Solving ICSE Class 10 Environmental Science Previous Year Question Papers ICSE Class 10 Environmental Science Question Paper 2020 is the best way to boost your preparation for the board exams.
ICSE Class 10 Environmental Science Question Paper 2020 Solved
Maximum Marks: 80
Time allowed: Two Hours
General Instructions:
- Answer to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.
- You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
- This time is to be spent in reading the question paper. The time given at the head
of this paper is the time allowed for writing the answers. - Attempt all questions from Section A and any four questions from Section B.
- The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ]
Section – A (40 Marks)
Attempt all questions from this Section.
Question 1
(a) What are bio pesticides? Give one example of a bio pesticide. (2)
Answer:
Bio pesticides are certain types of pesticides obtained from natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals.
For example, canola oil and baking soda have pesticidal applications and are considered bio pesticides.
(b) What are biosphere reserves? (2)
Answer:
A biosphere reserve is a ecosystem with plants and animals of unusual scientific and natural interest. Biosphere reserves help ensure the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the region, by encouraging wise use of natural and human resources.
(c) List any two problems that waste can cause to our environment. (2)
Answer:
Disposing of waste has huge environmental impacts and can cause serious problems. Some waste will eventually rot, but not all, and in the process it may smell, or generate methane gas, which is explosive and contributes to the greenhouse effect.
Generally waste cause Pollution and loss of biodiversity.
(d) Explain the working of Remote Sensing Satellites. (2)
Answer:
Remote sensors collect data by detecting the energy that is reflected from Earth. These sensors can be on satellites or mounted on aircraft. They record natural energy that is reflected or emitted from the Earth’s surface. The most common source of radiation detected by passive sensors is reflected sunlight.
(e) What is the impact of increasing population on the land? (2)
Answer:
It is estimated that growth in human population affect the global land use pattern available for agriculture, forest land cover, nearby area of different type of water bodies. The rapid increase of human population is putting huge pressure on our natural resources available e g., land, water, ecosystem services etc.
Question 2.
(a) List two aims of MNC s. (2)
Answer:
The aims/goals of any company whether it is multinational or local are :
- Increase penetration.
- Enhance Market share
- Double the Profit every year by selling more and more every year
- Reduce the cost
- By achieving all of above, multiply share holders value i.e., share price, which is the ultimate goal of creating wealth for the promoters.
(b) How has LPG benefited the rural areas of India? (2)
Answer:
LPG substitutes the polluting and toxic cooking fuels. This is not only good for their health as LPG bums clean with practically negligible toxic gases, but it would also free up the time they spend accumulating the firewood etc, and time spend in cooking, as LPG has significantly higher calorific value compared to other available fuels.
(c) What are organic fertilizers? Give any one disadvantage of organic fertilizers. (2)
Answer:
Organic fertilizers are fertilizers derived from animal matter, animal excreta (manure), human excreta, and vegetable matter (e.g., compost and crop residues). Naturally occurring organic fertilizers include animal wastes from meat processing, peat, manure, slurry, and guano.
Disadvantages of organic manure:
The biggest disadvantage of using an organic fertilizer is that it may not contain primary nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous or potassium, also known as NPK.
(d) Name any two clean fuels. (2)
Answer:
Clean fuels are fuels that have a lower carbon intensity than the standard for the fuel it replaces. Examples of clean fuels include most types of ethanol, bio dies.el, natural gas, bio gas, electricity, propane and hydrogen.
(e) How can the government encourage child education? (2)
Answer:
The government has brought about various schemes that ensure equitable education for all.
1. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): This program was introduced in 2001 and is one of the biggest projects in India. This program covers the entire country and works in partnership with local and state governments.
2. National Program for Education of Girls at Elementary Education (NPEGEL): The program has been initiated by the Government of India to reach girls, especially the girls that are not enrolled in a school.
3. Midday Meal Scheme: The main objective of creating this scheme was to eliminate classroom hunger of children and to increase attendance and enrollment of children at schools.
4. Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao: This scheme ensures the protection of girls and their survival and makes sure that girls participate in educational activities alongside boys.
Question 3.
(a) State any two reasons forfossil fiiel depletion. (2)
Answer:
Following are the reasons for fuel depletion:
- Over consumption and waste
- Deforestation and the Destruction of Ecosystems leading to loss of biodiversity
- Mining of Minerals and Oil
- Technological and Industrial Development
- Erosion
(b) Why is it important for hospitals to reduce their solid waste? (2)
Answer:
Hospital generates waste and the overall product is waste of different kinds; healthcare, household and administrative waste. Healthcare waste includes infectious, chemical, expired pharmaceutical and radioactive items and sharps. These items can be pathogenic and environmentally adverse. The management of hospital generated waste is not only the responsibility of the hospital administration but also of every department and every health care providing personnel in the hospital.
The medical waste has to be properly collected and segregated from other non-hazardous waste in specific color-coded receptacles. There are reports of programs directed at the reduction of hazardous healthcare waste and the control of the cost of disposal. Evaluating the individual hospital profile of generation and flow of hazardous healthcare waste is a necessary primary step required for initiating effective management of hospital generated waste.
(c) What do you understand by the term ‘debt trap’? (2)
Answer:
A debt trap is a situation in which a borrower is led into a cycle of re-borrowing, or rolling over, their loan payments because they are unable to afford the scheduled payments on the principal of a loan. These traps are usually caused by high-interest rates and short terms.
(d) What is the need for biotechnology in agriculture? (2)
Answer:
The scope of bio – technological applications in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry is concerned with- the development of disease and pest resistant varieties of plants and animals; the production of food containing high nutrient value; the production of vaccines and the development of drought resistant crop varieties.
(e) Define reforestation. (2)
Answer:
Reforestation is the process of regenerating or replanting forest areas that have been destroyed or damaged for the benefits of mankind. Reforestation and afforestation share the same meaning i.e. afforestation is another name given to reforestation.
Question 4.
(a) State the difference of a core and buffer zone in a tiger reserved area. (2)
Answer:
Core Zone: Core zone includes protected areas, as they act as reference points on the natural state of the ecosystems represented by the biosphere reserves. Core zone is where the actual forest exists and there are no villages inside this core zone. The core zone is basically an important area where the conservation of wildlife and natural resources is strictly protected by the forest department.
Buffer Zone: The area that surrounds or adjoins the core areas where nature is conserved alongside compatible human uses of the land or water. These might include activities such as ecotourism, recreation, sustainable agriculture, and forestry plus others. The buffer zone is mainly where both villagers and animals (mainly tigers) co-exist.
(b) What is the link between growing population and environment degradation? (2)
Answer:
Population impacts on the environment primarily through the use of natural resources and production of wastes and is associated with environmental stresses like loss of biodiversity, air and water pollution and increased pressure on arable land. Poverty is said to be both cause and effect of environmental degradation. The analysis reveals that outcomes of high population growth rates are increasing population density and number of people below poverty line. Population pressure contributes to land degradation and soil erosion, thus affecting productive resource base of the economy.
(c) What are bunds? How do they reduce soil erosion? (2)
Answer:
The word bund means an embankment. Bunds are small barriers to runoff coming from external catchments. The stone bunds form a barrier that slows down water runoff, allowing rainwater to seep into the soil and spread more evenly over the land. This slowing down of water runoff helps with building-up a layer of fine soil and manure particles, rich in nutrients.
(d) How has construction work contributed to degradation of the environment? (2)
Answer:
Construction’s Impact on the Environment: Construction projects around the world have a significant impact on our environment, both on a local and a global scale. Every stage of the construction process has a measurable environmental impact: the mining processes used to source materials, the transportation of these materials to the building site from sources around the world, the construction process itself and the waste removal and disposal process that follows the completion of the project.
Climate change scientists believe that the Earth is rapidly getting warmer and that human activity is playing a significant role in accelerating this process. The biggest way in which construction firms are doing this is by contributing to carbon dioxide emissions. Every construction project results in the emission of carbon dioxide, methane, and other waste products that pollute the air and are believed to contribute to global climate change.
(e) Mention any two ways by which industrial pollution can be controlled. (2)
Answer:
The implementation of control measures should be based on the principle of recovery or recycling of the pollutants and must be taken as an integral part of production i.e. never as a liability but always an asset.
Some important control measures are:
- The industrial wastes should be subjected to proper treatment before their discharge.
- Intensive plantation in the region, considerably reduces the dust, smoke and other pollutants.
[Section – B (40 Marks)]
Answer any four questions from this Section.
Question 5
(a) Define soil erosion. Explain any two man made and any two natural causes for soil erosion. (5)
Answer:
The loss of soil cover due to natural agents like wind and running water is called soil erosion.
Causes of Soil Erosion:
Natural causes:
(i) Rainfall and Flooding : Higher intensity of rainstorm is the main cause of soil erosion.
(ii) Logging and Mining : A large number of trees are cut down to carry out the logging process. Trees hold . the soil firmly. The canopy of the trees protects the . . soil from heavy rainfall. The leaf litter that protects
the soil from erosion, is also lost during logging.
Man made causes:
- Construction: The construction of roads and buildings exposes the soil to erosion.
- Agriculture: The farming practices are the major cause of soil erosion. The agricultural activities disturb the ground.
(b) What is biodiversity? Explain four reasons for loss of it in recent times. (5)
Answer:
Biodiversity can be defined as a community of all the living organisms on the earth and the diversity among them from all the ecosystems. Biodiversity holds ecological and economic significance. It provides us with nourishment, housing, fuel, clothing and several other resources. It also extracts monetary benefits through tourism. Therefore, it is very important to have a good knowledge of biodiversity for a sustainable livelihood.
Causes of Loss of Biodiversity: Some of the major causes that have resulted in the loss of biodiversity are mentioned below:
1. The natural habitat of the ecosystem plays a major role in maintaining the ecological balance. Several trees are cut down every year for the construction of industries, highways, settlement and so on to fulfill the human demands. As a result, the species become the target to predation and eventually die.
2. Hunting of the wild animals for commercialization of their products has been a major reason for the loss of biodiversity.
3. The exploitation of the medicinal plants for several laboratory purposes has resulted in the extinction of these species. Also, several animals are sacrificed for the purpose of various research in science and medicine.
4. Natural calamities like floods, earthquakes, forest fires also lead to the loss of biodiversity.
5. Air pollution has a major role in the loss of biodiversity. Rapid cutting down of the trees has resulted in the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leading to climate change. As a result, there has been an increase in the land and ocean temperature leaving an inimical impact on species.
Question 6.
(a) Define incineration. Write any two advantages and any two disadvantages of incineration. (5)
Answer:
Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration and other high-temperature waste treatment systems are described as “thermal treatment”. Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas and heat.
Advantages of Incineration:
1. Better Waste Management : The first major advantage of incineration is waste management. The approach certainly makes waste management easier and more efficient. Incineration can bum up to 90% of the total waste generated in a chosen area.
2. Less Dependence on Landfills : Incineration reduces the need for landfills. Since up to 90% and at times 95% of the landfills is vacated after the waste in incinerated, it can be an ongoing cycle.
Disadvantages of Incineration:
1. Not that Affordable : Incineration is not an inexpensive process, far from it in reality. The costs of building the infrastructure are substantial. The cost of running incineration plants is substantial too. One also needs trained manpower and dedicated staff to keep the incinerators running. All this adds to the cost.
2. Bad for the Environment: Incinerators generate smoke. The smoke from the chimneys includes nitrogen oxide, particulates, heavy metals, acid gases and the carcinogen dioxin.
3. Long Term Challenges : Incineration discourages . recycling and waste reduction. That is not a wise approach for any society. The focus should be on how to reduce waste and to make the most of recycling. Simply burning everything we waste and no matter how more we waste will only cause further environmental damage.
(b) What do you understand by international trade? List four benefits from international trade. (5)
Answer:
International trade refers to the exchange of goods and services between the countries. In simple words, it means the export and import of goods and services. International trade supports the world economy, where prices or demand and supply are affected by global events.
Advantages of International Trade
1. Comparative advantage : It allows countries to specialize in producing only those goods and services, which it is good at.
2. Economies of scale: If a country wants to sell its goods in the international market, it will have to produce more than what is needed to meet the domestic demand. So, producing higher volume leads to economies of scale, meaning the cost of producing each item is reduced.
3. Competition: Selling goods and services in the foreign market also boosts the competition in that market. In a way, it is good for local suppliers and consumers as well. Suppliers will have to ensure that their prices and quality is competitive enough to meet the foreign competition.
4. Transfer of technology : International trade often leads to the transfer of technology from a developed nation to the developing nation. Govt, in the developing nation often lay terms for foreign companies that involve developing local manufacturing capacities.
5. More job creation : Increase in international trade also creates job opportunities in both countries. That’s a major reason why big trading nations like the US, Japa, and South Korea have lower unemployment rates.
Question 7.
(a) What is urbanization? (5)
How can the government help to facilitate a better lifestyle to urban areas ?
Answer:
Urbanization is an increase in the number of people living in towns and cities. It occurs mainly because people move from rural areas to urban areas and it results in growth in the size of the urban population and the extent of urban areas.
According to the Ministry of Urban Development, ‘Urban Infrastructure’ should be equipped with all the necessary facilities. It should give a decent quality of life to its residents, promising clean and sustainable environment by applying smart solutions in the domain of sanitation, waste management, public transport and governance. The government of India has launched various urban development schemes, such as:
I. SMART CITIES MISSION:
It is an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India with a mission to develop 100 cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘smart’ solutions.
The core infrastructure elements in a Smart City would include:
- Adequate water supply and Assured electricity supply,
- Sanitation, including solid waste management,
- Efficient urban mobility and public transport,
- Safety and security of citizens, particularly women, children and the elderly, and Health and education.
II. ATAL MISSION FOR REJUVENATION AND URBAN TRANSFORMATION (AMRUT):
The purpose of (AMRUT) is to:
- Ensure that every household has access to a tap with assured supply of water and a sewerage connection
- Reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non-motorized transport (e.g. walking and cycling)
III. PRADHAN MANTRIAWAS YOJANA- HOUSING FOR ALL (URBAN):
The Mission is being implemented during 2015-2022 and provides central assistance to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other implementing agencies through States/ UTs for:
- In-situ rehabilitation of existing slum dwellers using land as a resource through private participation
- Credit-Linked Subsidy
- Affordable housing in partnership
- Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction/enhancement.
IV. SWACHH BHARAT MISSION (SBM) URBAN :
- Modern and scientific Municipal Solid Waste Management
- To effect behavioural change regarding healthy sanitation practices
- Generate awareness about sanitation and its linkage with Public Health Capacity
- Augmentation for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
(b) Mention any two threats faced by Taj Mahal monument. (5)
State any three steps that can be taken to reduce its degradation.
Answer:
A new Indian government survey has revealed that the Taj Mahal, the nation’s best-known monument, is again facing a major threat from pollution. The survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, found that pollution levels in the city of Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located, had risen significantly over recent years as a result of growth in industry, traffic and population. Recently, the issues of pollution harming the marble surface of the Taj Mahal have arisen. In Agra, today, pollution levels are high. Although the Taj is cleaned approximately every one to two years with a resin compound, the marble is beginning to be discolored with a yellow hue from pollution. There is more than one cause contributing to the pollution around the Taj Mahal. There are factories in Agra that emit dangerous sulphur and smoke. Exhaust from vehicles also harms the Taj.
Preventive Measures:
Both the Government and non-government bodies are trying to make Agra a pollution-free city but their objectives include reducing lead and sulphur emissions, and they are initiating sales of low-lead or lead-free gasoline in the area.
Steps are being taken to reduce the pollution levels around the Taj. Several strategies are now in place to help protect the Taj Mahal. For example, all nearby transport must run only on electric battery power and may not come within a third of a mile (500 meters) of the monument. Investment in urban infrastructure has been used to reduce both water and air pollution.
Local and regional governments in India have tried in their own way to watch over the Taj Mahal. So too, has the national government’s Ministry of Petroleum and National Gas, via the introduction of a 10-point plan to clean up Agra’s air.
Question 8.
(a) Write a note on women centered human development as a strategy for controlling the population growth. (5)
Answer:
Women play an important role in the determination of family size. Participation in social and economic activities may help to promote small family size by meeting the necessary conditions of emotional and social fulfillment of women outside the family context. Adequate education for women in rural as well as urban areas can elucidate alternatives to childbearing and enable women to appreciate the need for and use of contraception. Employment opportunities enhance women’s familial decision making power through the’ acquisition of an alternative social and economic role, which may help them to adopt birth control practices, space their children, and limit family size. Motivational schemes may change the attitudes of a small number of families, however, greater gains could be achieved through an investment in women’s education and employment.
Women empowerment can control population growth by:
1. Education: Education is one of the major part of women empowerment. When women are educated, they are aware of risks of multiple pregnancy. They can also adopt birth control measures in order to control their family. Individual act will thus add on to global population control.
2. Self-sufficiency: Women who are employed and no longer at the mercy of other family members is better equipped to avoid multiple pregnancy. Since they generate their own income, there is no need to follow husband’s orders.
3. Independent decision making: Empowered women have the courage to go against family pressure and take own decisions. They are treated equally and their decision on pregnancy is ultimate.
(b) When and where was the UN’s International conference on Population and Development held? Explain any three objectives. (5)
Answer:
The United Nations coordinated an International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Egypt, on 5-13 September 1994. Its resulting Programme of Action is the steering document for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Some 20,000 delegates from various governments, UN agencies, NGOs, and the media gathered for a discussion of a variety of population issues, including immigration, infant mortality, birth control, family planning, the education of women, and protection for women from unsafe abortion services.
According to the official ICPD release, the conference delegates achieved consensus on the following four qualitative and quantitative goals:
1. Universal education : Universal primary education in all countries by 2015. Urge countries to provide wider access to women for secondary and higher level education as well as vocational and technical training.
2. Reduction of infant and child mortality: Countries should strive to reduce infant and under-5 child mortality rates by one-third or to 50-70 deaths per 1000 by the year 2000. By 2015 all countries should aim to achieve a rate below 35 per 1,000 live births and under-five mortality rate below 45 per 1,000.
3. Reduction of maternal mortality : A reduction by 12 the 1990 levels by 2000 and 12 of that by 2015. Disparities in maternal mortality within countries and between geographical regions, socio-economic and ethnic groups should be narrowed.
4. Access to reproductive and sexual health services including family planning : Family¬planning counseling, pre-natal care, safe delivery and post-natal care, prevention and appropriate treatment of infertility, prevention of abortion and the management of the consequences of abortion, treatment of reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases and other reproductive health conditions; and education, counseling, as appropriate, on human sexuality, reproductive health and responsible parenthood. Services regarding HIV/ AIDS, breast cancer, infertility, and delivery should be made available. Active discouragement of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Question 9.
(a) What is Agro forestry? Discuss any four objectives of Agro forestry. (5)
Answer:
Agroforestry : The practice of growing crops between rows of trees is called as Agro- forestry. Tea and coffee farms are important examples of this practice in which tea and coffee bushes are grown between rows of trees having less canopy areas. The practice of agro-forestry has been traditionally adopted in India in the form of Jhum cultivation.
The benefits from agro-forestry are listed below:
- This practice provides additional benefits to farmers by increasing their income,
- Trees provide shelter to numerous birds that eat away insect pests of crops,
- This practice is important as it is helpful in checking soil erosion and increasing moisture content of air over the crop fields.
- Agro forestry is helpful in improving soil fertility as leaves of trees falling on the ground decompose and increase soil fertility.
(b) What is sustainable agriculture? Explain any four regenerative farming techniques. (5)
Answer:
Sustainable agriculture is a type of agriculture that focuses on producing long-term crops and livestock while having minimal effects on the environment. This type of agriculture tries to find a good balance between the need for food production and the preservation of the ecological system within the environment. Sustainable agriculture also focuses on maintaining economic stability of farms and helping farmers improve their techniques and quality of life.
Regenerative Agriculture is a system of farming principles and practices that increases biodiversity, enriches soils, improves watersheds, and enhances ecosystem services. Regenerative Agriculture aims to capture carbon in soil and above ground biomass, reversing current global trends of atmospheric accumulation. At the same time, it offers increased yields, resilience to climate instability, and higher health and vitality for farming and ranching communities.
Regenerative Agriculture Techniques:
The Regenerative Agriculture Practices that can progressively improve whole agro-ecosystems are:
- No-Till Farming & Pasture Cropping
- Organic Annual Cropping
- Compost & Compost Tea
- Biochar & Terra Preta
- Holistically Managed Grazing
- Animal Integration
- Ecological Aquaculture
- Perennial Crops
- Silvopasture
- Agroforestry
Question 10.
(a) Define Trickle Drip Irrigation . State any two merits and two demerits of it. (5)
Answer:
Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation, is an irrigation method which saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to trip slowly to the roots of plants, either onto the soil surface or directly onto the root zone, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing, and emitters. It is done with the help of tubes which deliver water directly to the bottom of the plant.
Advantages of using drip irrigation are:
- Minimized fertilizer/nutrient loss due to localized application and reducing leaching
- Moisture within the root zone can be maintained at field capacity
- Minimized soil erosion and weed growth
The disadvantages of drip irrigation are:
- Initial cost can be more than overhead systems.
- The sun can affect the tubes used for drip irrigation, shortening their lifespan.
- The risks of degrading plastic affecting the soil content and food crops.
- If the water is not properly filtered and the equipment not properly maintained, it can result in clogging or bio clogging.
- Drip irrigation systems cannot be used for damage control by night frosts
(b) What are the conservation strategies for wildlife at national and international levels? Explain any one in detail. (5)
Answer:
Wildlife conservation is an activity in which humans make conscious efforts to protect plants and other animal species and their habitats. Wildlife conservation is very important because wildlife and wilderness play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance and contribute to human quality of life. India has a rich heritage of wildlife. It has a long history and tradition of conservation of plants and animals. Principles of conservation are mixed in religious texts and practices in this country. National Level Conservation Strategies:
On the National Level we have different laws that are in force to check poaching and hunting of animals and also to check trade in their body parts.
I. National Parks : A National Park is an area protected and preserved by law for the protection and preservation of flora and fauna within its boundary. Grazing of cattle, removal of any wildlife from its habitat is strictly prohibited in a national park and all rights are reserved with the government. The law defines a national park as an area which is of ecological, faunal, floral and geo- morphologic importance.
II. Wildlife Sanctuary: A Sanctuary is a protected area where wild animals and birds are kept and encouraged to increase their population. Presently, there are more than 490 sanctuaries in India covering a total area of 1,48,848 sq km.
In wildlife sanctuaries, rare and endangered species are encouraged to breed in human controlled environments with restricted settings. This is called as captive breeding. This is a successful technique to increase the populations of rare and endangered species of animals. When the populations of such animals are increased through captive breeding in the captivity the animals are safely released into the wild.
International Level Conservation Strategies:
On international level, the IUCN and the WWF established Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in International Commerce (TRAFFIC) in 1976. The secretariat of the TRAFFIC has strengthened the efforts of the International Community to monitor and control illegal trade in wildlife and in their body parts. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of wild flora and fauna, the Interpol, World Custom Organizations and a large number of organizations on global level, are establishing networks to check the international trade in animals and in their body parts or in their products derived by killing them mercilessly.
CITES or Convention on International Trade in Endangered species have framed International Laws to be applicable world wide. These laws protect endangered species and limit the illicit trade in wildlife, in their body parts and in the products derived by killing them across the world. The CITES is concerned with the international co-operation to control only the illegal trade in endangered species where as the TRAFFIC is concerned with the monitoring of both the legal as well as the illegal trade in wildlife across the world.