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
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DDT
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Radioactive substances
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CFC
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PAN
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Radioactive substances can pollute Earth to dangerous levels of toxicity if not handled properly.
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Both 1 and 2
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Both 2 and 3
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Both 1 and 3
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All three
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Nutrient pollution, a form of water pollution, refers to contamination by excessive inputs of nutrients. It has the following effects:
Population effects: excess growth of algae (blooms);
Community effects: species composition shifts (dominant taxa);
Ecological effects: foodweb changes, light limitation;
Biogeochemical effects: excess organic carbon (eutrophication); dissolved oxygen deficits (hypoxia); toxin production;
Human health effects: excess nitrate in drinking water
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Large tracts of land get submerged under water.
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A hydropower plant leads to water pollution directly.
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The vegetation, which is submerged, gives rise to methane gas.
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Both (1) and (3)
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Large tracts of land get submerged under water and the vegetation, which is submerged, gives rise to methane gas; both are the negative impacts of reservoir-type hydropower plants.
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Plastic
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Sewage
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Oxide
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Pesticide
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Radioactive substance
B
Correct answer
Explanation
This is the correct option as sewage is not a non-degradable soil pollutant. It decomposes easily.
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pollute and disturb the forest life
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disturb the life of animals due to noise
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disturb the life of plants
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cause land pollution in the forest
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Making of dams and factories near a forest will result in air pollution which will disturb the life in forests.
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Pollution
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Depletion of ozone layer
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Local irrigation
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Acid rain
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Large mega projects neglect local irrigation methods. These large scale projects (dams and canals) were developed by the British and are still carried on by our government.
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a, b and c
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a and b
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b and c
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a and c
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only b
B
Correct answer
Explanation
This is the correct answer as both pesticides and fertilizers cause water pollution.
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Water pollution is caused by littering.
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Water pollution is caused by dumping wastes into water.
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Water pollution is harmful.
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Water is precious, we must use it carefully.
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Water pollution is harmless.
E
Correct answer
Explanation
Water pollution is very harmful. It is affecting our life in many ways. So, we should not make the ponds, rivers and seas dirty by throwing wastes in it.
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Air
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Water
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Soil
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Noise
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None of these
E
Correct answer
Explanation
All the options listed (air, water, soil, noise pollution) are recognized types of environmental pollution. Therefore 'None of these' (meaning 'none of these is not a pollution type') is the correct answer as all are valid pollution categories.
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Destruction of habitat
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Increased use of land
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Air pollution
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Contamination of habitat
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None of these
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Burning of fossil fuels releases a lot of pollutants into the atmosphere like sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, etc., which have various environmental effects. Hence, air is polluted.
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Increase in salinity of groundwater
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Decrease in toxicity of groundwater
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Decrease in salinity of groundwater
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Increase in water table
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None of these
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Increased mining in coastal areas will result in increased salinity of groundwater.
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Decay in plants and animals in swamp deep ponds or lakes
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Wastes from petro-chemical industry
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Domestic sewage and animal waste
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Release of hot water from industry/power plant
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Agricultural run-off
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Thermal pollution refers to the change in normal temperature of water that degrades the quality of water. This change in temperature may be in upward or downward directions. The main reason behind this is our industry/power plant where water is used as cooling agent. After the water is used as cooling agent, it returned back to the environment at a higher temperature that has an adverse affects on ecosystem of water bodies.
Which of the following is the source of a pathogen, a major water pollutant?
The water pollutants are as follows:
1. Suspended impurities like sand, mud, clay and organic matter.
2. Dissolve gasses like CO2, NH3, N2, H2S.
3. Dissolve minerals like Ca2+, Na+ and Mg2+ salts.
4. Dissolved chemicals, pesticides, domestic wastes, etc.
5. Micro-organisms of pathogenic or non-pathogenic nature like bacteria, virus, protozoa, etc.
6. Isotopes or radiologically activated substances.
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Waste from agricultural run-off
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Waste from petro-chemical industry
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Domestic sewage and animal waste
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Cooling water from industrial and power generation plants
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Decay in plants and animals in swamp deep ponds or lakes.
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Domestic sewage and animal waste are the sources (anthropogenic source) of pathogen class of water pollutants, which cause different water borne diseases like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, etc.
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Oil spillage by a ship
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Road way runoff water
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Floods
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Disposal of industries
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Sewage disposal
A
Correct answer
Explanation
'Point source pollution' means the pollution of water reserves by a single and definite source of pollution. Oil spillage from a ship in the ocean is an example of point source of pollution
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Nitrate contamination
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Protozoa contamination
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Sulphate contamination
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Mercury contamination
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Lead contamination
B
Correct answer
Explanation
It is a microbiological contamination.
We can understand that water can be polluted by the following ways:
(1) Microbiological
(2) Industrial
(3) Agricultural
(4) Petrochemical
(5) Sewage disposal
(6) Radiological
(7) Thermal pollution