1. The term ___________________ denotes the web of physical and biological systems and processes of which humans are one element.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: ecology

2. Social environments emerge from the interaction between __________ and __________ .
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: biophysical ecology and human interventions

3.Environmental crises have their roots in ____________.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: biophysical ecology and human interventions

4. The science of water and its flows is _____________.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Hydrology

5. Green house is also called a _____________.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: hot house

6. Waste materials in fluid forms produced from industrial process are called _____________.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Effluents

7. __________ are Natural underground formations in the geology of a region where water gets stored.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Aquifers

8. India and ___________ are significant contributors to World carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
a) Japan
b) Pakistan
c) China
d) Burma
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: c) China

9. When the plant life in a locality or region is reduced to a single variety is known as
a) monoculture
b) sericulture
c) multiculture
d) dual culture
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: a) monoculture

10. What do you understand by ecology?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: The term ecology denotes the web of physical and biological systems and processes of which humans are one element.

11. What is meant by social ecology?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Social ecology points out that social relations, in particular the organisation of property and production, shape environmental perceptions and practices.

12. What is global warming?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Global warming is the gradual but significant rise in global temperatures caused by the release of specific gases like carbon dioxide and methane. These gases trap the sun's heat, creating a 'greenhouse effect' that prevents heat from dissipating. This process is projected to melt polar ice-fields, leading to higher sea levels and the potential submergence of low-lying coastal areas.

13. List the advantages of genetic modification.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Here is the list of advantages of genetic modification:

• Genetic modification helps to shorten growing time, increase size and the shelf-life of crop.
• Agricultural companies can also use genetic modification to create sterile seeds, preventing farmers from re-using them, and guaranteeing that seeds remain their profit-yielding property, forcing farmers to be dependent on them.

14. Mention/List the consequences of global warming.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Here is the list of consequences of global warming.

• Global warming melts polar ice-fields, leading to higher sea levels and the potential submergence of low-lying coastal areas.
• It also disrupts the ecological balance and is expected to result in increased climate uncertainties worldwide.
• Global warming is also likely to result in greater fluctuations and uncertainty in climates across the world.

15. Give examples of natural and man-made disasters.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Example of Man Made Disaster : The Bhopal disaster of 1984 killed about 4,000 people when a toxic gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory.
Natural Disaster : the tsunami of 2004

16. "Environmental problems are considered as social problem." Comment.
OR Explain why environment problems are also considered as social problems.
OR
Why are environment problems also social problems?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: "Environmental problems are considered as social problem." Because of following reasons:

• The extent of societal social inequality shapes the way various groups will be impacted by the environmental crisis.
• The progress in science and technology has influenced the inter connection among animals, plants, and the environment.
• Human actions have led to the destruction of plants and the environment to facilitate their own comfort and convenience.
• The degradation of the ecosystem's balance has been caused by deforestation, industrial pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution.
• In contemporary industrial societies, the alarming exploitation of the environment has escalated.
• Almost any economic progress appears to have a direct correlation with the destruction of nature.
• Failure to manage this destruction of environment will pose a serious survival threat to the world population.

17. Describe the two way process by which the "social environments" emerge.
OR
Explain how society shapes nature and nature shapes society.
OR
Describe the two-way process by which social environments emerge.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Social environments emerge from the interaction between biophysical ecology and human interventions.This is a two-way process. Just as nature shapes society, society shapes nature.

• Nature affect society : The environment like fertile land or deserts, affects how people live. In places with good soil like the Indo-Gangetic floodplain, farming is easier, so lots of people can live close together and have different kinds of jobs. This creates societies with leaders and rules. But in deserts like Rajasthan, farming is tough, so people raise animals and move around to find food for them. It shows how where people live affects how they live and what their culture is like.
• Society affects nature : The social organisation of capitalism has shaped nature across the world. The private automobile is one instance of a capitalist commodity that has transformed lives and landscapes. Air pollution and congestion in cities, regional conflicts and wars over oil, and global warming are just a few of the environmental effects of cars. Human interventions increasingly have the power to alter environments, often permanently.

18. Why is ecology not limited only to the forces of nature?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Ecology isn't solely shaped by natural forces; it evolves due to human actions. Numerous seemingly natural aspects tied to the environment are actually influenced by human activities. Take climate change caused by global warming, which may seem natural but results from human actions. Likewise, practices such as soil and water conservation, pesticide use, and employing man-made materials in agriculture also showcase how humans change nature. Cities prominently display an artificial environment with their built landscapes crafted from concrete, cement, brick, stone, glass, and tar.

19. Why and how does social organisation shape the relationship between the environment and society?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: The way society is structured influences how the environment and society interact since ownership relations dictate how natural resources are utilized. For instance, the government and private companies would manage forests differently due to their distinct purposes and objectives regarding these resources.
Ownership of natural resources also differs based on divisions in labor. For example, the connection between landless laborers and women with resources contrasts with that of men because women in rural areas often face more acute scarcity of resources. They must gather water and firewood without control over these resources, shaping their relationship with the environment differently.

20. Why is environmental management a complex and huge task for society?
OR
Why environmental management is a very difficult/complex task?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Environmental management becomes comples for society because we don't always have enough info about how nature works. The way people and the environment connect has gotten complicated because industries take resources faster. This affects nature in new ways we didn't see before. The systems that manage industries can easily break and are often not very safe. That's why we have a lot of environmental issues and dangers. Disasters like the Bhopal Gas Tragedy happen because of these risks.

21. What are some of the important forms of pollution-related environmental hazards?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Here are few important forms for pollution related environment hazards :

• Air Pollution - This happens when factories and cars in cities or burning wood and coal in rural areas release stuff that makes the air dirty. It's a big problem in cities and the countryside, making people sick, especially with breathing issues that can be really serious.
• Water Pollution - This makes water on the surface and underground not good to use. It comes from things like sewage from homes, waste from factories, and chemicals from farms. Rivers and lakes get really affected by this.
• Noise Pollution - In cities, there's a lot of noise from cars honking, loud music, traffic, and construction. It's a problem that some courts have even tried to control.

22. What are the major environmental issues associated with resource depletion?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans:

• Depletion of groundwater in regions like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh due to intensive agriculture, industry, and urban growth.
• Dams and diversion of rivers causing irreversible harm to water basins' ecology.
• Filling and construction over urban water bodies disrupting natural drainage.
• Destruction of topsoil due to poor environmental management, leading to erosion, water-logging, and salinization.
• Loss of biodiversity habitats like forests, grasslands, and wetlands due to agricultural expansion.
• Endangered species, including India's unique ones, due to shrinking habitats and decreasing biodiversity.

23. What is Social Environment?
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Social environments emerge from the interaction between biophysical ecology and human interventions. This is a two-way process. Just as nature shapes society, society shapes nature.

24. Describe some environment related conflicts.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Here are few environment related conflicts :

• The Chipko Movement, also called the Chipko Andolan, began in Uttarakhand's Garhwal region. It was led by women who hugged trees to protect them from being cut down. This movement later expanded across India.
• The Narmada Bachao Andolan fought for the rights of people affected by the Sardar Sarovar Dam's construction on the Narmada River. Leaders like Medha Patkar and Baba Amte led this movement. Initially, the Supreme Court halted dam construction and later ordered its monitoring, considering environmental impacts.

25. List advantages and disadvantages of Genetically Modified Organisms.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Advantages of Genetically Modified Organisms

• Genetically Modified Organisms can be engineered to resist pests, reducing the need for pesticides that harm the environment.
• Genes can be modified to enhance traits like faster growth, larger size, and longer shelf life, potentially increasing crop yields.
• Genetic modification can confer resistance to diseases, ensuring crop health and stability.

• The long-term impact of consuming Genetically Modified Organisms foods on human health and the environment is uncertain.
• The effects of Genetically Modified Organisms on ecosystems and non-target species are not fully understood.
• Agricultural companies can produce sterile seeds through genetic modification, forcing farmers to buy new seeds each year, leading to dependency and increased costs.
• The widespread use of GMOs may lead to reduced crop diversity, impacting ecosystems and resilience against disease outbreaks.

26. Social environments emerge from the interaction between biophysical ecology and human interventions. Explain.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: Social environments emerge from the interaction between biophysical ecology and human interventions.This is a two-way process. Just as nature shapes society, society shapes nature.

• Nature affect society : The environment like fertile land or deserts, affects how people live. In places with good soil like the Indo-Gangetic floodplain, farming is easier, so lots of people can live close together and have different kinds of jobs. This creates societies with leaders and rules. But in deserts like Rajasthan, farming is tough, so people raise animals and move around to find food for them. It shows how where people live affects how they live and what their culture is like.
• Society affects nature : The social organisation of capitalism has shaped nature across the world. The private automobile is one instance of a capitalist commodity that has transformed lives and landscapes. Air pollution and congestion in cities, regional conflicts and wars over oil, and global warming are just a few of the environmental effects of cars. Human interventions increasingly have the power to alter environments, often permanently.

27. Define Risk Society.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: The spread of industrialisation, resource extraction has expanded and accelerated, affecting ecosystems in unprecedented ways. Complex industrial technologies and modes of organisation require sophisticated management systems which are often fragile and vulnerable to error.So we live in risk societies using technologies and products that we do not fully grasp. Examples include the occurrence of nuclear disasters like Chernobyl, industrial accidents like Bhopal, and Mad Cow disease in Europe shows the dangers inherent in industrial environments.

28.Explain the major environmental problems and risks.
(Chapter 3: Understanding Society - Environment and Society)

Ans: The following are globally recognized as the main ones:

• A. Resource Depletion : Using up non-renewable natural resources is one of the most serious environmental problems. . While fossil fuels and specially petroleum hog the headlines, the depletion and destruction of water and land is probably even more rapid. The rapid decline in groundwater levels is an acute problem all over India, especially in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
• B. Pollution : Air pollution is considered to be a major environmental problem in urban and rural areas, causing respiratory and other problems which result in serious illness and death. The sources of air pollution include emissions from industries and vehicles, as well as the burning of wood and coal for domestic use.Also pollution coming from vehicles and factories, smoking chimneys and exhaust pipes in cars. Water pollution is also a very serious issue affecting surface as well as groundwater. Major sources include not only domestic sewage and factory effluents but also the runoff from farms where large amounts of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides are used. The pollution of rivers and waterbodies is a particularly important problem. Cities also suffer from noise pollution, which has been the subject of court orders in many cities. Sources include amplified loudspeakers used at religious and cultural events, political campaigns, vehicle horns and traffic, and construction work.
• C. Global Warming: The release of gases like carbon dioxide, methane and others creates a 'greenhouse' effect by trapping the sun's heat and not allowing it to dissipate.This has caused a small but significant rise in global temperatures.The resulting climate change is projected to melt polar ice-fields and raise the sea level, thus submerging low-lying coastal areas, and more important, affecting the ecological balance. Global warming is also likely to result in greater fluctuations and uncertainty in climates across the world.
• D. Genetically Modified Organisms : Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are made by scientists who mix genes from different species. This creates new traits, like making cotton plants resistant to bugs that harm them. GMOs can also make crops grow faster, bigger, and last longer. But we're not sure about the effects of eating these foods in the long run, or how they affect nature. Companies can also make seeds that can't grow new plants, making farmers have to buy seeds each time and rely on these companies.