Our Environment

ACTIVITY ZONE
ACTIVITY 1 (NCERT Pg 256)
How Long
Items Classification Harmful Effects
do these Last
Objective Wooden table Biodegradable 1-3 yrs As it is biodegradable
To study decomposition of waste materials and hence, no harmful
effects
identify the substances as biodegradable and
non-biodegradable. TV
Books
Procedure
1. Collect waste material from your homes. The waste Tubelight/CFL
material could consist of vegetable peels, milk Plastic bags
packets, old socks, paper bags, medicine wrappers,
Clothes
empty cartons, etc.
Cold-drink
2. Bury these materials in a pit in your backyard
cans
garden or in an old bucket and cover it with at least
15 cm of soil. Silver foil
3. Keep this material moist and observe at 15 day Ans.
intervals.
How Long do
Items Classification Harmful Effects
these Last
Check Yourself Wooden Biodegradable 1-3 yrs As it is biodegradable
table hence, no harmful
1. Which material remains unchanged over a long period effects.
of time? The metals and glass
TV Non-biodegradable 500-2000 yrs
Ans Non-biodegradable materials from TV cause various
diseases.
2. Which among the following is non-biodegradable?
(paper, wood, sewage) Books Biodegradable 6 weeks Do not cause any kind
of harm.
Ans None
Tubelight/ Non-biodegradable 1-2 million yrs The glass and other
3. Which materials change their form and structure over components cause
CFL
time? pollution.
Ans Biodegradable materials Cause unstoppable
Plastic bags Non-biodegradable 20-1000 yrs
4. Name the organisms that can degrade waste material. harm to life and
property.
Ans Saprobes
Clothes Biodegradable 1-5 yrs Cause harm if by
5. From the list, choose a biodegradable waste mistake eaten by
(vegetable peel, plastic bag, fungicide, frying pan). animals.
Ans Vegetable peel Cold-drink Non-biodegradable 200-500 yrs Do not degrade and
cans cause pollution.

ACTIVITY 2 (NCERT Pg 257)

Silver foil Non-biodegradable 50-80 yrs It is not decomposed
by microbes and
causes pollution.
Objective
To study the harmful effects of non-biodegradable Check Yourself
substances and the reasons to use biodegradable
substances. 1. Some materials are biodegradable whereas some are
non-biodegradable. Give reason.
Time 20 Minutes Ans This is due to the property of microbes due to which they can
Instructions decompose only products made from natural material like paper,
jute, etc., as biodegradable wastes. These organisms are specific in
Fill the left out blanks according to headings. One has their action but are unable to degrade materials like plastic, etc.,
been done for you. which are therefore classified as non-biodegradable wastes.
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2. Name two biodegradable and non-biodegradable
substances.
Ans Non-biodegradable Metals, plastics, certain dyes, etc.
Biodegradable Paper, wood, cotton, etc.
3. Do biodegradable wastes also pollute the environment?
Ans Biodegradable wastes usually do not pollute the
environment. These pollute the environment only when their
amount is large which cannot be degraded (or decomposed)
into harmless substances in nature at the right time.
4. Name some non-biodegradable materials that can be
recycled.
Ans Materials like glass, metals and certain plastics can be
recycled.
5. Name two non-biodegradable pesticides banned in our
country due to their harmful effects.
Ans The pesticides like DDT and aldrin are banned in our
country because these cannot be decomposed into simple,
harmless substances and pass along the food chain to crops
and further to man through other animals, birds, etc., and
harm them.
Answers
ACTIVITY 3 (NCERT Pg 258)
Objective
To prepare an aquarium and study the relationship of the
organisms interacting with each other. Also to check the
effect of wastes or pollutants on the organisms present in
the aquarium.
Time 5-8 hour
Procedure
1. To design an aquarium, the jar should be large for free
swimming of the fishes and other water creatures.
2. Plant some water ferns and attach some oxygen pumps
to provide oxygen to the water animals.
3. Add some pebbles and stones and some artificial plants
and accessories to immitate a natural waterbody.
4. Keep filters and cleaners or clean it once a week or so.
Check Yourself
1. What is an ecosystem?
Ans All the interacting organisms in an area together with the
non-living constituents of environment form an ecosystem.
2. Is the aquarium, a natural ecosystem or a man-made
ecosystem?
Ans Aquarium is an artificial or man-made ecosystem.
3. Name the ecosystem of which aquarium is an artificial
mimic.
Ans Pond ecosystem.
4. Why is an aquarium called as artificial ecosystem?
Ans Because they are modified and managed by human beings.
5. From where do the fishes get oxygen to breathe?
Ans The oxygen is available in the form of dissolved oxygen in
water to fishes.
6. If large aquatic animals are added what will you observe ?
Ans The larger fishes will feed on smaller ones thus making their
number low.
ACTIVITY 4 (NCERT Pg 261)
Objective
To enhance the understanding of students on the effect of
pesticides.
Time 2-3 hour
Procedure
1. Compile the various reports from newspapers, radio and
TV about the presence of high levels of pesticide in
beverages and readymade food items.
2. Find out why it has been banned in some states.
3. Find out the causes of pesticide contamination.
Theory
The pesticides are the chemicals that are used to kill insects
and pests present in the fields.
The power in regulations in the US, that
put a check on pesticides in cold-drinks
0.025
45 times*
Total pesticides (mg/L)
0.0223
0.02 37 times*
0.0187
0.015
0.01
0.005
0.0000 0.0000
0.0000
(Coca-cola, India) (Coca-cola, US) (Pepsi, India) (Pepsi, US)
Brands
* Number of lines in excess of EEC limit for total pesticides.
These are harmful chemicals whose intake causes various
kinds of diseases and abnormalities in the body. These might
also get in the food web and cause biological magnification.
Looking at the harmful effects of the use of pesticides, these
have been banned. Pesticides have recently been
encountered in soft drinks and readymade beverages. These
drinks also have been banned as these may directly affect the
health of the consumer.
Our Environment
Check Yourself
1. What are pesticides?
Ans Pesticides are non-biodegradable chemicals used for the
protection of crop plants from pests/insects.
2. What is the accumulation of non-biodegradable pesticides
in the food chain in increasing amount at each higher
trophic level known as?
Ans Biomagnification.
3. How do these chemicals enter the food chain?
Ans These chemicals wash down into soil, reach water table, pass
into waterbodies and also enter into the plant parts such as
vegetables. In this manner, they make their way into food
chain.
4. Why are human beings harmed maximum by these
chemicals?
Ans Human beings are maximally harmed because they occupy
the top level in most of the food chains.
5. What are the ways to overcome the problem of pollution
through pesticides?
Ans (i) Organic farming
(ii) Filtering the water before its use.
ACTIVITY 5 (NCERT Pg 259)
Objective
To understand the interrelationship between organisms
within the food web and to know how one species
population affects the other.
Objective
Time 1 hour
Instructions
Study the figure and understand the concept of the food Time 20 minutes
web. Analyse the populations and their effects on each Instructions
other.
Food web
335
Check Yourself
1. Define a food chain.
Ans The food chain is a linear network of organisms related
through food, in which each organism feeds on the one
below it in the series.
2. What are trophic levels?
Ans These are various steps or levels in the food chain where
transfer of food or energy takes place.
3. Give the significance of food web.
Ans The significance of food web is as follows:
(i) Food chain provides pathways for availability of food.
(ii) It allows endangered populations to grow in size.
(iii) Food webs provide stability to ecosystem and help in its
development.
4. Name the ultimate source of energy for the earth.
Ans Sun or solar energy is the ultimate source of energy for the
Earth.
5. When does an organism become extinct?
Ans When the organism is killed deliberately for food or other
commercial purposes, its population keeps on decreasing in
number. This results in extinction of the species with time.
6. What leads an organism to increase in number?
Ans When predator for a particular organism decreases in
number, the organisms start increasing in number. As the
animals which used to feed on them decrease in number,
therefore, the population of those organisms increases.
ACTIVITY 6 (NCERT Pg 262)
To study the ozone layer depletion.
1. Fill in the bubbles with the correct statements
corresponding the heading of the bubbles.
2. Information can be collected from literary sources like
library, newspaper, etc.
Ozone depleting
substances
1
Formation of ozone Effects of ozone
depletion
2
Ozone Layer 5
Where is it found? What is ozone?
3 4
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Answers 2. Doesn’t sound very good,

1. CFCs, halogens, nitrous oxide, CCl4 and CH4 . does it? Actually, raw sewage
2. Atomic oxygen is highly reactive. It combines with oxygen to can make you sick. It can also
form ozone. make your neighbours and
UV your pets sick. These things
O2 → [O] + [O] can happen when
2O2 + 2 [O] → 2O3 l You use straight pipes and have no septic system.
Ozone
l The drainfield isn’t working right.
3. Mainly stratosphere
4. Ozone is a triatomic molecule made up of three atoms of
l The septic tank is too full and needs to be pumped.
oxygen (O3 ). It is present in atmosphere as an ozone shield that 3. How can sickness be spread? By
protects us from high energy UV radiations. l walking in polluted streams.
5. Cancers, mutations, effect on eyesight, global warming, l walking in sewage water.
weakening of immune system, etc. l not washing your hands after handling your pets.
l by flies that land in sewage water and then food.
Check Yourself l eating vegetables grown by watering with polluted
water.
1. Name the rays against which ozone layer provides 4. Small children and older adults are most likely to get
protection? sick from polluted water.
Ans UV rays.
Some of the symptoms are:
2. Which type of disease is caused by ozone layer depletion? l Diarrhoea Dermatophytoses
l

Ans Skin cancer and cataract (damage of eyesight) l Fever Tiredness

l

3. Name one effect of depletion of ozone on the environment. l Hepatitis Stomach cramps
l

Ans Global warming. l The presence of unexplained viruses, parasites and

4. What is the height of ozone layer from the equator? worms
Ans 23-25 km. l Sudden weight loss
5. Where was the first hole in the ozone layer of the Earth seen?
Ans Antarctica. Check Yourself

ACTIVITY 7 (NCERT Pg 263)

1. Different types of diseases can be spread by sewage.
Name a few such diseases.
Ans Diarrhoea, dermatophytoses, worm infections, stomach
Objective cramps, etc., spread through sewage.

To check the sewage decorum of the society and mechanism to 2. What kind of waste does sewage contain?
Ans Sewage basically contains faeces and urine, household dirt,
analyse the treatment of sewage for reduction of its ill effects. cleaners and soap, bacteria and viruses.
Time 10 minutes 3. Give ways for treatment of sewage.
Ans Sewage treatment generally involves three stages called
Instructions primary, secondary and tertiary treatement.
Health Effects of Sewage Water Pollution (i) Primary treatment consists of temporarily holding the
Raw sewage doesn’t smell good. But, there are even more sewage in a quiescent basis where heavy solids can
important reasons that every home needs adequate sewage settle to the bottom while oil, grease and lighter solids
treatment. float to the surface. The settled and floating materials are
removed and the remaining liquid may be discharged or
1. What’s in the sewage water that’s running out of a pipe in
subjected to secondary treatment.
someone’s backyard or into a stream?
(ii) Secondary treatment removes dissolved and suspended
l Toilet paper biological matter. It is typically performed by indigenous
l Faeces and urine waterborne microorganisms in a managed habitat.
l Bacteria and viruses (iii) Tertiary treatment is disinfection chemically or
physically prior to discharge into a stream, river, bay
l Worms lagoon or wettand. If it is very clear, it can also be used
l Cleaners and soap for groundwater recharge or agricultural purposes.
l Dirt
Our Environment 337

4. How are waterbodies affected by sewage disposal? Check Yourself

Ans The factories and industries release polluted water into the streams, the
waterbodies in turn release all the harmful chemicals and heavy metals
along with, the sewage into the rivers and ponds. This makes the water
unsafe for drinking or other purposes.
Ans Lead, barium and phosphorus along with other
5. Give one useful product that can be produced from sewage.
Ans Sewage can be used to produce biogas, which is used for cooking and
in electricity generation.
1. Identify the hazardous materials which have to be
dealt with while disposing of electronic items.
heavy metals are the hazardous materials which
have to be dealt with while disposing off electronic
items.
2. How is plastic recycled?

ACTIVITY 8 (NCERT Pg 263)

Ans Plastic is recycled with shredding, in which it is
landfilled or sent to smelters.
3. Name the processes used for disposing of plastic
Objective and electronic items.
Ans The processes used for disposing of plastic and
To find out which hazardous materials have to be dealt with
electronic items are:
while disposing of electronic items. (i) Shredding
Time 15 minutes (ii) Municipal incineration
(iii) Pyrometallurgical recovery
E-wastes Hazards to Environment (iv) Thermal depolymerisation
and Process to Dispose them (v) Plasma arc gasification
E-waste Potential Environmental (vi) Bioleaching
Process Used
Components Hazard 4. What impact does recycling of plastic have on
Cathode ray tubes Breaking and Lead, barium and other heavy environment?
(used in TVs, removal of yoke, then metals leaching into the Ans The recycling of plastic leads to emission of
computers monitors, dumping. groundwater and release of toxic brominated dioxins, heavy metals and hydrocarbons,
ATM, video cameras phosphorus. which do not degrade and enter into food web. This
and more). causes biomagnification and many other potential
Printed circuit board De-soldering and Air emissions as well as discharge hazards fatal to life and property.
(a thin plate on removal of computer into rivers of glass dust, tin, lead, 5. What are the potential environmental hazards of
which chips and chips; open burning brominated dioxin, beryllium, the process so used?
other electronic and acid baths to cadmium and mercury.
Ans The potential environmental hazards of the
components are remove final metals
placed). after chips are removed.
process used are:
(i) Air emissions as well as discharge into rivers of
Chips and other Chemical stripping Hydrocarbons, heavy metals, glass dust, tin, lead and mercury lead to air and
gold plated using nitric and brominated substances
water pollution.
components. hydrochloric acid and discharged directly into rivers
burning of chips. acidifying fauna and flora. Tins (ii) Tin and lead contamination of surface and
and lead contamination of surface groundwater.
and groundwater. Air emissions of (iii) Hydrocarbon ashes released into air, water and
brominated dioxins, heavy metals soil cause pollution.
and hydrocarbons. (iv) Heavy metals leach into groundwater and release
Plastics from Shredding and low Emissions and brominated lead, barium, etc., into water.
printers, keyboards, temperature melting dioxins, heavy metals and (v) Hydrocarbons get discharged directly into rivers
monitors, etc. to be used. hydrocarbons. acidifying fish and flora.
Computer wires. Open burning and Hydrocarbon ashes released into (vi) All these toxins are either released through smoke
stripping to remove air, water and soil. or slag causing pollution.
copper.