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Activity Answers, Our Environment

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Hrithik Kumar
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2 views

Activity Answers, Our Environment

Uploaded by

Hrithik Kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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OUR ENVIRONMENT

Answers for Activities

Activity: 15.1

Answer: We cannot leave the aquarium as such after we set it up. Decomposed food
particles, dead plant parts, excreta of the fishes etc. accumulate in the water. Thus,
concentration of nitrogenous waste and microorganisms increase. So, aquarium needs to be
cleaned regularly.

A pond or lakes need not to be cleaned in this manner because they are large sized
ecosystems. They contain much water. Also, they get new water by the phenomenon such
as rain.

Activity:15.2

Answer: If we add predator fishes or animals to the aquarium, they will eat the other small
fishes. Eventually, there will be only predator fishes. So, we should not mix predatory fishes
with prey fishes.

Answer: Small fishes eat phytoplankton and aquatic plants and check the overgrowth of the
planktons and plants. Small fishes are eaten by predatory fishes. Large fishes eat small
fishes. Thus, a balance is maintained in the aquatic ecosystem.

Answer: Aquatic plants → Small fishes→ large fishes→ larger fishes

Answer: In an aquatic ecosystem, all trophic levels are important for successive level. But
producers are most important because they provide food to other trophic levels.

Activity 15.3

Answer: Some harmful chemicals may enter the bodies through the food chain. E.g.,
Pesticides and other chemicals are washed down into the soil or water. From the soil, plants
absorb them. From the water bodies, aquatic plants & animals take up them. Thus, they
enter the food chain.

The non-degradable chemicals get accumulated at each trophic level. This is called
biological magnification. Thus cereals, vegetables, fruits & meat contain pesticide residues.
Their concentration is maximum in human body because humans occupy the top level in
any food chain.

Methods to reduce intake of pesticides:

 Minimise the use of chemical pesticides.

 Wash fruits & vegetables thoroughly before use.

 Use organic fruits and vegetables.

Activity 15.4
Answer: In 1980s, the amount of ozone began to drop sharply. It was due to chemicals like
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are used as refrigerants and in fire extinguishers.

In 1987, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) made an agreement to freeze
CFC production at 1986 level. It is now mandatory to make CFC-free refrigerators.

Other ozone depleting substances:

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), halons etc.

The size of the ozone hole has reduced in recent years.

Activity: 15.5

Answer: Milk packets, medicine bottles, strips, plastic covers etc.

Substances that are not broken down by biological processes are called non- biodegradable.
They are inert and persist for a long time or may harm the ecosystem. E.g., Plastics, glass,
nylon etc.

Answer: Spoilt food, vegetable peels, used tea leaves, empty cartons, wastepaper, old and
torn clothes etc. are changed over time.

Substances that are broken down by biological processes are called biodegradable. E.g.,
Fruits, vegetables, leaves, meat, paper, rubber etc.

Spoilt food, vegetable peels etc. undergo fastest changes.

Activity: 15.6

Answer:

Some Biodegradable materials:

 Human and animal excreta.

 Plant products, wood, paper, food waste, leaves, grass clippings, natural products.

 Remains from the dead bodies.

Some non-biodegradable wastes:

 Plastic products like grocery bags, plastic bags, water bottles, etc.

 Metals, metal cans, tins, metal scraps, etc.

 Construction waste, rubber tires, man- made fibers like nylon etc.

 Computer hardware like glass, CD's, DVD's, cellphone, processed woods, cable wires,
Styrofoam etc.

Answer:
Answer: There are biodegradable plastics such as Polylactic acid, Polyhydroxyalkanoates,
Polybutylene succinate, Starch blends, Cellulose-based plastics, Polyglycolic acid (PGA),
Polycaprolactone (PCL) etc.

Activity: 15.7

Answer: This activity should be done by students in their home and classroom.

At home and classroom, there are various biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes
produced. They have to be collected separately and treated properly.

The local body (panchayat, municipal corporation, resident welfare association) have
mechanisms to treat biodegradable & nonbiodegradable wastes separately. They collect
wastes and segregate them as biodegradable and non-biodegradable. They are stored in
separate waste baskets.

Improvements in lifestyle and changes in attitude have generated much amount of waste
material.

Changes in packaging have resulted in much of our waste becoming nonbiodegradable.

To deal with the wastes there are many ways. 2 of them are given below:

• Recycling: The solid wastes like paper, plastics and metals, etc. are recycled.

• Preparation of Compost: Biodegradable domestic wastes can be converted into compost.

Activity 15.9

Answer: Electronic & electrical wastes (e-wastes) include mobile phones, computers,
televisions etc. They contain dangerous chemicals such as mercury, lead, cadmium,
polybrominated flame retardants, barium and lithium. They cause damage to brain, heart,
liver, kidney and skeletal system. [More details are here: Electronic wastes]

In Bangalore, to deal with the ever-increasing amount of plastic waste Polyblend (a fine
powder of recycled modified plastic) has been developed. This mixture is mixed with the
bitumen that is used to lay roads. Plastic can be recycled, and inferior quality of plastic can
be made from it. Recycle processes also have a bad impact on the environment. This
process causes air, water pollution

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