Answer any twenty questions. (1 x 20 = 20 Marks)
A resource is any physical material from the Earth that people need and value, such as water, air, iron ore, or even information and human labor
.Forest resources are primarily categorized into Timber (wood for construction/fuel) and Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) such as fruits, gums, resins, and medicinal plants
[span_2](end_span).Shifting cultivation is an agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily, then abandoned while post-settlement vegetation is allowed to grow freely while the cultivator moves to another plot.
Fossil fuels are natural fuels such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms
.The full form of IFM is Integrated Forest Management
.Conservation is the sustainable use and management of natural resources including wildlife, water, air, and earth deposits to prevent exploitation or destruction
.Biodiversity hotspots are biogeographic regions that are both a significant reservoir of biodiversity and are threatened with destruction
.Ex-situ conservation is the technique of conservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats (e.g., zoos, botanical gardens)
[span_9](end_span).The full form of IUCN is International Union for Conservation of Nature
.The first Red Data Book was published in 1964
.Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials (pollutants) into the environment that cause adverse change
.Pollutants are substances or energies introduced into the environment that have undesired effects or adversely affect the usefulness of a resource
.Main causes include combustion of fossil fuels, industrial emissions, wildfires, and vehicular exhaust
.Photochemical smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicle emissions from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants
.The full form of SPM is Suspended Particulate Matter
.Climate mitigation consists of actions to limit the magnitude or rate of long-term climate change, primarily by reducing greenhouse gas emissions
.Common greenhouse gases include Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), and Water vapor
[span_19](end_span).Acid rain is rainfall made sufficiently acidic by atmospheric pollution (primarily from sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) that it causes environmental harm
.The ozone layer acts as a shield for life on Earth by absorbing most of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation
.The primary cause was the leakage of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas from a Union Carbide pesticide plant due to water entering a storage tank
[span_23](end_span).Urban sprawl refers to the rapid, often unplanned expansion of cities and towns into surrounding rural areas
[span_25](end_span).Traffic congestion is a condition on transport networks that occurs as use increases, characterized by slower speeds and increased vehicular queueing
.Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water, and soil, and the destruction of ecosystems
.Technology can affect the environment both negatively (e.g., pollution, resource depletion) and positively (e.g., renewable energy, conservation monitoring)
.Resettlement is the act or instance of settling again, especially the relocation of people who have been displaced by projects like dams or urban development
.Answer any five questions. (2 x 5 = 10 Marks)
Solar energy is a renewable resource derived from the sun's radiation. It is harnessed using technologies such as photovoltaic cells or solar thermal collectors. It is clean, abundant, and reduces dependence on fossil fuels.
Mineral resources are naturally occurring inorganic substances found in the Earth's crust (e.g., iron, coal, gold). They are vital for industrial growth, infrastructure development, and energy production in modern society.
| Feature | In-situ Conservation | Ex-situ Conservation |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Within natural habitat. | Outside natural habitat. |
| Examples | National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries. | Zoos, Botanical Gardens, Seed Banks. |
Types include natural (cosmic rays) and man-made (nuclear power plants, medical waste, nuclear weapons). Sources include mining of radioactive ores and leakage from nuclear reactors.
Primary causes include Greenhouse gas emissions (burning fossil fuels), deforestation, industrialization, and agricultural practices that release methane and nitrous oxide
[span_38](end_span).Answer any five questions. (8 x 5 = 40 Marks)
Nuclear energy is energy released during nuclear fission or fusion, used to generate electricity
.Biodiversity is typically categorized into three fundamental levels
:Soil pollution is defined as the presence of toxic chemicals in soil in high enough concentrations to pose a risk to human health and the ecosystem
.Occurred on the night of Dec 2-3, 1984, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Over 40 tons of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) leaked from the Union Carbide plant. [span_57](start_span)It is considered the world's worst industrial disaster, causing thousands of deaths and long-term health issues[span_57](end_span).
A catastrophic nuclear accident occurred on April 26, 1986, at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. [span_59](start_span)An explosion released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, which spread over much of the USSR and Europe[span_59](end_span).