What are the major causes of water pollu | Class 11 Chemistry Chapter Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry NCERT Solutions

Welcome to the NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Chemistry - Chapter Environmental Chemistry. This page offers a step-by-step solution to the specific question from Exercise 1, Question 11: . With detailed answers and explanations for each chapter, students can strengthen their understanding and prepare confidently for exams. Ideal for CBSE and other board students, this resource will simplify your study experience.

Question 11:

What are the major causes of water pollution? Explain.

Answer:

Water pollution arises as a result of several human activities, which leads to the presence of several undesirable substances in water. Major water pollutants with their sources have been tabulated as follows:

Pollutant	Source
Radioactive substances	Mining of uranium-containing minerals
Heat	Water used for cooling in industries
Plant nutrients	Chemical fertilizers
Toxic heavy metals	Chemical factories and industries
Sediments	Strip mining and soil erosion
Pesticides	Chemicals used for killing fungi, weed, insects
Micro-organisms	Domestic sewage
Organic wastes	Domestic sewage, decaying animals and plants, animal excreta and waste, discharge from food processing industries

Roles played by major pollutants are:

1. Pathogens: These water pollutants include bacteria and other organisms. They enter water from animal excreta and domestic sewage. Bacteria present in human excreta (for example, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus faecalis) cause gastrointestinal diseases.

2. Organic wastes: These are biodegradable wastes that pollute water as a result of run off. The presence of excess organic wastes in water decreases the amount of oxygen held by water. This decrease in the amount of dissolved oxygen inhibits aquatic life.

3. Chemical pollutants: These are water soluble chemicals like heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, nickel, etc. The presence of these chemicals (above the tolerance limit) can damage the kidneys, central nervous system, and liver.

Other Questions of Chapter Environmental Chemistry

What do you mean by ozone hole? What are its consequences?

Explain tropospheric pollution in 100 words.

What do you mean by Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)?

Do you observe any soil pollution in your neighbourhood? What efforts will you make for controlling the soil pollution?

Carbon monoxide gas is more dangerous than carbon dioxide gas. Why?

What are the reactions involved for ozone layer depletion in the stratosphere?

What would have happened if the greenhouse gases were totally missing in the earth's atmosphere? Discuss.

Statues and monuments in India are affected by acid rain. How?

How can domestic waste be used as manure?

List gases which are responsible for greenhouse effect.

Popular questions of class 11 Chemistry

Calculate the amount of carbon dioxide that could be produced when

(i) 1 mole of carbon is burnt in air.

(ii) 1 mole of carbon is burnt in 16 g of dioxygen.

(iii) 2 moles of carbon are burnt in 16 g of dioxygen.

The mass of an electron is 9.1 × 10^–31 kg. If its K.E. is 3.0 × 10^–25 J, calculate its wavelength.

Calculate the wavelength of an electron moving with a velocity of 2.05 × 10⁷ ms^–1.

Balance the following redox reactions by ion – electron method :

(a) MnO₄^–(aq) + I^–(aq) → MnO_{2 (s)} + I_2(s) (in basic medium)

(b) MnO₄ ^– (aq) + SO_{2 (g)}→ Mn²⁺ (aq) + HSO₄^– (aq) (in acidic solution)

(d) Cr₂O₇ ^2– + SO_2(g) → Cr³⁺ _(aq) + SO₄^2–(aq) (in acidic solution)

In a process, 701 J of heat is absorbed by a system and 394 J ofwork is done by the system. What is the change in internal energy for the process?

What will be the minimum pressure required to compress 500 dm³ of air at 1 bar to 200 dm³ at 30°C?

In a reaction A + B2 → AB2 Identify the limiting reagent, if any, in the following reaction mixtures.

(i) 300 atoms of A + 200 molecules of B

(ii) 2 mol A + 3 mol B

(iii) 100 atoms of A + 100 molecules of B

(iv) 5 mol A + 2.5 mol B

(v) 2.5 mol A + 5 mol B

At 0°C, the density of a certain oxide of a gas at 2 bar is same as that of dinitrogen at 5 bar. What is the molecular mass of the oxide?

Which one of the following will have largest number of atoms?

(i) 1 g Au (s)

(ii) 1 g Na (s)

(iii) 1 g Li (s)

(iv) 1 g of Cl2(g)

Density of a gas is found to be 5.46 g/dm³ at 27 °C at 2 bar pressure. What will be its density at STP?

Recently Viewed Questions of Class 11 Chemistry

How would you convert the following compounds into benzene?

(i) Ethyne (ii) Ethene (iii) Hexane

Explain structures of diborane and boric acid.

For the following equilibrium, K_c= 6.3 × 10¹⁴ at 1000 K

NO (g) + O₃ (g) ↔ NO₂ (g) + O₂(g)

Both the forward and reverse reactions in the equilibrium are elementary bimolecular reactions. What is K_c, for the reverse reaction?

Describe the change in hybridisation (if any) of the Al atom in the following reaction.

Find out the value of K_c for each of the following equilibria from the value of K_p:

(i) 2NOCl (g) ↔ 2NO (g) + Cl₂ (g); Kp = 1.8 × 10^–2 at 500 K

(ii) CaCO₃ (s) ↔ CaO(s) + CO₂(g); Kp = 167 at 1073 K

In a reaction A + B2 → AB2 Identify the limiting reagent, if any, in the following reaction mixtures.

(i) 300 atoms of A + 200 molecules of B

(ii) 2 mol A + 3 mol B

(iii) 100 atoms of A + 100 molecules of B

(iv) 5 mol A + 2.5 mol B

(v) 2.5 mol A + 5 mol B

Find energy of each of the photons which

(i) correspond to light of frequency 3× 1015 Hz.

(ii) have wavelength of 0.50 Å.

Calculate the number of kJ of heat necessary to raise the temperature of 60.0 g of aluminium from 35°C to 55°C. Molar heat capacity of Al is 24 J mol^–1 K^–1.

A liquid is in equilibrium with its vapour in a sealed container at a fixed temperature. The volume of the container is suddenly increased.
a) What is the initial effect of the change on vapour pressure?
b) How do rates of evaporation and condensation change initially?
c) What happens when equilibrium is restored finally and what will be the final vapour pressure?

Write Lewis symbols for the following atoms and ions:

S and S2–; Al and Al3+; H and H–

Study Tips for Answering NCERT Questions:

NCERT questions are designed to test your understanding of the concepts and theories discussed in the chapter. Here are some tips to help you answer NCERT questions effectively:

Read the question carefully and focus on the core concept being asked.
Reference examples and data from the chapter when answering questions about Environmental Chemistry.
Review previous year question papers to get an idea of how such questions may be framed in exams.
Practice answering questions within the time limit to improve your speed and accuracy.
Discuss your answers with your teachers or peers to get feedback and improve your understanding.

Latest Blog Posts

Stay updated with our latest educational content and study tips

The Secret to Smarter Learning — Building Strong Critical Thinking Skills

In today’s world of endless information , knowing how to think is more important than knowing what to think . From school projects to real – life decisions , critical thinking helps students question ideas , analyze facts and form logical conclusions . But what exactly does critical thinking mean ? Simply put , it’s […]

Study Smarter, Not Harder: Build Productive Habits That Stick

Every student dreams of better grades , stronger focus and more study time – but the real challenge isn’t starting, it’s staying consistent . Building productive study habits is not about studying all day , it’s about studying smart . In today’s fast – paced digital world, distractions are everywhere – from endless phone notifications […]

The Hidden Risks of Online Gaming for Children — Is your child safe while gaming online?

Online gaming has rapidly become one of the most popular pastimes among children. Whether it’s multiplayer mobile games , PC adventures or console challenges , kids are spending more time than ever in the virtual world . On the surface, gaming seems entertaining and even educational – improving hand- eye coordination , teamwork and problem […]

The Role of Parents in Digital Literacy – Guiding Kids for a Smarter Online Future

Kids today are surrounded by screens from the moment they wake up . Whether it’s smart classrooms, online lessons or video games with friends technology has quietly become a part of everything they do. It’s amazing how much they can learn, explore and create with just a tap or a click. But it also brings […]

View All Blog Posts