Question 1

Consider the following:
I. Cigarette butts
II. Eyeglass lenses
III. Car tyres

How many of them contain plastic?

Accepted Answer

Only two. * Option 1 is correct: Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, which is a persistent form of toxic plastic pollution. * Option 2 is correct: Many eyeglass lenses are made of plastic materials like CR-39 (Columbia resin #39), polycarbonate, and Trivex because they are lightweight and shatter-resistant. * Option 3 is correct: Car tyres consist of synthetic rubber polymers; tyre particles shed during driving are a major, overlooked contributor to microplastic pollution, accounting for 28% of microplastics entering the environment globally.

Question 2

Consider the following statements:
Statement I: Activated carbon is a good and an attractive tool to remove pollutants from effluent streams and to remediate contaminants from various industries.
Statement II: Activated carbon exhibits a large surface area and a strong potential for adsorbing heavy metals.
Statement III: Activated carbon can be easily synthesized from environmental wastes with high carbon content.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I. * (a) is correct: Activated carbon can be easily manufactured from cheap, carbon-dense environmental wastes (like coconut shells or wood), satisfying Statement III. * It possesses an extensive surface area, microporous structures, and external chemical complexity that gives it an outstanding potential to adsorb heavy metals, satisfying Statement II. * Because it possesses these physical traits (Statement II) and is easily synthesized from common wastes (Statement III), it serves as a highly effective and popular tool to filter out industrial effluent pollutants (Statement I). Thus, both statements are correct and provide the rationale for Statement I.

Question 3

Consider the following statements:
Statement I: Studies indicate that carbon dioxide emissions from cement industry account for more than 5% of global carbon emissions.
Statement II: Silica-bearing clay is mixed with limestone while manufacturing cement.
Statement III: Limestone is converted into lime during clinker production for cement manufacturing.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I. * (a) is correct: The high-temperature calcination process used in clinker manufacturing heats limestone and silica-bearing clay to roughly $1,450^{\circ}C$, which consumes significant energy and drives CO2 release, satisfying Statement II. * This chemical reaction converts limestone (calcium carbonate) into lime (calcium oxide), releasing large volumes of process CO2 into the atmosphere, satisfying Statement III. * Together, these combined manufacturing stages (Statements II and III) explain why the cement industry accounts for approximately 8% (more than 5%) of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions (Statement I). Thus, both statements are correct and explain Statement I.

Question 4

Regarding Peacock tarantula (Gooty tarantula), consider the following statements:
I. It is an omnivorous crustacean.
II. Its natural habitat in India is only limited to some forest areas.
III. In its natural habitat, it is an arboreal species.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

II only. * Statement I is incorrect: The Peacock tarantula (Gooty tarantula) is a critically endangered, carnivorous spider (arachnid), not an omnivorous crustacean; it feeds primarily on insects. * Statement 2 is correct: Its primary natural habitat in India is endemic and limited to a highly disturbed, small reserve forest tract under 100 square kilometers in Andhra Pradesh. * Statement III is correct: It is an arboreal species that lives inside the natural hollows and holes of tall trees.

Question 5

Consider the following statements:
I. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in India are less than 0.5 t CO2/capita.
II. In terms of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, India ranks second in Asia-Pacific region.
III. Electricity and heat producers are the largest sources of CO2 emissions in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

II only. * Statement I is incorrect: In 2022, India's per capita CO2 emissions rose to 2 tonnes (which is less than half the global average of 4.7 tonnes, but much higher than 0.5 t CO2/capita). * Statement II is correct: In terms of total absolute CO2 emissions resulting specifically from fuel combustion, India ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region behind China. * Statement III is correct: The generation of electricity and heat remains the largest sectoral source of carbon dioxide emissions within India.

Question 6

With reference to the planet Earth, consider the following statements:
1. Rain forests produce more oxygen than that produced by oceans.
II. Marine phytoplankton and photosynthetic bacteria produce about 50% of world's oxygen.
III. Well-oxygenated surface water contains several folds higher oxygen than that in atmospheric air.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

I and II. * Statement I is incorrect: Oceanic photosynthesizers produce more oxygen than terrestrial tropical rainforests. For instance, Prochlorococcus bacteria alone produce up to 20% of the biosphere's oxygen. * Statement II is correct: Roughly 50% (half) of the global oxygen supply is produced in the oceans by marine photosynthesizers like phytoplankton, drifting algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. * Statement III is incorrect: Water holds far less oxygen than atmospheric air. Well-oxygenated surface water contains only about 8 mg of dissolved $O_2$ per liter, compared to atmospheric air which holds about 210 mg of $O_2$ per liter.

Question 7

Consider the following statements:
Statement I: Circular economy reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases.
Statement II: Circular economy reduces the use of raw materials as inputs.
Statement III: Circular economy reduces wastage in the production process.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I. * (a) is correct: Circular economy strategies focus on retaining product value for as long as possible, which actively minimizes manufacturing waste (Statement III). * This approach systematically reduces the demand for virgin inputs or raw materials (Statement II). * Because it curbs raw material extraction and processing (Statement II) and manages waste out of the industrial cycle (Statement III), a circular economy directly mitigates associated greenhouse gas emissions (Statement I). Both statements provide the explanation for Statement I.

Question 8

Consider the following statements:
I. Without the atmosphere, temperature would be well below freezing point everywhere on the Earth's surface.
II. Heat absorbed and trapped by the atmosphere maintains our planet's average temperature.
III. Atmosphere's gases, like carbon dioxide, are particularly good at absorbing and trapping radiation.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

I and II only. * Statement I is correct: The Earth's atmosphere acts as an essential insulation shield; without it, heat would radiate out completely at night, plunging the entire surface well below freezing. * Statement II is correct: The greenhouse effect of heat trapped within the atmospheric column maintains the planet's baseline global average surface temperature at a hospitable $15^{\circ}C$. * Statement III is correct: Certain atmospheric gases, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, are molecularly optimized to absorb and trap outgoing long-wave terrestrial infrared radiation, preserving warmth.

Question 9

Which organization has enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss?

Accepted Answer

The European Union. * (a) The European Union is correct: The European Union officially enacted the continent-wide Nature Restoration Law, which came into force in August 2024. * The law establishes legally binding targets requiring member states to restore at least 20% of the EU's degraded land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of recovery by 2050.

Question 10

The World Bank warned that India could become one of the first places where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35°C. Which of the following statements best reflect(s) the implication of the above-said report?
I. Peninsular India will most likely suffer from flooding, tropical cyclones and droughts.
II. The survival of animals including humans will be affected as shedding of their body heat through perspiration becomes difficult.

Accepted Answer

II only. * Both statements reflect the findings and implications of the climate risk report. * Statement II is correct: When wet-bulb temperatures cross 35°C, high humidity prevents sweat from evaporating efficiently, making it extremely difficult for humans and animals to shed internal body heat via perspiration, severely threatening basic survival. * Statement I is correct: This extreme heat stress is coupled with increased precipitation anomalies, escalating the risks of severe monsoon flooding, frequent tropical cyclones, and deep droughts across Peninsular India.

Question 11

Consider the following statements about 'PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana':
I. It targets installation of one crore solar rooftop panels in the residential sector.
II. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy aims to impart training on installation, operation, maintenance and repairs of solar rooftop systems at grassroot levels.
III. It aims to create more than three lakhs skilled manpower through fresh skilling, and up-skilling, under scheme component of capacity building.

Accepted Answer

II and III only. * All three statements are correct: * Statement I is correct: Approved in early 2024, the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is a domestic rooftop solar initiative aiming to supply clean solar power to one crore residential households by March 2027. * Statement II is correct: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) runs targeted grassroots training programs covering the configuration, installation, daily operation, maintenance, and field repair of solar setups to establish a local, specialized technical workforce. * Statement III is correct: The scheme's capacity-building framework intends to train and up-skill over 3 lakh individuals across the sector, ensuring that at least 1,000,000 are certified specifically as Solar PV Technicians.

Environment: 2025 PYQ.

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