Chapter: Our Environment
Q1. Define Environment.
Ans. The physical and biological world where we live is called our environment.
Q2. Explain ecosystem and its components.
Ans. An ecosystem is a self-contained unit of living things and their non-living environment.
The two main components of ecosystem are
(1) Abiotic Component: It means non-living factors and include the physical environment
like soil, air, water etc
(2) Biotic Component: It means living factors. The biotic component of an ecosystem
includes three types of organisms:
(i) Decomposer: the microorganisms which break down the complex organic
compounds into simpler substances are called decomposers.
(ii) Producer: The organisms which can prepare their own food from simpler
inorganic substances like carbon dioxide and water by using sunlight energy in
the presence of chlorophyll.
(iii) Consumer: The organisms which consume food prepared by producers are
called consumers. Consumers can be further divided into three groups:
(a) Herbivores: Those animals that eat only plants are called herbivores. Ex-
Cow, Goat etc
(b) Carnivores: Those animals which eat only other animals as food are called
carnivores. Ex- Lion, Tiger etc
(c) Omnivores: Those animals which eat both plants and animals are called
omnivores. Ex- Man, Dog, etc
Q3. Why decomposers are known as cleansing agents of environment?
Ans. The decomposers help in decomposing the dead bodies of plants and animals, and hence
act as cleansing agents of environment.
Q4. Define Food Chain and Food Web.
Ans. A list of organisms showing “who eats whom” is called a food chain.
The interconnected food chains operating in an ecosystem which establishes a network
of relationship between various species is called a food web.
Q5. What are trophic levels?
Ans. The various steps in a food chain at which the transfer of food takes place are called
trophic levels.
Q5. What will happen if we remove all the producers from the food chain?
Ans. If all the producers are removed then no consumers will be exist because the food and
energy is necessary for sustaining life is derived from the producers.
Q6. What will happen if we remove all the herbivores from the food chain?
Ans. If all the herbivores are removed then the population of producers will increased and
population of carnivores will decrease because of starvation.
Q7. What will happen if we remove all the carnivores from the food chain?
Ans. If all the carnivores are removed then the population of producers will decreased
because population of herbivores will increase.
Q8. “The flow of energy in ecosystem is always unidirectional” Justify the statement.
Ans. The flow of energy in the ecosystem is said to be unidirectional because the energy lost
as heat from the living organisms of a food chain cannot be reused by plants in
photosynthesis.
Q9. Explain 10% Law.
Ans. According to ten percent law, only 10% of the energy entering a particular trophic level
of organisms is available for transfer to the next trophic level.
Q10. Why the number of trophic levels in a food chain is limited?
Ans. Food chains generally consist of three or four trophic levels because after that the
energy level available for the next organism will be so small that it will be insufficient to
sustain the life of that organisms.
Q11. Explain ozone layer and its formation. State its function also.
Ans. Ozone molecule is made up of three atoms of oxygen combined together.
Formation:
(i)The high energy UV Rays coming from the sun splits oxygen into free oxygen atoms.
(ii) The free oxygen atoms thus produced are very reactive. One oxygen atoms reacts with
an oxygen molecule to form an ozone molecule.
Function:
The ozone layer is very important for the existence of life in earth because it absorbs
most of the harmful UV Rays coming from the sun and prevents them from reaching the
earth. The UV Rays are harmful as they can cause skin cancer.
Q12. Differentiate between Biodegradable and Non -Biodegradable Waste.
Ans. Biodegradable Waste: The waste which can be decompose by the action of
microorganisms are called biodegradable waste. For example- Tea leaves cotton etc
Non- Biodegradable Waste: The waste which cannot be decompose by the action of
microorganisms are called non- biodegradable waste. For example- metals, Glass etc
[Link] why, it is better to use paper bags than plastic bags?
Ans. We should use bags made of paper, cotton cloth or jute because these are biodegradable
materials whereas plastic bags should be avoided as plastic is a non -biodegradable
material.
Q14. Expand UNEP. State its role.
Ans. United Nation Environment Programme.
It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by
inspiring, informing and enabling nations and people to improve their quality of life
without comprising that of future generations.
Q15. Explain the various modes of waste disposal.
Ans. The various modes of waste disposal are:
(i) 3 R’s: Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. Waste metal articles are sent to metal
industries where they are melted and recycled as solid metal for various
purposes.
(ii) Composting: Biodegradable wastes are decomposed into manure by the action
of microorganisms.
(iii) Landfill: It is a site for the disposal of waste materials.
(iv) Incineration: It means reducing to ashes. The burning of a substance at high
temperature to form ash is called incineration. It is used to destroy
chemical and biological waste.