Environmental Studies ยท 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 of the following can contribute to water pollution?

  1. Sewage run off

  2. Landfill sites

  3. Pesticides from farmland

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

Water pollution can be caused by various sources, including agricultural runoff (pesticides/fertilizers), industrial waste, sewage, and leaching from landfill sites.

Multiple choice

Pollution that comes from many sources

  1. Point-source pollution

  2. Wastewater

  3. None of these

  4. Nonpoint-source pollution
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Nonpoint-source pollution comes from many diffuse sources, such as runoff from farms, streets, and parking lots, rather than a single identifiable pipe.

Multiple choice

Pollution discharged from a single source

  1. non-point source pollution

  2. None of these

  3. point-source pollution

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

Point-source pollution is defined as pollution that comes from a single, identifiable source, such as a factory pipe or sewage treatment plant.

Multiple choice chemistry water too little to waste pollution of water water pollution planet earth

Which of the following pollutants cannot be degraded by natural process?

  1. DDT

  2. Nuclear Waste

  3. Heavy Metals

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

Pollutants which are slowly degradable remain in the environment in an unchanged form for many decades. For example, substances such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), plastic materials, heavy metals, many chemicals, and nuclear wastes etc., once released into the environment are difficult to remove. These pollutants cannot be degraded by natural processes and are harmful to living organisms. In the process of environmental pollution, pollutants originate from a source and get transported by air or water or are dumped into the soil by human beings.

Multiple choice chemistry water too little to waste pollution of water water pollution planet earth

Environmental pollution refers to:

  1. peeling of top soil

  2. dissipation of energy

  3. release of toxic/undesirable materials in environment

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

Pollution is the release of harmful substances or energy into the environment by man in quantities that damage health and resources. The polluted air is undesirable for breathing, for the condition of buildings and monuments exposed to it or for animal and plant life. The polluted soil and land undesirable for raising food and fodder for animals or for recreation and aesthetic enjoyments.

Multiple choice chemistry water too little to waste pollution of water water pollution planet earth

Which of the following cause water pollution?

  1. Smoke/fly ash

  2. Automobile exhausts

  3. Silt and pesticides.

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

Let us now study the causes of water pollution:

1. Industrial waste

2. Sewage and waste water

3. Mining activities

4. Marine dumping

5. Accidental Oil leakage

6. Burning of fossil fuels

7. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides

8. Leakage from sewer lines

9. Global warming

10. Radioactive waste

11. Urban development

12. Leakage from the landfills

13. Animal waste

14. Underground storage leakage

Multiple choice chemistry water too little to waste pollution of water water pollution planet earth

Water pollution is due to:

  1. agricultural discharges

  2. sewage and other wastes

  3. industrial effluents

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

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). This form of environmental degradation occurs when pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. Agricultural discharges, sewage and other wastes and industrial effluents all cause water pollution.