OurEnvironment1_ctu8i5w2oeoih3n

HILL ROCK NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL
Vishweshwaraiah Layout, Bengaluru – 91

Subject: Science (Biology)
Grade: X Chapter 15: Our Environment
In-text Questions Page: 260

Q1. What are the trophic levels? Give an example of a food chain and state the different
trophic levels in it.
Solution:
In the food chain, the transfer of food or energy takes place at various levels, and these levels are
known as trophic levels.
Example: Grass → Goat → Man
In the food chain,
• Grass represents the first trophic level.

• The goat represents the second trophic level.
• Man represents the third trophic level.
Q2. What is the role of decomposers in the ecosystem?
Solution:
The following are the roles of decomposers in the ecosystem:
• They act as a cleansing agent of the environment by decomposing dead plants and animals.
• They help in recycling nutrients.
• They provide space for new beings in the biosphere by decomposing the dead.
• They help in putting back the various elements into water, soil and air for the
reuse ofproducers like crop plants.
Q1. Why are some substances biodegradable and some non-biodegradable?
Solution:
The reason why some substances are biodegradable and some are non-biodegradable is because the
microorganisms, like bacteria, and decomposers, like saprophytes, have a specific role to play.
Theycan break down only natural products like paper, wood, etc., but they cannot break down
human- made products like plastics. Based on this, some substances are biodegradable and some
are non- biodegradable.
Q2. Give any two ways in which biodegradable substances would affect the environment.
Solution:
The following are the ways in which biodegradable substances would affect the environment:
• They keep the environment clean as they are easily decomposed.

• They can easily go through the geochemical cycle with the help of decomposers.
Q3. Give any two ways in which non-biodegradable substances would affect the environment.
Solution:
The following are the ways in which non-biodegradable substances would affect the environment:
• They cause air, soil and water pollution.

• They may cause bio-magnification in the food chain resulting in the end of humans.
Q1. What is ozone, and how does it affect the ecosystem?
Solution:
Ozone is a molecule formed by the three atoms of oxygen and is known as an isotope of oxygen.
The main function of the ozone layer is to provide protection to the earth’s surface from the
harmful UV rays of the sun. These rays are harmful to living organisms and may result in skin
cancer.
Q2. How can you help in reducing the problem of waste disposal? Give any two methods.
Solution:
The following are the ways to reduce the problem of waste disposal:
• 3 Rs: By following the 3 Rs, one can reduce the problem of waste disposal. The 3 Rs are
reduce, recycle and reuse. Reducing the usage of private vehicles and opting for public
transport can reduce air pollution. Recycling and reusing plastics is also a way to reduce
waste disposal.
• Preparation of compost: All biodegradable wastes, like kitchen waste, can be dumped in
the compost.
Exercise Questions Page: 264
Q1. Which of the following groups contain only biodegradable items?
a. Grass, flowers and leather
b. Grass, wood and plastic
c. Fruit peels, cake and lime juice
d. Cake, wood and grass
Solution:
a) Grass, flowers and leather
c) Fruit peels, cake and lime juice
d) Cake, wood and grass
Above are the groups that contain only biodegradable items. Since plastic is not a biodegradable
substance, that group cannot be considered biodegradable.
Q2. Which of the following constitutes a food chain?

a. Grass, wheat and mango
b. Grass, goat and human
c. Goat, cow and elephant
d. Grass, fish and goat
Solution:
b. Grass, goat and human
Here, the grass is the producer, the goat is the primary consumer, and the human is the
secondary consumer.
Q3. Which of the following are environment-friendly practices?
a. Carrying cloth bags to put purchases in while shopping
b. Switching off unnecessary lights and fans
c. Walking to school instead of getting your mother to drop you on her scooter
d. All of the above
Solution: d) All of the above
Q4. What will happen if we kill all the organisms at one trophic level?
Solution:
If we kill all the organisms in one trophic level, the food supply to the next level will stop,
resulting inan imbalance of the ecosystem. As a result, animals in the higher levels will die,
making the growth ofanimals in the lower trophic level increase in an enormous way.
All of this will affect the overall balance in the ecosystem.
Q5. Will the impact of removing all the organisms in the trophic level be different for
different trophic levels? Can the organisms of any trophic level be removed without
causing any damageto the ecosystem?
Solution:
Yes, the impact of removing all the organisms in a trophic level will be different for
different trophic levels. For example, if all the producers are removed, there is a chance of
death or migration of the primary consumers, which will upset the trophic levels. This is the
same for all levels. Therefore, theremoval of organisms at any level would upset the whole
ecosystem as the food chain is disturbed. The survival of the higher-level animals is
completely dependent on the animals at the lower levels.
Q6. What is biological magnification? Will the levels of this magnification be different at
different levels of the ecosystem?
Solution:
Biological magnification can be defined as the progressive increase in the concentration of
non- biodegradable wastes in the food chain. As there is an increase in the magnification at
the successivetrophic levels of the ecosystems, all the other levels do get affected, and the
concentration may vary when compared to the first level.
Q7. What are the problems caused by the non-biodegradable wastes that we generate?
Solution:
The following are the problems caused by non-biodegradable wastes:
• These substances cannot be decomposed by microorganisms.

• As the quantity increases, dumping becomes a problem.
• Non-biodegradable wastes, like heavy metals, may enter the food chain at the
upper trophiclevels.
• They may escape to the groundwater, which causes soil infertility and disturbance in
the pH ofthe soil.
Q8. If all the waste we generate is biodegradable, will this have no impact on the
environment?
Solution:
Biodegradable wastes are decomposed by the microorganisms into simpler substances which
can beused by the producers as raw materials. But the following are the effects of too many
biodegradablewastes:
• As the decomposition of biodegradable wastes is slow, they produce an awful smell,

and wheninhaled by humans, it can be harmful.
• The dumping areas can be a place where harmful organisms may start to breed,
which can beharmful to humans as well as plants and animals.
• An increase in the number of aquatic organisms may result in the depletion of oxygen.
Q9. Why is damage to the ozone layer a cause for concern? What steps are being taken to
limitthis damage?
Solution:
The ozone layer is a protective cover for the earth. It prevents harmful UV rays from entering
the earth as these rays are harmful and can result in skin cancer. But, air pollutants like
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are the main reason for the depletion of the ozone layer. Too
much of UV rays are harmful to plants as they affect photosynthesis and destroy planktons and
decomposers.These are the reasons why the damage to the ozone layer is a cause of concern.
As a step to limit this, many developing and developed countries have signed and are obeying
the directions of UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) to freeze or limit the
production andusage of CFCs.

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HILL ROCK NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL

Vishweshwaraiah Layout, Bengaluru – 91

In-text Questions Page: 260

• Grass represents the first trophic level.

• They keep the environment clean as they are easily decomposed.

• They cause air, soil and water pollution.

Q2. Which of the following constitutes a food chain?

Solution: d) All of the above

• These substances cannot be decomposed by microorganisms.

• As the decomposition of biodegradable wastes is slow, they produce an awful smell,

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