Exams Preparation - For Geography

Geography
1) Structured Qns

Chapter 9 : Pollutions
- The definition of pollutions
- it is the contamination of the natural environment by the introduction of foreign substances or increase in concentration of naturally occuring substances.

A) What are the causes & effects of each pollutions ?
What are the measures taken to reduce pollutions?

Air pollutions :

Natural air pollutions
- Volcanic eruptions (ash & gases)
-Wetlands & Swamps & Shallow lakes ( methane gas)
-Hot , Dry Weathers ( Create winds which lift up & carry soil particles as dust storms)

Effects : Causes health problems such as Bronchitis & Asthma

Air Pollutions caused br humans:
- Exhaust fumes from motor vehicles ( Nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons & carbon monoxide)
- Emissions from factories & Power plants/ stations ( Sulphur dioxide ,Nitrogen oxides)

Effects: Fumes from motor vehicles

- Carbon Monoxide : ( produced in large amounts when cars idle in heavy traffic)
Causes dizziness and is fatal iin an enclosed space.

- Hydrocarbons : ( produced from car exhausts )
Are a suspected cause of cancer.

- Nitrogen Oxides : (waste gases from car engines)
Causes the brown haze that hangs over cities on Clear, Sunny days.
Corrodes Metals, Brick & Stone surfaces.

-Nirogen oxides & Hydrocarbons
Produce a photochemical smog in sinlight ( a mixture of fog & smoke)
Causes Headaches , Stinging Eyes, Asthma attacks
Can destroy plastic & damage the lungs.

-'Marble Cancer' : pollutants eat away at marble structures ( eg. Tai Mahal)
-" Causes Acid Rain which kills fishes in ponds , lakes , corrodes buildings and kill fishes

Air Pollutions Know No Boundaries & May Be Blown Across National Boundaries

Water Pollutions :
- Occurs when water is contamined by Industrial and Human Wastes

Sources of water :
-Lakes
- Seas
-Rivers

Causes :
-Iron & Steel plants
-Chemical industries
-Oil terminals & industries
-Leather tanning
- Fishing industries
-Waste runoff from farms which includes pesticides,herbicides & fertilisers
-Oil Spill from tankers
(discharge their waste into the seas)

Effects :
-Destruction of Marine & Riverine ecosystem ,fishes , other aquatic plants & animals will die.
-Harmful bacteria & posionous chemicals may be passed to humans through the consuption of contamined fish & water

Land Pollutions
-Human Activities such as mining (Sulphur fumes produced from the smelting process prevented the vegetation from regrowing on the hillsides), industries (residue of lubricants and chemicals that have been used) and homes ( eg. paper wrappers/ plastic bags ) produce large amounts of waste.
- Waste : Materials no longer needed in producing, selling,or using different goods.(Takes many forms)

Effects:
- Disposing of waste improperly can lead to land pollutions
- Open Rubbish dumps attract pests ( eg. flies, rats ) and breed diseases ( spread of diseases)

-Large amounts of wastes can produce unpleasant odours.

-Contamined soil may also be washed into rivers & seas
-Residual fertilisers ,herbicides ,pesticides can also pollute the soil

_Harmful chemicals may also be passed onto birds & reptiles when contamined earthworms /bugs are consumed.

_ Plants may also not thrive in the soil with chemical concentrations.



Noise Pollutions
-Excessive noise ( eg.. barking dog,flying plane,construction sities,traffic jams , cities)
- Especially harmful if exposure is continous or when people are trying to sleep.

Effects:
-disturbs thinking,affects our decision-making and moods
-causes headaches,sleep disturbances,high -blood pressure

B)What are Singapore's approaches to environmental pollutions?

Reducing Pollutions
-Reduce amount of polluting materials
( waste or trash produced ,eg. litter ,burning of fuels)
-Reduce use of disposable products (eg.paper plates,cups)
-Reduce the amount non-biodegradable pesticides,herbicides,weedicides used.
-Reuse material such as plastic bags,bottles,waste materials from forests & factories
-Recycle materials into new forms after their first use. ( Used newspaper into paper products,plastics can be made into furniture )
-Tougher laws against littering and illegal dumping of wastes
-Regular inspection of factories and business for pollution

Role of individual

-Proper use of litter bins help to reverse the harmful effects of litter.
-Paper .cardboard,glass,plastics,paint,timber can all be recycled by individuals or by the local authorities and companies. Recycling wastes into new products reduces the amount of waste that pollute our air,waster & land.

Role of our Governments

-Pass the law that require individuals to dispose waste properly and to refrain from making excessive noise.
-Laws can be passed,requiring organisations such as construction firms and factories to minimise noise pollution and pollutnats released into the air,waste and deposited in waste dumps.Fined and taxes can be used to enforce these laws.
-Banning the use of certain materials to prevent pollution,DDT,an insecticide once widely used to control malarial mosquitoes, is now banned in nearly every country : residue from the product has been shown to be harmful to life forms.
- Educate the public about the need for reducing,reusing & recycling of materials.Through advertising, school programmes & workshops for industries , people can bacome better informed and act more responsibly to reduce pollution.
-Lauch Campaigns (such as tree-planting programmes to prevent the silting of rivers and the pollution of water.) Other programmes include setting up recycling depots for paper, plastics and paints operated by govenment authorities.
-Governments may decide where waste matter is to be put and in what form-sealed,incinerated or buried as a landfill. The incineration sities for Singapore's wastes were decided by government authorities.

thats all for now !!
Jiayouss , Everyone XDD