Environmental Studies PYQs

Key Points

• Fermentation is the process by which molecules such as glucose are broken down anaerobically.
• Through the process of fermentation, sugars are converted into acids and alcohols.
• Enzymes such as pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase catalyze these reactions.
• It typically occurs in yeast cells, bacteria, and animal muscle tissue.
• It is a method of extracting energy from molecules.
• Fermentation involves only the partial breakdown of glucose.
• In fermentation, there is a net gain of only two ATP molecules for every molecule of glucose broken down into pyruvic acid.
• Wine and beer are produced through fermentation.
• Without fermentation, no ATP would be produced.

Important PointsThere are three distinct types of fermentation.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

• Starch or sugars are converted into lactic acid by yeast and bacteria.
• Muscle cramps during exercise are caused by the accumulation of lactic acid.
• Energy expenditure occurs more rapidly than the supply of oxygen to muscle cells.

Alcohol Fermentation

• Alcoholic fermentation is the process by which yeast produces ethanol and carbon dioxide from sugars like fructose, glucose, and sucrose during the generation of cellular energy.

Acetic Acid Fermentation

• Vinegar is obtained through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria.

Thus, in the fermentation process, sugar is converted into alcohol.

Concept:

• Direction is divided into 8 sections, 4 cardinal directions, and 4 ordinal directions.
• The four cardinal directions are the directions north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N, E, S, and W.
• East and west are perpendiculars (at right angles) to north and south.
• East is in the clockwise direction of rotation from north and west is directly opposite east.
• The ordinal directions are northeast (NE), southeast (SE), southwest (SW), and northwest (NW).
• NE, SE, SW, and NW lie in between the cardinal directions north and east, south and east, south and west, and north and west respectively.

Diagram:

Thus, with respect to the bookshop at Y, the direction of your house at X is North-East.

Free play refers to unstructured, voluntary, and self-directed play where children have the freedom to choose and engage in activities of their own choice, without adult direction or intervention.

 Key Points

• Free play allows children to explore their environment, exercise their creativity, and make their own decisions about how to play and interact with others.
• Children have the freedom to engage in activities of their choice, both outdoors and indoors.
• It encourages children to use their imagination, problem-solving skills, and social abilities without being restricted by rules or specific activities.

Thus, it is concluded that free play is where children can do outdoor or indoor activities.

Concept:  

• Time taken for journey = Arrival time - Departure time
• Speed = Distance/Time

Explanation:

Distance covered  = 1877 km

Total time taken = 5^th Sep 21:15 hours to 7^th Sep 04:45 hours = 31.5 hrs

Average Speed = 1877/31.5 km/h = 59.58 km/h = 59.5 km/h

Thus, the average speed of the train is 59.5 km/h

The correct option is '70°C for 15 to 30 seconds'.

Concept:

Pasteurization:

• Pasteurized milk can be consumed without boiling because it is free from harmful microbes.
• Milk is heated to approximately 70°C for 15 to 30 seconds and then cooled and stored.
• Doing so prevents the growth of microbes.
• This process was discovered by Louis Pasteur.
• It is called pasteurization.

Food Processing:

• The process of converting agricultural materials into food, or transforming one type of food into another, is known as food processing.
• Food processing encompasses a wide range of food preparation techniques, ranging from home cooking to sophisticated industrial processes used to produce convenience foods.

Explanation:

Thus, pasteurized milk is heated to 70°C for approximately 15 to 30 seconds, then cooled and stored.

The Correct answer is: Creeper

Concept:

Plant:

• Any eukaryote that is a member of the biological kingdom Plantae is referred to as a plant.
• Plants, which include mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and vascular plants, are classified as embryophytes.

Key Points

Creepers:

• Creepers are plants that creep across the earth, as their name suggests.
• Plants with weak stems that cannot stand upright but spread on the ground are called creepers.​
• Watermelon, strawberries, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes are some examples.

Thus, the pumpkin is a creeper.

Additional Information

Herbs:

• Plants with green and tender stems are called herbs.
• They are usually short and may not have many branches.

Shrubs:

• Some plants develop branches near the base of the stem.
• The stem is hard but not very thick.
• Such plants are called shrubs.

Tree:

• Some plants are very tall and have hard and thick stems.
• The stems have branches in the upper part, much above the ground.
• Such plants are called trees.

Explanation:

• Braille, reading by touching is a way for blind people to read.
• Braille, a universally accepted system of writing used by and for blind persons and consisting of a code of 63 characters.
• Each character made up of one to six raised dots arranged in a six-position matrix or cell.
• These Braille characters are embossed in lines on paper and read by passing the fingers lightly over the manuscript.
• Louis Braille, who was blinded at the age of three, invented the system in 1824.
• He invented it while he was a student at the Institution Nationale des Jeunes Aveugles (National Institute for Blind Children), Paris.
• World Braille Day is annually celebrated on January 4, the birthday of Braille inventor, Louis Braille in 1824.

Thus, reading by touching and feeling with fingers is used by people who are unable to see.

The correct answer is decreases and the atmospheric temperature is low.

Key Points 

• The process of cooling due to evaporation is affected by two main factors:- **the surface area of water in contact with the atmosphere and the atmospheric temperature.**​
• Surface Area:
• When the surface area of water in contact with the atmosphere decreases, fewer water molecules can evaporate at a given time.
• This reduces the rate of evaporation, slowing down the cooling process.
• Atmospheric Temperature:
• When the atmospheric temperature is low, there's less energy available to break the bonds between water molecules.
• This also reduces the rate of evaporation, further slowing the cooling process.

Additional Information

• The factors affecting evaporation are explained below:​

The correct answer is**' Swang'**

Key Points 

Swang Dance:

• In the Bundelkhand region of India, this dance is popular mainly in the state of Haryana, also in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh.
• The Swang is a type of musical drama, in which folktales are dramatized with folk songs, music and dance etc.
• Swang incorporates suitable theatrics and mimicry accompanied by song and dialogue.
• It is dialogue-oriented rather than movement-oriented.
• Religious stories and folk tales are enacted by a group of ten or twelve persons in an open area or an open-air theatre surrounded by the audience.
• In this dance form, the name of Pandit Lakhmi Chand is taken with great respect.
• He has written about 65 songs, hence he is called Suryakavi of Haryana.

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Additional Information

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Important Points Let's have a look at other options:

The Correct answer is:  A and D

 Key Points

• Plants serve various important roles in the ecosystem and interact with their surroundings in multiple ways.
• Plants play a crucial role in preventing soil erosion.
• The root systems of plants help hold the soil in place, reducing the risk of erosion caused by wind or water.
• By anchoring themselves in the ground, plants bind the soil particles together, making it less susceptible to being washed away.
• Furthermore, plants provide us with seeds, many of which are edible and serve as a valuable food source.
• They contain the necessary nutrients and genetic material for the growth of new plants.

Thus,

A. Plants prevent soil erosion: Correct 

B. Dead and dried leaves are used to make fertilizers and pesticides: Incorrect 

C. Animals provide shelter for plants: Incorrect 

D. Plants provide us with seeds some of which can be eaten: Correct 

Additional Information

• Animals do not provide shelter to plants, but plants provide shelter to many animals and birds.
• Dead and dried leaves start decomposing and add to the humus of the soil
• They are good natural fertilizers and help plants in growth.
• They however are not pesticides, as they do not help in killing pests.

The correct answer is that flowers are the reproductive organs of plants.

Key Points

Flower 

• As the reproductive part of a plant, a flower contains a stamen (male part) or a pistil/carpel (female part).
• The pistil is the female reproductive unit of the plant.
• A pistil consists of the following three main parts:
• Stigma: The stigma is located at the top and is connected to the ovary by the style.
• It receives pollen grains.
• Style: This is a long, slender part below the stigma that connects the stigma to the ovary.
• Ovary: This is the swollen basal part of the pistil.
• The stamen is the male reproductive unit of the plant and consists of the following two parts:
• Filament: The long, slender stalk is called the filament; it can be attached or free.
• Anther: The bilobed terminal structure is called the anther.
• All these parts aid in plant reproduction and ultimately result in the growth of a new plant.

Leaf

• A leaf is a lateral, generally flattened structure found on the stem.
• It develops at the node and bears a bud in its axil.
• The leaf is the most important vegetative organ for photosynthesis.
• Photosynthesis is the process by which the leaves of all green plants use water and carbon dioxide to prepare their food in the presence of sunlight.

Stem

• The stem is the upper part of the axis that bears branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits.
• It develops from the plumule of the embryo of a germinating seed.
• Stems perform various primary and secondary functions.
• Primary Functions
• It bears leaves, fruits, flowers, and branches.
• It conducts water and minerals to the roots, leaves, fruits, flowers, etc.
• Secondary Functions
• Many stems store food as reserves.
• Stem branches provide support to various parts of the plant.

Root

• In plants, the root is a non-green (due to the absence of chlorophyll), cylindrical, and descending part that typically grows downwards into the soil.
• It lacks leaves and buds.
• Functions of roots:
• The primary function of roots is to provide firmness to the plant.
• Roots anchor the plant to the soil.
• Roots absorb water and minerals from the soil and transport them to all parts of the plant.

The correct answer is Ladakh and Puducherry

Key Points

• There are currently 28 states and 8 union territories in India.
• Manipur is a northeast state in India.
• Union territories are federal territories governed directly by the Central Government of India.
• The President of India appoints an administrator or lieutenant governor for each Union Territory.
• Union Territories in India are:

1. National Capital Territory of Delhi.
2. Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
4. Chandigarh.
5. Lakshadweep.
6. Ladakh.
7. Puducherry.
8. Jammu and Kashmir

• Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry were given partial statehood among 8 union territories.
• These three union territories have their own locally elected legislative assembly and government.
• Ladakh became the union territory of India on 31^st October 2019
• Ladakh is the largest union territory of India.
• Also called Little Tibet.
• Current Lieutenant Governor: Radha Krishna Mathur.
• Lakshadweep is the smallest Union Territory of India.
• Formed on 1^st November 1956.
• Adopting the official name as Lakshadweep in 1973.
• Administrator: Praful Patel
• The union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli merged into a single union territory known as Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu on 26^th January 2020.

The correct answer is Nauvari. 

Key Points 

Traditional Regional Sarees of India

Explanation: 

Minimum age for marriage: 

• The term refers to the age before which no man or woman can marry.
• In India, the legal marriage age has gone through several changes.
• But since 1978, the legal age for marriage for boys and girls are respectively 21 and 18 years.
• The minimum age for marriage is set for the following reasons:
• To prevent child marriage.
• To empower girls and prevent them from pre-mature sex.
• A person should be mature enough to get married.

Thus, the minimum age for marriage for girls and boys are 18 and 21 years respectively.

Additional Information

Child Marriage Act 2006:

• The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 came into force on 1 November 2007 in India.
• The object of the Act is to prohibit the solemnization of child marriage and connected and incidental matters.
• To ensure that child marriage is eradicated from within the society, the Government of India enacted the Prevention of Child Marriage Act 2006 by replacing the earlier legislation of the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929.
• The law only prohibits the marriage of children; it does not render them illegal once they happen.
• The married children have the right to declare it void.

Key PointsThe following processes are involved in the identification of plants:- 

• Observation is the process of gathering information through the senses, such as looking at the physical characteristics of the plants, noting their colors, shapes, and other distinguishing features.
• Comparison involves comparing the observed characteristics of the plants with known information or prior knowledge to identify and differentiate between them. In this case, Madhu compares the characteristics of the Rose and Tulsi plants to identify them correctly.

Thus, it is concluded that A and B is the correct answer.

A nature walk is an activity that involves walking in a natural environment, such as a park, forest, or countryside, to observe and appreciate the natural elements around us.

Key Points

• The objective of conducting a nature walk in the teaching-learning of Environmental Studies (EVS) is to provide an opportunity for students to explore and observe the natural environment, including flora and fauna.
• It aims to create awareness and appreciation for the diversity of plants and animals in their natural habitats.
• Additionally, it helps in fostering an emotional connection with nature, promoting environmental stewardship, and developing a sense of responsibility towards the environment.

Thus, it is concluded that in the teaching-learning of EVS, the objective of conducting Nature Walk is to highlight flora and fauna and develop emotional bonding with nature.

Group discussions provide a platform for students to openly share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences related to gender roles and expectations.

Key Points

• In the given scenario, a group discussion can be a valuable tool to address Rezi's concerns about gender roles and expectations.
• Students can discuss the challenges faced by Rezi and other individuals who feel limited by traditional gender roles.
• They can explore the impact of such expectations on career choices and aspirations, and discuss ways to promote gender equality and empower individuals to pursue their interests and goals.

Thus, it is concluded that the most useful method to address gender-related concepts in this scenario would be  group discussion.

When encountering children who live in single-parent families while teaching EVS, it is essential to acknowledge and respect the diversity of family structures.

Key Points

• It is important not to ignore or isolate these children but instead create an inclusive and supportive environment that embraces their experiences.
• By incorporating the context of children from single-parent families into the curriculum, educators can help build a culture of empathy and understanding among all students.
• This can be done by discussing different family structures, highlighting the strengths and challenges that children may face in various family contexts, and promoting respect and acceptance for all types of families.
• This approach promotes inclusivity, understanding, and respect among students.

Thus, it is concluded that the most appropriate response in such a situation would be incorporate the context of such children and build a culture of empathy.

It is important to address Rupal's concerns and provide her with accurate information. In this case, Rupal's grandmother's statement about an old man on the moon taking her sister away is a superstition or myth.

Key Points

• As Rupal's teacher, I would ask her to collect information and verify the fact about the old man sitting on the moon.
• This approach encourages Rupal to engage in independent research, critical thinking, and fact-checking.
• By asking Rupal to gather information, she can learn how to seek reliable sources, evaluate information, and develop her research skills.
• This process will help her understand that beliefs and statements should be based on evidence and facts.

Thus, it is concluded that Option 4 is the correct answer.