Unit 4: Environmental pollution - Practice Quiz

1 Which of the following best defines environmental pollution?

2 A substance that causes pollution is known as a:

3 Which gas is the main pollutant released by vehicles due to incomplete combustion of fuel?

4 Which device is commonly used to control particulate matter in industrial chimneys?

5 Which of the following is a common cause of water pollution?

6 The enrichment of water bodies with excess nutrients leading to algal blooms is called:

7 Which of the following is a major cause of soil pollution?

8 Which practice helps control soil pollution?

9 Noise pollution is measured in which unit?

10 Which of the following is a harmful effect of noise pollution on humans?

11 Which of the following is a natural source of radiation pollution?

12 Exposure to high levels of radiation can cause which of the following?

13 Which of the following is considered an emerging pollutant?

14 Bursting of fireworks mainly contributes to which type of pollution besides air pollution?

15 Which gas is the main contributor to global warming?

16 Which of the following is a likely consequence of climate change?

17 Which group of chemicals is mainly responsible for ozone layer depletion?

18 Acid rain is mainly caused by the emission of which gases?

19 Which of the following is an example of biodegradable waste?

20 The '3 R' principle of waste management stands for:

21 A factory releases pollutants that are not harmful themselves but react with sunlight to form toxic compounds like smog. These original pollutants are best classified as:

22 A device used in industries removes particulate matter from exhaust gases by charging the particles and collecting them on oppositely charged plates. This device is a(n):

23 Carbon monoxide (CO) is dangerous to humans mainly because it:

24 A lake shows heavy algal growth, low dissolved oxygen, and fish deaths after receiving fertilizer runoff. This process is called:

25 A high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) value in a water sample indicates:

26 Repeated use of chemical pesticides on farmland often leads to a long-term problem because these chemicals:

27 The intensity of sound is measured on a logarithmic scale. An increase from 60 dB to 90 dB represents an increase in intensity by a factor of:

28 Planting dense rows of trees and shrubs along a highway helps control noise pollution primarily by:

29 Which of the following is a natural source of background radiation exposure?

30 Microplastics are considered emerging pollutants of concern mainly because they:

31 The colorful sparks and smoke from fireworks release harmful heavy metals into the air. The green color in fireworks is typically produced by compounds of:

32 Which gas contributes the largest share to human-induced global warming despite others being more potent per molecule?

33 Melting of polar ice caps accelerates warming through a feedback loop because ice normally:

34 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) deplete the ozone layer because in the stratosphere they release:

35 The international agreement specifically aimed at phasing out ozone-depleting substances is the:

36 Acid rain is primarily caused by the atmospheric conversion of which two gases into acids?

37 Acid rain harms agriculture most directly by:

38 The 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy in India was caused by the leakage of which toxic gas?

39 Minamata disease, a famous pollution case study in Japan, was caused by consuming seafood contaminated with:

40 In the waste management hierarchy, which option is considered the most preferred approach?

41 An electrostatic precipitator (ESP) in a coal power plant achieves 98% collection efficiency for fly ash, but stack monitoring still shows high fine-particle () emissions relative to total mass captured. What is the most likely explanation?

42 A lake receiving treated sewage shows a sudden fish kill during a hot, still summer night despite low daytime BOD readings. Which mechanism best explains the timing?

43 Rainwater with dissolved in equilibrium has a pH near . A sample measures pH . Approximately how many times more acidic (higher ) is this sample than normal rain?

44 Why does the ozone hole form most severely over Antarctica in early spring rather than year-round or over the tropics?

45 Two gases are released in equal masses: methane and carbon dioxide. Over a 20-year horizon methane has a global warming potential (GWP) of about 84, but over 100 years it falls to about 28. What best explains this decline?

46 In the integrated waste management hierarchy, why is 'source reduction' ranked above 'recycling' even though both reduce landfill volume?

47 Two machines each produce individually. When operated together, what is the approximate combined sound level, and why isn't it ?

48 A radioactive isotope used in a leaked source has a half-life of 30 years. Approximately what fraction of the original activity remains after 120 years?

49 The Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984) resulted from the release of methyl isocyanate (MIC). Which combination of failures most directly turned a storage problem into a mass-casualty disaster?

50 A persistent organic pollutant with a bioconcentration factor (BCF) of 5,000 is present at in lake water. Assuming BCF applies directly, what is its expected concentration in fish tissue?

51 A temperature inversion over a city traps pollutants near the ground. Which vertical temperature profile defines an inversion and explains the trapping?

52 Phytoremediation is proposed to clean a lead-contaminated site. What is the key limitation that distinguishes lead cleanup from organic-contaminant phytoremediation?

53 Why are pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) considered problematic 'emerging pollutants' even at nanogram-per-litre concentrations?

54 The colors in fireworks come from metal salts, some of which pose health and environmental hazards. Which pairing of colorant and its principal concern is correct?

55 Melting Arctic sea ice is often cited as a positive feedback loop accelerating warming. Which mechanism correctly describes this feedback?

56 A pollutant discharged into a river breaks down naturally within days into harmless products, while another persists for decades and accumulates in tissues. How are these classified?

57 Photochemical smog and classical (London-type) smog differ fundamentally in chemistry. Which statement correctly contrasts them?

58 A firm evaluates incineration versus sanitary landfilling for municipal waste. Which trade-off is most accurate?

59 Prolonged irrigation with poor drainage in arid regions often reduces crop yields over time. What is the primary mechanism?

60 During conventional sewage treatment, which sequence correctly matches the treatment stages to their principal functions?