EFFECTS OF POLLUTION || CHAPTER 6 GEOGRAPHY

1. What is the effect of air pollution?

Ans : Difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing, throat inflammation, chest pain and
congestion are some health hazards. All these lead to respiratory and cardio vascular
diseases. Air pollution also leads to global warming and causes ocean acidification and
acid rain.
2. What are the effects of water pollution?
Ans : Water pollution results in scarcity of clean drinking water and causes health
problems such as diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, cholera and hepatitis. Aquatic
ecosystems are also affected. Water that contains high levels of iron and dissolved
calcium carbonate corrodes machinery and affects the generation of hydroelectricity.
Salts present in water can lead to salination of the soil.
3. What is the effect of land pollution?
Ans : The soil becomes infertile and unsuitable for cultivation. This impacts the
complete food chain in the long term. Uncultivated land, if left barren, gets denuded
due to strong winds or heavy rainfall. When such soil comes in contact with a water
source the water gets polluted as well.
4. What is the effect of noise pollution?
Ans : Noise pollution results in irritation, stress, anger, sleep disturbances, hearing loss,
increased heart rate and high blood pressure.
5. What is the effect of radioactive pollution?
Ans : Various cancers, birth defects and diseases related to internal organs are caused
by radioactive pollution. This form of pollution has serious and long lasting
consequences.
6. What is the effect of Thermal Pollution?
Ans : Urban runoff leads to reduced levels of dissolved oxygen in the water. This
severely affects the aquatic ecosystem.
7. What are the effects of Visual Pollution?
Ans : Visual pollution causes stress and irritation ?
8. What is the effect of light pollution?
Ans : Light pollution results in irritation, stress, increased heart rate and high blood
pressure. It can also cause fatal road accidents.
9. Define the following:
Ans : Definition of :
i) Air Pollution: Damaging of the quality of air by vehicle and factory exhausts,
burning of solid wastes, release of CFCs.
 EFFECTS OF POLLUTION || CHAPTER 6 GEOGRAPHY

ii) Land Pollution: Degradation of soil and land due to various human activities.
iii) Noise Pollution: Pollution that occurs due to excessively loud noise from sources
like horns of vehicle, aircraft, industrial and construction activities.
iv) Salination: Presence of concentrated salts in the soil thereby making it unfit for
cultivation.
v) Water Pollution: Spoiling of water bodies by discharge of domestic sewage,
industrial and agricultural waste water.
10.Which are the places where major oil spills have occurred?
Ans : Major oil spills have occurred in Alaska, the gulf of Mexico, the Galapagos
islands, France and the Persian Gulf.