and sunlight and are chemical converted to
AIR & NOISE POLLUTION
1. Which one of the following plume
behaviours occurs when atmospheric inversion
begins from the ground level and continues ?
(a) Looping (b) Fumigation
(c) Coning (d) Fanning
Ans (d)
Fanning plume
 It occurs under extreme inversion conditions,
in the presence of light wind.
 Most of the vertical dispersion is suppressed
by extremly stable condition, & the plume fans
out in the horizontal direction.
2. What are the phenomena of global warming
and acid rain formation attributed to
(a) SO2 and CO2 , respectively
(b) CO and SO2 , respectively
(c) CO2 and SO2 respectively
(d) CO and CO2 , respectively
Ans (c).
Acid Rain
 ‘clean rain’ is slightly acidic. If pH of rain is less
than or equal 5.6. it is called acid rain.
 Acid rain (for acid deposition) results when
gaseous emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx ) and
nitrogen oxides (NOx ) interact with vapour
strong acidic compounds (H2SO4 and HNO3 ).
3. Acoustics of an auditorium is considered to
be excellent when its reverberation time is
between
(a) 0.50 and 1.50 s (b) 1.50 and 2.00 s
(c) 2.00 and 3.00 s (d) 3.00 and 5.00 s
Ans (a)
Excellent accoustic condition reverberation
time should be Between 0.5 - 1.5 sec.
4. Aerosol is
(a) Carbon particles of microscopic size
(b) Dispersion of small solid or liquid particles
in gaseous media
(c) Finely divided particles of ash
(d) Diffused liquid particles
Ans (b)
Aerosols
 Aerosols refer to the dispersion of liquid or
solid particles of microscopic size in gaseous
media, such as smoke, dust or mist.
The following are the various aerosols.
(a) Dust (b) Smoke (c) Fog (d) Mists (e) Fumes
5. Electrostatic precipitator is most useful for
which one of the following industries ?
(a) Tannery
(b) Hydroelectric power generation
(c) Thermal power generation
(d) Textile factory
Ans (c).
Electrostatic Precipitator
 Mostly used in thermal power plants, mining
& metallurgical industries, pulp and paper
industries, iron and steel plants, chemical
industries etc
• The pollutant standard index or PSI, is a type
of air quality index, which is a number used to
indicate the level of pollutant in air.
• PSI is reported as a number on a scale 0 to
500.
• PSI consider six air pollutant.
(a) Sulphur dioxide (SO2 )
(b) Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
(c) Particulate matter (PM10)
(d) Nitrogen dioxide (NO2 )
(e) Ozone
(f) Carbon monoxide (CO)

7. Which one of the following in NOT present in

the acid rain
(a) HNO3 (b) H2SO4
(c) H2CO3 (d) CH3COOH
Ans (d)
6. Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) value in
between 101-199 denotes the air quality as Acid rain (for acid deposition) results when
______ gaseous emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx ) and
nitrogen oxides (NOx ) interact with vapour
(a) Good (b) Moderate and sunlight and are chemical converted to
(c) Unhealthy (d) Hazardous strong acidic compounds (H2SO4 and HNO3 ).

Ans (c) 7. The atmospheric layer closest to the earth

surface is
(a) The mesosphere
(b) The stratosphere
(c) The thermosphere
(d) The troposphere
Ans (d).
Global Implication of Air Pollution Ans (c).

Looping plume
 The plume behaviour which occurs under
super adiabatic lapse rate (SALR) conditions
with light to moderate wind speeds on a hot
summer afternoon when large scale thermal
eddies are present.
 High turbulence helps in rapid dispersion of
the plume but high concentration touch the
ground.
 78% (N2 ), 21% (O2 ), 1% argon (Ar), 0.03%
carbon dioxide (CO2 )
 The layer of greatest interest in pollution
control is the troposphere.

8. The device used for the easy separation of

10. Consider four common air pollutants found
dry dust of 10 to 100 mm size is ________
in urban environ-metns, NO, SO2 , Soot and O3
(a) Cyclone (b) Gravity settling chamber Among these which one is the secondary air
(c) Bag filter (d) Scrubber pollutant ?

Ans(b). (a) O3 (b) NO

(c) SO2 (d) Soot
Gravitational Settling Chambers: Remove only
larger size particles (10-100 micrometer). Ans (a).

Secondary air pollutants are produce by the

interaction among two or more primary
pollutants, or by reaction with normal
atmospheric constitutents, with or without
photoactivation.
Examples
A. Ozone
9. What is the plume shape during unstable
super-adiabatic atmosp-here condition termed B. Formaldehyde
as C. PAN (peroxy acetyl nitrate)
(a) Conning plume (b) Fanning plume D. Sulphuric Acid
(c) Looping plume (d) Lofting plume E. Photochemical smog
11. Greenhouse effect of CO2 is _____
(a) Permitting the outside solar radiation to
reach the ground but preventing terrestial
radiation from the ground into the space
(b) Permitting the solar radiation of short
length and radiated terrestrial heat of long
wave length
(c) Reflecting the heat rays into the space
thereby keeping the temperature of earth
unaffected
(d) Causing absorption of heat from
troposphere and thereby decreasing the
temperature of earth with increase in CO2
concentration
Ans (a).
Global Warming
 The green house gases act like a thermal
blanket surrounding the earth as due to the
presence of green house gases the heat
remains within the atmosphere and does not
escape out of it. The major green house gases
are
(i) Carbon dioxide (CO2 )–57%
(ii) Chlorofloro carbon (CFC) – 25%
(iii) Methane (CH4 ) – 12%
(iv) Nitrous oxide (N2O) – 6%
13. In an atmosphere under super - adiabatic
lapse rate condition, the emission from a
chimney produces a plume described as
(a) Conning (b) Lofting
(c) Looping (d) Fumigation
Ans (c).
Looping plume
 The plume behaviour which occurs under
super adiabatic lapse rate (SALR) conditions
with light to moderate wind speeds on a hot
summer afternoon when large scale thermal
eddies are present.
 High turbulence helps in rapid dispersion of
the plume but high concentration touch the
ground.
 It occurs on cloudy day or nights with strong
winds velocity (>32 km/hr) when the lapse rate
is near neutral.
 The plume shape is vertically symmetrical
about the plume line. Lofting plume
 Plume is said to be lofting when there exists
a strong super adiabatic lapse rate (SALR)
above inversion.
 Lofting is the most favourable plume type in
such a case, downward motion & mixing is
prevented by surface inversion but the upward
mixing will be quite turbulent and rapid. The
emission will, therefore, not reach the ground
surface.
Fumigation plume The cumulative effect of these two noise levels
will be addition of 90 dB and 94 dB
 The conditions for fumigation are just the
inversion of lofting plume.
 Fumigation represents quite a bad case of
atmosphere dispersion.

14. The traffic density for a highway is 1200

vehicles/ hr and the average vehicle speed is 80 16. Two Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPs) are in
km/hr. The average carbon monoxide emission series. The fractional efficiencies of the
per vehicle is 40 g/s. What is the source upstream and downstream ESPs for size dp are
strength per unit length 80% and 65%, respectively. What is the overall
efficiency of the system for the same dp ?
(a) 0.4 g/ms (b) 0.6 g/ms
(a) 100% (b) 93%
(c) 1.0 g/ms (d) 1.2 g/msZ 27.
(c) 80% (d) 65%
Ans (B)
Ans (B)
Traffic density = 1200 vehicles/hour
Average vechiles speed = 80 km/hour
Vehicle density (Veh/km) = 1200/80
= 15 vehicle/km
17. What is the full form of RSPM ?
Average CO emmission per vehicle = 40 gm/s
(a) Respiratory Suspended Particulate Matter
 CO emission (source strength per unit
length) = 15 veh/km × 40 gm/s = 600 g/s km = (b) Respiratory Small particulate Matter
0.6 g/s.m
(c) Respiratory Solid Porous Material
15 Two sources generate noise levels of 90 dB (d) Respiratory Soluble Particulate Matter
and 94 dB respectively. The cumulative effect
of these two noise levels on the human ear is Ans.(a) :
(a) 184 dB (b) 95.5 dB
RSPM - Respiratory suspended particular
(c) 94 dB (d) 92 dB matter.

Ans (b)
18. What will be the resultant decibel level 20. To control air pollution, ______ has the
when there are 4 source making noise of equal capacity to remove least size of particles.
levels ?
(a) Wet Scrubbers
(a) Decibel levels will remain the same
(b) Electrostatic precipitator
(b) Decibel level will increase by 4 decibels
(c) Fabric filters
(c) Decibel level will increase by 6 decibels
(d) Gravitational Settling chambers
(d) Decibel level will increase by 8 decibels
Ans.(c)
Ans.(c)
Fabric filter –
Consider four sound level 50 dB each L1 = 50
• It's efficiency is greater than 99%
dB, L2 = 50 db, L3 = 50 dB, L4 = 50 dB
• It remove the particle of size 1m
Resultant of Two sound level L' = 50 + 3 = 53 dB
Resultant of other two sound level L'' = 50 + 3 • It can remove particle in dry state
= 53 dB
21. Greenhouse gases which is present in very
Now resultant of L' and L'' = 53 + 3 = 56 high quantity is
Hence, when four sound of equal level is added (a) Ethane (b) Propane
resultant is increased by 6 decibal.
(c) Methane (d) Carbon dioxide
19. An air parcel having 40oC temperature
Ans.(d)
moves from ground level to 500 m elevation in
dry air following the "adiabatic lapse rate". The The major green house gases are
resulting temperature of air parcel at 500 m
(i) Carbon dioxide (CO2 )–57%
elevation will be
(ii) Chlorofloro carbon (CFC) – 25%
(a) 30oC (b) 38oC <
(iii) Methane (CH4 ) – 12%
(c) 41oC (d) 44oC
(iv) Nitrous oxide (N2O) – 6%
Ans.(a)
22. World Environment day is on
Adiabatic lapse rate in case of dry air = 9.8o
C/km (a) 5th May (b) 5th June
Change in temperature = dT = dH × ALR (c) 18th June (d) 16th August
= 0.5 × 9.8 oC/km Ans.(b)
= 4.9oC World Environment Day is the United Nations
day for encouraging worldwide awareness and
Hence, dT = 40oC - 4.9oC = 35.1oC.
action to protect our environment. World
environment day is on 5th June everywhere.
23. Six tones of coal per hour is burnt in a Lapse Rate: In the troposphere, the
power plant. The coal has sulphur content of temperature of the ambient (surrounding) air
5%. Calculate the emission rate of SO2 is g/s gerally decreases with increase in the altitude
(a) 196.74 (b) 154.35 (height). This rate of change of tempeature is
called lapse rate.
(c) 166.67 (d) 179.65
26. The most dangerous pollutant in vehiclular
Ans.(c) emissions is
6 tonnes per hours means (a) CO (b) SO2
(c) CO2 (d) O3
Ans.(a)

The most dangerous pollutant in vehicular

emissions is CO. Carbon monoxide is an
odourless & colourless gas. It is a highly
poisonous gas & is generally classified as an
asphyxiant. It has a strong affinity for
combining with the hemoglobin of the blood to
24. Which of the following is defined as under
form carboxy-hemoglobin. Therefore, this
?"
reduces the ability of hemoglobin to carry
Deflinition = The rate of doing work by a oxygen to the body tissues. It has 200 time
travelling sound water in the direction of affinity towards hemoglobin than O2 .
propagation of the wave.'
27. The threshold of pain occurs if the noise
(a) Sound species (b) Sound intensity pollution in dB scale exceeds :
(c) Sound pressure (d) Power of sound (a) 120 decibels (b) 70 decibels
Ans.(d) (c) 50 decibels (d) 30 decibels
Power of sound – Ans.(a)

The rate of doing work by a travelling sound The level of noise at 120 dB cause the pain and
wave in the direction of propagation of wave. ear injury.

25. Decrease in temperature of the free • 110 dB- Hearing loss possible in less than 2
atmospheric air with altitude is known as : min.

(a) Saturation Pressure (b) Cariolis force • Noise above 70 dB can lead to chronic hearing
damage if people are exposed to them every
(c) Dew Point (d) Lapse rate
day or all the time.
Ans.(d)
28. What type of noise can be abated by
providing lining on walls and ceiling with sound
absorbing materials ?
(a) Direct air borne noise (b) Source noise
(c) Reflection noise (d) Structural noise
Ans.(c)
(b) Neutral : ELR and ALR are exactly equal.
Reflection noise is controlled by providing
(c) Sub-adiabatic Lapse Rate
lining on walls & ceiling with sound observing
materials.

29. What is the range of AQI if the level of

health concern is unhealthy ?
(a) 155 to 200 (b) 200 to 251
(c) 201 to 250 (d) 151 to 200
Ans.(d)
Air quality index – 31. Ringlemann chart is used for measuring :

0-50  Good (a) Carbon monoxide (b) Aerosols

51-100  Moderate (c) Smoke density (d) Mist

101-150  Unhealthy for sensitive groups Ans.(c)

151-200  Unhealthy The ringelmann scale is a scale for measuring

the apparent density or opacity of smoke.
201-300  Very unhealthy
32. The depletion of the ozone layer in the
301-500  Hazardous
outer atmosphere is likely to cause an increase
30 .When environmental lapse rate exceeds in the incidence of
the adiabatic lapse rate, the environment is
(a) Skin cancer (b) Pneumonia
said to be
(c) Brochitis (d) Lung cancer
(a) Super adiabatic (b) Sub adiabatic
Ans.(a)
(c) Stable atmosphere (d) Neutral
The ozone layer acts as a filter for UVradiation
Ans.(a)
from the sun therefore, this process serves as a
(a) Super adiabatic Lapse Rate protective shield to human life against the
adverse effects of UV like burn and some types
of skin cancer. It is obvious that any depletion
of stratosphere ozone would be harmful to life (c) 209000 (d) 20900
on this earth.
Ans.(c)
 Effect of ozone layer depletion on human
The parts per million of oxygen in air is nearly
body –
209000.
(i) Increase of skin cancer & eye ailments.
(ii) Damage of immune system

33.Biogas is a mixture of :
(a) Methane and carbon dioxide
(b) Ethane and carbon dioxide
(c) Ethane and methane
(d) Ethane and carbon monoxide
Ans.(a) 36. High level radioactive waste can be
Biogas is usually made up of around 50- 85% managed in which of the following ways ?
methane & CO2 is 20-35. (a) Composting (b) Store indefinitely
34.Killing of tissue from air pollutant is called (c) Neutralization (d) Incineration
(a) Necrosis (b) Chlorosis
Ans.(b)
(c) Abscission (d) Epinasty
High level radioactive waste can be managed
Ans.(a) by dumping in sealed containers, which called
store indefinitely.
Necrosis- Necrosis is the killing or collapse of
tissues. • Open dumping composting are not a suitable
process because there is chance of spread of
Abscission - Leaf abscission is dropping of tree
the radioactive in the vicinity.
leaves.
Chlorines - It is loss or reduction of the green 37.Which gas is mainly produced due to
plant pigment, chlorophyll. incomplete burning of wood ?

Epinasty - It is a downward curvature of the (a) CO (b) SO2

leaf due to the higher rate of growth on the (c) NO2 (d) NO2
upper surface.
Ans.(a)
35.The parts per million of oxygen in air is
Carbon monoxide gas is mainly produced due
nearly______.
to incomplete burning of wood.
(a) 209 (b) 20.9
• Carbon monoxide is an odourless & 40. Fire extinguisher is _____
colourless gas. It is a highly poisonous gas & is
(a) Active fire protection system
generally classified as an asphyxiant.
(b) Passive fire protection system
• It affected central nervous system and is
responsible for heart attack. (c) To be brought during fire hazard

38. A thermal power plant burns coal at the (d) Fire detection unit
rate of 8 t/h. The coal has sulphur content of Ans.(a)
4.5%. The rate of emission of SO2 will be
A fire extinguisher is a handheld active fire
(a) 180 g/s (b) 200 g/s
protection device generally filled with a dry or
(c) 220 g/s (d) 240 g/s wet chemical used to extinguish or control
small fires, often in emergencies.
Ans.(b)

Rate of coal burning = 8t/hr = 8000 kg/ hour

Sulphur content in coal = 4.5%

41. Which of the following is not a function of

Ministry of Environment Forest (M.O.E.F) and
Climate Change ?
39. For dumping of radioactive nuclear waste
which of the following method is used ? (a) Advising central government on control of
water pollution
(a) Oceans (b) Salt mines
(b) Bio-sphere reserve programe
(c) Deserts (d) River beds
(c) Forest conservation
Ans.(b)
(d) Environmental policy planning an research
For dumping of radioactive nuclear waste salt
mines method is used. Ans.(a)

• Effect of radiation waste - cancer, birth defect Function of M.O.E.F.

& abnormalibites etc.
• Prevention and control of pollution
• Most disposal tactics include the burial or
• Conservation & survey of flora, fauna, forests
storage in mines.
and wild life.
• Protection of the environment
• A forestation & regeneration of degraded
area
• Ensuring the welfare of animals
42. Basel Convention is related to
(a) Radio-active waste (b) Hazardous Waste
(c) Bio-Medical Waste (d) Nuclear Waste
Ans (b)
The Basel convention is an international treaty
designed to reduce the movement of
hazardous waste.
43.Consider the given statements with respect
to the environment Protection Act, 1986 ?
1. This Act empowers the union Government to
make rules providing standards in regard to
which environment pollutants shall not be
discharged or emitted in the environment in
excess.
2. This act empowers the union Government to
take direct action against defaulters. Select the
correct statements.
(a) Statement 1 is true and statement 2 is false
(b) Both the statements are true
(c) Both the statement are false
(d) Statement 1 is false and statement 2 is true
Ans.(b)
Environment Protection Act (1986) –
• The environmental (Protection) Act, 1986
along with the Environment Protection Rules
1986 amended in 1999.
• It gives wide powers to the central
government to take all such measures because
it deems necessary or expedient for the
purpose of protecting & improving the quality
of the environment.
• This act empowers the union government to
take direct action against defaulters.
• The Environment Rules of 1986 lay down
procedures for the setting of emission &
discharge standards.
• The act of provide for protection and
improvement of environment.
44. Chlorosis is a term which denotes :
(a) Killing of tissue
(b) Dropping of leaves
(c) Reduction in the chlorophyll
(d) Downward curvature of the leaf
Ans.(c)
Chlorosis is a general term which indicate the
lack of chlorophyll, a condition Related to a
large number abnormalities in plants.
45. Which of the Fire Extinguisher can be used
for Electrical Fires ?
(a) Automatic (b) Water type
(c) Foam type (d) CO2 type
Ans.(d)
CO2 extinguishers are ideal for places with a lot
of electrical equipment like as offices or server
rooms as they are safe to use on fires involving
electronic apparatus.
• CO2 extinguisher work by something the fire
& cutting off the supply of air.
• CO2 extinguishers do not leave any residue 48.The process by which the required amount
unlike a foam extinguisher. of moisture is taken out from the air is called as
______.
46. Arrange the following functions associated
with an EIA process in sequential order (a) Dehumidification (b) Humidification

(i) Identification (ii) Prediction (c) Detoxification (d) Toxification

(iii) Scoping Ans.(a)

(iv) Impact evaluation and analysis Dehumidification literally means “pulling out
or removing” the moisture/humidity from the
(a) iii, i, ii, iv (b) i, iii, iv, ii
air.
(c) ii, iv, i, iii (d) iv, ii, iii, i
49.Which one of the following EIA
Ans.(b) methodologies capable of identifying direct
and indirect impacts along with indentification
Stages of environmental impact assessment
of higher order effects and interactions
1. Identification (Screening) between impacts ?
2. Scoping (a) Network method
3. Base line study (b) Stepped matrix method
4. Impact prediction & assessment (c) Overlay method (d) Check list method
5. Mitigation Ans.(a)
6. Environment impact statement Network method is a EIA methodologies for
7. ETS Review environmental impact identification is capable
of identifying direct & indirect impacts along
8. ETA follow up with identification of higher order effects &
47.Which of the following gases is obtained interactions between impact.
when metals react with dilute acids ? 50.Reactive substances are :
(a) Nitrogen (b) Hydrogen (a) Unstable under normal conditions. They can
(c) Oxygen (d) Carbon dioxide cause explosions and/or liberate toxic fumes,
gases, and vapors when mixed with water
Ans.(b)
(b) Easily ignited and burn vigorously and
H2 gas is non-toxic, non-metalic, odourless, persistently
tasteless, colourless gas & highly combustible.
• Metal react with dilute acid to produce salt & (c) Liquids with pH less than 2 or greater than
hydrogen gas. 12.5, and those that are capable of corroding
metal containers
(d) Harmful or fatal when ingested or absorbed
Ans.(a)

Reactive substances are unstable under normal

conditions & react violently with air and water.
Reactive substance are solids, liquids or
gaseous substances, mixture of substances or
substances that occur in combinations of such
state, which up on contact with water, at their
temperature, pressure or other chemical