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 commercial applications water and air and their importance natural resources and their types promotion of renewable resources protecting our environment

Which of the following is an exhaustible natural resource ?

  1. Air

  2. Water

  3. Soil

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

Resources which get exhausted and are not available in nature in plenty and are known as exhaustible natural resources. They take longer to get replenished. For example coal, petroleum, forest, minerals, etc.

Multiple choice social studies importance of transport system importance of transportation system introduction to transport and communication transportation services language, writing and great books

What type of effect pollution has on the environment?

  1. Constructive effect

  2. Destructive effect

  3. Friendly effect

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

Pollution introduces harmful substances into the environment, which damages ecosystems, health, and natural resources, thus having a destructive effect.

Multiple choice evs let's plant trees damaging the forests deforestation and afforestation protecting our environment pollution of soil degradation of land

The term 'Phytoremediation' refers to the _________________.

  1. Use of plants for removing pollutants from the environment

  2. Use of plants as remedies to cure diseases

  3. Use of plants for restoration of degraded forests

  4. Use of plants in the retention of soil water
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Phytoremediation is a bioremediation process that uses various types of plants to remove, transfer, stabilize, or destroy contaminants in the soil and groundwater.

Multiple choice commercial applications bioenergy biofuels making biofuels technological and industrial development

Leakage of oil tanks and improper oil extraction can cause

  1. Biomagnification

  2. Oil spills

  3. Air pollution

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

Oil spills occur when liquid petroleum is released into the environment by vehicle, vessel or pipeline. It is mostly seen in water bodies. Crude oil is released by tankers on land thus leading to oil spills. In water bodies, improper oil extraction due to drilling rigs, offshore oil platforms and well result in oil spills. Thus the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice evs atmosphere- wind weather, climate and adaptation of animals to different climates climate and weather weather, climate and adaptations of animals to climate

Multiple Choice Questions
Which one is wrong statement?

  1. Ozone in upper part of atmosphere is harmful to animals

  2. Green house effect is a natural phenomenon

  3. Eutrophication is a natural phenomenon in freshwater bodies

  4. Most of the forests have been lost in tropical area.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Ozone in the upper layer of the atmosphere is also called as good ozone. It forms a layer of the protective sheet or shield against the harmful ultraviolet radiations of the sun. This protects all the life forms from the harmful effects of UV rays.

So, the correct answer is option A, ozone in upper part of atmosphere is harmful to animals.

Multiple choice zoology soil pollution industrial chemicals and their harmful effects toxic wastes and their effects soil pollution-causes

Spraying of D.D.T. on crops produces pollution of

  1. Air only

  2. Air and soil only

  3. Air, soil and water

  4. Air and water only
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Some of the common pollutants are non biodegradable, e.g : persistent pesticides like organochlorine or chlorinated hydrocarbons like DDT. These chemicals pass into food chains and increase in amount per unit weight of organisms with the rise in trophic level due to their accumulation in animal fats. Higher the trophic level of an organism in the food chain, greater will be the accumulation of pollutant. As these chemicals are persistent and non biodegradable, they pollute air, soil and water and in which ever organism they reach they simply keep on increasing in concentration. The phenomenon is called biomagnification. 

Multiple choice zoology soil pollution industrial chemicals and their harmful effects toxic wastes and their effects soil pollution-causes

Lakes which are located downwind from major industrial centers, vulnerable to

  1. Eutrophication

  2. Acid Deposition

  3. Air pollution

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

Lakes downwind from industrial centers are susceptible to acid deposition because industrial emissions (like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) react with atmospheric moisture to form acids, which then fall as rain or dry deposition.

Multiple choice economics sustainable development with equity introduction to social movements and its types social movements liberalisation

Surface water has been polluted due to industrialisation and urbanisation, while, ground water has remained free from contaminants.

  1. True

  2. False
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

False 

Industrialization refers to the process of using natural resources for the development of the economy. The process of industrialization has polluted the surface water as well as groundwater. 

Multiple choice biology towards green energy solar power plant generation of electricity production of electricity from solar energy

The ultimate environmental hazard to mankind is 

  1. Air pollution

  2. Water pollution

  3. Noise pollution

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

In modern times the biggest environmental threat to mankind is nuclear pollution as the effects of radiation pollution cannot be repaired or reversed. 

Other forms of pollution can be controlled and ill effects reversed but radiations affect coming generations through genetic mutations. Harmful effects of radioactive pollution were first recorded in 1909 in uranium miners as skin burns, cancers and mutations. Many plants are killed even at low level of radioactivity. Young and recently divided cells are more easily damaged. Delayed effects of radioactive pollution include tumors, cancers, mutations, genetic deformities, and shorter life span. These effects are clearly visible only in subsequent generations.

Multiple choice biology towards green energy solar power plant generation of electricity production of electricity from solar energy

Problem associated with nuclear power plant is 

  1. Thermal pollution

  2. Emission of hazardous radio-nuclides

  3. Disposal of radioactive waste

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

Some thermal power stations exchange 60 to 70% of their thermal energy by cycling with a body of water or by evaporating water through a cooling tower. 

This thermal efficiency creates more waste heat. Most commercial nuclear power plants release gaseous and liquid radiological effluents into the environment as a byproduct. 
The nuclear fission of uranium-235 produces large quantities of intermediate mass radioisotopes. The mass distribution of these radioisotopes peaks at about mass numbers 95 and 137 , and most of them are radioactive. The most dangerous for environmental release are cesium and strontium because of their intermediate half-lives and entry in the food chain.