Pollution of Land and Water Flashcards

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Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

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What is land pollution?

Damage to the land by waste or chemicals that harm soil, plants, and animals.

What is water pollution?

Harmful substances entering rivers, lakes, or seas, making them unsafe for life.

Name two common sources of water pollution.

Untreated sewage and fertiliser run-off from farms.

How can fertilisers cause eutrophication in water?

Extra nitrates and phosphates wash into water and trigger a rapid algal bloom.

What are the main steps of eutrophication?

Algae block light; plants die; microbes break them down and use oxygen; low oxygen kills fish and insects.

How does sewage reduce oxygen in water?

Microbes break down the waste using oxygen, so dissolved oxygen falls.

Give two examples of land pollution.

Landfill rubbish and farm chemicals like pesticides getting into soil.

How can landfill pollute water?

Rainwater makes a toxic liquid (leachate) that can seep into rivers or groundwater.

What is one indicator species of clean water and one of polluted water?

Mayfly larvae show clean, high-oxygen water; bloodworms or sludgeworms show polluted, low-oxygen water.

How can pesticides harm animals higher up the food chain?

The chemicals build up in bodies and become more concentrated in predators, which can harm or kill them.

State one way to reduce water pollution from farms.

Apply fertiliser only when crops need it to cut run-off into rivers.

How is sewage treated to protect rivers?

It is filtered to remove solids and treated to kill microbes before it is released.