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Our Environment Questions and Answers - Free PDF Download
NCERT Solutions for Science Chapter 13, our environment-class 10 provided by Vedantu, is a key resource for students who want to navigate the concepts of Science at the 10th-grade level. The inside topics include Ecosystems, the Ozone layer, food chains, food webs, etc.
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Students can go through our environment class 10 questions and answers to better understand the key concepts of this chapter. The advantage of NCERT Solutions ch 13 science class 10 is its alignment with the latest NCERT Science syllabus. This ensures that students are well-prepared for their board exams according to the syllabus, as the solutions closely follow the CBSE NCERT Science class 10 syllabus and exam pattern. You can access our Environment Class 10 PDF for FREE from this page.
Glance on NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Our Environment
Class 10, our environment NCERT solutions are designed, which students love as it is one of the easiest chapters you will read in your Class 10th Science textbook.
From small animals and insects to giant animals and even glaciers, we benefit from human learning in the field of environmental education. Environmental Science helps students in the 10th standard achieve good marks as it has engaging lessons that are easy to understand.
With class 10 science chapter 13, teachers and parents try to educate kids about the importance of nature.
This is the only subject that helps promote students' health while teaching them how to keep the environment and its surroundings healthy.
With environmental science outdoor activities, students become more active, which reduces the common health issues that modern-day children are suffering from. Some of these are obesity, blood sugar, kidney failure, etc.
Class 10 science chapter 13 question answers can help students analyse their level of preparation and understanding of concepts.
In addition, when studying Environmental Science, you get to know things you need to succeed in the future. You get to investigate and define the problems that are around you and find ways to solve them through the subject only.
NCERT Solutions For Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Our Environment - 2025-26
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FAQs on NCERT Solutions For Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Our Environment - 2025-26
1. How should I structure my answer for the NCERT question differentiating biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances?
For a complete answer as per the CBSE guidelines, follow these steps:
1. Define Biodegradable Substances: Explain that these are materials that can be broken down into non-toxic components by natural biological processes, like the action of bacteria and fungi. Provide examples like paper, cotton, and food waste.
2. Define Non-biodegradable Substances: Explain that these materials cannot be broken down by natural organisms. Provide examples like plastic, glass, and pesticides.
3. State the Core Difference: Conclude by stating the key difference is the ability of microorganisms to decompose the substance, which determines its environmental persistence.
2. What is the correct method to explain trophic levels using a food chain example for Class 10 exams?
To solve this correctly, use a clear, step-by-step method:
1. Define Trophic Level: Start by defining it as each step in a food chain where energy is transferred.
2. Construct an Example Food Chain: Use a simple, valid example, such as: Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake.
3. Assign Trophic Levels: Clearly label the level for each organism.
- Grass (Producer): First Trophic Level
- Grasshopper (Primary Consumer): Second Trophic Level
- Frog (Secondary Consumer): Third Trophic Level
- Snake (Tertiary Consumer): Fourth Trophic Level
3. What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem, and how do I explain it for full marks?
To explain the role of decomposers, focus on their function in nutrient cycling. Your answer should include these key points:
- Breakdown of Complex Matter: Decomposers, like bacteria and fungi, break down dead organic matter (dead plants and animals) into simpler inorganic substances.
- Nutrient Replenishment: This process releases essential nutrients like nitrogen and carbon back into the soil, air, and water.
- Ecosystem Cleaning: By decomposing waste, they act as nature's cleaning agents, preventing the accumulation of dead organic material.
4. How does biological magnification work, and why are organisms at the highest trophic level most affected?
Biological magnification is the increasing concentration of harmful, non-biodegradable chemicals in organisms at successive trophic levels. It occurs because these chemicals, like pesticides (DDT), accumulate in an organism's body fat and are not metabolised or excreted. When this organism is eaten, the chemical is transferred to the predator. As the chemical moves up the food chain, its concentration multiplies at each level. Consequently, organisms at the highest trophic level (e.g., top carnivores like eagles or humans) accumulate the maximum concentration of these toxins, leading to the most severe health impacts.
5. What are the key consequences if we kill all the organisms in one trophic level?
Removing an entire trophic level disrupts the ecosystem significantly. The main consequences are:
- Disruption of Energy Flow: The transfer of energy to the next trophic level will stop, causing organisms in the higher levels to starve and potentially die out.
- Population Imbalance: The population of organisms in the preceding (lower) trophic level will increase dramatically due to the absence of predators.
- Ecosystem Instability: The entire food web becomes unstable, which can lead to a collapse of the ecosystem. No trophic level can be removed without causing damage.
6. Why is damage to the ozone layer a cause for concern, and what steps are being taken to limit it?
The ozone layer (O₃) is a major concern because it protects life on Earth by absorbing most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Its depletion would lead to increased UV exposure, causing skin cancer, cataracts, and immune system damage in humans, as well as harming plants and marine life. Key steps being taken to limit this damage, aligned with the Montreal Protocol, include:
- Phasing out the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were commonly used in refrigerators and aerosol sprays.
- Promoting the use of CFC-free alternatives in industrial and consumer products.
7. Why is a food web considered a more realistic representation of an ecosystem than a food chain?
A food web is more realistic because most organisms have multiple food sources and are also eaten by various predators. A food chain shows a single, linear pathway of energy flow (e.g., grass → deer → tiger). However, in nature, a tiger might also eat goats, and deer might be eaten by other predators too. A food web illustrates these multiple, interconnected food chains, showing the complex network of feeding relationships. This complexity provides greater stability to the ecosystem, as the loss of one species may not collapse the entire system if alternative food sources are available.
8. What are the most effective methods for solving the problem of waste disposal at a personal level?
To solve waste disposal problems, you can adopt several environmentally-friendly practices mentioned in the NCERT Class 10 curriculum. The most effective methods include:
- The 3 Rs: Practice Reduce (use fewer resources), Reuse (use items multiple times), and Recycle (send materials like paper, plastic, and glass for reprocessing).
- Waste Segregation: Separate biodegradable waste (like kitchen scraps) from non-biodegradable waste (like plastic) at home.
- Composting: Convert biodegradable waste into nutrient-rich compost for plants, reducing the amount of garbage sent to landfills.
- Avoiding Single-Use Plastics: Use cloth bags for shopping and avoid disposable cups and cutlery.
9. If all the waste we generate becomes biodegradable, would this solve our environmental problems?
No, even if all waste were biodegradable, it would not completely solve our environmental problems. The decomposition of very large quantities of biodegradable waste can have negative impacts, such as:
- Release of Greenhouse Gases: The decomposition process, especially in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic), can release methane (CH₄), a potent greenhouse gas.
- Oxygen Depletion in Water: If biodegradable waste is dumped in water bodies, the decomposition process consumes dissolved oxygen, which can kill fish and other aquatic life.
- Slow Decomposition Rate: Many biodegradable items only break down under specific industrial composting conditions, not in a typical landfill.
10. How does the 10% law explain energy flow in an ecosystem?
The 10% law states that during the transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next, only about 10% of the energy is stored in the biomass of the new level. The remaining 90% is lost to the environment as heat during metabolic processes like respiration, or remains in parts that are not consumed. For example, if producers (plants) have 1000 Joules of energy, the primary consumers (herbivores) that eat them will only store about 100 Joules. The secondary consumers will, in turn, only store about 10 Joules. This is why food chains are typically limited to 3-4 trophic levels, as there isn't enough energy to support organisms at higher levels.
