- Which of the following environmental issues is most directly linked to deforestation?
A) Increased oxygen levels
B) Enhanced biodiversity
C) Soil erosion and habitat loss
D) Increased carbon sequestration
Answer: C) Soil erosion and habitat loss
Explanation:
Deforestation leads to the loss of tree cover, which results in soil erosion and the destruction of habitats for numerous species. It also reduces the Earth’s capacity to sequester carbon, contributing to climate change.
- Which of the following methods is most effective for reducing plastic waste?
A) Incineration
B) Recycling
C) Open dumping
D) Burying in landfills
Answer: B) Recycling
Explanation:
Recycling plastic waste reduces the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills or pollutes ecosystems. It helps conserve resources and reduce environmental pollution.
- Which of the following is an example of an invasive species?
A) Polar bears in the Arctic
B) Nile perch in Lake Victoria
C) Elephants in Africa
D) Penguins in Antarctica
Answer: B) Nile perch in Lake Victoria
Explanation:
The Nile perch is an invasive species introduced to Lake Victoria, where it has disrupted the native ecosystem, leading to the decline of indigenous fish species and causing biodiversity loss.
- Which of the following factors has contributed the most to the increase in atmospheric CO₂ levels since the Industrial Revolution?
A) Volcanic activity
B) Deforestation and burning of fossil fuels
C) Natural fluctuations in CO₂ levels
D) Increased respiration by humans
Answer: B) Deforestation and burning of fossil fuels
Explanation:
The sharp rise in atmospheric CO₂ levels since the Industrial Revolution is primarily due to human activities such as deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels for energy, transportation, and industry.
- Which of the following pollutants is most associated with acid rain formation?
A) Carbon dioxide and methane
B) Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
C) Ozone and lead
D) Ammonia and chlorofluorocarbons
Answer: B) Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
Explanation:
Acid rain forms when sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are released into the atmosphere, react with water vapor, and form sulfuric and nitric acids, which then fall as acid precipitation.
- Which of the following human activities has led to the greatest increase in global methane emissions?
A) Transportation
B) Agriculture (especially rice paddies and livestock)
C) Deforestation
D) Industrial waste disposal
Answer: B) Agriculture (especially rice paddies and livestock)
Explanation:
Agriculture, particularly rice cultivation and livestock farming, is a major source of methane emissions. Livestock produce methane during digestion, and methane is released from rice paddies due to anaerobic decomposition of organic material.
- Which of the following pollutants is associated with the Minamata disease?
A) Arsenic
B) Mercury
C) Lead
D) Cadmium
Answer: B) Mercury
Explanation:
Minamata disease is caused by mercury poisoning, which occurred in Japan due to the release of mercury-contaminated wastewater into Minamata Bay. It led to severe neurological disorders in people who consumed contaminated fish.
- Which of the following is the major source of nitrous oxide emissions?
A) Industrial waste
B) Agricultural activities (especially the use of fertilizers)
C) Fossil fuel combustion
D) Volcanic eruptions
Answer: B) Agricultural activities (especially the use of fertilizers)
Explanation:
Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is primarily emitted from agricultural soils due to the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers. It is a potent greenhouse gas that also contributes to ozone layer depletion.
- Which of the following statements about smog is true?
A) It occurs only in rural areas
B) It is a type of air pollution consisting mainly of water vapor
C) It results from the reaction of sunlight with pollutants like NOx and VOCs
D) It is mainly caused by oxygen depletion in the atmosphere
Answer: C) It results from the reaction of sunlight with pollutants like NOx and VOCs
Explanation:
Smog, especially photochemical smog, forms when pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react in the presence of sunlight to produce harmful substances like ground-level ozone.
- Which of the following ecosystems is most likely to suffer from coral bleaching?
A) Freshwater lakes
B) Temperate forests
C) Tropical coral reefs
D) Arctic tundra
Answer: C) Tropical coral reefs
Explanation:
Coral bleaching primarily affects tropical coral reefs. It occurs when corals, stressed by rising sea temperatures, expel the algae that live within them, leading to the loss of color and, ultimately, coral death if the stress persists.
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