Environmental Studies · General Awareness

Pollution and Human Impact

2,864 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 our life and environment geography

Conserving metals may decrease _____.

  1. Environmental pollution

  2. Waste disposal

  3. Minerals in crust

  4. Both A and B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Environment forms the surroundings on which life depends. It is very much essential to protect our environment. One among many is by conserving metals. Metals pollute environment and if we conservatively use metals it prevents environmental pollution and also reduces waste disposal.

Multiple choice zoology our environment - our concern biomagnification the effects of human activities on ecosystems bioaccumulation and biomagnification

Biomagnification refers to?

  1. Breeding of crops that are rich in minerals and vitamins, good proteins and healthier fats for human health

  2. Increase in concentration of the toxicant at successive trophic levels

  3. Exploiting at molecular, Genetic and species level diversity for the products of economic importance

  4. Decomposition of organic waste in water by the action of microbes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Biomagnification is the process where the concentration of a toxic substance increases as it moves up the food chain. This occurs because the toxin is not easily degraded or excreted.

Multiple choice zoology our environment - our concern biomagnification the effects of human activities on ecosystems bioaccumulation and biomagnification

The term "bio-magnification" refers to the

  1. Growth of organism due to food consumption.

  2. Increase in population size.

  3. Blowing up of environmental issues by man

  4. Increase in the concentration of non-degradable pollutants as they pass through food chain.

  5. Decrease in population size.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The biotic components of an ecosystem are arranged in several trophic levels which are interdependent on each other. The energy produced at one level is passed to another level. Biomagnification refers to increase in concentration of the toxicant at successive trophic levels. This happens because a toxic substance accumulated by an organism cannot be metabolised or excreted, and is thus passed on to the next higher trophic level. This phenomenon is well known for mercury and DDT. 

Multiple choice history the industrial age and change of life of people industries and impact impact of industrial revolution industrial revolution and social change the age canal and great engineers industrial revolution and its effects india's contemporary economic condition the industrial revolution

What were the health problems in the growing industrial towns?

  1. Lack of clean drinking water

  2. Poor quality housing

  3. Sewage

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Rapid urbanization during the Industrial Revolution led to severe infrastructure failures, including lack of clean water, poor housing, and inadequate sewage systems.

Multiple choice economics environmental economics acid rain air pollution - effects and control air pollution and its effects

Acid rain is harmful to

  1. Plants

  2. Animals

  3. Buildings

  4. All of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Sulfur dioxide (SO$ _2$) and nitrogen oxides (NO$ _2$) are emitted into the atmosphere and transported by the wind and air currents. The SO$ _2$ and NO$ _2$ react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. These then mix with water and other materials before falling to the ground in the form of acid rain. When this acid deposits on land or water it results in acidity harming organisms. It also causes corrosion of building materials and paints. Thus the correct answer is option D.

Multiple choice economics environmental economics acid rain air pollution - effects and control air pollution and its effects

SO$ _2$ of the atmosphere combines with water to form H$ _2$SO$ _4$. When this reaches the soil

  1. It increases the pH of the soil

  2. It decreases the pH of the soil

  3. pH remains the same

  4. Soil texture changes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Acid rain is a mixture of wet and dry deposition from the atmosphere containing higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids. 

Acid rain formation result from both natural sources, such as volcanoes and decaying vegetation, and man-made sources, primarily emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides resulting from fossil fuel combustion. These gases react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form various acidic compounds. 
When this rain falls on the soil, the soil becomes acidic. Also, the leaves get destroyed and germinating seeds get corroded. Plants experience stunted growth. Thus, vegetation is destroyed.

Multiple choice economics environmental economics acid rain air pollution - effects and control air pollution and its effects

Identify the correct statements about acid rain.
I. Acid rain is caused by nitric acid and sulfuric acid.
II. Acid rain can damage plants directly.
III. Acid rain can cause magnesium and calcium to be leached from the soil.

  1. I only

  2. II only

  3. III only

  4. Both II and III

  5. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Acid Rain is any form of precipitation with acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or dry forms.

It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and infrastructure. It weaken the trees by damaging their leaves, limiting the nutrients available to them, or poisoning them with toxic substances slowly released from the soil.
Soil chemistry can be dramatically changed when base cations, such as calcium and magnesium, are leached by acid rain thereby affecting sensitive species. Hence, the correct answer is option D.

Multiple choice economics environmental economics acid rain air pollution - effects and control air pollution and its effects

Acid rain will not affect

  1. Lithosphere

  2. Plants

  3. Ozone layer

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

Acid rain has no direct effect on the ozone layer. Acid rain is the rain which has unusually low pH and has acidic pollutant of nitric acid and sulphuric acid caused by the atmospheric oxides of nitrogen and sulphur. There is a little mixing of ozone with troposphere which occurs by downwind. The pollutants which cause acid rain do not make it into the ozone layer in any significant amount. The clouds appear in the troposphere and precipitation occurs from there causing rain. So, acid rain is between the troposphere and the earth's surface (Lithosphere) while the ozone layer is in the stratosphere. Plants and animals are worst affected by the acid rain.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Ozone Layer'.

Multiple choice concept of social responsibility organization of commerce and management industrial pollution and degradation of environment environmental values and ethics industrial pollution accelerated with the start of industrial revolution social responsibility towards the environment

Which of the following plays a major role in enhancing the quality of environment?

  1. Wetlands

  2. Forests

  3. Ozone cell

  4. All the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Forests cover about a third of the earth’s land area and are essential to the health of our environment. For example, trees and forests absorb and store much of the carbon dioxide that otherwise would be contributing to climate change. Forests are home to about $80$ percent of remaining terrestrial biodiversity. Forests also regulate water cycles, maintain soil quality, and reduce the risks of natural disasters such as floods.Forest ecosystems are sources of wood and timber, of edible products including mushrooms and other fungi, meat (from wildlife), forage for livestock, fruit or honey. Some forest species have medicinal values.

Forests provide habitat for wildlife and they affect the volume and timing of water flowing out of the forested area as well as rates of soil formation or erosion.
Forests are one of a number of important elements in the global cycling of carbon, oxygen, and other gases of importance which influences the composition of the earth’s atmosphere

Multiple choice concept of social responsibility organization of commerce and management industrial pollution and degradation of environment environmental values and ethics industrial pollution accelerated with the start of industrial revolution social responsibility towards the environment

Which of the following are the heavily polluting industries?
I. Cement    II. Thermal Power Plants
III. Sugar       IV. Oil Refineries

  1. I and II are correct

  2. II and Ill are correct

  3. I, II and III are correct

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Industrial production has grown in India by more than $50-$fold over the past century. Cement, Thermal power plants, sugars and oil refiners are all considered as heavily polluting industries. These  contribute to the environment in terms of suspended particulate matter, gases and effluents. About $77$ per cent of the industries contribute to water pollution while $15$ per cent to air pollution and the remaining eight per cent to both air and water pollution. 

Multiple choice business organisation and correspondence issues of the environment international efforts for conserving biodiversity effects of pollution on environment government efforts in pollution control

Which of the following is not considered a method of abatement of pollution?

  1. Planting trees along road sides

  2. Greater use of chemical fertilizeres

  3. Treating industrial effluents before discharging them in water bodies

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Pollution abatement is the measure to reduce pollution by controlling the elimination of pollutants in the environment. It can be technological methods like catalytic converters, scrubber and electrostatic precipitator or they may be regulatory, like laws limiting the amount of solid waste a sewage management facility can release into a waterway. Greater use of compost (organic matter) instead of chemical fertilizers and judicious use of pesticides helps in controlling pollution. Thus, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice business organisation and correspondence issues of the environment international efforts for conserving biodiversity effects of pollution on environment government efforts in pollution control

Which of the following is not considered a method of abatement of pollution?

  1. Planting trees along roadsides

  2. Greater use of chemical fertilizers

  3. Treating industrial effluents before discharging them in water bodies

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Greater use of compost (organic matter) instead of chemical fertilisers and judicious use of pesticides.

Multiple choice biology blood circulatory system of human cardiac disorders cardiac regulation and disorders the blood system

Carbon monoxide is a pollutant because it

  1. Inhibits glycolysis

  2. Combines with haemoglobin

  3. Inactivates nerves

  4. Combines with oxygen
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

When carbon monoxide (CO) is inhaled, it combines with the haemoglobin to form a stable compound called as carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). CO displaces oxygen attached to the carrier molecule, haemoglobin. The COHb bond is over 200 times stronger than oxygen's bond with haemoglobin. The strong COHb bond makes it difficult for the body to eliminate CO from the blood. At 30-50% COHb symptoms are nausea, severe headaches, dizziness and increased pulse and respiration. COHb levels over 50% cause progressive symptoms proceeding to loss of consciousness, collapse, convulsions, coma and finally death.

Therefore, the correct answer is option B.