Water Pollution - Causes and Effects - UNSOLVED PRACTICE SET
Chapter: Natural Resources | Topic: Water Pollution Causes and Effects
WATER POLLUTION - CAUSES AND EFFECTS - UNSOLVED PRACTICE SET
Topic: Water Pollution Causes and Effects
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. Which of the following is a major cause of water pollution in Indian rivers?
- Too much oxygen
- Untreated sewage and industrial waste being dumped into rivers
- Excessive rainfall
- Water evaporation
Q2. The process by which water bodies receive excess nutrients (like nitrates and phosphates) from fertilisers, causing excessive growth of algae, is called:
- Evaporation
- Eutrophication
- Condensation
- Sedimentation
Q3. Which water-borne disease is caused by drinking contaminated water containing the bacterium Vibrio cholerae?
- Malaria
- Cholera
- Tuberculosis
- Diabetes
Q4. The Ganga river is considered polluted mainly because:
- It flows too fast
- Millions of litres of untreated sewage, industrial waste, and religious offerings are dumped into it daily
- It has too many fish
- It is too long
Q5. Which of these is NOT a harmful effect of water pollution on aquatic life?
- Fish dying due to lack of oxygen
- Algae overgrowth blocking sunlight
- Improved breeding of all aquatic species
- Bioaccumulation of toxins in fish
Short Answer Questions
Q6. What is water pollution? Name four main sources of water pollution in India.
Q7. Explain the process of eutrophication. How does it lead to the death of fish and other aquatic organisms in lakes?
Q8. How does water pollution affect human health? Name three water-borne diseases and their causative organisms.
Q9. The Yamuna river in Delhi is described as a "sewage drain" in many stretches. What are the main pollutants entering the Yamuna, and how do they affect the people living nearby?
Long Answer Questions
Q10. Explain the causes and effects of water pollution in detail. Describe how domestic sewage, industrial waste, agricultural runoff (fertilisers and pesticides), and religious activities contribute to polluting rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna. What are the effects on human health, aquatic ecosystems, and agriculture? Suggest four practical control measures.
Q11. "The Ganga Action Plan and Namami Gange are ambitious, but the river remains polluted." Discuss this statement by explaining: why the Ganga is so heavily polluted (sources of pollution), what the Namami Gange programme aims to do, why progress has been slow, and what additional steps are needed from industries, municipalities, and citizens to truly clean the river.
APPLICATION / ANALYSIS
Q12. Case Study - Lake Pollution in Bangalore:
Bangalore's famous Bellandur Lake was studied:
| Parameter | 1990 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Dissolved oxygen | 8 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Fish population | Abundant | Almost zero |
| Algae growth | Normal | Excessive (covers entire surface) |
| Sewage inflow | Minimal | 500 million litres per day |
| Foam formation | None | Toxic foam reaching roads |
Answer the following:
(a) What happened to the dissolved oxygen level, and why did the fish population disappear? Explain the connection.
(b) What caused the excessive algae growth and toxic foam? Name the specific pollutants responsible.
(c) If you were the lake restoration officer, what is the first step you would take to save this lake?
Q13. Real-Life Application - Village Water Source:
A village in Uttar Pradesh has one hand pump that serves 200 families. Recently, many children have developed diarrhoea. A health worker tests the water and finds:
High levels of nitrates
Presence of coliform bacteria
Turbid (cloudy) appearance
Foul smell
The village has:
Open defecation near the hand pump
A pesticide shop nearby
No drainage system
Cattle bathing in the water source
Answer the following:
(a) Identify the likely cause for each water quality problem found (nitrates, coliform bacteria, turbidity, smell). Match each to one village practice.
(b) Why are children more vulnerable to water-borne diseases than adults?
(c) Design a simple, low-cost solution that the village can implement immediately to make the hand pump water safer.