. 574.4 $\mu$g/m3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 

Multiple choice

Two primary air pollutants are

  1. sulphur oxide and ozone

  2. nitrogen oxide and peroxyacetylnitrate

  3. sulphur oxide and hydrocarbon

  4. ozone and peroxyacetynitrate
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 

Multiple choice zoology environmental issues ecology and environment

Control of automobile air pollution can be done by all except:

  1. use of biopetrol

  2. periodic check up of pollution control for all vehicles

  3. use of low sulphur diesel or CNG

  4. prefering individual vehicles.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Vehicular or automobile air pollution can be controlled by using more public transport and using CNG instead of diesel/ petrol

So, the correct answer is 'preferring individual vehicles'

Multiple choice zoology environmental issues ecology and environment

Pallavi got PUC certificate for her vehicle which indicates which of the following criteria for the vehicle?

  1. It has low rate of emission

  2. It is equipped with new technology

  3. It has greater fuel capacity

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate is a certificate that is mandatory for every vehicle owner to carry. The certification indicates that the emissions from the vehicle meet the standard pollution norms i.e. the vehicle has a low rate of emission and does not pollute the environment by contributing to air pollution. Thus the correct answer is option C.
Multiple choice physics energy production

Carbon monoxide present in the air is the cause of acid rain.

  1. True

  2. False

  3. Ambiguous

  4. Data insufficient
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

false,
pollution from burning of fossil fuels is the major cause of acid rain. The main chemicals in air pollution that create acid rain are sulfur dioxide ($s{o} _{2}$) and nitrogen ($N{o} _{x}$).

Multiple choice evs seeds and seeds interdependencies among organisms hunting plant interdependence between plants and animals

Indicator plants which can be used to indicate atmospheric pollution by $SO _2$ are

  1. Lichens like Usnea

  2. Grassland like Deschampsia

  3. Moss like Sphagnum

  4. Climbers like Cucurbita
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sulphur dioxide is produced during combustion of fossil fuels, refining of petroleum and smelting of sulphur containing ores. Sulphur dioxide produces smog and acid rain. Sulphur dioxide causes membrane damage, destruction of chlorophyll, necrosis and water soaked appearance. Lichens are the most sensitive organisms to sulphur dioxide pollution and do not grow in areas with high levels of sulphur dioxides. Hence Lichens like Usnea are used as indicators of level of sulphur dioxide pollution.

Multiple choice evs seeds and seeds interdependencies among organisms hunting plant interdependence between plants and animals

Air quality indicator is

  1. Lichen

  2. Moss

  3. Algae

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Lichens are mutualistic associations of a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium and occur as crusty patches or bushy growths on trees, rocks and bare ground. 

Lichens are very sensitive to sulphur dioxide pollution in the air. Lichens are widely used as environmental indicators or bio-indicators. If air is very badly polluted with sulphur dioxide there may be no lichens present. Lichens are sensitive to sulphur dioxide, because their efficient absorption systems result in rapid accumulation of sulphur when exposed to high levels of sulphur dioxide pollution. The algal partner are most affected by the sulphur dioxide; chlorophyll is destroyed and photosynthesis is inhibited.

Multiple choice evs seeds and seeds interdependencies among organisms hunting plant interdependence between plants and animals

Indicator plants which can be used to indicate atmospheric pollution by SO$ _2$ are 

  1. Lichens like Usnea

  2. Grassland like Deschampsia

  3. Moss like Sphagnum

  4. Climbers like Cucurbita
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Lichens are mutualistic associations of a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium and occur as crusty patches or bushy growths on trees, rocks and bare ground. Lichens are very sensitive to sulphur dioxide pollution in the air. Their efficient absorption systems result in rapid accumulation of sulphur when exposed to high levels of sulphur dioxide pollution. The algal partner is most affected by the sulphur dioxide; chlorophyll is destroyed and photosynthesis is inhibited. Lichens are widely used as environmental indicators or bio-indicators. If air is very badly polluted with sulphur dioxide, there may be no lichens present, just green algae may be found. If the air is clean, shrubby, hairy and leafy lichens become abundant. Thus, the correct answer is option A.