The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was passed in India in 1981.
- True
- False
Answer: True
The Air Act was enacted in 1981 to provide for the prevention, control, and abatement of air pollution.
GK Questions
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The comprehensive Environment (Protection) Act was enacted by the Indian Parliament in which year?
- 1974
- 1981
- 1986
- 1992
Answer: 1986
Enacted in the wake of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the EPA 1986 is an umbrella legislation for environmental protection in India.
Which of the following atmospheric gases is NOT considered a greenhouse gas?
- Water vapor
- Methane
- Argon
- Carbon dioxide
Answer: Argon
Argon is a noble gas and does not absorb and emit infrared radiation, unlike greenhouse gases such as CO2, CH4, and water vapor.
Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide on a per-molecule basis over a 100-year timeframe.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Methane traps heat much more effectively than CO2, giving it a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of about 28-34 times that of CO2 over 100 years.
The El Niño phenomenon is primarily associated with:
- Cooling of the Indian Ocean
- Warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean
- Increased monsoon rainfall in India
- Melting of the Arctic ice cap
Answer: Warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean
El Niño is the periodic warming of the ocean surface in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, disrupting global weather patterns.
The ozone layer, which protects the Earth from harmful UV radiation, is primarily located in the _____.
- Troposphere
- Stratosphere
- Mesosphere
- Thermosphere
Answer: Stratosphere
About 90% of the ozone in the atmosphere sits in the stratosphere, approximately 15 to 35 kilometers above Earth's surface.
What does the term 'Carbon Sequestration' refer to?
- Release of CO2 from oceans
- Capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide
- Burning of fossil fuels
- Conversion of CO2 to Oxygen
Answer: Capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide
Carbon sequestration is the process of capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate global warming.
The 'Albedo effect' refers to the absorption of solar radiation by the Earth's surface, causing it to warm up.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Albedo refers to the fraction of solar energy (shortwave radiation) reflected from the Earth back into space, not absorbed.
Which international treaty was specifically designed to phase out the production of ozone-depleting substances like CFCs?
- Kyoto Protocol
- Montreal Protocol
- Basel Convention
- Vienna Convention
Answer: Montreal Protocol
The Montreal Protocol (1987) is a landmark environmental agreement that successfully phased out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other ODS.
The Paris Agreement (2015) aims to limit global warming to well below _____ degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.
- 1.5
- 2
- 2.5
- 3
Answer: 2
The central aim of the Paris Agreement is to keep the rise in global average temperature well below 2°C, pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
The 'Ozone Hole' is most prominent over the Arctic region during its respective winter/spring.
- True
- False
Answer: False
The ozone hole is most severe over the Antarctic region due to the unique formation of polar stratospheric clouds and the polar vortex.
Which of the following greenhouse gases has the highest Global Warming Potential (GWP) per molecule over a 100-year period?
- Carbon dioxide
- Methane
- Nitrous oxide
- Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
Answer: Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
SF6 is the most potent greenhouse gas evaluated by the IPCC, with a GWP of 23,500 times that of CO2 over 100 years.
Which of the following greenhouse gases is commonly known as 'laughing gas'?
- Methane
- Nitrous oxide
- Carbon dioxide
- Chlorofluorocarbon
Answer: Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is known as laughing gas and is also a potent greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting substance.
Carbon monoxide has a much higher affinity for human hemoglobin compared to oxygen.
- True
- False
Answer: True
CO binds to hemoglobin about 200-250 times more strongly than oxygen, forming carboxyhemoglobin and causing tissue hypoxia.
Blue Baby Syndrome (Methemoglobinemia) in infants is primarily caused by the contamination of drinking water with:
- Chlorides
- Nitrates
- Fluorides
- Sulphates
Answer: Nitrates
Excess nitrates in drinking water are converted to nitrites in the infant's body, which bind to hemoglobin, reducing its oxygen-carrying capacity.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the permissible 24-hour limit for PM2.5 in India is _____ µg/m³.
- 40
- 60
- 100
- 120
Answer: 60
The CPCB sets the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5 at 60 µg/m³ for a 24-hour average.
The intensity of noise pollution is measured in which of the following units?
- Joules
- Decibels
- Hertz
- Watts
Answer: Decibels
Decibels (dB) is the logarithmic unit used to measure sound level or noise pollution.
Eutrophication leads to a significant increase in the dissolved oxygen levels of a water body.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Eutrophication causes algal blooms; when the algae die and decompose, it heavily depletes the dissolved oxygen, causing hypoxia.
Which of the following is classified as a secondary air pollutant?
- Carbon monoxide
- Sulphur dioxide
- Tropospheric Ozone
- Particulate Matter
Answer: Tropospheric Ozone
Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly but form when primary pollutants react in the atmosphere. Ground-level ozone is a classic example.
The primary gases responsible for the formation of acid rain are _____ and nitrogen oxides.
- Carbon dioxide
- Sulphur dioxide
- Methane
- Ozone
Answer: Sulphur dioxide
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids.