Everyday Science - PMS 2026 GK (Q451-500): Pollution, Environment, Climate & SDGs MCQs

Correct Answer: Smoke, dust, gases & industrial emissions

Air pollution is caused by smoke, dust, gases and industrial emissions released into the air.

Correct Answer: Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the major greenhouse gas in exam one-liners, as the leading human-driven greenhouse gas.

Correct Answer: Smoke & fog

Smog is a mixture of smoke and fog, forming a hazy, polluted air layer over cities.

Correct Answer: Buildings, crops & aquatic life

Acid rain damages buildings (stone and metal corrosion), crops and aquatic life in lakes and rivers.

Correct Answer: Traffic, industries & construction

Noise pollution is caused by traffic, industries and construction activity, the main sources of loud urban noise.

Correct Answer: Increased UV radiation

Ozone depletion leads to increased UV radiation reaching the Earth, since the ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet light.

Correct Answer: Climate patterns & sea levels

Global warming affects climate patterns and sea levels, through changing weather and melting ice.

Correct Answer: Trapping of heat in atmosphere

The greenhouse effect is the trapping of heat in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases.

Correct Answer: Land degradation

Desertification increases land degradation, turning productive dry land into desert-like land.

Correct Answer: Carbon absorption & biodiversity

Deforestation reduces carbon absorption (fewer trees take in CO2) and biodiversity (habitats are lost).

Correct Answer: Drinking water quality

Water pollution reduces drinking water quality, making water unsafe for human use.

Correct Answer: Excess nutrients in water

Eutrophication is caused by excess nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) in water, triggering algal blooms.

Correct Answer: Flood control & water purification

Wetlands help in flood control and water purification: they store floodwater and filter pollutants.

Correct Answer: Resource depletion & waste

Recycling reduces resource depletion and waste, by reusing materials instead of extracting new ones.

Correct Answer: Organic waste into fertilizer

Composting converts organic waste into fertilizer (compost) through decomposition by microbes.

Correct Answer: CO2 & pollutants

Fossil fuel burning releases CO2 and pollutants (including sulfur and nitrogen oxides and particulates).

Correct Answer: Soil conservation & biodiversity

Sustainable agriculture promotes soil conservation and biodiversity, keeping soil healthy and habitats intact.

Correct Answer: Aquatic biodiversity

Overfishing affects aquatic biodiversity, depleting fish stocks and disturbing marine food webs.

Correct Answer: Oil spills & plastic waste

Marine pollution is caused by oil spills and plastic waste, the leading pollutants of oceans and seas.

Correct Answer: Human CO2 emissions

A carbon footprint measures human CO2 emissions, usually as tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person or activity.

Correct Answer: Environmental impact

Energy conservation reduces environmental impact, by cutting the fuel burned and emissions produced.

Correct Answer: Organic waste

Biogas is produced from organic waste, by anaerobic digestion of plant and animal matter.

Correct Answer: April 22

Earth Day is observed on April 22 every year.

Correct Answer: June 5

World Environment Day is observed on June 5 every year.

Correct Answer: Polar regions

Global warming causes ice melting in the polar regions, in the Arctic and Antarctica.

Correct Answer: Coastal areas

Rising sea levels threaten coastal areas, with flooding, erosion and saltwater intrusion.

Correct Answer: Water scarcity & crop failure

Drought leads to water scarcity and crop failure, as rainfall and water supplies fall short.

Correct Answer: Heavy rainfall & poor drainage

Flooding results from heavy rainfall and poor drainage, when water cannot run off fast enough.

Correct Answer: Undersea earthquakes

Tsunami warning systems detect undersea earthquakes, the seismic events that can generate tsunamis.

Correct Answer: Clean water & sanitation

Sustainable Development Goal 6 relates to clean water and sanitation for all.

Correct Answer: Climate action

SDG 13 relates to climate action: urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Correct Answer: Affordable & clean energy

SDG 7 relates to affordable and clean energy for all.

Correct Answer: Treated before discharge

Industrial wastewater must be treated before discharge, to remove pollutants before it reaches rivers.

Correct Answer: Pollution level in air

The air quality index measures the pollution level in air, summarising key pollutants in one scale.

Correct Answer: Capturing & storing CO2

Carbon sequestration involves capturing and storing CO2, keeping it out of the atmosphere.

Correct Answer: 1997

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997 (in Kyoto, Japan) and entered into force in 2005.

Correct Answer: Below 2°C

The Paris Agreement aims to limit temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, pursuing 1.5°C.

Correct Answer: CFCs to protect ozone layer

The Montreal Protocol regulates CFCs to protect the ozone layer, phasing out ozone-depleting substances.

Correct Answer: Biodiversity loss & climate change

Forest conservation prevents biodiversity loss and climate change, by keeping habitats and carbon stores intact.

Correct Answer: 5.6

Rain is considered acidic below pH 5.6, since unpolluted rain is naturally about pH 5.6 from dissolved CO2.

Correct Answer: Lead, Mercury & Cadmium

Heavy metals polluting water include lead, mercury and cadmium, all toxic even in small amounts.

Correct Answer: Toxin concentration up the food chain

Biomagnification increases toxin concentration up the food chain, as predators accumulate the toxins of their prey.

Correct Answer: Rainfall & rivers

Renewable water sources include rainfall and rivers, replenished by the water cycle.

Correct Answer: Water table depletion

Overuse of groundwater leads to water table depletion, as pumping exceeds natural recharge.

Correct Answer: Conserve soil & water

Watershed management aims to conserve soil and water in a river basin, controlling erosion and runoff.

Correct Answer: Afforestation & soil conservation

Desertification can be reduced by afforestation and soil conservation, restoring vegetation and holding soil.

Correct Answer: Reduce pollution & resource use

Recycling of plastics helps reduce pollution and resource use, by reusing plastic instead of making new plastic.

Correct Answer: Soil fertility

Compost helps in soil fertility, adding organic matter and nutrients to the soil.

Correct Answer: Projects affecting environment

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is conducted for projects affecting the environment, before approval.