Science · Textbook solutions
Our Environment
Every solved example, exercise, and miscellaneous question, in the order the textbook teaches them. Plus every board question asked from this chapter. · 16 questions
13.1 Eco-system — What are its Components?
2 q
Questions
Practice · 2
- IT 13.1 Q1What are trophic levels? Give an example of a food chain and state the different trophic levels in it.
- IT 13.1 Q2What is the role of decomposers in the ecosystem?
13.2 How do our Activities Affect the Environment?
3 q
Questions
Practice · 3
- IT 13.2 Q1Why are some substances biodegradable and some non-biodegradable?
- IT 13.2 Q2Give any two ways in which biodegradable substances would affect the environment.
- IT 13.2 Q3Give any two ways in which non-biodegradable substances would affect the environment.
13.2.2 Managing the Garbage we Produce
2 q
Questions
Practice · 2
- IT 13.3 Q1What is ozone and how does it affect any ecosystem?
- IT 13.3 Q2How can you help in reducing the problem of waste disposal? Give any two methods.
Exercises
9 q
- Ex 13 Q1Which of the following groups contain only biodegradable items? (a) Grass, flowers and leather (b) Grass, wood and plastic (c) Fruit-peels, cake and lime-juice (d) Cake, wood and grass
- Ex 13 Q2Which of the following constitute a food-chain?
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- Ex 13 Q3Which of the following are environment-friendly practices?
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- Ex 13 Q4What will happen if we kill all the organisms in one trophic level?
- Ex 13 Q5Will the impact of removing all the organisms in a trophic level be different for different trophic levels? Can the organisms of any trophic level be removed without causing any damage to the ecosystem?
- Ex 13 Q6What is biological magnification? Will the levels of this magnification be different at different levels of the ecosystem?
- Ex 13 Q7What are the problems caused by the non-biodegradable wastes that we generate?
- Ex 13 Q8If all the waste we generate is biodegradable, will this have no impact on the environment?
- Ex 13 Q9Why is damage to the ozone layer a cause for concern? What steps are being taken to limit this damage?
What the board has asked from this chapter
Questions per paper · 67 papers · 2022 to 2026
2022: 3 questions per paper. 2023: 1.5 questions per paper. 2024: 1.5 questions per paper. 2025: 1.5 questions per paper. 2026: 1.8 questions per paper
2026
27 q
- 3Given below are some of the statements regarding our environment : (i) Change in our life-styles have resulted in greater amounts of waste material generation. (ii) Changes in attitude have resulted in use of more disposable things. (iii) Changes in packaging has resulted in much of our waste becoming non-biodegradable. (iv) Organic farming. Which amongst these is not leading to any damage of environment ?
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Waste Management - 3An ecosystem contains maximum number of :
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Food Chains and Webs - 5Select the incorrect statement from the following :
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Ozone Layer Depletion - 5Organisms of a higher trophic level which feed on several types of organisms belonging to a lower trophic level form the :
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Food Chains and Webs - 6In accumulation of toxic substances at higher trophic levels of an ecosystem through the food chain, which of the following organisms is affected the most ?
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Food Chains and Webs - 6In terms of various trophic levels of a food chain, which of the following organisms belong to the same level ?
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Food Chains and Webs - 6Which of the following is a non-biodegradable pollutant ?
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Waste Management - 6In the given figure, identify the trophic level having maximum concentration of harmful chemicals.
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Food Chains and Webs - 7Which of the following limits the number of trophic levels in a food chain ?
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Food Chains and Webs - 7Which of the following group is not ‘biodegradable’ ?
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Waste Management - 7In an ecosystem, the decomposers perform an important role. Select the option indicating the role of decomposers.
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Ecosystem and its Components - 7The reasons for excessive generation of wastes are : (i) Use and throw policy. (ii) Increased availability of packaged food. (iii) Increased construction wastes. (iv) Non-sorting of dry and wet wastes.
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Waste Management - For Questions number 8 and 9, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below.8Assertion (A) : Natural replenishment of soil will not take place in absence of microbes. Reason (R) : Microbes, comprising of bacteria and fungi, break down dead remains and waste products of organisms, and they go into the soil.
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Ecosystem and its Components - For Questions number 8 and 9, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below.9Assertion (A) : There are generally a greater number of individuals at the lower trophic levels of an ecosystem. Reason (R) : The greatest number is of the producers.
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Food Chains and Webs - Question Nos. 8 & 9 consists of two statements : Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the appropriate option from (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below :9Assertion (A) : Highest percentage of pesticides is found in tertiary consumers in a food chain. Reason (R) : Chemicals / pesticides get accumulated progressively at each trophic level.
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Food Chains and Webs - Question numbers 8 and 9 are Assertion and Reason based questions. Two statements are given, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below :9Assertion (A) : Ozone at higher levels of atmosphere is a product of UV radiation acting on oxygen molecule. Reason (R) : The higher energy of UV splits apart some molecular .
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Ozone Layer Depletion - For Questions number 8 and 9, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below.9Assertion (A) : Ozone gas at higher levels of atmosphere is a product of UV radiation acting on Oxygen . Reason (R) : The amount of ozone in the atmosphere began to drop sharply in 1980s.
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Ozone Layer Depletion - 10What are decomposers ? List two important roles they play in the environment.Ecosystem and its Components
- 10(i) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been linked to depletion of ozone layer. In 1987, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) succeeded in making an agreement. State this agreement. (ii) What is the role of ozone in our atmosphere ?Ozone Layer Depletion
- 11Explain why food chains generally consist of three or four steps.Food Chains and Webs
- 12In the following food chain, 5 J of energy is available to man. Calculate, how much energy was available at the producer level. Why ? Plant Goat ManFood Chains and Webs
- 12Suggest one best way to dispose of the following wastes : (i) Kitchen waste (ii) Metallic waste (iii) Plastic bottles (iv) Sanitary wasteWaste Management
- 12Suggest one precaution to be taken before disposing of the following : (a) Sewage from homes (b) Industrial wastesWaste Management
- 12(a) Explain the role of UV radiation in the formation of ozone layer. (b) Why is UV radiation considered as highly damaging to organisms ?Ozone Layer Depletion
- 12Suggest two ways of dealing with waste generated at home.Waste Management
- 13Given below is a pyramid showing various trophic levels in an ecosystem : (a) From the organisms listed below, identify which one is to be placed at which trophic level ? Deer, Grass, Lion, Snake, Rabbit (b) Discuss the reason why primary consumers will have more energy as compared to secondary consumers ? (c) Why is the base of the pyramid broad ?Food Chains and Webs
- 14(a) Mention any one harmful effect of using plastic bags on the environment. Suggest better alternatives to the usage of plastic bags. (b) Paddy fields require a large amount of water. The pesticides and chemical fertilizers used are washed down into the soil or waterbodies. How do these chemicals reach our bodies ? What is this phenomenon known as ?Food Chains and Webs
2025
27 q
- 15The examples of natural and manmade (artificial) ecosystems are respectively
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Ecosystem and its Components - 15Which of the following groups do not constitute a food chain ? (i) Wolf, rabbit, grass, lion (ii) Plankton, man, grasshopper, fish (iii) Hawk, grass, snake, grasshopper, frog (iv) Grass, snake, wolf, tiger
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Food Chains and Webs - 15Consider the following food chain : Grass Grasshopper Frog Snake Eagle If the amount of energy available at third trophic level is 50 kJ, the available energy at the producer level was :
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Food Chains and Webs - 15In the food chains given below. Select the most efficient food chain in terms of energy :
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Food Chains and Webs - 15In the following groups of wastes, which group contains only non-biodegradable wastes ?
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Waste Management - 16Green plants occupy the first trophic level in every food chain because they
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Food Chains and Webs - 16Identify from the following a group containing all non-biodegradable substances.
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Waste Management - 16Human activities that are affecting the environment are :
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Waste Management - 16The percentage of solar energy which is not converted into food energy by the leaves of green plants in a terrestrial ecosystem is about :
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Food Chains and Webs - 16The incorrect statement about ozone is
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Ozone Layer Depletion - 16Other than the abiotic components, which of the given biotic components are not required to make an aquarium with small herbivorous fishes a self-sustaining system ? (i) Aquatic plants and aquatic animals (ii) Terrestrial plants and terrestrial animals (iii) Decomposers as bacteria and fungi (iv) Consumers as clown fishes and sea urchins
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Ecosystem and its Components - 16Which one of the following gets biomagnified at different levels in a food chain ?
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Food Chains and Webs - Question Nos. 17 to 20 consists of two statements – Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the appropriate option from (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below :20Assertion (A) : All organisms can make organic compounds like sugar and starch from inorganic substances using radiant energy of the sun. Reason (R) : The organisms which can produce food by photosynthesis are called producers.
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Food Chains and Webs - Q. Nos. 17 to 20, two statements are given – one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below :20Assertion (A) : Food web is a network of several food chains operating in an ecosystem. Reason (R) : Food web decreases the stability of an ecosystem.
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Food Chains and Webs - For Questions number 17 to 20, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below.20Assertion (A) : The amount of ozone in the atmosphere began to drop sharply in the 1980s. Reason (R) : The oxygen atoms combine with molecular oxygen to form ozone.
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Ozone Layer Depletion - For Questions number 17 to 20, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below.20Assertion (A) : Use of jute bags for shopping reduces pollution. Reason (R) : Jute is biodegradable and its bag may be reused as and when needed.
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Waste Management - 21A gas ‘X’ is found in the upper layer of atmosphere. It is a deadly poison, but still essential for all life forms on earth. (a) Identify the gas and state the main factor for its depletion in the atmosphere. (b) How is this gas formed in the upper atmosphere ?Ozone Layer Depletion
- 25Study the food web given below : (a) Identify the food chain(s) in which the eagle receives the highest energy from the producers. (b) Identify the organism in which a non-biodegradable pesticide will be found in maximum concentration. Name the term used for this phenomenon.Food Chains and Webs
- 26“Excessive use of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture adversely effect the environment.” Justify this statement.Food Chains and Webs
- 26(a) Why are the organisms of first trophic level important in any food chain ? (b) Justify the following statement : ‘The flow of energy in an ecosystem is unidirectional.’Food Chains and Webs
- 26We do not clean natural ponds or lakes whereas an aquarium or a swimming pool needs to be cleaned regularly. Why ?Ecosystem and its Components
- 26Write the percentage of the energy of sunlight captured by green plants, to convert it into food energy. Explain the fate of this energy when green plants are eaten by primary consumers.Food Chains and Webs
- 26Indicate the flow of energy in a food chain operating in an ecosystem. Why is it uni-directional ? Give reason.Food Chains and Webs
- 33Some harmful chemicals get accumulated in human bodies through the food chain. Name this phenomenon. Explain the reason of maximum concentration of these chemicals found in our bodies.Food Chains and Webs
- 33(a) “In a food chain energy flow is unidirectional.” Give two reasons for the given statement. (b) If 10,000 J energy is available at the producer level, how much energy will be available to the secondary consumers ? Give reason to justify your answer.Food Chains and Webs
- 33What are decomposers? Give two examples. State how they maintain a balance in an ecosystem.Ecosystem and its Components
- 33Write the essential function performed by ozone at the higher levels of the atmosphere. How is it formed in the upper atmosphere ? Write the name of the group of chemicals mainly responsible for the depletion of ozone layer.Ozone Layer Depletion
2024
22 q
- 9United Nations Environment Programme forged an agreement to
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Ozone Layer Depletion - 15A food chain will be more advantageous in terms of energy if it has
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Food Chains and Webs - 15Identify the food chain in which the organisms of the second trophic level are missing :
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Food Chains and Webs - 16Which one of the following is not a natural ecosystem ?
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Ecosystem and its Components - 16Some wastes are given below : (i) Garden waste (ii) Ball point pen refills (iii) Empty medicine bottles made of glass (iv) Peels of fruits and vegetables (v) Old cotton shirt The non-biodegradable wastes among these are :
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Waste Management - 16Consider the following statements about ozone : (a) Ozone is poisonous gas. (b) Ozone shields the earth’s surface from the infrared radiation from the sun. (c) Ozone is a product of UV radiations acting on oxygen molecule. (d) At the lower level of the earth’s atmosphere, ozone performs most essential function. The correct statements are
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Ozone Layer Depletion - For Q. Nos. 17 to 20, two statements are given – One labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below :18Assertion (A) : Accumulation of harmful chemicals is maximum in the organisms at the highest trophic level of a food chain. Reason (R) : Harmful chemicals are sprayed on the crops to protect them from diseases and pests.
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Food Chains and Webs - For Questions number 17 to 20, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below.20Assertion (A) : Ozone layer protects the surface of the Earth from harmful UV radiations. Reason (R) : Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are responsible for depletion of ozone layer.
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Ozone Layer Depletion - Q. 17 to 20 consists of two statements – Assertion (A) and Reason (R), answer these questions selecting the appropriate option given below :20Assertion (A) : Producers are capable of using light energy from the sun to make food available in an ecosystem. Reason (R) : All food chains in an ecosystem start with a producer.
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Food Chains and Webs - For Questions number 17 to 20, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below.20Assertion (A) : Green plants trap only 1% of the energy of sunlight that falls on their leaves. Reason (R) : All green plants are the producers in a food chain.
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Food Chains and Webs - Q. Nos. 17 to 20 consists of two statements – Assertion (A) and Reason (R), answer these questions selecting the appropriate option given below :20Assertion (A) : The waste we generate daily may be biodegradable or non-biodegradable. Reason (R) : The waste generated, if not disposed off properly may cause serious environmental problems.
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Waste Management - For Questions number 17 to 20, two statements are given — one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (A), (B), (C) and (D) as given below.20Assertion (A) : Oxygen is essential for all aerobic forms of life. Reason (R) : Free oxygen atoms combine with molecular oxygen to form ozone.
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Ozone Layer Depletion - 26What are decomposers ? List two consequences of their absence in an ecosystem.Ecosystem and its Components
- 26Give reasons for the following : (a) Food web is more stable than a food chain in an ecosystem. (b) A food chain should not have more than four to five trophic levels.Food Chains and Webs
- 26Define the terms biodegradable and non-biodegradable substance. Classify the following items into these two categories : Newspapers, Glass bottles, Polythene bags, Vegetable peelsWaste Management
- 26Name the term used for the materials which cannot be broken down by biological processes. Give two ways by which they harm various components of an ecosystem.Waste Management
- 33 (A)Plants Deer Lion In the given food chain, what will be the impact of removing all the organisms of second trophic level on the first and third trophic level? Will the impact be the same for the organisms of the third trophic level in the above food chain if they were present in a food web? Justify.Food Chains and Webs
- 33Differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes. We generate a lot of non-biodegradable wastes in our daily life. Write any two harmful effects caused by these wastes if not disposed off properly.Waste Management
- 33Study the picture given below showing three food chains (a), (b) and (c) and answer the following questions : (i) Name the type of ecosystems that exist in food chains (b) and (c). (ii) The first trophic level in all food chains are producers. Why ? What percentage of solar energy do these producers capture for their use ? (iii) Why are the arrows shown in the diagram in one direction only and not vice versa ? Justify.Food Chains and Webs
- 33Differentiate between food chain and food web. In a food chain consisting of deer, grass and tiger, if the population of deer decreases, what will happen to the population of organisms belonging to the first and third trophic levels ?Food Chains and Webs
- 33 (B)A gas ‘X’ which is a deadly poison is found at the higher levels of atmosphere and performs an essential function. Name the gas and write the function performed by this gas in the atmosphere. Which chemical is linked to the decrease in the level of this gas? What measures have been taken by an international organization to check the depletion of the layer containing this gas?Ozone Layer Depletion
- 33Use of pesticides to protect our crops affect organisms at various trophic levels especially human beings. Name the phenomenon involved and explain how does it happen.Food Chains and Webs
2023
23 q
- 10Study the given figure of a Food web and identify the primary consumer in the food web:
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Food Chains and Webs - 10Choose the option giving correct matching the items given in Column – I & II.
Column – I Column – II A. Physical environment (i) Ozone layer depletion B. Exposure to UV radiation (ii) Bacteria and Fungi C. Chlorofluoro Carbon compounds (iii) Abiotic components D. Decomposers (iv) Skin Cancer Tap an option to check your answer.
Ecosystem and its Components - Q. No. 17 to 20 are Assertion – Reasoning based questions. These consists of two statements – Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the appropriate option given below :18Assertion (A) : The energy which passes to the herbivores does not come back to autotrophs. Reason (R) : The flow of energy in a food chain is unidirectional.
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Food Chains and Webs - Q. No. 17 to 20 are Assertion – Reasoning based questions. These consists of two statements – Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the appropriate option given below :18Assertion (A) : An ecosystem consists of biotic components and abiotic components. Reason (R) : Biotic and abiotic components play important roles for the sustenance of life and work independently in all ecosystems.
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Ecosystem and its Components - 21(i) State the essential function performed by ozone at the higher levels of the atmosphere. (ii) Why was there a sharp drop in the amount of ozone in the atmosphere in 1980’s.Ozone Layer Depletion
- 21State two reasons why human-made materials like plastics persist for a long time in the environment.Waste Management
- 21List two reasons to show that the existence of decomposers is essential in an ecosystem.Ecosystem and its Components
- 25Why is damage to the ozone layer a cause for concern ? What steps are being taken to limit this damage ?Ozone Layer Depletion
- 25“Although gardens are created by man but they are considered to be an ecosystem.” Justify this statement.Ecosystem and its Components
- 25What is the difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances ? List two methods of safe disposal of biodegradable domestic waste.Waste Management
- 26In the following food chain, if 50 J of energy was available to the hawk, how much energy would have been present at the first and third tropic levels ? Justify your answer. Grass Grasshopper Frog Snake HawkFood Chains and Webs
- 26We do not clean ponds or lakes but an aquarium needs to be cleaned regularly. Why ?Ecosystem and its Components
- 26“Ozone, although a deadly poison, performs an essential function for the earth and its inhabitants.” Explain.Ozone Layer Depletion
- 26(a) What is meant by trophic level ? (b) On an average, what percentage of energy is transferred to the second trophic level from the first trophic level ? Which categories of consumers do the organisms of the second trophic level belong to ?Food Chains and Webs
- 26How do harmful chemicals get accumulated progressively at each trophic level in a food chain ?Food Chains and Webs
- 26Use of several pesticides which results in excessive accumulation of pesticides in rivers or ponds, is a matter of deep concern. Justify this statement.Food Chains and Webs
- 33How is ozone formed in the higher levels of the atmosphere ? “Damage to the ozone layer is a cause of concern.” Justify this statement.Ozone Layer Depletion
- 33(a) Write the percentage of (i) solar energy captured by the autotrophs and (ii) energy transferred from autotrophs to the next level in a food chain. (b) What are trophic levels ? Why do different food chains in an ecosystem not have more than four to five trophic levels ? Give reason.Food Chains and Webs
- 33Explain how some harmful chemicals enter our bodies through the food chain. Why is the concentration of these harmful chemicals found to be maximum in human beings ?Food Chains and Webs
- 33If a harmful chemical enters in a food chain comprising peacock, plants, rats and snakes, which of these organisms is likely to have the highest concentration of the chemical in its body. Justify your answer. Name the process involved and define it.Food Chains and Webs
- 33 (a)(i) Why does a kitchen garden called an artificial ecosystem while a forest is considered to be a natural ecosystem ? (ii) While designing an artificial ecosystem at home, write any two things to be kept in mind to convert it into a self-sustaining system. Give reason to justify your answer.Ecosystem and its Components
- 33Write one difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes. List two impacts of each type of the accumulated waste on environment if not disposed off properly.Waste Management
- 33 (b)(i) Construct a food chain of four trophic levels comprising the following : Hawk, snake, plants, rat. (ii) 20,000 J of energy was transferred by the producers to the organism of second trophic level. Calculate the amount of energy that will be transferred by organisms of the third trophic level to the organisms of the fourth trophic level.Food Chains and Webs
2022
12 q
- 1 (a)Kulhads (disposable cups made of clay) and disposable paper cups both are used as an alternative for disposable plastic cups. Which one of these two can be considered as a better alternative to plastic cups and why ?Waste Management
- 1 (b)Human beings are most adversely affected by the Biological Magnification. State the reason. Why can ordinary washing of the edibles (fruits and vegetables) not reduce the effect of biological magnification ?Food Chains and Webs
- 5“The improvement in our lifestyle has led to the generation of large amount of waste material.” List two reasons to justify this statement.Waste Management
- 5 OR“The change in packaging has resulted in waste becoming non-biodegradable.” Giving two examples from daily life, justify this statement.Waste Management
- 7 (a)What is ozone ? How is it formed in the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere ? How does ozone affect our ecosystem ?Ozone Layer Depletion
- 7 (a)In the following food chain, only 2J of energy was available to the peacocks. How much energy would have been present in Grass ? Justify your answer. GRASS GRASS HOPPER FROG SNAKE PEACOCKFood Chains and Webs
- 7 (b)(a) What is meant by garbage ? List two classes into which garbage is classified. (b) What do we actually mean when we say that the “enzymes are specific in their action” ?Waste Management
- 7 (b)(i) List two human-made ecosystems. (ii) “We do not clean a pond in the same manner as we do in an aquarium.” Give reason to justify this statement.Ecosystem and its Components
- 8What are human-made ecosystems ? Give an example. Can a human-made ecosystem become a self-sustaining ecosystem ? Give reason to justify your answer.Ecosystem and its Components
- 9What are trophic levels ? Why are autotrophs considered to be at the first trophic level of all food chains ? State the reason for limited number of trophic levels in nature.Food Chains and Webs
- 13(a) Name the group of organisms which form in the first trophic level of all food chains. Why are they called so ? (b) Why are the human beings most adversely affected by bio-magnification ? (c) State one ill-effect of the absence of decomposers from a natural ecosystem.Food Chains and Webs
- 13(a) We do not clean ponds or lakes, but an aquarium needs to be cleaned regularly. Why ? (b) Why is ozone layer getting depleted at the higher levels of the atmosphere ? Mention one harmful effect caused by its depletion.Ozone Layer Depletion
The 10 board questions to practise first
The questions and kinds of question the board asked most often come first. Each one says how often and when.
Question 1
This type asked 5 times: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. This one: 2026 See all 5 of this type
12Suggest one best way to dispose of the following wastes : (i) Kitchen waste (ii) Metallic waste (iii) Plastic bottles (iv) Sanitary wasteQuestion 2
Asked 4 times: 2023*, 2024*, 2025*, 2026 (* = numbers or wording changed that year) See all 4 times it was asked
10What are decomposers ? List two important roles they play in the environment.Question 3
Asked 4 times: 2022*, 2023*, 2024*, 2026 (* = numbers or wording changed that year) See all 4 times it was asked
11Explain why food chains generally consist of three or four steps.Question 4
Asked 4 times: 2022*, 2023*, 2024*, 2025 (* = numbers or wording changed that year) See all 4 times it was asked
33Write the essential function performed by ozone at the higher levels of the atmosphere. How is it formed in the upper atmosphere ? Write the name of the group of chemicals mainly responsible for the depletion of ozone layer.Question 5
Asked 4 times: 2022*, 2023*, 2024*, 2025 (* = numbers or wording changed that year) See all 4 times it was asked
33Some harmful chemicals get accumulated in human bodies through the food chain. Name this phenomenon. Explain the reason of maximum concentration of these chemicals found in our bodies.Question 6
This type asked 4 times: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. This one: 2026 See all 4 of this type
6In accumulation of toxic substances at higher trophic levels of an ecosystem through the food chain, which of the following organisms is affected the most ?Tap an option to check your answer.
Question 7
This type asked 4 times: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. This one: 2026 See all 4 of this type
5Organisms of a higher trophic level which feed on several types of organisms belonging to a lower trophic level form the :Tap an option to check your answer.
Question 8
This type asked 4 times: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. This one: 2026 See all 4 of this type
5Select the incorrect statement from the following :Tap an option to check your answer.
Question 9
Asked 3 times: 2022*, 2023*, 2025 (* = numbers or wording changed that year) See all 3 times it was asked
26We do not clean natural ponds or lakes whereas an aquarium or a swimming pool needs to be cleaned regularly. Why ?Question 10
Asked 3 times: 2022*, 2023*, 2025 (* = numbers or wording changed that year) See all 3 times it was asked
15Consider the following food chain : Grass Grasshopper Frog Snake Eagle If the amount of energy available at third trophic level is 50 kJ, the available energy at the producer level was :Tap an option to check your answer.
Quick revision
5 most-asked questions · 12 key points · 2 formulas · 4 diagrams
Checked against NCERT Science (CBSE Class 10), Chapter 13.
Most asked in board papers
- 1Food chains and energy flow: trophic levels, 1 % and 10 % rules, energy at each level, why chains have only 3 or 4 steps, food web, unidirectional flow
Asked 5 times: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 · 1 mark
- 2Waste: biodegradable and non-biodegradable, harm from plastics, how to dispose of household waste, disposable cups
Asked 5 times: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022
- 3Ozone layer: how it forms, why it matters though poisonous, depletion by CFCs, UNEP 1987 agreement
Asked 5 times: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022
- 4Ecosystem and decomposers: biotic and abiotic parts, natural and artificial ecosystems, why an aquarium needs cleaning, role of decomposers
Asked 5 times: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022
- 5Biological magnification: how pesticides build up along a food chain and which level has the most
Asked 5 times: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022
Must-know points
- Ecosystem
- An ecosystem has biotic components (living organisms) and abiotic components (temperature, rainfall, wind, soil, minerals), interacting with each other. Forests, ponds and lakes are natural ecosystems; gardens, crop-fields and aquariums are human-made (artificial) ones.
- Producers, consumers and decomposers
- Producers (green plants, some bacteria) make food from inorganic substances by photosynthesis. Consumers depend on producers directly or indirectly: herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, parasites. Decomposers (bacteria and fungi) feed on dead remains and wastes.
- Decomposers
- They break down complex organic substances into simple inorganic substances that go into the soil and are used again by plants. So they clean the environment and replenish the soil. A pond needs no cleaning because its decomposers do this; an aquarium has none, so it must be cleaned.
- Food chain and trophic levels
- A series of organisms each feeding on the one before forms a food chain; each step is a trophic level. Producers (autotrophs) are at the first level, herbivores (primary consumers) at the second, small carnivores (secondary consumers) at the third, larger carnivores (tertiary) at the fourth.
- Flow of energy
- Green plants capture about 1 % of the sunlight falling on their leaves. On average only 10 % of the food energy at one level reaches the next (10 per cent law); the rest is lost as heat or used in life processes. So very little usable energy remains after four levels: food chains have only 3 or 4 steps.
- Unidirectional flow
- Energy flow is unidirectional: energy that passes to herbivores never comes back to autotrophs, and it does not move back to an earlier level. There are generally more individuals at the lower trophic levels; producers are the most numerous.
- Food web
- Each organism is eaten by more than one kind, so many food chains link into a network: a food web. It is more stable than a single food chain, as the loss of one kind of organism can be made up by others.
- Biological magnification
- Pesticides and other non-degradable chemicals washed into soil and water are taken up by plants and enter the food chain. As they are not degradable, they accumulate progressively at each trophic level. Their concentration is highest at the top level, so human beings, at the top of many food chains, are worst affected.
- Ozone layer
- Ozone KaTeX parse error: Undefined control sequence: \ce at position 1: \̲c̲e̲{O3} is a molecule of three oxygen atoms and a deadly poison. But at the higher levels of the atmosphere it shields the earth's surface from ultraviolet radiation from the Sun, which is highly damaging (it causes skin cancer). It forms when UV radiation splits KaTeX parse error: Undefined control sequence: \ce at position 1: \̲c̲e̲{O2} into free oxygen atoms, which then join KaTeX parse error: Undefined control sequence: \ce at position 1: \̲c̲e̲{O2}.
- Ozone depletion
- The ozone in the atmosphere began to drop sharply in the 1980s, linked to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used as refrigerants and in fire extinguishers. In 1987 the UNEP forged an agreement to freeze CFC production at 1986 levels; CFC-free refrigerators are now mandatory.
- Biodegradable and non-biodegradable
- Substances broken down by biological processes (bacteria, saprophytes) are biodegradable: vegetable peels, paper, cotton, wood. Those that are not are non-biodegradable: plastics, glass, DDT, metal cans. Enzymes are specific, so plastics are not broken down and persist for a long time, harming soil, water and animals.
- Managing garbage
- Changes in life-style, more disposable things and new packaging have increased waste, much of it non-biodegradable. Ways to reduce it: separate biodegradable from non-biodegradable waste; compost kitchen waste; recycle paper, glass and metal; use cloth or jute bags instead of plastic; treat sewage before releasing it.
Formulas
Formation of ozone
Ten per cent law
Diagrams to practise
- Food chains in nature (Figure 13.1): label forest: grass, deer, lion · grassland: grass, grasshopper, frog, snake, eagle · pond: algae, small animals, fish · arrows from food to feeder
- Trophic levels (Figure 13.2): label first: producers · second: herbivores · third: small carnivores · fourth: large carnivores
- Food web (Figure 13.3): label producers at the base · branching arrows · one animal eating several kinds · top carnivore
- Flow of energy in an ecosystem (Figure 13.4): label sun, 1 % fixed by producers · 10 % passed to each next level · heat lost at every level · decomposers
Mistakes that cost marks
Energy numericals backwards
Magnification at the wrong level
Arrows in a food chain
Ozone as good everywhere
Calling paper or leather non-biodegradable