Environmental Studies · General Awareness

Water Quality and Pollution

1,263 Questions

Water Quality and Pollution examines the sources, mechanisms, and impacts of contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. It covers crucial environmental concepts like eutrophication, biochemical oxygen demand, and thermal pollution. This subject frequently appears in general science and environmental studies sections of various examinations.

Eutrophication CausesThermal Pollution EffectsBiochemical Oxygen DemandSynthetic Fertilizer ImpactsWastewater SourcesAquatic Ecosystem Toxicity

Water Quality and Pollution Questions

Multiple choice commercial applications environment in its totality alternatives for minimising depletion of natural resources components of environment effects and successes of environment conservation

Which of the following cycle is used to rejuvenate the water in the water bodies?

  1. Water cycle

  2. Oxygen cycle

  3. Carbon cycle

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

The water cycle (hydrologic cycle) is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth, which naturally purifies and replenishes water bodies.

Multiple choice biology natural resources water management - case studies water and air and their importance introduction to natural resources

Identify the side effect of rapid percolation of water.

  1. Soil erosion

  2. Soil acidity

  3. Loss of nutrient

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

The percolation tanks are constructed in the land which is highly permeable. The water which gets collected in the tank is then percolated in the ground.  and helps to recharge the groundwater system. The nutrients which are present in the soil solution gets leached and migrate to the groundwater reserves. This causes loss of the nutrients of the soil.

The correct answer is option C. 

Multiple choice chemistry air and atmosphere carbon dioxide - an oxide of carbon component of air - carbon dioxide oxides of non metal

If dissolved ______ is not present, the aquatic life would die.

  1. Oxygen

  2. Nitrogen

  3. Hydrogen

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

Dissolved oxygen means the  free or  non-compound oxygen present in water or in  other liquids. Dissolved oxygen is important to many forms of life including fish, bacteria and plants. These organisms use oxygen in respiration, similar to organisms on land. Fishes obtain oxygen for respiration through their gills, while plant life and phytoplankton require dissolved oxygen for respiration when there is no light for photosynthesis.

So the given statement If dissolved oxygen is not present, the aquatic life would die.

Multiple choice zoology excretion in living organisms excretion - animals human excretory system and products excretory system and products excretion - plants excretion in plants

Some animals convert highly toxic $NH _3$ into least toxic trimethylamine oxide $(TMAO)$ and retain high concentration of $TMAO$ and urea to minimise $H _2O$ loss from body are

  1. Sharks and rays

  2. Fresh water bony fishes

  3. Myxine

  4. Marine bony fishes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
  • Marine teleost fishes excrete a large proportion of their nitrogen as trimethylamine oxide (TMAO). Large amounts of this compound is also stored in their body for osmoregulation i.e. to minimize loss of water and entry of salts.

So, the correct option is 'Sharks and rays'
Multiple choice evs garbage in, garbage out preparation of compost sewage disposal solid waste management

Pollution due to sewage can be reduced by 

  1. Creating separate chemical toilets.

  2. Constructing septic tanks.

  3. Letting off drainage in rivers.

  4. Both A and B.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
A very large fraction of our people defecates in the open, on dry riverbeds, on railway tracks, near fields and many a time directly in water. Untreated human excreta is a health hazard. It may cause water pollution and soil pollution. Both the surface water and groundwater get polluted.
  • A septic tank is an underground chamber made of concrete, fiberglass or plastic through which domestic wastewater flows for basic treatment. Settling and anaerobic processes reduce solids and organics, but the treatment efficiency is only moderate. Septic tank systems are a type of simple onsite sewage facility.
  • Chemical toilet is a toilet that is not connected to a sewage system but has a compartment in which waste is treated with chemicals for temporary storage.
  • Letting off drainage in rivers will cause water pollution.
So, the correct answer is 'Both A and B'
Multiple choice evs garbage in, garbage out preparation of compost sewage disposal solid waste management

Which is correctly matched?
$1$. Arsenic poisoning- Black foot disease
$2$. Secondary Effluent treatment- Biological process
$3$. Pyrolysis- Solid soil waste disposal
$4$.

Tubifex- Water pollution indicator


$5$. Biomagnification - Degradable pollutants

  1. $1, 2, 3, 5$
  2. $1, 3, 4, 5$
  3. $2, 3, 4, 5$
  4. $1, 2, 3, 4$
  5. $1, 2, 4, 5$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
  1. Arsenic poisoning causes black foot disease as arsenic is a carcinogen that results in darkening of the skin and abdominal issues.
    2. Secondary treatment to the effluents involves a biological process in which the organic matter in the effluent is decomposed by the bacteria and fungi.
    3. Pyrolysis is the process in which the solid soil is subjected to the high temperature to decompose it into ash.
    4. Tubifex is a roundworm that can sustain the polluted water that has low levels of dissolved oxygen and heavy metal deposition. So, its growth in any water body indicates water pollution.
    5. Biomagnification is the ability of the non-degradable pollutants to stay in the adipose tissues of the living organisms and persist in higher concentration.
    Hence, the correct answer is '1,2,3,4'.
Multiple choice perfect competition and monopoly market structure and pricing economics

BOD measures the _____.

  1. Amount of bacteria in a given sample of water

  2. Amount of algae being decomposed in a given sample

  3. Amount of oxygen bacteria need to decompose organic matter in a given sample

  4. Amount of oxygen bacteria need to decompose organic matter in a given sample in a fixed period of time
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is a measure of how much organic pollution is in water. The BOD test measures the amount of dissolved oxygen in water that is used up due to the breakdown of organic pollutants, such as sewage, in a certain number of days.

Multiple choice perfect competition and monopoly market structure and pricing economics

Untreated sewage may cause _____.

  1. Outbreak of epidemic

  2. Cholera outbreaks

  3. Typhoid outbreaks

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

Untreated sewage is an excellent source of bacterial growth. Such untreated sewage can result in spread of many bacterial diseases like outbreak of epidemics, cholera, typhoid etc.

Multiple choice evs water: a precious resource importance of water let's play with water water and its properties water resources and conservation

Dissolved salts in water are important because :

  1. they provide taste

  2. growth of plants

  3. minerals essential for body

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

Dissolved salts in water are important because
(A) They provide taste
(B) Growth of plants
(C) Minerals essential for body
Water contains dissolved salts which provide taste to water for drinking purposes. Also these salts are essential for growth and development of plants. These dissolved salts provide the essential minerals which are required for growth of body.

Multiple choice

What is aquaculture?

  1. microbes in the water

  2. the societal norms of the sea

  3. a charity to save fish

  4. farming of fish
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Aquaculture is the controlled cultivation of aquatic organisms, such as fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.

Multiple choice zoology introduction to microbiology microbial pollution control environmental use of microorganism microbes in waste treatment and biogas

Sewage water is purified for reuse by the action of

  1. Protozoans

  2. Micro-organisms

  3. Plants and light

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

Domestic sewage consists biodegradable organic matter and easily decomposes by the micro-organisms. These microorganisms can multiply using these organic substances as substrates and hence, utilize some of the components of sewage. Micro-organisms involved in biodegradation of organic matter in the receiving water body consume a lot of oxygen, and as a result, there is a sharp decline in dissolved oxygen downstream from the point of sewage discharge. This causes mortality of fish and other aquatic creatures. 

Thus, the correct answer is option B. 

Multiple choice zoology introduction to microbiology microbial pollution control environmental use of microorganism microbes in waste treatment and biogas

Which of these is not a key factor that helps in the process of decay?

  1. Wind

  2. Temperature

  3. Water

  4. Micro-organisms
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Decay is what happens when dead animals and plants break down. The key factors involved in decay are: Temperature, Amount of oxygen, Amount of water and the presence of microorganisms. Microorganisms are important in decay. For example, they are used to break down human waste (sewage) and plant waste (compost). Decay recycles important nutrients for plant growth.

Multiple choice zoology introduction to microbiology microbial pollution control environmental use of microorganism microbes in waste treatment and biogas

Sewage water is purified by

  1. Microorganisms

  2. Light

  3. Fishes

  4. Aquatic plants
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sewage is composed of organic matter and domestic waste. The pollutants are removed by the sewage treatment process to mitigate it's adverse impact on the environment when it is released. The sewage pass through primary,  secondary and tertiary treatment. The microorganisms by aerobic and anaerobic metabolism degrade the organic matter in secondary and tertiary treatment respectively making it disinfected.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Microorganisms'.

Multiple choice zoology bio-geo chemical cycles in nature nutrient cycles- flow of substances carbon cycle biogeochemical cycles - gaseous

The wormicide character of _____ destroys worms in water.

  1. Azotobacter

  2. Azolla

  3. Nostoc

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
The wormicide character that kills worms in water are Azotobactor.
Azotobactors are one of the Nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Hence they are used as bio-fertilisers for many plants. 
The size of Azotobactor varies from 1-20 μm in length and 1-2 μm. 
Azotobactors can be generally found in alkaline soil and aquatic regions. So, the correct answer is A.