RBSE Solutions Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Waste and its Management

I. Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1. Which method is ideal for the management of bio-medical waste?
(a) Landfill
(b) Incineration
(c) Recycling
(d) Disposal in water bodies
Answer: (b) Incineration
In simple words: Incineration is the best way to deal with waste from hospitals and clinics because it burns the waste safely and prevents the spread of diseases.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that incineration is effective for hazardous waste because it destroys harmful pathogens and reduces waste volume significantly.

Question 2. Recycling is ideal for which type of waste?
(a) Metallic waste
(b) Medical waste
(c) Household waste
(d) Agricultural waste
Answer: (a) Metallic waste
In simple words: Recycling works best for things made of metal. These can be melted down and turned into new products again and again.

🎯 Exam Tip: When thinking about recycling, always consider which materials can be effectively reused without losing their quality or becoming harmful.

Question 3. Which of the following is a greenhouse gas?
(a) Hydrogen
(b) Carbon monoxide
(c) Carbon dioxide
(d) Sulphur dioxide
Answer: (c) Carbon dioxide
In simple words: Carbon dioxide is a gas that traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, just like a greenhouse traps heat from the sun. This causes the planet to get warmer.

🎯 Exam Tip: Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are important to understand as they are major contributors to global warming and climate change.

Question 5. Which of the following can be turned into organic manure?
(a) Household waste
(b) Agricultural waste
(c) Both 'a' and 'b'
(d) None of the options
Answer: (c) Both 'a' and 'b'
In simple words: Both waste from homes and farms can be turned into natural plant food. Things like food scraps and crop leftovers break down to enrich the soil.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that organic waste refers to materials that were once living, which can decompose naturally to form nutrient-rich manure.

Waste and its Management Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 6. How is biogas made?
Answer: Biogas is made when farm waste and some home waste break down without air. This process, called anaerobic digestion, happens in special containers and produces a gas that can be used as fuel. Microbes play a key role in this decomposition.
In simple words: Biogas is created when old farm garbage and household waste rot in a place with no air.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on "decomposition without air" (anaerobic decomposition) and the source materials like farm waste for a complete answer.

Question 7. What is waste?
Answer: Waste is any product that becomes unwanted or useless at the end of a process. It is something we throw away because it no longer serves a purpose for us. This could be anything from food scraps to old electronics.
In simple words: Waste is anything left over from a process that is no longer useful.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define waste simply as an unwanted or discarded material, emphasizing that its usefulness has ended for a specific purpose.

Question 8. Write the names of greenhouse gases.
Answer: The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide and methane. Other important ones include nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases, but carbon dioxide and methane are the most commonly discussed. These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, warming the Earth.
In simple words: Carbon dioxide and methane are the names of greenhouse gases.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always list both carbon dioxide and methane as primary examples of greenhouse gases to score full marks.

Waste and its Management Short Answer Type Questions

Question 11. Explain waste management.
Answer: Waste management involves collecting, transporting, processing, and disposing of waste materials. It also includes recycling useful items from waste. Different kinds of waste need special ways to be handled, like separating plastic from food waste. This process is very important for keeping our cities and villages clean and healthy, preventing diseases, and maintaining a good environment for everyone.
In simple words: Waste management is about gathering, moving, treating, and getting rid of garbage properly, and also recycling useful parts.

🎯 Exam Tip: When explaining waste management, include the key steps: collection, transportation, processing, disposal, and recycling, along with its importance for health and hygiene.

Question 12. What do you understand by solid waste?
Answer: Solid waste refers to any unwanted material that is in a solid form, such as garbage, trash, and discarded items. Managing this type of waste requires special methods, including physically moving it to dumping sites. This often needs a lot of people to work and a good amount of money to manage it well, making sure it doesn't harm the environment. Examples include paper, plastic, and metal.
In simple words: Solid waste means any unwanted material that is not liquid or gas, like trash.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly define solid waste as material in solid form and mention the practical challenges of its physical management and disposal.

Question 13. Differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.
Answer:

Biodegradable waste breaks down naturally and helps enrich the soil, while non-biodegradable waste stays in the environment for a very long time, often causing pollution.
In simple words: Biodegradable waste can rot away naturally, but non-biodegradable waste cannot and stays for a long time.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the ability to decompose by biological agents as the primary distinguishing factor between these two waste types.

Question 15. What is the meaning of recycling?
Answer: Recycling is the process where discarded materials are treated and turned into new, usable products. This involves sorting waste items like plastic, aluminum cans, and metals, then sending them to special units to be made into something new. Recycling helps reduce the amount of trash we produce and also saves natural resources, like trees or metals, from being used up too quickly. It's an important way to protect our planet.
In simple words: Recycling means taking old, used items and making them into new things instead of throwing them away.

🎯 Exam Tip: Emphasize that recycling not only reduces waste but also conserves natural resources by giving materials a new life.

Question 16. What is the use of incineration?
Answer: Incineration is a method where waste is burned at high temperatures in controlled conditions to minimize harmful gases. This technique is especially good for places where there isn't much land for landfills, and it's also very effective for safely getting rid of medical waste. Burning waste at high temperatures destroys germs and reduces the volume of waste significantly.
In simple words: Incineration burns waste safely, especially medical waste, and is good where there is not enough land for dumping.

🎯 Exam Tip: Highlight that incineration is used for waste reduction and disposal of hazardous waste (like medical waste), particularly in areas with limited space.

Waste and its Management Long Answer Type Questions

Question 17. Explain different types of waste.
Answer: Waste can be solid, liquid, or gas, but it is primarily categorized into two types based on its ability to break down:

• Biodegradable Waste: This type of waste can be broken down by natural living factors like bacteria and fungi. Examples include fruit peels, stale food, and paper. Biodegradable waste is generally good for the environment because it decomposes naturally, and processes like composting can turn it into useful manure or biogas. Biogas, made from this waste, can be used for cooking or to generate electricity.
• Non-biodegradable Waste: This waste cannot be broken down by natural living factors. Examples are aluminum cans, plastic bags, and glass bottles. Non-biodegradable waste generally harms the environment as it stays for a very long time, polluting soil and water. However, many non-biodegradable items can be recycled to make new products, which helps reduce their negative impact.

Waste classification helps in choosing the right disposal and management methods.
In simple words: Waste is split into two types: biodegradable, which breaks down naturally (like food scraps), and non-biodegradable, which doesn't rot (like plastic), and harms the environment if not recycled.

🎯 Exam Tip: When explaining types of waste, always start with the basic definition and then clearly differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable with examples and environmental impact.

While gaseous waste goes up in air on its own, we need to make proper drainage system for handling liquid waste. For handling solid waste, we need a proper system of transportation and people. Even a small village produces a large amount of waste per day. Daily production of garbage could be in thousands of tons in mega cities.

Methods of Waste Management:

1. Landfill: Waste is dumped in a large area called a landfill. Once a lot of waste has gathered, it is covered with soil. The waste then slowly breaks down. A system of pipes is put in place to collect and use the methane gas that is produced during this breakdown. Methane gas can be used to make power. Landfill sites are usually built far away from city areas.
2. Incineration: In this method, waste is burned at very high temperatures in a controlled way to reduce harmful smoke. This method is best for places where there isn't much open land. It is also very good for getting rid of medical waste safely.
3. Recycling: Useful items are separated from the waste for recycling. Things like plastic, aluminum cans, and metals are sent to special recycling factories to be made into new products. This not only helps reduce the amount of trash but also saves valuable natural resources.
4. Chemical Methods: Some types of waste can be managed and treated using various chemical methods.

Question 19. Write an essay on sources of waste.
Answer: Waste comes from many different places around us. Understanding these sources helps us manage waste better. Here are some common sources:

• Household Source: This includes daily waste from homes, such as paper, cardboard, fruit peels, vegetable peels, soapy water, and old clothes.
• Municipality: Local municipal bodies are responsible for managing solid and liquid waste from homes, offices, and factories. Municipal waste also includes human waste.
• Industry and Mining: Industries and mining activities create many harmful wastes, such as dangerous chemicals, grease, and dust. These wastes can be very toxic.
• Agriculture: Waste from farms includes hay, dry leaves, husk, and cow dung. These are organic wastes that can often be reused.
• Medical Waste: Hospitals and clinics produce various wastes like syringes, cotton, bandages, and catheters. Some of this hospital waste can contain harmful germs and requires careful disposal.

Knowing where waste comes from is the first step to properly handling it and protecting our environment.
In simple words: Waste comes from many places like homes (food scraps), cities (garbage), factories (chemicals), farms (plant leftovers), and hospitals (used medical items).

🎯 Exam Tip: For an essay on waste sources, categorize them clearly (e.g., household, industrial, agricultural, medical) and provide specific examples for each category.

Question 21. What will you do for waste management in your village or neighbourhood?
Answer: To manage waste in my neighborhood, I would take several steps:

• I would encourage everyone to use garbage bins properly for throwing trash. I would also organize awareness programs to teach people about this.
• I would ask the local government (municipal authorities) to regularly maintain the drainage system to prevent water buildup.
• I would start a team of volunteers for a "Swachhata Abhiyan" (Cleanliness Campaign) every week to keep the area clean.
• I would educate people about why it's good to separate waste, explaining that some items can be recycled and turned into new products.

These steps help in keeping the area clean, healthy, and reduce pollution.
In simple words: I would tell people to use trash cans, ask the city to fix drains, start weekly clean-up drives, and teach about separating waste for recycling.

🎯 Exam Tip: When proposing waste management steps, focus on practical actions involving public participation, local authority engagement, and education.

Waste and its Management Additional Questions Solved

I. Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1. Which of the following poses the risk of more number of diseases than any other?
(a) Domestic waste
(b) Hospital waste
(c) Farm waste
(d) Industrial waste
Answer: (b) Hospital waste
In simple words: Hospital waste is the most dangerous because it can carry many germs and diseases, making it a high risk for spreading infections.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understand that hospital waste is particularly hazardous due to the presence of pathogens and sharp objects, requiring specialized disposal methods.

Question 3. Which gas is produced on decomposition of farm waste?
(a) Methane
(b) Carbon dioxide
(c) Hydrogen
(d) Nitrogen oxide
Answer: (a) Methane
In simple words: When farm waste breaks down without air, it produces methane gas. This gas is also a powerful greenhouse gas.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that methane is a key gas produced from the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter, including farm waste.

Question 4. Which epidemic can spread due to stagnant drainage?
(a) Jaundice
(b) Hepatitis
(c) AIDS
(d) Malaria
Answer: (d) Malaria
In simple words: Malaria can spread when drainage water stands still. Mosquitoes that carry malaria lay their eggs in stagnant water, and then bite people.

🎯 Exam Tip: Connect stagnant water to mosquito breeding and diseases like malaria for a complete understanding of environmental health risks.

Question 5. Drinking contaminated water can cause which disease?
(a) Jaundice
(b) Cholera
(c) Diarrhea
(d) All of the options
Answer: (d) All of the options
In simple words: Drinking dirty water can make you sick with many diseases like jaundice, cholera, and diarrhea.

🎯 Exam Tip: Recognize that contaminated water is a source of various waterborne diseases, impacting public health significantly.

Waste and its Management Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. List some wastes which come from household.
Answer: Wastes that come from households include items like paper, cardboard, fruit peels, vegetable peels, soapy water, and old rags. These are common everyday discarded materials.
In simple words: Household waste includes paper, food scraps, dirty water, and old cloth.

🎯 Exam Tip: For household waste, list common, easily identifiable items that are discarded daily from homes.

Question 3. List some pastes from hospital.
Answer: Some waste items from hospitals include used syringes, cotton, bandages, catheters, and strips. These items are often contaminated and require safe disposal. Hospital waste needs special handling to prevent infections.
In simple words: Hospital waste includes things like used needles, cotton, bandages, and tubes.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about hospital waste, mention items that are directly used in patient care and can pose a risk of infection.

Question 4. What is waste management?
Answer: Waste management involves the methods of collecting, moving, treating, and disposing of waste materials. It also includes reusing useful materials found in waste. Effective waste management is vital for a healthy environment and clean communities. It prevents pollution and helps in resource conservation.
In simple words: Waste management is how we collect, move, treat, and get rid of trash, and also how we recycle things.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define waste management by listing its core functions: collection, transport, treatment, disposal, and recycling.

Question 5. Which civic body looks after waste management in towns?
Answer: The Municipality is the civic body responsible for managing waste in towns. They handle the collection, transportation, and disposal of garbage to keep the town clean and healthy. This includes ensuring proper waste bins and sanitation services.
In simple words: The Municipality takes care of waste management in towns.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that local civic bodies like municipalities are primarily responsible for waste management within urban areas.

Waste and its Management Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. What is the effect of sewage on water bodies?
Answer: Sewage from homes pollutes water bodies like rivers and ponds. This polluted water is harmful to animals and plants living in the water. It also contaminates the groundwater, making it unsafe for drinking. The nutrients in sewage can cause excessive growth of algae, which then reduces oxygen for other aquatic life.
In simple words: Sewage from homes makes rivers and ponds dirty, harming water animals and plants, and also pollutes the underground water.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain that sewage causes water pollution, harms aquatic life, and contaminates groundwater, leading to ecosystem imbalance.

Question 2. What is the need for waste management?
Answer: Waste management is needed because if trash is not handled properly, it will keep piling up and make our surroundings look ugly. Large piles of garbage can also spread many diseases, leading to epidemics. Therefore, managing waste in a timely and effective manner is crucial for public health and environmental protection. It prevents pollution of air, water, and soil.
In simple words: We need waste management because trash piles up, makes places ugly, and can cause many sicknesses to spread if not handled.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the twin problems of waste accumulation (aesthetic issue) and disease spread (health hazard) to explain the necessity of waste management.

Question 3. Waste management is not efficient in small towns. Why?
Answer: Waste management in small towns often struggles due to a lack of funds in their municipalities. Because of money shortages, contractors who collect and process waste do not get paid on time. This leads to poor service and inefficient waste removal. Limited resources and infrastructure also contribute to these challenges.
In simple words: Small towns struggle with waste management because they don't have enough money, so workers who clean up don't get paid regularly.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify lack of funds and delayed payments to contractors as primary reasons for inefficient waste management in smaller municipalities.

Question 4. What were the suggestions of Shivraman Committee?
Answer: The Shivraman Committee made several suggestions for waste management:

• They recommended installing large garbage bins in public areas for waste collection.
• They suggested proper systems for managing human waste.
• They proposed having an efficient system for picking up garbage from towns.
• They advised using incinerators to dispose of waste, especially in areas where land is scarce.

These suggestions aimed to improve public hygiene and environmental health.
In simple words: The Shivraman Committee suggested putting big dustbins, properly handling human waste, having good garbage pick-up, and using incinerators to get rid of trash.

🎯 Exam Tip: List the key actionable suggestions such as better bins, human waste management, efficient collection, and incineration as proposed by the committee.

Waste and its Management Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. What are the harms of waste?
Answer: Waste can cause many problems for people and the environment:

• Accumulation of waste: Piles of waste make places look bad and are not good for beauty.
• Decomposition and harmful gases: When waste breaks down, it creates methane and other toxic gases. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that makes the Earth warmer.
• Breeding ground for pests: Heaps of waste attract harmful insects like flies and mosquitoes, which then spread many diseases.
• Spread of infections: Hospital waste can cause serious infections. For example, diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B can spread if someone comes into contact with infected needles.
• Soil and drainage issues: Plastic waste makes the soil infertile and blocks drainage systems, causing floods. Animals often swallow plastic, which can choke and kill them. Also, prolonged exposure to certain plastics can harm the development of unborn babies.
• Water pollution: Sewage from homes pollutes water bodies like rivers and ponds. This harms animals and plants living in the water and also pollutes the groundwater, making it unsafe to drink.

These harms show why proper waste management is so important for a healthy society and planet.
In simple words: Waste makes places ugly, produces bad gases, attracts disease-carrying insects, spreads infections from hospitals, harms soil, blocks drains, chokes animals, and pollutes water.

🎯 Exam Tip: When discussing harms of waste, ensure to cover aesthetic, environmental (gas, soil, water pollution), and health impacts (disease vectors, direct infections).