Class 8 – Science: Pollu on Notes

Ques on a.
Fog seems to be appearing in Delhi during day hours.
Answer:
Air pollu on-Smog

Ques on b.
Many mes, vomi ng and dysentery occurs a er ea ng ‘panpuri’.
Answer:
Water pollu on-Contaminated food and water due to bacteria or virus

Pollu on preven on courses

Ques on c.
Problem of sneezing occurs some mes during visit to garden.
Answer:
Air pollu on due to pollens

Ques on d.
Crop does not grow up in some areas.
Answer:
Soil pollu on

Ques on e.
People living in the busy squares face the problems like short breathing and other respiratory
problems.
Answer:
Air pollu on due to traffic

2. Read the passage and iden fy the sentences expressing types of pollu on.

Ques on a.
Nilesh is a student of Std. VII and lives in urban area. It takes about an hour to go to the school by
bus. He faces the heavy traffic of two wheelers, four wheelers, rickshaws, buses while going to
school. He is facing the problem of asthma since last few days, Doctors recommended him to stay
away from urban area. Since then, his mother sent him to the village of his maternal uncle, Nilesh
saw the heaps of garbage at many places in village. Foul smell of human and animal wastes was
present at many places. Blackish water with foul smell was flowing in a stream. He developed some
abdominal disease within few days.
Answer:

Pollu on preven on courses

1. It takes about an hour to go to the school. (Due to traffic jam, Nilesh is spending more me
in polluted, contaminated air.)

2. He faces the heavy traffic. (Large scale combus on of fossil fuel.)

3. He is facing the problem of asthma. (Air pollu on – Harmful to human health.)

4. The heaps of garbage at many places. (Solid waste – Land pollu on.)
 5. Foul smell of human and animal wastes. (Biological pollu on, air pollu on.)

6. Blackish water with foul smell was flowing in a stream. (Improper sewage management –
Water pollu on.)

7. He developed some abdominal disease within few days. (Water pollu on – Effect on human
health.)

3. Match the pairs from ‘A’ and ‘B’ columns and explain the effect of pollu on on human health.

4. True or false.

Ques on a.
Water does not get polluted by washing the clothes in running water of river.
Answer:
False. (Even if washing of soiled clothes is done in running water, it will cause pollu on as the dirt
and the waste materials will be added to water. This certainly will cause water pollu on.)

Ques on b.
More the use of electric appliances, more will be the pollu on.
Answer:
True. (Most of the electricity is generated in India by burning coal. The power genera on plants thus
cause lots of air pollu on. More the electricity is used by using more appliances, there will be more
pollu on. However, only power genera on through solar energy cannot cause pollu on.)

5. Answer the following:

Ques on a.
What is pollu on?
Answer:
Contamina on of natural environment that can harmfully affect the environment is called pollu on.

Ques on b.
What are Pollutants?
Answer:
The products which affect the normal func oning of ecosystem and have an adverse effect on plants,
animals and humans are called pollutants.
Ques on c.
What is acid rain?
Answer:
1. When rainwater contains harmful amounts of nitric and sulphuric acids, it is called acid rain.
2. Burning of fossil fuels such as coal, wood, petroleum, etc. releases nitrogen oxide and sulphur
oxide into the atmospheric air.
3. Since these oxides are soluble in water, they dissolve in rainwater. Nitrogen and sulphur oxides
dissolved in large quan es of water vapour form acids like nitric acid, nitrous acid, sulphurous acid
and sulphuric acid.
4. These acids mix with mist, drops of rainwater and snow. They change their composi on and fall
back on the ground in the form of acid rain.
5. Effects of acid rain are as follows:

 Increase in the acidity of soil and water bodies.

 Damage to the trees.

 Water becomes unsuitable for fish and wildlife.

 Buildings, statues, sculptures, bridges, monuments and fences are corroded due to acid rain.
Thus, acid rain damages our na onal assets.

 Acid rain affects agriculture and crop lands.

Ques on d.
What is greenhouse effect?
Answer:

1. Greenhouse effect is the ; phenomenon due to which global warming and climate change
occur.

2. The earth receives solar energy in the form of heat from the sun. The surface of earth
absorbs this heat and reflects it back to the atmosphere as infrared radia on. Some of this
heat energy goes directly into space.

Ques on e.
Which are visible pollutants known to you?
Answer:
1. The pollu ng substances that are seen easily with the naked eyes can be called as visible
pollutants. E.g. Solid wastes, plas c ar cles, plas c bags, the suspended things in the water, metal
refuse, etc.

ques on f.
Which are invisible pollutants?
Answer:
The pollutants which are completely dissolved in water or mixed in the air, cannot be seen and hence
they can be called invisible pollutants. Since they are not seen, we remain unaware about the
presence of these pollutants. E.g. the insec cides spread f on the crops. Aerosols, many hazardous
gases in the air, toxic compounds that are totally soluble in water, etc.

6. Answer the following.

1. New buildings are constructed. Old structures are demolished. This is crea ng lots of dust
pollu on. The air is full of par culate ma er.

2. The number of vehicles on the road has tremendously increased. This causes smoky
environment.

Water pollu on:

1. The sea shows lots of floa ng plas c and decaying flowers, etc. When beaches are visited it
is a common sight.

2. Many fishes are seen dying in great numbers and are washed off to the shore.

Soil pollu on :

1. Everywhere garbage heaps are seen. In that plas c bags, needles, old medicine vials and
cartons are seen in abundance.

2. The sludge brought by rainwater is spread everywhere and that causes s nk.

Ques on b.
How does the pollu on occur due to vehicles? Give the names of vehicles causing least pollu on.
Answer:

1. More than 50% of the air pollu on is caused by vehicular traffic.

2. Par culate ma er, unburnt hydrocarbons, CO, nitrogen oxides and carcinogenic
hydrocarbons are present in the automobile exhausts.

3. Fossil fuels like petrol, diesel, natural gas, gasoline, etc. which are burnt to run the
automobiles lead to the emission of CO2 and other gases.

4. Therefore, vehicles are said to be the major contributors to air pollu on.

5. The only vehicle which is non¬pollu ng is bicycle. The four-wheelers which are ba ery
operated are also manufactured recently.

These two types of vehicles are eco-friendly. The cars that run on C.N.G. are also said to be lesser
pollu ng.

Ques on c.
What are natural reasons for water pollu on?
Answer:
The natural causes of the water pollu on:
1. If organic pollutants are added to the water there is an overgrowth of weeds such as Eichhornia.
The growth of algae also makes the water unsuitable for consump on. These aqua c plants release
oxygen during day me but by night they require oxygen thus deple ng the dissolved oxygen level.
The natural characters of water are then changed.

2. The decomposing ma er when added to the water make it polluted and s nking.
3. Due to deposi on of sludge or eroded soil, the rivers change their path and divert from original
flow. The currents are also changed. Deposi on of sludge makes the water polluted.

4. Due to soil erosion, surrounding the water bodies, the microbes, bacteria, protozoans and the
worms and larvae of nematodes enter the water causing severe biological pollu on. Many inorganic
pollutants are also added to the water. The fungand bacteria present in the water make it non-
potable. Such water spreads water-borne diseases.

Ques on d.
Suggest four preven ve measures for air pollu on.
Answer:
The following methods are adopted to control air pollu on from the industries:

1. The source discharge is diluted by tall chimneys.

2. There are source correc on methods like changing the raw material, equipment
modifica on, process modifica on, etc.

3. Effec ve pollu on controlling equipment like dust collectors, electrosta c precipitators, wet
scrubbers, etc. should be used.

4. There should be ban and control over atomic tests and chemical weapons on the
interna onal level.

Ques on e.
Explain rela on between greenhouse effect and global warming.
Answer:
Because of greenhouse effect, there is increase in the global temperature. The heat on the earth
remains trapped due to envelope of greenhouse gases. The percentage of carbon dioxide and
methane is constantly increasing and hence there is increase in the temperature too. Thus the
greenhouse effect is directly related to the global warming.
Effects of this rela on between greenhouse effect and global warming are as follows:

1. The polar ice caps and the glaciers at both the poles are mel ng due to increased
temperature.

2. The oceans’ water is rising due to this melted ice. The sea level rise is causing coastal land
submergence. The islands at various regions are threatened of drowning.

3. Many species of living organisms are already ex nct due to global warming. The rest are also
threatened.

4. Wild animals are showing weird migra ons. Polar bear is endangered.

5. The increased temperature of the oceanic water is causing many changes in the des and
currents. This results into increased occurrence of cyclones, hurricanes and cloud burs ng.
The natural disasters are rising in last decade.

6. The agricultural produc on is decreasing. The regions with less rainfall are facing draughts.

7. Classify the following pollutants into natural and manmade categories.

Man-made Natural

1. Sewage 1. Dust (Natural)

2. Dust (Construc on related) 2. Pollen grains

3. Chemical fer lizers 3. Algae

4. Vehicular smoke 4. Waste (Excreta) of animals and

5. Pes cides