Consider the following : I. Cigarette butts II. Eyeglass lenses III. Car tyres How many of them contain plastic?
- A.Only one
- B.Only two
- C.All the three
- D.None
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, All the three. Each of these everyday items is made partly or wholly of synthetic polymers, which is what plastic is.
A cigarette filter is made of cellulose acetate, a plastic that takes years to break down, which is why butts are among the most common litter found on beaches. Most modern spectacle lenses are not glass at all but plastics such as CR-39 resin or polycarbonate, chosen because they are lighter and do not shatter. A car tyre is built from natural and synthetic rubber reinforced with nylon or polyester cords, and the wear of tyres on roads is one of the largest sources of microplastics.
A is wrong: more than one of the three items contains plastic.
B is wrong: all three do, not just two.
D is wrong: none of the three is plastic-free.
Exam tip: hidden plastics = cigarette filters (cellulose acetate), lenses (polycarbonate, CR-39), tyres (synthetic rubber and polymer cords, a major microplastic source).
Practice Questions
View allWhich one of the following statements with regard to growth of coral reefs is not correct?
- A.Coral can grow abundantly in freshwater.
- B.It requires warm water between 23 °C-25 °C.
- C.It requires shallow saltwater, not deeper than 50 metres.
- D.It requires plenty of sunlight to aid photosynthesis.
Show answer
Reef-building corals are marine animals and die in fresh water, so this statement is false. Corals are tiny polyps that build skeletons of calcium carbonate and live with algae called zooxanthellae inside their tissues.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following biosphere reserves is spread over three States in India?
- A.Nilgiri
- B.Achanakmar-Amarkantak
- C.Seshachalam
- D.Agasthyamalai
Show answer
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve spreads across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Set up in 1986, Nilgiri was India's first biosphere reserve, and in 2000 it became the first Indian reserve on UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following is/are renewable source(s) of energy? 1. Fossil fuel 2. Biofuel 3. Uranium 4. Hydropower Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A.2 only
- B.3 and 4
- C.1 and 3
- D.2 and 4
Show answer
Biofuel and hydropower are renewable because nature replaces them within a human lifetime, while fossil fuels and uranium are not.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is NOT decomposed by bacterial action ?
- A.Vegetable remains
- B.Plastic materials
- C.Animal carcasses
- D.Wastes of flowers
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Ordinary plastics are non-biodegradable, so bacteria and fungi cannot break them down in any useful length of time. Most plastics, such as polyethylene, polypropylene and PVC, are long synthetic polymers made from petroleum.
Read the full explanation →According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which one of the following is the largest source of sulphur dioxide emissions?
- A.Locomotives using fossil fuels
- B.Ships using fossil fuels
- C.Extraction of metals from ores
- D.Power plants using fossil fuels
Show answer
The EPA names the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial facilities as the largest source of sulphur dioxide.
Read the full explanation →