Rollno:-18366
1 Define environment.
Ans The word environment is derived from the French verb ‘enviro’
. which means ‘surrounding’. Thus, our environment can be
defined as the physical, chemical and biological world that
surrounds us.
The word environment means surroundings, in which
organisms live.
2 Enlist Biotic and A-biotic components.
Ans Biotic Components:
. People, Children, Trees, Grass, Plants, insects, Birds etc.
Abiotic Components:
Playground, Benches, Swings, Slide, Air, Water, Mountain
etc.
3 State the needs and importance of environment.
Ans Public awareness.
. Environment issues being of international importance.
Problems cropped in the wake of development.
Conserve energy.
For an alternative solution.
Save species from extinction.
Save the natural resources.
Reduce the pollution.
Wise planning of development.
Sustainable development
4 Discuss various segments of environment.
Ans Segments of environment :
. Atmosphere:-
The thin envelop of gases surrounding the earth Highly
compressible
It absorbs most of the cosmic rays from outer space and a
major portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the
sun.
It transmits only here ultraviolet, visible, near infrared
radiation (300 to 2500 nm) and radio waves. (0.14 to 40
m) while filtering out tissue-damaging ultraviolet waves
below about 300 nm
Atmosphere is bound to earth by gravity
Hydrosphere:-
Hydrosphere includes all water on earth
The Hydrosphere comprises all types of water resources
oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, reservoir, polar
icecaps, glaciers, and ground water. 71 % of earth area is
covered by water.
Most of the water is contained in oceans and high heat
capacity of this large volume of water (1360 million cubic
kilometres) buffers the earth surface from large
temperature changes
Nature 97% of the earth’s water supply is in the oceans,
About 2% of the water resources are locked in the polar
icecaps and glaciers.
Only about 1% is available as fresh surface water-rivers,
lakes streams, and ground water fit to be used for human
consumption and other uses.
Lithosphere:-
Lithosphere is the outer mantle of the solid earth.
It consists of minerals occurring in the earth’s crusts and
the soil
Earth consist of three main layers: the core, or the inner
layer is approximately 33% of the earth’s mass
The mantle, or the middle layer is approximately 67% of
the earth’s mass
The crust, which includes continents and ocean floor,
outermost layer is approximately 1% of the earth’s mass
Biosphere:-
Biosphere indicates the realm of living organisms and
their interactions with environment, viz. atmosphere,
hydrosphere and lithosphere
Part of the earth in which life exists including land, water
and air or atmosphere
5 Describe the types of environment.
Ans [Link] environment
. [Link] environment
It can also be divided into two other types
3. physical environment
4. biotic environment
-micro environment:-micro environment refers to the
immediate local surroundings of the organism
-macro environment:-it refers to all the physical & biotic
conditions that surround the organism externally
-physical environment:-it refers to all abiotic factors or
conditions like light, soil etc.
- biotic environment:- it includes all biotic factors or living
forms like plants, animals, micro-organisms
6 Discuss the interaction between biotic and A-biotic
components of environment.
Ans Biotic Components:
. Biotic environment includes all biotic factors or living
form
People, Children, Trees, Grass, Plants, insects, Birds etc.
Abiotic Components:
Physical environment refers to all abiotic factors or
conditions
It comprises of atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere.
Playground, Benches, Swings, Slide, Air, Water, Mountain etc.
Interaction between biotic and A-biotic components of
environment with the help of examples:-
Soil, abiotic component which is important part for
organic matter and biological activities
To produce food for human beings and animals but also
decomposition of organic waste is carried out of a host of
macro-organism in the soil
Abiotic component water is the universal solvent and
basis of all life on our planet
7 Describe Greenhouse effects. State its impacts.
Ans Greenhouse effects:-
.
1) The greenhouse gases help to keep the temperature of the
earth in balance. This process is called the greenhouse
effect
2) The gases which are responsible for the greenhouse effect
are called greenhouse gases
3) More greenhouse gases in the atmosphere mean that
more heat energy is absorbed.
4) As we burn more fossil fuels, the blanket of greenhouse
gases becomes thicker
5) We call this increase in the temperature of the earth as
‘Global Warming’.
6) Environmental scientists estimated that the greenhouse
effect of carbon dioxide was 57%, chlorofluorocarbon was
25%, methane was 12% and that of the oxides of nitrogen
was 6%
Effects on animals:
It has a role in spreading different types of diseases like
malaria, filariasis, cholera, and diarrhoea etc. due to rise in
temperature.
It has a role in increasing the number of vectors like
insects transmitting diseases.
Effects on plants:
It affects water cycle, soil moisture and soil composition.
As a result, there is a change in cultivation and harvesting
periods of crops.
Tropical plants are seen at the temperate region.
It affects on yield of crops.
Effects on climate:
It increases the temperature of earth.
It brings about the melting of ice in the Polar Regions,
which increases the sea level due to which the low land
coastal areas may sink and go underwater.
It also changes the pattern of rainfall and weather
conditions
8 Describe Global warming. State its impacts.
Ans Global warming:-
.
1) Global warming is the phenomenon of rise in temperature
of the earth by accumulation of greenhouse gases.
2) About 75% of the solar energy reaching the Earth is
absorbed on the earth’s surface which increases its
temperature. The rest of the heat radiates back to the
atmosphere. Some of the heat is trapped by greenhouse
gases, mostly carbon dioxide this responds to keep the
temperature warmer.
Effects:-
Temperature increases
Glaciers melt
Rising ocean levels
Alter forests, crop yields
Affect human health
Affect ecosystems
Season changes
9 Describe Climate Change. State its impacts.
Ans Climate Change:-
.
1) Climate is the average weather at a given point and time of
year, over a long period (typically 30 years).
2) We expect the weather to change a lot from day to day, but
we expect the climate to remain relatively constant.
3) If the climate doesn’t remain constant, we call it climate
change [2; 4].
Changes in:-
Sun’s output (Solar radiation)
Earth’s orbit
Drifting continents
Volcanic eruptions
Greenhouse gases
10 Describe Acid Rain. State its impacts.
Ans Acid Rain:-
.
1) It is a broad term that includes 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.
2) This can include rain, snow, fog, hail or even dust that is
acidic.
3) Acid rain is basically rain that has a low pH.
4) When fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are
burned, chemicals like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
are produced.
5) These chemicals react with water and other chemicals in
the air to form sulfuric acid, nitric acid and other harmful
pollutants like sulfates and nitrates.
6) These acid pollutants spread upwards into the
atmosphere, and finally return to the ground in the form
of acid rain
Effects of Acid Rain on plants:-
Direct effect on plant growth due to toxification of soil
Degradation of plants chlorophyll
Block stomatal pores of leaves
Effects of Acid Rain on water bodies:-
Due to low pH and high aluminium concentration in
surface water that causes damage to fish and aquatic
animals
Biodiversity of water body is reduced
Lakes, rivers are fragile ecosystem where each species
depends on other to survive, if one disappears other too
disappears
Effects of Acid Rain on soil:-
Damages soil biology and chemistry
Microbes not able to tolerate low pH and die
Upper fertile layer of soil is affect as essential nutrients
are leached away from soil
Effects of Acid Rain on human:-
Asthma with dry cough
Headache, throat irritation
Brain damage
Kidney problem
11 Describe Ozone Layer Depletion. State its impacts.
Ans Formation of ozone layer:-
. O2 + sunlight O + O
O + O2 O3
Ozone Layer:-
Ozone layer in the atmosphere protects life on earth from
the dangerous UV radiation from the sun.
Found in the stratosphere between 10 - 50km above the
ground
Decrease in ozone concentration Increase in UV-B
radiation reaching the earth surface.
Ozone Layer Depletion:-
Chlorine atoms from CFCs attack the ozone, taking away
ozone and forming chlorine monoxide (ClO).
O3 + Cl O2 + ClO
Chlorine monoxide then combines with another oxygen
atom to form a new oxygen molecule and a chlorine atom.
ClO + O Cl + O2
The chlorine atom is free to destroy up to 100,000 ozone
molecules
Impacts of ozone layer depletion:-
Sunburn.
Reduce our immune system.
Skin Cancer.
Cataracts and Other Eye Damages.
Reduce photosynthesis and crops yield affected.
Damage the plants.
Reduces plankton population.
Reduces penguin population.
Reduces the percentage of hatching of frog eggs.
Forming photochemical smog.
Degrades building materials.
12 Describe Nuclear Accident. State its impacts.
Ans Nuclear Accident:-
. 1) When safety measures and principles are ignored by
nuclear plant operators, a nuclear accident can occurred
with serious consequences for the environment, and
human health. Now, efforts are made to prevent the
radiation during accidents.
2) Since 1957, ten major nuclear accidents have been
reported by five countries:
Fukushima, Japan - March 2011;
A tsunami flooded and damaged the plant's 5 active
reactors, drowning two workers. Loss of backup
electrical power led to overheating, meltdowns, and
evacuations. One man died suddenly while carrying
equipment during the clean-up. The plant's 6th
reactor was inactive at the time
Kashiwazaki, Japan - July 2007;
Mihama, Japan - August 2004;
Blayais, France - December 1999;
Tokaimura, Japan - September 1999;
A nuclear accident occurred at a nuclear fuel plant
at Tokai village, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan, killing
two workers, exposing dozens of people to radiation
and forcing the evacuation of local residents.
Tokaimura, Japan - March 1997;
Chernobyl, Ukraine - April 1986;
Three Mile Island, USA - March 1979;
A partial core meltdown occurred at Three Mile
Island in the United States due to its cooling system
failure. In the most severe nuclear leak accident in
the country which forced the evacuation of at least
150,000 local residents.
The Urals, USSR - October 1958;
Windscale, UK – October 1957.
Effects of nuclear accidents
It is life threatening
It causes infertility of soil
Human suffering
Permanent disability
Affects crop production
Lowers global temperature
13 Describe the concept of 4Rs.
Ans 4R stands for
. Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Recover
(i) Reduce: We should reduce the use of non-biodegradable
compounds that are harmful to us.
Example: Instead of using polythene bags we should give
preference to paper bags
(ii) Reuse: We should reuse the materials instead of dumping.
Example: Plastic bags can be reused to make decorative things
(iii) Recycle: Non-biodegradable materials should be subjected
to the recycling process.
Example: Plastic materials.
(iv) Recovery: If the waste remains after it is been reused and
recycled,
we can use it to generate energy at our waste-energy
(EFW) plant. This is known as Recovery
14 State the benefits of implementation of 4Rs.
Ans Benefits of 4R’s –
. Reduces waste
Reduces pollution
Saves energy
Saves resources
Improves economy
Creates employment.
15 State the modes of public awareness about environment.
Ans The modes of public awareness about environment:-
. Educate the people about environmental studies.
Participation of people in environmental issues.
Implementation of principle of 4Rs.
Adoption of eco-friendly technology.
Conserve the resources.
Follow various acts on environment.
Practice and promote good civic sense and hygiene.
Practice and promote to reduce pollution.
Join local movements that support activities like saving
trees in your area, go on nature treks, recycle waste, and
buy environmentally friendly products.
Join a group to study nature, such as WWF-1 or another
environmental group.
16 State the benefits of public awareness about environment.
Ans The benefits of public awareness about environment:-
. Hygienic Environment
Reduce pollution
Create good environment to grow
Save energy, resources
Sustainable Development
Energy conservation
Biodiversity conservation