Environmental Studies

UNIT I (a)
1. The term ‘Environment’ has been derived from the French word ……………. which means
to encircle or surround
a) Environ b) Oikos c) geo d) Aqua

2. The objective of environmental education is

a) Raise consciousness about environmental conditions
b) To teach environmentally appropriate behaviour
c) Create an environmental ethic
d) All of the above

3. Which of the following conceptual spheres of the environment is having the least storage
capacity for matter?
a) Atmosphere b) Lithosphere c) Hydrosphere d) Biosphere

4. Which of the following components of the environment are effective transporters of matter?
a) Atmosphere and Hydrosphere b) Atmosphere and Lithosphere
c) Hydrosphere and Lithosphere d) Biosphere and Lithosphere

5. Biosphere is
a) The solid shell of inorganic materials on the surface of the earth
b) The thin shell of organic matter on the surface of earth comprising of all the
living things
c) the sphere which occupies the maximum volume of all of the spheres
d) all of the above

6. Atmosphere consists of 78 % Nitrogen and 21 % Oxygen by

a) Volume b) Weight c) Density d) All the three

7. Which of the following is a biotic component of an ecosystem?

a) Fungi b) solar light c) temperature d) humidity

8. In an ecosystem, the flow of energy is

a) Bidirectional b) Cyclic c) Unidirectional d) Multidirectional

9. Which Pyramid is always upright

a) Energy b) biomass c) numbers d) food chain

10. In complex ecosystems the degree of species diversity is

a) Poor b) high c) medium d) none

11. The organisms who directly feed on producers are called

a) Herbivores b) Carnivores c) Decomposers d) Saprophytes

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12. The sequence of eating and being eaten in an ecosystem is called
a) Food Chain b) carbon cycle c) hydrological cycle d) anthroposystem

13. Which of the following is a producer in an ecosystem

a) Plants and some bacteria capable of producing their own food
b) Animals
c) Human beings
d) Fish

14. Which of the following statements is false?

a) Inorganic nutrients are recycled in an ecosystem
b) Energy ‘flows’ through the ecosystem in the form of carbon-carbon bonds
c) Energy is recycled in an ecosystem
d) Respiration process releases energy

15. The largest reservoir of nitrogen in our planet is

a) Oceans b) Atmosphere c) biosphere d) Fossil fuels

16. In aquatic ecosystem phytoplankton can be considered as a

a) Consumer b) producer c) Saprotrophic organisms d) Macroconsumer

17. The basic requirements of human beings are provided by

a) Industrialisation b)Agriculture
c) Nature d)Urbanisation

18. Environment is the life support system that includes

a) Air b)Water
c) Land d)All of the above

19. In an ecosystem biological cycling of materials is maintained by

a) Producer b)Consumer
c) Decomposer d)All of the above

20. Organisms which feed directly or indirectly on producers are called

a) Prey b)Consumers
c) Decomposers d)Detritus

21. The primary producers in a forest ecosystem are

a) Chlorophyll containing trees and plants b)Herbivores
c) Carnivores d)Bacteria and other microorganisms

22. Abiotic component includes

a) Soil b)Temperature
b) Water d)All of the above

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23. Which of the following statement is true
a) Green plants are self nourishing
b) Producers depends on consumers
c) Biotic components include all non-living components
d) Herbivores depend on Carnivores
24. Primary consumer is
a) Herbivores (b)Carnivores (c)Macroconsumers (d)Omnivores

25. A predator is
a) An animal that is fed upon
b) An animal that feeds upon another animal
c) Animal that feeds upon both plants and animals
d) A primary consumer

26. Access to food is mainly determined by

a. Household income b) Food assistance programmes
c. Human resources d) Society/Community

27. The word ‘Environment’ is derived from

a) Greek b)French c) Spanish d) English

28. Which among the following is a climatic factor?

a) pressure b) humidity c) temperature d) all of the above

29. The major atmospheric gas layer in stratosphere is

a) Hydrogen b) Carbon dioxide c) Ozone (d) Helium

30. Which atmospheric sphere is closest to the earth surface ?

a) Troposphere b) stratosphere c) mesosphere d) Exosphere

31. Which of the following is the terrestrial ecosystem?

a) forest b) grass land c) desert d) all of the above

32. Ecological pyramids are studies of

a. a) pyramid of numbers b) pyramid of biomass
b. c) pyramid of energy d) all of the above

33. World Environment day is on

a. a) 5th May b) 5th June c) 18th July d) 16th August
34. Factors responsible for balanced ecosystem are
a. balance between predator and prey
b. balance between vegetation, herbivorous and carnivorous
c. balance between competing species and biotic factors
d. all of the above

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35. Which of the following is absorbed by green plants from the atmosphere?
a. Carbon dioxide (b) Water (c) Nutrients (e)All of above

36. Habitat refers to

a. Physical conditions of the place where organisms live
b. Chemical conditions of the place where organisms live
c. Both a & b
d. None of a or b
37. Essential component of social security are
a. Meeting personal growth and development
b. Maintaining natural capital
c. Fairness and equity in distribution of costs of resources.
d. Community resilience

38. Socio – economic security in environmental aspects involves

a. Fairness & equity in distribution costs for complete existing generation
b. Welfare of the present generation
c. Intra and inter generational equity of resources
d. All of the above

39. A food web consists of

a. a portion of a food chain b)an organisms position in a food chain
c. interlocking food chains d)a set of similar consumers

40. Which of the following statements are true?

a. Man is not dependent on nature
b. Resources are unlimited, so one can use them as per one’s wish.
c. Energy can be converted from one form to another, but some
d. percentage is lost into the environment
e. Matter can be generated afresh. It need not be recycled or reused.

41. Which of the following conditions must be fulfilled to ensure food security?
a. Food must be available
b. Each person must have access to it
c. Food utilized/consumed must fulfill nutritional requirements
d. all of the above

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UNIT I (b)
1. Which of the following is not the environmental effect of industrialization, in general?
a) Solid waste b) Water Pollution c) Air pollution d) Economic growth

2. Which of the following are major environmental issues involved in mining?

a) Air pollution from dust b) Water pollution c) Soil degradation d) All of the above

3. Sustainable development means

a) Meeting present needs without compromising on the future needs
b) Progress in human well beings
c) Balance between human needs and the ability of Earth to provide the resources
d) All the above

4. The most important remedy to avoid negative impact due to industrialization is

a) Industry should be closed
b) Don’t allow new industrial units
c) Industry should treat all the wastes generated by it before disposal
d) Industries should be shifted far away from human habitats.
5. Mining means
a) to conserve & preserve minerals b) to check pollution due to mineral resources
b) to extract minerals and ores d) None

6. E.I.A. can be expanded as

a) Environment & Industiral Act b) Environment & Impact Activities
c) Environmental Impact Assessment d) Environmentally Important Activity

7. E.I.A. is related to
a) Resource conservation b) Efficient equipment/process
c) Waste minimization d) All of the above

8. In order to protect the health of people living along the adjoining areas of roads, one should.
a) Plant trees alongside of the roads b) Not allow diesel driven vehicles
b) Shift them (people) to other places d) None of the above

9. The pollution caused by transportation/vehicular activities depends on

a) Age of the vehicle b) Type of the vehicle’s engine
c) Traffic congestion c) All of the above

10. Which of the following is a key element of EIA?

a) Scoping b) Screening c) Identifying and evaluating alternatives d) all of the above

11. ‘Earth Day’ is held every year on

a) June 5th b) November 23rd c) April 22nd d) January 26th

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12. Major purpose of most of the Dams around the world is
a) Power generation b) Drinking water supply c) Flood control d) Irrigation

13. Sustainable development will not aim at

a) social economic development which optimizes the economic and societal benefits
available in the present, without spoiling the likely potential for similar benefits in the
future
b) reasonable and equitably distributed level of economic well being that can be perpetuated
continually
c) Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs
d) Maximizing the present day benefits through increased resource consumption

14. Eutrophication is
a) an improved quality of water in lakes
b) a process in carbon cycle
c) the result to accumulation of plant nutrients in water bodies
d) a water purification technique

15. Which of the following is the most environmental friendly agriculture practice?
a) Using chemical fertilizers b) Using insecticides
c) Organic farming d) none of the above
16. The adverse effect of modern agriculture is
a) Water pollution b) Soil degradation c) Water logging d) All of the above

17. Soil erosion removes surface soil which contains

a) Organic matter b) Plant nutrients c) Both a and b d) None of the above

18. Water logging is a phenomena in which

a) Crop patterns are rotated b) Soil root zone becomes saturated due to over irrigation
c) Erosion of soil d) None of the above

19. The impact of construction of dams

a) Submerges forest b) Loss of wild life habitat
c) Damages downstream ecosystem d) All of the above

20. Which of the following statement is false

a) Soil erosion effects the productivity of agriculture fields
b) It takes 300 years for one inch of agricultural top soil to form
c) The amount of erosion depends on soil type, slope, drainage pattern and crop
management practices
d) Soil erosion helps to retain water and nutrients in the root zone

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21. Which of the following statement is true
a) Surface runoff do not carry pesticides into streams
b) Water percolating downward through agriculture lands carries with it dissolved chemicals
and contaminate ground water
c) Present agricultural practice does not contaminate water
d) None of the above
22. Farmers have a tendency to
a) Use optimum quantity of water b)To over irrigate their crops
b) To conserve water d)All of the above

23. Organic Farming is

a) Farming without using pesticides and chemical fertilizers
b) Enhances biodiversity
c) Promotes soil biological activity
d) All of the above

24. What would you do to prevent environmental damage

a) Plant trees b)Halt deforestation
b) Control pollution d)All of the above

25. Environmental impact assessment

a) Is a study of feasibility of a project
b) Is a study of bio-physical characteristics of the environment that may result from a
human action
c) Both ‘a’ and ‘b’
d) None of the above
26. EIA study will help
a) Maximizing the benefits without overloading the planets ecosystem
b) To estimate the future needs of the society
c) To smooth implementation of the project
d) To cope up with rapid growth of population

27. Ecosystem is disturbed by housing activity because

a) Large volume of raw materials like brick, stone, timber, cement, steel plastic etc
are required to be produced
b) Housing is required to provide shelter to growing population
c) Majority of housing projects are concentrated in cities only
d) Standard of living is increased by modern houses

28. Environmental impact of mining

a) Brings order into social setup
b) Devastation of ecosystem
c) Present mining activity is a sustainable development
d) Mining has no adverse effect on ecosystem as it is located in remote areas

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29. Effect of modern agriculture on soil is due to
a) Erosion b) Acidification c) Salinization d) All

30. Bio-remediation means the removal of contaminants from

a) Soil b) Wastewater
b) Groundwater d) Both Soil and Groundwater

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UNIT I(c)
1. Plants use ………..gas for photosynthesis
a) Oxygen b) methane c) Nitrogen d) Carbon dioxide
2. Deforestation means
a) preservation of forests b) destruction of forests c) monocrop cultivation
d) agriculture
3. What percentage of its geographical area of a country should be under forest cover?
a) 23% b) 43% c) 13% d) 33%
4. About …………% of the earth’s surface is covered by water
a) 53% b) 19% c) 71% d) 90%
5. During photosynthesis, trees produce
a) Oxygen b) Carbon Dioxide c) Nitrogen d) Carbon Monoxide

6. Forests prevent soil erosion by binding soil particles in their

a) stems b) roots c) leaves d)buds

7. Major causes of deforestation are

a) shifting cultivation b) Fuel requirements
c) Raw materials for industries d) All of these
8. Blue baby syndrome (methaemoglobinemia) is caused by the contamination of water due to
a) Phosphates b) Sulphur c) Arsenic d) Nitrates

9. Which of the following statements about forest is not correct?

a) Forests reduces soil erosion b) Provides recreational opportunities
c) Provides a source of economic development d) None of the above

10. India has the largest share of which of the following?

a) Manganese b) Mica c) Copper d) Diamond

11. Out of the following nutrients in fertilizer, which one causes minimum water pollution?
a) Nitrogen b) Phosphorous c) Potassium d) Organic matter

12. What is the permissible range of pH for drinking water as per the Indian Standards?
a) 6 to 9 b) 6.5 to 7.5 c) 6 to 8.5 d) 6.5 to 8.5

13. What is the maximum allowable concentration of fluorides in drinking water?

a) 1.0 milligram per liter b) 1.25 milligram per liter
c) 1.50 milligram per liter d) 1.75 milligram per liter

14. Excess fluorides in drinking water is likely to cause

a) Blue babies b) fluorosis c) taste and odour d) intestinal irritation

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15. Which of the following is a non point source of water pollution?
a) Factories b) Sewage treatment plants
c) Urban and suburban lands d) All of the above

16. The movement of carbon between _________ is called carbon cycle.

a. Atmosphere & biosphere
b. Atmosphere & hydrosphere
c. Geosphere & atmosphere
d. Biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere & geosphere

17. The depletion of trees is causing accumulation of

a) NO2 b) SO2 c) CO2 d) O2

18. Earth’s atmosphere contains ______ % nitrogen.

a) 98% b) 12% c) 21% d) 78%

19. Plants can take up nitrogen in two forms _________

a) NH4+ & NO3 b)NH3 & N2 c)NO3 d)NO2

20. Conversion of ammonium to NO3 by chemical oxidation is termed as

a) Mineralization b) Leaching c) Nitrification d)Denitrification

21. Nitrogen fixing bacteria exists in ______ of plants.

a) Leaf b) Roots c) Stem d) Flower

22. Sulphur occurs in soil and rocks in the form of ______

a) Oxides of Zn & Fe b)Sulphates of Zn & Fe
b) Nitrates of Zn & Fe d)Sulphides of Zn & Fe

23. Live stock wastes release large amount of................. in environment.

a) NH4 b) NH3 c) NO3 d) NO4

24. Conversion of nitrates into gases of nitrogen is called_________

a) Nitrification b)Nitrogen fixing
b) Reduction d)Denitrification

25. Forest rich area in Karnataka is found in ______

a) Western Ghats b. Bandipur c)Nagarhole d.Mangalore

26. ________ are referred to as Earth’s lungs.

a. Forests b)Carbon cycles c)Water sources d)Mines

27. Among the fresh water available in the Earth the percentage of surface water is about
a) 50% b) 10% c) 5% d) less than 1%

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28. Important factor that causes water borne disease is
a. Using contaminated sewage for Irrigation
b. Leaching of untreated fecal and urinary discharges into water bodies
c. Discharge of industrial waste water
d. By eating contaminated food.

29. Cholera & typhoid are caused by

a) Worms b) Virus c) Bacteria d) Fungus
30. Major sources of fluoride is
a) River water b) Tooth paste c) Ground water d) Food products

31. Hepatitis is caused by

a) Protozoa b) Virus c) Bacteria d) Fungus

32. Excessive Nitrate in drinking water causes

a) Fever b) Cough & chill c) Blue babies d) Gastro Enteritis

33. Disfigurement in the teeth is caused by excessive amount of

a) Mercury b) Nitrate c) Fluoride d) Lead

34. Mineral resources are

a) Renewable b) Available in plenty c) Non renewable d) Equally distributed

35. Control of water borne diseases can be achieved effectively by

a) Treatment of disease
b) By consuming mineral water
c) By proper treatment of waste water & protecting the source of water
d) By vaccination
36. Which of the following is not a natural mineral?
a) Asbestos b) feldspar c) Phosphate d) Nitrogen

37. Forests are extremely important because they

a) provide clean water and clean air b) provide habitat for wild life
c) provide recreation and a change from the hectic urban life d) all of the above

38. Deforestation means

a) creation of new forest land for the wild life b) planting trees in the cities
c) conversion of forest land for agriculture/ pasture/ homes etc.
d) Not managing the forest properly

39. The oceans are the largest storage of water on earth containing:
a) 95% of earths water b)85% of earths water
c) 97% of earths water d)75% of earths water

40. Which of the following is not a part of the hydrological cycle?

a) Precipitation b) infiltration c) transpiration d) perspiration

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41. The ground water depends on

a) Amount of rain fall b) Geological formations c) Run off d) All of the above

42. In India ground water is rich in

a) Plains of rivers Kaveri and Krishna b)The plains of Netravati and Kapila
b) The Gangetic plains d)The Deccan plateau

43. The required Iron content in drinking water as specified by BIS is

a) 300 mg/l b) 30 mg/l c) 3 mg/l d) 0.3 mg/l

44. Pick out which is not concerned to carbon cycle

a) Respiration b) Combustion of fossil fuels c) Photo synthesis d) Transpiration

45. Fixation of Nitrogen is done by

a) Lightening b) Fixing bacteria
c) Fertilizer factory d) All of the above

46. Sulphur dioxide is used in

a) Paper manufacture b) Textile manufacture
b) Processing of fossil fuels d) Both (a) and (b)

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