Text Book Back Questions and Answers - Chapter 12 Environmental Issues 12th Biology Zoology Guide Samacheer Kalvi Solutions - SaraNextGen [2024-2025]

Updated On May 15, 2024

By SaraNextGen

Environmental Issues

Book Back Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Right to Clean Water is a fundamental right, under the Indian Constitution ________
(a) Article 12
(b) Article 21
(c) Article 31
(d) Article 41
Answer:
(c) Article 31

Question 2.
With which of the following, the Agenda 21 of Rio Summit, 1992 is related to?
(a) Sustainable development
(b) Combating the consequences of population
(c) Mitigation norms of Green House Gases (GHGs) emission
(d) Technology transfer mechanism to developing countries for ‘clean energy’ production
Answer:
(a) Sustainable development

Question 3.
Which among the following awards instituted by the Government of India for individuals or communities from rural areas that have shown extraordinary courage and dedication in protecting Wildlife?
(a) Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar
(b) Medini Puraskar Yojana
(c) Amrita Devi Bishnoi Award
(d) Pitambar Pant National Award
Answer:
(c) Amrita Devi Bishnoi Award

Question 4.
The ‘thickness’ of Stratospheric Ozone layer is measured in/on _________
(a) Sieverts units
(b) Dobson units
(c) Melson units
(d) Beaufort Scale
Answer:
(b) Dobson units

Question 5.
Which among the following is the most abundant Green-House-Gas (GHG) in the Earth’s atmosphere?
(a) Carbon dioxide
(b) Water Vapour
(c) Sulphur Dioxide
(d) Tropospheric Ozone
Answer:
(a) Carbon dioxide

Question 6.
As per 2017 statistics, the highest per capital emitter of Carbon dioxide in the world is _________
(a) USA
(b) China
(c) Qatar
(d) Saudi Arabia
Answer:
(b) China

Question 7.
The use of microorganism metabolism to remove pollutants such as oil spills in the water bodies is known as __________
(a) Biomagnification
(b) Bioremediation
(c) Biomethanation
(d) Bioreduction
Answer:
(b) Bioremediation

Question 8.
The Ozone Day is observed every year on September 16 as on this day in 1987 the __________ was signed for launching efforts to arrest the depletion of the fragile ozone layer in the stratosphere that prevents the harmful ultra-violet rays of the Sun from reaching the Earth.
Fill the correct word in blank:
(a) Montreal Protocol
(b) Geneva Protocol
(c) Kyoto Protocol
(d) Nagoya Protocol
Answer:
(a) Montreal Protocol

Question 9.
Which among the following always decreases in a Food chain across tropic levels?
(a) Number
(b) Accumulated chemicals
(c) Energy
(d) Force
Answer:
(c) Energy

Question 10.
In the E-waste generated by the Mobile Phones, which among the following metal is most abundant?
(a) Copper
(b) Silver
(c) Palladium
(d) Gold
Answer:
(a) Copper

Question 11.
The Hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are the compounds which have the following molecules _________
(a) Hydrogen
(b) Carbon
(c) Chlorine
(d) Fluorine
Answer:
(c) Chlorine

Question 12.
SMOG is derived from _________
(a) Smoke
(b) Fog
(c) Both A and B
(d) Only A
Answer:
(c) Both A and B

Question 13.
Excess of fluoride in drinking water causes _________
(a) Lung disease
(b) Intestinal infection
(c) Fluorosis
(d) None of the above
Answer:
(c) Fluorosis

Question 14.
Expand

1. CFC

2. AQI

3. PAN

Answer:

1. CFC: Chlorofluorocarbons

2. AQI: Air Quality Index

3. PAN: Peroxyacetyl nitrate

Question 15.
What is SMOG and how it is harmful for us?
Answer:
Smog is a type of air pollution caused by tiny particles in the air. The word comes from a mixture of the words smoke and fog. Today, smog generally refers to photo chemical smog, which is created when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds found in fossil fuel emissions from automobiles, factories, and power plants. These reactions create ground-level ozone and particulate matter, reducing visibility. Smog can make breathing more difficult, especially for people with asthma. Smog also affects plants and animals. It damages crops as well as causes health problems in pets, farm animals and human beings. Smog has also been known to cause corrosive damage to buildings and vehicles.

Question 16.
List all the wastes that you generate, at home, school or during your trips to other places. Could you very easily reduce the generation of these wastes? Which would be difficult or rather impossible to reduce?
Answer:

Yes, we can reduce the generation of daily wastes in our life. For example, using jute/cloth bags instead of plastic bags, using the plastic drum as flower pots etc.
E-wastes and plastic wastes are generally difficult to bio degradation.

Question 17.
Discuss the causes and effects of global warming. What measures need to be taken to control global warming?
Ozone layer depletion can be controlled by
Answer:

1. Phase down or ban the use of CFCs (CFC free refrigerants).

2. Minimizing the use of chemicals such as halons and halocarbons.

3. Creating awareness about ozone depleting agents.
UV rays may penetrate deep into the skin and can lead to premature skin aging and wrinkling of skin; suppression of the immune system, skin cancer (melanoma) and chronic effects leading to eye damage. DNA damage can result from free radicals and reactive oxygen and. photons can damage the DNA itself.

Question 18.
What would Earth be like without the greenhouse effect?
Answer:
Greenhouse effect is vital for the sustenance of life. Greenhouse gases like CO₂, water vapour etc absorb some of the reflected sun’s radiation and radiate back it to the Earth surface, thus maintaining the Earth’s warm condition. Without this effect, life on Earth would be difficult or rather impossible for existence or become hostile to most living organisms.

Question 19.
Write notes on the following:

1. Eutrophication

2. Algal Bloom

Answer:

1. Eutrophication refers to the nutrient enrichment in water bodies leading to lack of oxygen and will end up in the death of aquatic organisms.

2. Algal Bloom is an excess growth of algae due to abundant excess nutrients imparting distinct color to water.

Question 20.
What effect can fertilizer runoff have on an aquatic ecosystem?
Answer:
When run-off from land containing nutrients’ reaches water bodies like lakes, it results in dense growth of plant life. This phenomenon is called Eutrophication.

Question 21.
How can we control eutrophication?
Answer:
Eutrophication can be controlled by reducing the use of fertilizers in agricultural lands, checking the runoff from fields, planting vegetations along the stream beds there by the nutrients will be up taken by plants.

Question 22.
Why does ozone hole form over Antarctica?
Answer:
Ozone hole in Antartica is due to special atmospheric and chemical conditions that existed there and nowhere else in globe.

Question 23.
Mention the causes of enhanced ultraviolet radiation.
Answer:
UV rays may penetrate deep into the skin and can lead to premature skin aging and wrinkling of skin; suppression of the immune system, skin cancer (melanoma) and chronic effects leading to eye damage. DNA damage can result from free radicals and reactive oxygen and photons can damage the DNA itself.

Question 24.
Discuss the role of women in protection and conservation of forests.
Answer:
Women and communities have played a crucial role in environmental conservation programmes.
Example 1: Chipko movement was started in 1974 in India. In this women from the village hugged the trees and prevented felling of trees by contractors.

Example 2: Amrita Devi, from Khejarli village of Jodhpur district, Rajasthan sacrificed her life to maintain Bishoni Dharma. Here the King of Jodhpur ordered his men to get the wood of Khejri trees by cutting them to construct his new palace. On hearing this Amrita Devi and many others had hugged the trees to save them from cutting. But her effort went on vain. Amrita Devi and others were killed by King’s men. This resistance by the people of village forced the King to give up the idea of cutting trees.

Question 25.
Discuss the role of an individual to reduce environmental pollution.
Answer:

1. Decrease waste generation

2. Use efficient transportation

3. Reduce energy consumption

4. Planting trees

Question 26.
How does recycling helps to reduce pollution?
Answer:
Recycling prevents the emission of many greenhouse gases which are the major cause for global warming. It also reduces the water pollutants and save energy.

Question 27.
What is the primary purpose of the Kyoto Protocol?
Answer:
The primary purpose of Kyoto Protocol is to reduce the onset of global warming by reducing the concentration of green house gases in atmosphere.

Question 28.
In what way Peyang conserves the forest?
Answer:
The ‘Forest man of India Jadav Payeng who created 1,360 acres of dense and defiant forest was bom in Arunasapori (a river island on the Brahmaputra). He had just completed his Class X exams in 1979 when he started-to sow the seeds and shoots on the eroded island covered with sand and silt.

Thirty-six years later he had converted the once unproductive land into a forest. Payeng’s forest is now home to five Royal Bengal tigers, over a hundred deer, wild boar, vultures, and several species of birds. For his remarkable initiative, the Jawaharlal Nehru University invited Payeng in 2012 on Earth Day and honoured him with the title of the ‘Forest Man of India’.

Question 29.
Discuss briefly the following:
Answer:
(a) Catalytic converter
(b) Greenhouse gases
(c) Ecosan
Answer:
(a) A catalytic converter is a device that converts toxic gases and pollutants into less toxic pollutants by catalyzing redox reaction.

(b) Gases that trap the heat within the atmosphere are called Green house gases.
Example: CO₂ and CO

(c) About 150 liters of wastewater at an average is generated by an Indian individual daily, and a large amount of it is generated from toilets. Ecological sanitation (EcoSan) is a sustainable system for handling human excreta by using dry composting toilets. EcoSan toilets not only reduce wastewater generation but also generate the natural fertiliser from recycled human excreta, which forms an excellent substitute for chemical fertilisers. This method is based on the principle of recovery and recycling of nutrients from excreta to create a valuable supply for agriculture.

Question 30.

What are some solutions to toxic dumping in our oceans?
Answer:
Reducing energy usage, Eat sustainable sea foods, use reusable plastic products, proper dispose of hazardous materials. Avoid littering on beach and buying ocean friendly products.

Question 31.
Describe how deforestation might contribute to global warming.
Answer:
Deforestation refers to cutting down of trees. Trees are one of the major sources of CO₂ uptake. CO₂ is a major green house gas. If there is a large scale destruction of forests, the level of CO₂ will be increased leading to global warming.

Question 32.
How does forest conservation help to reduce air pollution?
Answer:
Forests decreases the CO₂ level and increase the oxygen level of atmosphere. Particulate matters in air will settle down on leaves. Thus they help to reduce water pollution.