1. Pollution-
ü An undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of air, water and land that may be harmful to human life and other animals, living conditions, industrial processes and cultural assets.
2. Pollutants-
ü The agents that pollute our environment are called pollutants.
ü Pollutants are the substances which contaminate air and water.
3. Air Pollution-
ü It is the contamination of air by impurities which may have a harmful impact on
ü the living organisms and the non-living components.
ü Sources of air pollution-
n Natural Source-: Smoke and dust arising from forest fires or volcanic eruptions. Methane gas arising from decaying organic matter.
n Man-made Sources- Exhaust gases from factories, power plants and automobiles.
ü Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, methane and sulphur dioxide are the major pollutants of air.
ü Increasing levels of greenhouse gases like CO2 are leading to global warming.
4. Water Pollution-
ü It is the contamination of water by substances harmful to life.
ü Sewage, agricultural chemicals and industrial waste are some of the major contaminants of water.
ü Water which is purified and fit for drinking is known as potable water.
ü Water is a precious natural resource. We must learn to conserve it.
5. Greenhouse Effect-
ü Earth absorbs a part of Sun’s radiation and reflects back the other.
ü Reflected radiation traps in atmosphere.
ü This warms the Earth.
ü Process enhanced by the increased amount of CO2 in atmosphere.
NCERT PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. What are the different ways in which water gets contaminated?
Ans.- Following are the ways by which water gets contaminated-
ü People dispose of garbage in the water.
ü Many industries discharge their harmful chemicals directly into rivers and streams.
ü Chemical fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides used in agricultural practices get dissolve in water and are washed away into water bodies from the fields.
ü Untreated sewage is directly discharged into water from household activities.
2. At an individual level, how can you help to reduce air pollution?
Ans.- I can do the following things to reduce air pollution-
ü I will use public transport as far as possible.
ü I will generate awareness among people to reduce air pollution.
ü I will plant more and more trees because trees help to keep the environment clean and reduce air 1 pollution.
ü I will not use vehicles for short distances.
3. Clear, transparent water is always fit for drinking. Comment.
Ans.- No, this is not true that clean, transparent water is always fit for drinking. It is possible that they may carry disease-causing microorganisms. Thus, it is good to purify water before drinking.
4. You are a member of the municipal body of your town. Make a list of measures that would help your town to ensure the supply of clean water to all its residents.
Ans.- These are the measures that would help our town to ensure the supply of clean water to all its residents-
ü Chlorine tablets should be made available.
ü Proper cleaning of the water tank from time to time.
ü The water supply pipes should not come in contact with the sewage pipes.
5. Explain the differences between pure air and polluted air.
Ans.- Pure air contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 0.03% C02. Other gases such as argon, methane, neon, water vapour, etc. are also found in small quantities. When this air is contaminated by unwanted substances which have harmful effect on both living and non-living things like nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxide, carbon monoxide, etc., is said to be polluted.
7. Explain circumstances leading to acid rain. How does acid rain affect us?
Ans.- Nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxides are the pollutants which react with the water vapour present in atmosphere to form sulphuric acid and nitric acid. These acids come down with the rain, making the rain acidic. This is called acid rain.
Following are the affects of acid rain:
ü It increases corrosion of metals.
ü It damages buildings and sculptural materials.
ü It removes the basic nutrients such as calcium from the soil.
ü It causes direct damage to plants and crops.
ü It causes skin eruptions in human being.
7. Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?
(a) Carbon dioxide (b) Sulphur dioxide (c) Methane (d) Nitrogen
Ans.- (d) Nitrogen
8. Describe the ‘Greenhouse Effect’ in your own words.
Ans.- Basically, the greenhouse effect means warming of the earth’s environment. When the sun’s ray falls on earth, a part of the radiation that falls on the earth is absorbed by it and a part is reflected back into space. Greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere trap these radiations and do not allow heat to leave. This helps in keeping our planet warm and thus helps in survival. CO2, methane and CO are the gases responsible for this effect.
10. Describe the threat to the beauty of the Taj Mahal.
Ans.- Taj Mahal has become a matter of concern due to pollutants in air that are discolouring its white marble. Acid rains due to increasing air pollution has started corroding the marble. Suspended particulate matter, such as the soot particles emitted by Mathura oil refinery, has contributed towards the yellowing of the marble. Thus making Taj Mahal losing its beauty.
11. Why does the increased level of nutrients in the water affect the survival of aquatic organisms?
Ans.- Increased level of nutrients in the water affect the survival of aquatic organisms as these act as nutrients for algae to flourish and once these algae die, they serve as food for decomposers like bacteria and a huge amount of oxygen in water body gets used up. This results in decrease in the oxygen level, which may kill aquatic organisms.
Junior Science Topic - Pollution Of Air And Water. Chapter notes, video lectures, power point presentation and NCERT exercise solution. (Class 8, CBSE syllabus, chapter 18)
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