Tag: environmental economics

Questions Related to environmental economics

Acid rain is harmful to

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

  1. Plants

  2. Animals

  3. Buildings

  4. All of these

Show answer
Correct Option: D
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.

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

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

  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

Show answer
Correct Option: B
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.

Taj Mahal marble is affected by

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

  1. $SO _2$

  2. $O _2$

  3. $O _3$

  4. $NO _2$

Show answer
Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Sulfur dioxide emitted by factories near the monument and exhaust from trucks and buses are slowly corroding the Taj Mahal's soft marble. SO$ _2$ produces sulfurous and sulfuric acids with water. Sulfuric acid reacts with marble to produce calcium sulphate which is soluble in water hence marble dissolves and erodes. 

Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

Acid rain is due to pollution of

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

  1. Dust

  2. Pesticides

  3. $SO _2$ and $NO _2$

  4. Carbon particle

Show answer
Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions with pH of less than 5. It is due to the excess of SO$ _2$and NO$ _2$ in the air which along with water form sulphurous and nitric acid. It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and infrastructure. Taj Mahal loss of whitening is because of Acid rain.

Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

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.

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

  1. I only

  2. II only

  3. III only

  4. Both II and III

  5. All of the above

Show answer
Correct Option: E
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.

Dissolved gas present in acid rain is

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

  1. Hydrogen chloride

  2. Nitrogen oxide

  3. Sulphur dioxide

  4. All of the above

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:

All of the given gases are present in acid rain. Many gases from the industrial effluents and burning of fuels in automobiles led to the release of these harmful gases in the air. These get mixed with rain and form the harmful acid rain.

So, option D is the correct answer.

Increased $SO _2$ concentration in the air causes

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

  1. Global warming

  2. Eutrophication of lakes

  3. Depletion of the ozone layer

  4. Magnification of the ozone layer

  5. Acid rain

Show answer
Correct Option: E
Explanation:

Acid rain is the result of increased sulphur and nitrogen oxide levels in the atmosphere. When nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide reacts with water, oxygen and other chemicals forms nitric acid and sulfuric acid which then mix with rainwater and causes acid rain. Thus, the correct answer is option E.

Mycorrhizal fungi, which form a mutualistic association with many plant roots, are particularly sensitive to the effects of acid rain. These fungi facilitate the absorption of water and nutrients by the plants; in turn, the plants provide sugars and amino acids without which the fungi could not survive.

The relationship between mycorrhizal fungi

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

  1. One partner benefits from the association and the other partner is harmed

  2. One partner benefits from the association and the other partner is neither harmed nor helped

  3. One partner preys upon the other partner

  4. Both partners benefit from the association

  5. Neither partner benefits from the association

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Mycorrhizae are the symbiotic fungi that reside in roots of higher plants and increase soil fertility by nitrogen fixation and also increase water and mineral absorption by plant roots. Fungi are beneffited by this association as they get sugar and amino acids. Both partners are benefitted; association is symbiosis. 

Therefore, the correct answer is option D.

Changes in the chemical nature of Taj Mahal is due to

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

  1. Chemical from oil refinery

  2. Acid rain

  3. Floods from river Yamuna

  4. Rise in temperature

Show answer
Correct Option: B

$\displaystyle { SO } _{ 2 }$ in the air causes

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

  1. Global warming

  2. Eutrophication of lakes

  3. Depletion of the ozone layer

  4. Magnification in the food chain

  5. Acid rain

Show answer
Correct Option: E
Explanation:

Sulphur dioxide (SO$ _2$) is an air pollutant. When this gas comes in contact with water droplets, it gets converted to mild sulphuric acid which is acidic. Hence in areas of pollution with SO$ _2$ gas, normal rain water gets converted to sulphuric acid. This is called as acid rain. Acid rain generally leads to weathering of buildings, corrosion of metals, and peeling of paints on surfaces.