Environmental Studies · General Awareness

Pollution and Human Impact

2,911 Questions

Pollution involves the introduction of contaminants into natural environments, causing severe human impact. This hub focuses on water pollution, thermal pollution, soil contamination, and diseases like Minamata. It is a highly relevant topic for environmental studies in UPSC exams.

Water pollution sourcesOcean pollutantsHeavy metal contaminationSoil erosion impactsThermal pollution causes

Pollution and Human Impact Questions

Multiple choice

Which word in the passage is opposite in meaning to 'addition'?

Directions: Read the passage given below carefully and answer the question that follows.

The major problem related to environmental pollution and decrease in the amount of natural resources vary from local, regional and global levels. A lot of harm has been caused to the environment due to pollution at various levels. Air pollution results from burning of coal and other fossil fuels. They must be removed from air to keep our air clean. Sewage from homes and waste from industries are major causes of pollution of water bodies which kill fish and other animals living in the water bodies causing water pollution. Land pollution is another type of pollution in which solid waste products create problem when dumped in the landfills. Other major environmental issues relate to increasing greenhouse effect which is warming the earth and depletion of ozone in the atmosphere. The main reasons of greenhouse effect are increase in the level of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases besides cutting of trees in the forests. The depletion of ozone in the atmosphere poses various risks like skin cancer and other problems.

  1. Increase

  2. Various

  3. Depletion

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

Depletion means decrease of something rapidly.

Multiple choice

Where is the ozone layer present?

Directions: Read the passage given below carefully and answer the question that follows.

The major problem related to environmental pollution and decrease in the amount of natural resources vary from local, regional and global levels. A lot of harm has been caused to the environment due to pollution at various levels. Air pollution results from burning of coal and other fossil fuels. They must be removed from air to keep our air clean. Sewage from homes and waste from industries are major causes of pollution of water bodies which kill fish and other animals living in the water bodies causing water pollution. Land pollution is another type of pollution in which solid waste products create problem when dumped in the landfills. Other major environmental issues relate to increasing greenhouse effect which is warming the earth and depletion of ozone in the atmosphere. The main reasons of greenhouse effect are increase in the level of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases besides cutting of trees in the forests. The depletion of ozone in the atmosphere poses various risks like skin cancer and other problems.

  1. Skin

  2. Water

  3. Land

  4. Atmosphere
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

It is stated in the passage.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a reason for pollution?

Directions: Read the passage given below carefully and answer the question that follows.

The major problem related to environmental pollution and decrease in the amount of natural resources vary from local, regional and global levels. A lot of harm has been caused to the environment due to pollution at various levels. Air pollution results from burning of coal and other fossil fuels. They must be removed from air to keep our air clean. Sewage from homes and waste from industries are major causes of pollution of water bodies which kill fish and other animals living in the water bodies causing water pollution. Land pollution is another type of pollution in which solid waste products create problem when dumped in the landfills. Other major environmental issues relate to increasing greenhouse effect which is warming the earth and depletion of ozone in the atmosphere. The main reasons of greenhouse effect are increase in the level of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases besides cutting of trees in the forests. The depletion of ozone in the atmosphere poses various risks like skin cancer and other problems.

  1. Burning of coal and fossil fuels

  2. Depletion of ozone

  3. Sewage from houses and industries

  4. Dumping of waste
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

It is not a reason for pollution.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not one of the main reasons for greenhouse effect according to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage given below carefully and answer the question that follows.

The major problem related to environmental pollution and decrease in the amount of natural resources vary from local, regional and global levels. A lot of harm has been caused to the environment due to pollution at various levels. Air pollution results from burning of coal and other fossil fuels. They must be removed from air to keep our air clean. Sewage from homes and waste from industries are major causes of pollution of water bodies which kill fish and other animals living in the water bodies causing water pollution. Land pollution is another type of pollution in which solid waste products create problem when dumped in the landfills. Other major environmental issues relate to increasing greenhouse effect which is warming the earth and depletion of ozone in the atmosphere. The main reasons of greenhouse effect are increase in the level of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases besides cutting of trees in the forests. The depletion of ozone in the atmosphere poses various risks like skin cancer and other problems.

  1. Increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

  2. Increase in harmful gases in atmosphere

  3. Increase in nuclear emissions

  4. Cutting of trees
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

It is not given in the passage.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the result of water pollution?

Directions: Read the passage given below carefully and answer the question that follows.

The major problem related to environmental pollution and decrease in the amount of natural resources vary from local, regional and global levels. A lot of harm has been caused to the environment due to pollution at various levels. Air pollution results from burning of coal and other fossil fuels. They must be removed from air to keep our air clean. Sewage from homes and waste from industries are major causes of pollution of water bodies which kill fish and other animals living in the water bodies causing water pollution. Land pollution is another type of pollution in which solid waste products create problem when dumped in the landfills. Other major environmental issues relate to increasing greenhouse effect which is warming the earth and depletion of ozone in the atmosphere. The main reasons of greenhouse effect are increase in the level of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases besides cutting of trees in the forests. The depletion of ozone in the atmosphere poses various risks like skin cancer and other problems.

  1. Fish being killed

  2. Greenhouse effect

  3. Increase in oxygen level

  4. Skin cancer
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

It is stated in the passage.

Multiple choice

From 1970 to 1995, millions of tonnes of coal ash from Ropar Thermal Plant was dumped into river Satluj. There is increasing apprehension that the ash will leak contaminants into ground water, and thereafter into drinking water supplied to the cities. This apprehension is unwarranted, as tests of the ground water and local water supply of regions near commercial manufacturers who practiced such dumping during the 1950s showed very little or no evidence of such contaminants.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the argument above?

  1. Commercial manufacturing plants in the 1950s dumped significantly fewer tonnes of coal ash into river Satluj than did plant from 1970 to 1995.

  2. In the 1950s, coal ash dumped by commercial manufacturing plants contained a greater concentration of harmful agents.

  3. In the 1950s, liquid waste pollution of Satluj constituted a greater hazard to local water supplied than did coal ash during the period from 1970 to 1995.

  4. In recent years, environmentalists have made serious attempts to curb coal ash pollution by commercial manufacturers.

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This answer indicates that the dumping done in the 1950s is not comparable to the dumping done later, so the result of the tests from the 1950s can't be used to predict the results of the increased dumping.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a global crisis that has been caused by the indiscriminate exploitation of resources?

  1. Global warming

  2. Ozone layer depletion

  3. Environmental pollution

  4. Population explosion

  5. Land degradation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as all the others are global ecological crises that have occurred due to indiscriminate exploitation of resources. Population explosion has put a strain on already shrinking resources.

Multiple choice

Untreated human excreta leads to which type of pollution?

  1. Soil and water pollution

  2. Air and noise pollution

  3. Radio active element pollution

  4. Water pollution only
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Untreated human excreta contains pathogens, organic matter, and nutrients that contaminate both soil (through surface application or leakage) and water bodies (through runoff or direct discharge). This contamination spreads waterborne diseases, degrades ecosystems, and makes water unsafe for human use, affecting both environmental compartments.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is not the cause of water pollution?

  1. Open defecation

  2. Chemicals and pesticides

  3. Animal waste

  4. Microbes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Microbes (bacteria and other microorganisms) are naturally present in water and soil, and are not causes of water pollution themselves - in fact, beneficial microbes help break down pollutants. Open defecation, chemical pesticides, and animal waste are all significant anthropogenic sources of water contamination.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the incorrect statement?

  1. Water pollution is caused by littering.

  2. Water pollution is caused by dumping waste in to water bodies.

  3. Water pollution is harmless.

  4. Water is precious and we must use it carefully.

  5. All leaking taps must be repaired.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

No, water pollution is very harmful not harmless. This is an incorrect statement.

Multiple choice

Which of these is not a water pollutant?

  1. Fertilizers

  2. Ammonia

  3. Dissolved Oxygen

  4. Nurdles

  5. Chlorinated solvents
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Dissolved Oxygen is not a cause of water pollution rather it is a measure of the quality of water.

Multiple choice

Environmental pollution as caused by garbage or produced by homes and industries has been shown to cause clogging and pollution of different water sources. The Union Ministry for Water Resources has recommended that people limit their daily garbage output to two-thirds the normal output. Many water researchers, however, feel that even these limits do not adequately protect the public from the ill-effects of water pollution.

Which of the following, if true, would support the water researchers' view as described above?

  1. The recommended limits on garbage production do not specify the fine to be imposed if limits are not adhered to.

  2. Waste produced by industries is much more harmful than garbage produced at homes and so, more stringent laws should be placed on industries than those on homes.

  3. Use of recycled paper should be preferred than computerised documents.

  4. The government has neglected efforts to mandate more stringent standards for environmental pollution.

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

This shows that the weightage should be given to put more restrictions on waste which is more dangerous for the environment than the one which is less harmful. The given recommendation does not take into view this idea.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements:

  1. A spill or ongoing release of chemical or radionuclide contaminants soil and can contaminate the aquifer below, defined as a toxin plume.
  2. Plumes are used to locate map and measure water pollution within the aquifer's total body of water.

Which of the above 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
C Correct answer
Explanation
  1. A spill or ongoing releases of chemical or radionuclide contaminants into soil (located away from a surface water body) may not create point source or non-point source pollution, but can contaminate the aquifer below, defined as a toxin plume. A radionuclide is an atom with an unstable nucleus, characterized by excess energy available to be imparted either to a newly created radiation particle within the nucleus or via internal conversion.
    1. Pollutants released to the ground can work their way down into the groundwater. The resulting body of polluted water within an aquifer is called a plume, with its migrating edges called plume fronts. Plumes are used to locate, map, and measure water pollution within the aquifer's total body of water, and plume fronts to determine directions and speed of the contamination's spreading in it.