ICSE Geography Class 9 : Chapter POLLUTION Notes

 POLLUTION

Q1. What is environmental pollution? What is a pollutant?

Environmental pollution refers to any unfavourable alteration of our surroundings, wholly or largely as a byproduct of man's actions. These changes may affect man and other organisms.

Pollutants are the products which are released into the biosphere in large quantities and which affect the normal functioning of ecosystems and have an adverse effect on plants, animals and man. 

Q2. Give the difference between natural and man-made pollutants.
Natural pollutants	Man-made pollutants
The natural pollutants are produced as a result of natural phenomena.	Man-made pollutants are produced as a result of human activities.
Example: Volcanic eruptions and wild fires.	Example: Industrial pollution and vehicular emissions.

Q3. What is soil pollution? Why should we avoid soil pollution?

Soil pollution is defined as the change in physical, chemical and biological conditions of the soil through man's intervention resulting in degradation in quality and productivity of the soil.

We should avoid soil pollution because of the following reasons-

(a) The pollutants enter the food chain at the plant level and get magnified as we move up the food chain.

(b) The pollutants remain in the soil for relatively longer periods.

	Q4. What is air pollution? Give a source of air pollution.  Air pollution is the excessive concentration of foreign matter in the air which adversely affects the wellbeing of human beings, animals, plants and their environment. Fumes released by automobiles like cars, scooters etc. are one of the causes of air pollution.  Q5. What are man-made causes of radioactive pollution?  There are mainly two man-made causes of radioactive pollution:     (1) Nuclear fuels used in atomic reactor — There are two types of waste formed in a Nuclear Reactor which cause pollution, (a) The Nuclear fission products remaining in both the primary and secondary fuels. (b) Waste products in the coolant.      (2) Nuclear Weapons — The development and testing of nuclear weapons pose a threat of releasing radioactive radiation into the environment. The atomic bombs detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki resulted in extensive destruction and had a profound and enduring impact on the environment that persisted for decades. Q6. Why is radioactive pollution more harmful than other types of pollution? Radioactive pollution is more harmful than other types of pollution because the high-level products of nuclear wastes remain in the environment for several hundred years. Leakage in nuclear reactors causes environmental pollution and genetic mutations, resulting in destructive effects on health and environment.  Q7. Distinguish between Biodegradable and Non Bio-Degradable Pollutants. Biodegradable Pollutants: 1. These may be degraded after some times by biological or microbial activities. 2. These are sewage, domestic garbage of the kitchen, etc.  Non-Biodegradable Pollutants:   1. These are not degraded by any biological or microbial actions. 2. These include plastics, pesticides, and radioactive materials.