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Our Environment — Question 9

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Question 9

Why is damage to the ozone layer a cause for concern? What steps are being taken to limit this damage?

Answer

Ozone layer shields the surface of the earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiations from the Sun. Damage to the ozone layer will allow these harmful UV radiations to reach the earth's surface and harm the environment in the following ways:

  1. It can cause many diseases in human beings like skin cancer and cataract.
  2. It can result in the death of many phytoplanktons leading to increased global warming.
  3. It can disturb the ecological balance in marine ecosystem.
  4. It can cause genetic disorders which ultimately affect heredity.

Following steps are being taken to limit the damage to the ozone layer:

  1. Use of products that contain CFC's to be replaced by alternative products.
  2. Regulations against release of CFCs directly in environment.
  3. Minimize the emission of gases that are harmful for Ozone layer such as nitrogen oxide.
  4. UNEP agreement to freeze CFC production at 1986 levels.
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Science | Chapter 13: Our EnvironmentWeb Content

Chapter 13: Our Environment — Quick Revision Guide

Introduction

Our environment is a complex web of living and non-living components. This chapter covers ecosystems, food chains, energy flow, ozone layer depletion, and waste management.

Key Points at a Glance

  1. Ecosystem: biotic (producers, consumers, decomposers) + abiotic (temperature, water, soil, light)
  2. Food chain: linear energy transfer; Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Hawk
  3. Trophic levels: T1 (producers), T2 (primary consumers), T3, T4; usually 4–5 levels max
  4. 10% law (Lindeman): only 10% energy transfers to next level; rest lost as heat in life processes
  5. Food web: interconnected chains; more stable; if one species declines, alternatives exist
  6. Biological magnification: non-biodegradable chemicals (DDT) concentrate at higher trophic levels
  7. Ozone (O3) in stratosphere absorbs UV; CFCs deplete ozone; Montreal Protocol (1987) limits CFCs
  8. Biodegradable waste: broken down by microorganisms; composting, vermicomposting, biogas
  9. Non-biodegradable waste: persists; plastic, glass, DDT; reduce, reuse, recycle
  10. Problems: biomagnification, plastic pollution, e-waste toxicity, air pollution from burning waste

Real-World Connections

Banning single-use plastic reduces pollution; composting reduces landfill load; ozone layer is slowly recovering; understanding food chains helps conservation; DDT ban protected bird populations.

Quick Self-Test (5 Questions)

  1. What is the most important concept you learned from this chapter?
  2. Can you write three key equations/formulae from this chapter from memory?
  3. Draw a labelled diagram relevant to this chapter without looking at your notes.
  4. Explain one real-world application of a concept from this chapter.
  5. What is one common mistake students make in this chapter, and how can you avoid it?

Further Study

  • NCERT Textbook Chapter 13
  • NCERT Exemplar Problems
  • Bright Tutorials Detailed Notes: ch13-our-environment.html
  • Bright Tutorials Practice Questions: ch13-our-environment.html
  • Previous Year CBSE Board Papers

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