Unit 22:

HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

POLLUTION

1. What is pollution?
Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are
called pollutants

2. What is meant by GREENHOUSE GASES? Give examples.

Greenhouse gases are gases present in the atmosphere that act as a protection to keep the earth warm
Eg- carbon dioxide and methane

3. What is greenhouse effect? Explain using a diagram.

The warming effect of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases on the earth, it helps to trap
the heat

4. What is enhanced greenhouse effect? Explain using a diagram.

It is when amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases which
traps more warm air making the atmosphere warmer

5. What are the circumstances of enhanced greenhouse effect?

Amount of fossil fuels burnt, engines of vehicles, activities that produce any greenhouse gases

6. How can we minimise this global issue: enhanced greenhouse effect?

Using renewable energy sources, stop deforestation and reduce CO2 emission

7. What are the beneficial effects of enhanced greenhouse effect/ global warming

Higher temperatures might increase the rate of yield from crops because rate of photosynthesis increase
in some parts of the world

8. What is acid rain? Explain how it occurs?

acid rain is when oxides of sulfur and nitrogen dissolves with rain water causing acidic water which can
kill plants and fresh water organisms. This mostly occurs because of the gases emitted from factories and
fuels burnt by vehicles
9. What are the causes (reasons) of acid rain?

Fuels burnt by vehicles and toxic gases emitted by factories

10. What are the effects of acid rain?

Kill trees and plants, acidify soil

11. What is nuclear fall-out?

Nuclear fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a
nuclear blast

12. What are the effects of it?

The dangers of nuclear fallout do not stop at increased risks of cancer and radiation sickness, but
also include the presence of radionuclides in human organs from food. A fallout event would leave
fission particles in the soil for animals to consume, and lead to a cooling of the atmosphere, shorter
growing seasons, food shortages and a global famine.

13. What is EUTROPHICATION? Explain how it occurs using a flow chart.

Nitrates which are used by farmers washed away to water sources which makes algae and green
plants grow faster. This causes the plants to cover the water sources providing no light underwater.
This causes to animals and plant underwater die. Next bacteria feed on these dead organisms and
rapidly reproduce and spread to other water sources too. They use up all the oxygen

What would be the negative impacts of eutrophication?

It can decrease biodiversity in water sources, Clogs water pipes, decrease of water clarity

14. Compare and contrast organic and inorganic fertilizer.

Organic fertilizers do not easily leach out of the soil and releases nutrients gradually giving time to absorb
easily while Inorganic fertilizer is synthetic, comprised of minerals and synthetic chemicals. Inorganic
nitrogen is commonly made from petroleum

15. How can we use fertilizer to minimise their negative effects?

We can use organic fertilizers, only apply amount which can be straight away, don’t use fertilisers on
empty fields and must not be applied just before rain

16. What is a
- Pesticide- substance that kill organisms which damage crops
- Weedicide- substances that kill unwanted plants interfering growth of crops
- Insecticide- substance that kill insects eating the crops
17. Why do people use pesticides?
To kill organisms which destroy the crops and is used to control organisms that carry diseases such as
mosquitos
18. What are the negative effects of using pesticides on the environment?

It can cause fungi and insects to grow rapidly causing extensive damage. it causes great damage to the
environment and also might pass down through the food chain

19. What is called CHEMICAL WASTE?

It is discharge of chemicals to water ways, containing heavy metals which is toxic

20. What are the negative effects caused by chemical waste?

Kill life in water and stop working enzymes in living organisms

21. What is meant by non-biodegradable plastics?

Plastic which decomposers cannot break down and does not rot

22. What are the negative effects caused by them?

They just accumulate. it can be dangerous for living animals as they might fed on it and also trap and
tangle themself specially in the sea by animals like jellyfishes and turtles

23. Is there any negative effect of using female contraceptive hormones on the environment and lives?
Explain if there’s any?

Yes, because female hormones like oestrogen can be excreted by women urine and added to the water
system in which fish’s life. This might lower the fish’s sperm count and might also change the sex of the
fish due to exposure of these hormones

CONSERVATION

1. What is conservation? Is the process of looking after the natural environment and attempting to
maintain / increase range of different species in a living area
2. What is meant by sustainable and non-sustainable resources? and give some examples.
Sustainable resources are resources that can be removed from the environment without it running
out of. Eg- the fishes in the sea unless a huge population decrease happens
Non-sustainable resources are sources that one day might run out if used uncontrollably. examples
can be sources like coal

3. Recycling is one way of conserving non-sustainable resources. What can be recycled?

4. Simply write the procedure of recycling of each of the following.
- Glass – glass can be crushed and melted at high temperatures to make new glass objects
- Plastics- plastic can be recycled again to make something new like packaging
 - Metals – metals like aluminium can be recycled to save up to 95% of energy used to make new
aluminium
- Papers – waste papers can be mixed with water to be made as a pulp which can be recycled
back again as papers
- Water that we used by using a sewage system which purifies and clean water so can be used
again

SEWAGE TREATMENT

5. What is SEWAGE?
Is the waste liquid from houses , apartments and factories.
6. What is known as raw sewage? Untreated sewage congaing bacteria
7. What is called sewage treatment? Is treating sewage so that it can be put back into the rivers and
lakes without any problems
8. How sewage is treated? Write the steps using diagram and flow chart. (highlighting trickling filters
and activated sludge)

9. What happens in trickling filters?

Is passing water through a water bed of small stones and clickers where micro organisms live on and
stop from passing through
10. What is activated sludge?
The activated sludge is a process with high concentration of microorganisms, basically bacteria,
protozoa and fungi, which are present as loose clumped mass of fine particles that are kept in
suspension by stirring, with the aim of removing organic matter from wastewater.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
11. What is SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?
Is providing needs for increasing human population without harming the environment
12. How can we conserve OR sustainably use FORESTS?
Educate about the importance of trees
Governments should not grant permits to cut down trees
Trees can only be cut 1m or less
For every tree cut down another new plant should be planted
13. How can we conserve OR sustainably use FISH STOCK?
Be aware of what fishes are caught
Fishes can be restocked
Governments get a fair share of the catch
14. What is called ENDANGERED SPECIES?
Animals that face the risk of going extinct in the future if not protected
15. What would cause species become endangered?
Habitat destruction
Hunting
Pollution
Introduced species
16. How can we conserve endangered species?
Monitor and protect natural habitats
Use captive breeding programs
Educate local people
17. What are the reasons for CONSERVATION PROGRAMMES?

 To repair some of the damage done by humans and maintain the environment
for future generations.