Air Pollution: A Hidden Menace
Question Answer
Let’s understand the text
1. What accident took place at Bhopal in 1984?
Ans: Tragic industrial accident took place in Bhopal in 1984.
2. Why is it called an industrial accident?
Ans: It is called an industrial accident because the deadly gas from a chemical plant operated by Union Carbide escaped into the atmosphere.
3. What were the tragic consequences of it?
Ans: The tragic accident killed over 4000 local residents and rendered blind. It also damaged a large section of the city’s population.
4. How is air important for man?
Ans: We breathe air which is most important for living.
5. What is the major source of contamination of the human body?
Ans: The polluted air we breathe is the major source of contamination of the human body.
6. What is the composition of air?
Ans: The composition of air includes a mixture of gases comprising 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and a little less than 1 percent argon, together with 0.03 percent carbon dioxide.
7. When is air said to be polluted?
Ans: When the oxygen levels gets reduced or irritated gases enter the atmosphere, then air is said to be polluted.
8. What fuels do the industries use?
Ans: The industries use coal, coke, furnace oil, etc.
9. How does the released smoke affect man?
Ans: The industries burn various fuels like coal, coke furnace oil and with the burning along with the heat, there is production of heat too. The smoke produced by the industries get mix with the atmospheric air and pollutes it.
10. Why do thermal power stations cause more pollution?
Ans: Thermal power stations releases high amounts of smoke and ash and this is why they cause more pollution.
11. What are the other industries equally harmful for us?
Ans: Cement, steel and ore processing industries are the other industries that are equally harmful for us.
12. Why are the automobiles increasing on the road?
Ans: Increasing population and with this there is increase in the demand for the automobiles. Also there is increase in the standard of living of the people which results in the increasing demand in the automobiles.
13. How do the automobiles contribute to air pollution?
Ans: Automobiles produces maximum carbon monoxide into the atmosphere which is responsible for 60 percent of air pollution.
14. What are the effects of air pollution on vegetable crops and trees?
Ans: Acid rain acts as the poison to the vegetable crops and trees. Pollution damages the ecosystem.
15. How are buildings affected by polluted air?
Ans: Due to harmful pollution, the buildings get discolored. They become shabby and their surfaces may actually deteriorate because of air pollution.
16. What health problems are caused by polluted air?
Ans: Inhaling polluted air not only causes respiratory disorders but also it causes other severe health issues like irritation of sensitive tissues of eyes and lungs. It also causes skin problems.
17. How is air pollution responsible for increasing the temperature?
Ans: Air pollution releases large amount of harmful gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in our atmosphere. These gases end up trapping the radiation that reaches the earth from the sun which results in more temperature. The increase in temperature leads to global warming.
18. What harm can refrigerant do?
Ans: Refrigerants like chlorofluorocarbons damages the atmospheric layer which protects the environment and people from harmful kinds of solar energy. These substances are widely used and this why is responsible for the damage of the environment.
19. What is acid rain?
Ans: When the rainfall gets mixed with the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen and creates poisonous substances, it is called as acid rain.
20. How is water affected by acid rain?
Ans: When there is rainfall that gets mixed with chemicals like oxides of sulphur and nitrogen there is creation of acid rain. It damages the lakes and rivers by making them poisonous. It makes water acidic.
21. What is the impact of acid rain on soil?
Ans: Acid rain changes the soil’s nutrient content. It washes away nutrients like potassium, calcium and magnesium from the upper layer of the trees which help them grow. It kills large stretches of forests, leaving behind lifeless trees.
22. What are the ways to control air pollution?
Ans: We can control air pollution by changing the raw materials used in industry or the ingredients of fuel, raising the heights of the smokestacks, designing equipment to trap pollutants before it goes into the atmosphere. It is also very important to impose strict laws against air pollution. At an individual level, one can reduce the use of automobiles when it is not necessary.
23. How have different countries tried to check it?
Ans: Different countries have taken many steps to keep a check on air pollution. Apart from setting standards and norms and making laws, there has been improvement in many areas because of air quality programs. Burning low sulphur coal and oil in factories and power plants has also contributed towards the lowering of pollution in many cities. Even automobile engines have been re-designed and new cars have been equipped with devices such as catalytic converter which changes pollutants into harmless substances and these new devices help in reduction of air pollution.
24. How have the air quality programmes brought us benefits?
Ans: Air quality programs such as burning low sulphur coal and oil in factories and power plants has also contributed towards the lowering of pollution in many cities.
25. Why do we still need to find out better ways to control air pollution?
Ans: Still there is a need to find out better ways to control air pollution because there are many countries where this problem is on high level. Many physicians, engineers, meteorologists, botanists, and others are involved in research, seeking new ways.
Let’s go beyond the text
(i) 1. Why does the oxygen level in the atmosphere get reduced? What could be its consequences?
Ans: Air is a mixture of gases such as 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and a little less than 1 percent argon, together with 0.03 percent carbon dioxide. These all elements make up 99.9 percent of dry air. When these elements are maintained, the air is pure. But when these elements are altered, i.e. when the oxygen level gets reduced or irritating gases enter the atmosphere, then the air becomes polluted. Inhaling this polluted air can be resulted in respiratory disorders.
2. How do the chemical industries cause dangerous air pollution ? What is its far reaching consequences?
Ans: The harmful smoke released from the chemical industries gets mixed with the atmospheric air and pollutes it. We inhale this harmful air which has dangerous gases, ash and dust particles. We breathe this air and our lungs slowly become garbage dumps for these dangerous pollutants. There are many dangerous effects of air pollution not only on the ecosystem but also on our health causing various issues.
3. How is acid rain caused?
Ans: When chemicals like oxides of sulphur and nitrogen get mixed with the rainfall, there is creation of acid rain. Acid rain affects everything it falls on. The water in rivers and lakes turns acidic. It makes lakes and rivers harmful. It washes away the nutrients from the trees.
4. How does polluted air travel from one country to another?
Ans: Polluted air travels from one country to another country by the wind. It travels for the distance of thousands of miles. One such example is ofthe death of lakes in eastern Canada has been caused by acid rain that originated in the United States.
5. What steps can be taken to reduce the pollution caused by automobiles`? Is air pollution a global problem?
Ans: Automobiles can design their engines by using catalytic converter which changes pollutants into harmless substances. These can help in the reduction of the pollution caused by the automobiles.
Air pollution is not problem in just one country; it has become a global problem. Many countries have been tackling this issue and are trying new ways to cope with this problem.
(ii) Given below is a table. Read the text and complete the table.
Ans:
3.) Let’s write :
Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper / the Minister, Department of Environment explaining the importance of clean air and suggesting ways to keep it clean and pure.
Ans:
To,
The Editor,
The Hindu Times,
Odisha
Dear Sir,
I am writing this letter to bring notice to you the fact that there is increase in the air pollution and people are not getting fresh air. It is very important to have fresh and clean air for our survival but because of increasing air pollution, we are inhaling toxic air. Clean and fresh air is not only important for us but also plays key role in life of animals and plants. With increasing pollution, there is also increase in deforestation then how are we supposed to get air?
We can take preventive measures to control pollution. At an individual level, we can avoid the use of automobiles when it not necessary. Also we can create awareness among the people by organizing various programs. Industries can change raw materials or ingredients of fuel that causes pollution. They can also raise the height of the smokestacks which will reduce the chances of harmful smoke getting mixed in the environment. Also it is important to have strict laws which will make people understand the side effects of the pollution.
Reducing air pollution won’t happen in a day, but we can come together and work towards the betterment of ourselves and of our environment.
I request you to publish this as an article as it will create more awareness in the people. Let me know if there are any changes to make.
Yours sincerely
Amit Kumar
Let’s enrich our vocabulary
Pick out the other such words / expressions from the text and write in your copy.
1. Obnoxious gases
2. Eye irritations
3. Scratchy throats
4. Respiratory illnesses
5. Acidic
6. Leaches away
7. Serious diseases.
ii. (a) The word ‘respiration’ is the noun form of the verb ‘respire’ : Now with the help of a dictionary find out verb / noun forms of the following.
Ans:
iii. Blending –
1. Foreign + exchange bank = Forex bank
2. Export+ Import policy = Exim policy
3. Slim + tender= Slender
4. Television+ broadcast = Telecast
iv. Given below are some expressions. Use a single word for each expression. Go to the text to find the words.
1. A great threat- Menace
2. Getting worse day by day- Crippling
3. Things used to make something- Ingredients
4. A body of laws- Legislation
5. One who studies weather conditions. – Meteorologists
Find out in the text how many such participles are there and make a list.
Ans:
Complete the following sentences with appropriate participles of the verbs given in brackets.
1. The beggar is wearing a tore shirt. (tear)
2. My father bought me a swimming suit. (swim)
3. My friend wanted a cleaning instrument. (clean)
4. I never like to take a boiled egg. (boil)
5. Air pollution causes breathing problem. (breathe)
6. People get deceased in a polluted atmosphere. (pollute)
7. Air pollution has damaging effect on buildings. (damage)
8. Severity of air pollution is more found in developing countries. (develop)
b) Punctuate the following text :
In the United States, control of air pollution is chiefly the responsibility of the state and local governments. All the states have air quality management programmes, which are patterned after federal laws. The basic federal law dealing with air pollution is the Clean Air Act of 1970, amended in 1990. Under this law, the Federal Environment Protection Agency sets standards for air quality what are the standards.