Standard 9 Science and Technology - 9. Environmental Management

Question 1:

1.  Match the items in column ‘A’ with the proper ones in Coolum ‘B’ and explain their impact on the environment.

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
1. Harmful waste	a. Glass, rubber, carry bags, etc.
2. Domestic waste	b. Chemicals, pigments, ash, etc.
3. Biomedical waste	c. Radioactive material
4. Industrial waste	d. Leftover food, vegetables, peelings of fruits.
5. Urban waste	e. Bandages, cotton, needles, etc.

Answer 1:

1. Harmful waste	c. Radioactive material
2. Domestic waste	d. Leftover food, vegetables, peelings of fruits.
3. Biomedical waste	e. Bandages, cotton, needles, etc.
4. Industrial waste	b. Chemicals, pigments, ash, etc.
5. Urban waste	a. Glass, rubber, carry bags, etc.

 

Question 2:

Complete the statements using the given options and justify those statements.

(Geographic favorability, climate, weather, observatory)

a. Of the abiotic factors that affect biodiversity by far the most important is ...................

b. A description of the climatic conditions of short duration in a particular area is ...................

c.  Irrespective of the progress of human beings, we have to think about ...................

d. Establishments where various climatic factors are recorded are called ...................

Answer 2:

a. Of the abiotic factors that affect biodiversity by far the most important is geographic favorability.

b. A description of the climatic conditions of short duration in a particular area is weather.

c.  Irrespective of the progress of human beings, we have to think about climate.

d. Establishments where various climatic factors are recorded are called observatory.

Question 3:

Answer the following questions.

a.  How is first aid provided to victims of disasters who are injured?

b.  State the scientific and eco-friendly methods of waste management.

c.  Explain with suitable examples, the relationship between weather forecasting and disaster management.

d. Why is e-waste harmful? Express your opinion about this.

e.  How will you register individual your participation in solid waste management?

Answer 3:

a. The following first aid should be provided to victims of disasters:

• Airway: If a person faces difficulty in breathing, raise the chin or hold the head in backward sloping position, so as to keep the respiratory passage open.
• Breathing: If the person has stopped breathing, give artificial respiration mouth to mouth.
• Circulation: If the person is unconscious, first give mouth to mouth respiration. If the person doesn't revive, perform CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) by pressing the heart hard using both palms. Repeat these two steps alternately after every 15 minutes.
• Bleeding: Cover the wound with an antiseptic pad and apply pressure for 5 minutes using thumb or palm.
• Fracture: Immobilize the fractured part using any wooden rods, rulers etc.
• Burns: Hold the burned part under cold and flowing water for at least 10 minutes.
• Sprain, Twisting and Contusion: Let the person rest, apply ice pack on the injured area, then massage it gently and keep the affected area elevated.

b. The scientific and eco-friendly methods of waste management are:

Incineration: Incineration is a process of solid waste disposal in which the waste is burned at very high temperatures, resulting in reduction of weight and volume of the waste, and decrease in toxicity of hazardous components of the wastes. It is a preferred method for disposal of biomedical waste.

Landfill sites: Industrial solid waste can be disposed of in an eco-friendly manner in landfills. Landfill are basically large dug outs which are used to dump the wastes. These landfill areas can then be converted into a playground or a park, once the site is full.

Pyrolysis: It is a method for the solid waste management. It is the chemical decomposition of solid waste by heat under high pressure and the end products of pyrolysis are used to produce steam and electricity.

Composting: It is a method which is used for management of organic wastes. It is a process in which organic waste material is decomposed in pits to release nutrients.

Vermicomposting: The process of making compost from kitchen garbage using earthworms is called vermicomposting.

c. Weather forecasting and disaster management go hand in hand. Weather forecasting helps in predicting the weather of an area for the next 2-3 days. Any kind of unfavorable changes which could occur in the near future are predicted by the meteorological department. For example, if there are any chances of cyclones, dust storms or heavy rainfall, the authorities can be informed prior about these developments and the required measures can be taken. The fishermen are alerted by the concerned agencies about heavy rainfall, or high tides so that they do not enter the sea during that time. If we know that a disaster may occur during a definite period of time, disaster management can be helpful in reducing the loss to lives and property. The disaster management teams and the local people can be informed about it and the required precautions can be undertaken.

d. e-wastes refer to the electronic wastes, that include old and discarded electric appliances, such as computers, TVs, refrigerators, cell phones, electronic toys, batteries, etc. Most of the electronic wastes are generated in cities, however, due to faster rate of development and improved lifestyle, now small towns and villages are also contributing to e-waste generation.

e-wastes are very dangerous and polluting as they contain many harmful substances, such as plastics, lead, cadmium, and mercury. These substances are not just non-biodegradable, but they also result in several life-threatening diseases, including cancer. Many of these harmful metals can enter the food chain and result in bioaccumulation.

e. Solid waste management can also be practiced at individual levels. We can segregate our kitchen wastes into biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. Fruit and vegetable peels, leftover food etc. can be used to create compost which can then be used in plants, parks and fields. Non-biodegradable waste need not go into waste rather it can through the process of reuse and recycle. For example, old glass jars and bottles can be used as planters, or pen holders etc. Things which cannot be reused or recycled can be considered wastes. We should also try to use less of plastic bags and more of jute bags for our daily chores. Use of disposable products should be avoided as they add to the menace of waste disposal.

Question 4:

Write notes.

Meteorology, Climatic factors, Monsoon model, Industrial waste, Plastic waste, Principles of first aid.

Answer 4:

a. Meteorology: The branch of science that deals with the study of earth's atmosphere and majorly focus on the weather processes and forecasting is known as meteorology. Weather forecasting is made depending on the various variables like temperature, air pressure, winds etc. as they vary with time. Storms, lightning, rainfall etc. are also studied under meteorology. Predictions made by the meteorological department is important to citizens, aviation services, farmers and various other organizations. There are various models which are used weather prediction:

• Mathematical Model: In this model, supercomputers are used to analyses complex data collected from observations and to find the optimal solution.
• Holistic Model: In this model, the output from other models are also taken into consideration and then collectively final prediction is made.

b. Climatic factors: Climate is defined as the average conditions that are expected at a certain place over a number of years. Climate remains constant for a region and does not change continuously. It influences our lives in terms of our basic needs like food, clothing and shelter as well as our occupations. Climatic factors are factors which affect the climate of a region for example, direction and speed of wind, temperature, atmospheric pressure, clouds, rainfall, humidity, visibility etc. These climatic factors are important in development of infrastructures like high scrapers, bridges, airport runways etc.

c. Monsoon model: For the first time, a model predicting monsoon was developed in 1877 by H. F. Blandford, the then founder of IMD. This was the first prediction of its kind and the parameter which was chosen to for this prediction was the snowfall in Himalayas. In 1930's, the then director of IMD, Sir Gilbert Walker established a relationship between Indian monsoon and the various worldwide climatic factors. It was Dr Valandra Ovaria who finally developed the monsoon model based upon 16 worldwide climatic parameters and this model was in use from 1990 to 2002.

d. Industrial waste: Industrial waste is the waste that is produced from industries during the manufacturing process. For example, pieces of metals, plastic, chemicals, etc. Industrial wastes are also a major source of environmental pollution. They lead to air and water pollution. The fumes which are generated from industries are highly poisonous and directly affect the respiratory systems of animals, humans and birds. The industrial waste materials are rich in toxic substances and heavy metals such as mercury, lead, copper, and cadmium. Mercury is a toxic substance, which exhibits the phenomenon of biomagnification when it enters the ecosystem via food chain. Since these chemicals cannot be decomposed, they keep on accumulating at each trophic level. The maximum concentration is accumulated at the top carnivore’s level. This increase in the concentration of pollutants or harmful chemicals with the increase in trophic level is called biological magnification.

e. Plastic waste: Plastic is something which we use on our daily basis and has become an inseparable part of our lives. Despite its various uses, one of the major disadvantages of plastic is that it is an environmental pollutant. Plastic is considered non-biodegradable because it is made of very long polymer chains, which take quite a long time to degrade. Moreover, none of the saprophytes contain enzymes to digest plastic and obtain its nutrients. Since, plastic is non-biodegradable, its proper disposal is also important or it may lead to problems like choking of sewage system, resulting in overflow of drains and death of animal by consuming plastic bags.

f. Principles of first aid: First aids are the emergency measures to be followed at the time of disaster before the medical help arrives. Basic Principles of First-Aid are:

• Airway: If a person faces difficulty in breathing, raise the chin or hold the head in backward sloping position, so as to keep the respiratory passage open.
• Breathing: If the person has stopped breathing, give artificial respiration mouth to mouth.
• Circulation: If the person is unconscious, first give mouth to mouth respiration. If the person doesn't revive, perform CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) by pressing the heart hard using both palms. Repeat these two steps alternately after every 15 minutes.

Question 5:

Give examples of the importance of climate in the living world with explanations, in your own words.

Answer 5:

Climate is defined as the weather conditions which have prevailed in a region over a long duration of time. Climate plays an important role in determining our basic needs like the type of food, clothing and shelter as well as our occupations. For example, people living in colder regions would eat food which liberate more of heat to keep them warm whereas people living in hotter areas food eat food which have cooling properties. From this one example we can understand how important climate is for all the living beings on this earth. The type of vegetation, animal, birds, insects which are found in a region is determined by its climatic conditions like polar bears are found in polar regions (arctic and Antarctic) whereas camels are found in desert areas. These are just few examples which explain the importance of climate. We have often read and heard about global warming and its disastrous effect on the climate. Any effect on the climatic conditions of a region would directly affect the existence of living beings in that region.

Question 6:

Explain with suitable examples, the care to be taken when using the methods of transporting patients.

Answer 6:

The following methods can be used for carefully transporting patients:

1. Carrying piggy back: This method can be used for transporting patients who are unconscious.

2. Cradle method: It can be used for transporting children and under-weight victims.

3. Pulling or lifting method: It can be used for carrying an unconscious patient through a short distance.

4. Human crutch method: This method is useful, if one of the legs is of the victim is injured. The victim should be supported with minimum load on the other leg.

5. Carrying on two-hand chair: This method can be used for those patients who cannot use their hands but can hold their body upright.

6. Carrying on four-hand chair: This method is implied when support is needed for the part below the waist.

7. Stretcher: If a conventional stretcher is not available in an emergency, then a temporary stretcher can be made using bamboos, blanket, etc.

Question 7:

Explain the differences.

a.  Weather and climate

b. Degradable and non-degradable waste

Answer 7:

a.

Weather	Climate
1. Weather is defined as the state of the atmosphere on a current day at a current time.	Climate is defined as the average conditions that are expected at a certain place over a number of years.
2. Weather forecaster is done on daily basis depending on the air pressure, temperature and other similar factors.	Climate forecast is done over a long period of time for example 30 years. This means that the climate of a region can be forecasted the basis of average weather over 30 years of time.

b.

Biodegradable waste	Non-biodegradable waste
i) Biodegradable waste can be degraded or broken down into simpler, harmless substances by living organisms.	i) Non-biodegradable waste cannot be degraded or broken down into simpler substances by living organisms.
ii) Breakdown of these wastes enriches the soil such as plant and animal wastes. Therefore, such wastes are beneficial for the soil.	ii) They do not break down and cause soil pollution. For e.g. plastics, glass, etc. Such wastes are harmful for the soil.

Or

BIODEGRADABLE SUBSTANCES	NON-BIODEGRADABLE  SUBSTANCES
The wastes that decompose naturally in the environment and are considered safe for the environment are called as biodegradable substances.	Such wastes which do not decompose naturally in the environment causes pollution and are also harmful to the living being are called the non-biodegradable substances.
Examples: - Dead plants and animals, their waste, fruits, vegetables, flowers, paper, etc.	Examples: - Chemicals, paints, plastic, rubber, toxic, plastic, metals, etc.
The rate of decomposition: - Slow.	The rate of decomposition: - Fast.
Bacteria, fungi, and other living organisms have the capability of decomposing the material into the soil.	These substances do not degrade easily or by the action of natural agents.
After degradation, they can be used to produce biogas, manure, fertilizers, compost.	As their degradation rate is slow and the separation and recycling are not easy and expensive too.
6.Biodegradable substances are not harmful to the environment.	They are harmful to the environment.