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NCERT Solutions For Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Our Environment
The NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Our Environment help students understand how organisms interact with each other and their surroundings. All living beings, from tiny microorganisms to tall plants and animals, depend on their environment. The system includes living and non-living components like air, water, soil, and sunlight. Together, all these components form an ecosystem that maintains balance on Earth. The NCERT Solutions are prepared by subject experts to help students score well in their exams.
This Story also Contains
- Download PDF of Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions
- Access Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions(In-text Exercise Questions)
- NCERT Solutions Class 10 Science Chapter 13(Chapter-end Exercise Questions)
- Approach to Solve Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Question Answers
- Important Topics of Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions
- Important Question from Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions
- NCERT Chapter-wise Solutions for Class 10 Science
The NCERT solutions for Class 10 include detailed and clear answers with well-labelled diagrams. Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions explore how the living and non-living components maintain the natural balance. Understanding these interactions will help students to know the importance of conserving our environment. Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions PDF serves as a valuable resource that helps students build a strong foundation for higher classes.
Also Read,
Download PDF of Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions
Students can download the NCERT Solutions for Chapter Our Environment to get clear answers and improve their understanding of the chapter. This PDF can be accessed anytime and anywhere without the internet.
Access Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions(In-text Exercise Questions)
The chapter 'Our Environment' helps students learn about ecosystems, food chains, and how human actions affect nature. Given below are the Class 10 Science Chapter 13 question answers.
Topic 13.1: Ecosystem and What are its components:
Answer:
Every step or level of the food chain is referred to as a trophic level. Energy transfer in the form of food occurs from one trophic level to another. Trophic levels can be broadly divided into Producers, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Consumers.
An example of a food chain:
Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Eagle
Here, Grass is a producer, Grasshopper is the herbivore, Frog is the first carnivore, Snake is the second carnivore, and Eagle at the top is the third carnivore.
Q. 2. What is the role of decomposers in the ecosystem?
Answer:
Decomposers decompose the dead and decaying organisms' organic matter into simpler inorganic compounds. Decomposition aids in recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem, thus providing a constant supply of energy. Through the decomposition of dead organisms, they clean the environment and avoid the buildup of waste. The inorganic compounds released also enrich the soil, making it fertile for plant growth. Decomposers thus have an important role in sustaining the ecosystem's balance.
They also help in decomposing plant litter, like leaves and twigs, which aids in soil creation. Without decomposers, dead organic material would pile up, throwing the cycle of life off balance. Bacteria and fungi are the major decomposers, functioning well to decompose complex materials.
Topic 13.2: How do Our Activities Affect the Environment?
Q. 1. Why are some substances biodegradable and some non-biodegradable?
Answer:
Substances that can be broken down by biological processes are said to be biodegradable. In our environment, many of the substances are broken down easily by decomposers. Examples: Paper, vegetable peels, etc.
However, substances that cannot be broken down biologically but only by physical means are known as non-biodegradable substances. Example: Plastic.
Q. 2. Give any two ways in which biodegradable substances would affect the environment.
Answer:
Two ways in which biodegradable substances would affect the environment are:
1. These substances, on degradation, can produce a foul smell that affects the population living nearby. They may also become a breeding place for insects.
2. Many harmful greenhouse gases may evolve during degradation, leading to global warming.
Q. 3. Give any two ways in which non-biodegradable substances would affect the environment.
Answer:
Any two ways in which non-biodegradable substances may affect the environment are:
1. The main problem caused is pollution. Non-biodegradable substances take many decades to degrade and hence remain in the environment, causing pollution.
2. They may render the soil infertile and hence affect the vegetation
Q. 4. What is ozone, and how does it affect any ecosystem?
Answer:
Ozone (O3) is a molecule made of three oxygen atoms. It affects the ecosystem in two ways, depending on its location:
In the upper atmosphere (stratosphere) - It forms a protective layer that absorbs harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The depletion of this layer allows more UV rays to reach the Earth, harming living organisms.
At ground level (troposphere) - It acts as a pollutant that harms the respiratory systems of humans and animals and damages plants and vegetation.
Q. 5. How can you help in reducing the problem of waste disposal? Give any two methods.
Answer:
Two methods used to reduce the problems of waste disposal are: vegetation
Throwing biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste into separate dustbins so that recycling can be done easily.
By putting the organic waste into compost pits dug in the ground, and preparing compost. This compost helps in increasing the fertility of the soil.
Practising the 3 R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
NCERT Solutions Class 10 Science Chapter 13(Chapter-end Exercise Questions)
Solving the questions is important, as it makes students more confident and also decreases their stress. So, in this, we will cover all exercise questions of the chapter Our Environment with their proper solution.
Q. 1. Which of the following groups contains only biodegradable items?
(a) Grass, flowers, and leather
(b) Grass, wood, and plastic
(c) Fruit peels, cake, and lime juice
(d) Cake, wood, and grass
Answer:
Option (A)- Grass, flowers are biodegradable, but processed leather takes a very long time to decompose, so it is not fully biodegradable.
Option (B)- Grass, wood are natural and decompose easily, so they are biodegradable, but plastic is non-biodegradable.
Option (C)- Fruit peels, cake, and lime juice are all natural and easily decompose, so they are biodegradable.
Option (D)- Cake, wood, and grass are also natural materials that decompose easily and are biodegradable.
Hence, the correct option is (c) and (d).
Q. 2. Which of the following constitutes a food chain?
(a) Grass, wheat, and mango
(b) Grass, goat, and human
(c) Goat, cow, and elephant
(d) Grass, fish, and goat
Answer:
A food chain consists of different trophic levels.
(b) Grass → Goat → Human; constitute a food chain.
Here, the grass is a producer, the goat is the primary consumer, and the human is the secondary consumer.
Hence, the correct option is (b), Grass, goat, and human
Q. 3. Which of the following are environment-friendly practices?
(a) Carrying cloth bags to put purchases in while shopping
(b) Switching off unnecessary lights and fans
(c) Walking to school instead of getting your mother to drop you on her scooter
(d) All of the above
Answer:
All of the above-mentioned practices are environmentally friendly.
Hence, (d) All of the above is the correct answer.
Q. 4. What will happen if we kill all the organisms in one trophic level?
Answer:
If all the organisms of a trophic level are destroyed, the food chain will become unbalanced. The animals in the direct higher trophic level will die because of a lack of food, and the effect will follow. Also, the number of organisms in the direct lower trophic level will continue to grow, and this will destroy its direct lower level because of greater demand but lesser supply. So the entire food chain will collapse.
Answer:
Yes, the impact of removing all the organisms in a trophic level will be different for different trophic levels.
No, the organisms of any trophic level cannot be removed without causing any damage to the ecosystem.
Consider the following example:
Grass → Deer → Lion
1. If all the grass is removed, the deer will die out due to starvation, which in turn will wipe out the lions.
2. If the entire deer population is removed, the lions will die out due to starvation. The grasses will increase in number and turn the land into forests.
3. If all the lions are removed, the population of deer will keep on increasing, which in turn will eat all the grass, leaving the land barren.
Answer:
Biological Magnification is the rise in the concentration of toxic materials in the body of the organism at every trophic level.
Yes, the magnification levels are varied at various levels of the ecosystem. It is at the highest level of the food chain.
Since chemicals such as pesticides and DDT are not degradable, these collected progressively at every trophic level. Since human beings are at the top of any food chain, the highest concentration of these chemicals is collected in their bodies.
Q. 7. What are the problems caused by the non-biodegradable wastes that we generate?
Answer:
The non-biodegradable waste that we generate has the following problems for the environment:
1. Non-biodegradable wastes like pesticides reduce the fertility of soil as they penetrate it. The pH level of the soil becomes unsuitable for vegetation.
2. Nonbiodegradable wastes like pesticides accumulate progressively at each trophic level and thus harm the organisms.
3. Non-biodegradable materials like plastics, when burning, release toxic chemicals into the environment, which leads to air pollution.
Q. 8. If all the waste we generate is biodegradable, will this have no impact on the environment?
Answer:
If everything we throw away is biodegradable, it can still affect the environment if not dumped properly. It can cause a bad odour, impacting surrounding communities. It can also be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects, which may lead to increased disease transmission. Proper dumping grounds must thus be established for effective waste management.
Composting is the best method of disposing of biodegradable waste, as it transforms waste into organic matter that can be utilized. Proper segregation of waste should be ensured by municipal authorities to allow recycling and composting. Public awareness campaigns can inform people about proper waste disposal. A well-maintained and clean environment leads to healthier and sustainable living.
Answer:
The ozone layer in the stratosphere is responsible for absorbing dangerous UV rays, which protects all living organisms. If the ozone layer gets depleted, higher exposure to UV radiation can cause severe health problems, such as skin cancer in human beings, and harm plants and animals. Thus, ozone layer damage is a significant environmental issue.
To minimize this harm, the manufacture of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the cause of ozone depletion, was phased out in 1986. Global agreements such as the Montreal Protocol have been enforced to control ozone-depleting substances. Public awareness programs promote the use of environmentally friendly products. Researchers are also working on sustainable substitutes for toxic chemicals to save the ozone layer.
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Approach to Solve Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Question Answers
To answer Our Environment questions, students should simply follow the steps given below:
Start by understanding that an ecosystem is made up of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) elements.
Biotic elements are living things such as producers (plants), consumers (animals), and decomposers (bacteria, fungi).
Abiotic elements are non-living elements such as sunlight, water, air, soil, temperature, and minerals.
Learn how biotic and abiotic elements interact to create balance in the ecosystem and sustain life. Students can take help from the Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions PDF.
Study how producers use abiotic factors (sunlight, water) to produce food, and then move to the consumers and decomposers.
Mark important terms: ecosystem, biotic, abiotic, producers, consumers, decomposers, and nutrient cycle. Students have to practice the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science to score well in exams.
Important Topics of Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions
This is the list of the topics that students are going to study in the chapter Our Environment. Questions are asked frequently about these topics. So, students are advised to gain clarity using Solutions of Our Environment Class 10.
Ecosystems and Their Components
Trophic Levels and Energy Flow
Effect of Human Activities on the Environment
Also, check the NCERT Books and NCERT Syllabus here:
Important Question from Our Environment Class 10 NCERT Solutions
This chapter explains how different components of the environment interact and how human activities impact the ecosystem. Practicing different questions given in the Solutions of Our Environment Class 10 improves confidence.
Question: Which of the following is a non-biodegradable waste?
a) Vegetable peels
b) Paper
c) Plastic
d) Cotton
Answer: The correct answer is option c) Plastic
Explanation: Paper, clipboards, metal containers like aluminium plants and human waste, and several plant products are classified under biodegradable substances. However, an example of a non-biodegradable substance could be plastic products.
NCERT Chapter-wise Solutions for Class 10 Science
Below are the chapter-wise solutions:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances?
A:
Biodegradable materials dissolve by themselves (for example, waste food, paper), but non-biodegradable materials won't easily deteriorate and help spread pollution (e.g., plastic, metal). The difference is well-explained in the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Our Environment.
Q: How is energy transferred in an ecosystem?
A:
Energy is passed on by food chains, from producers (plants) to consumers (herbivores, carnivores), with only 10% of energy being passed on to the next level. Students can refer to the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 13 Our Environment for more knowledge.
Q: What are trophic levels in a food chain? Explain with an example.
A:
Trophic levels are various locations in a food chain. Example: In a grassland food chain
grass (producer) → deer (primary consumer) → tiger (secondary consumer).
Q: How do decomposers help in maintaining the balance of the environment?
A:
Decomposers such as fungi and bacteria dissolve dead plants and organic matter into a simpler state and recycle the nutrients back to the soil while helping to promote ecological balance.
Q: How does the ozone layer get depleted, and what are its effects?
A:
The ozone layer is depleted by CFCs and other contaminants, which enable dangerous UV radiation to penetrate Earth, producing skin cancer, cataracts, and ecological injury.
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On Question asked by student community
Have a question related to CBSE Class 10th ?
Hello, according to CBSE and most Indian education boards, the typical age for appearing in the Class 10 exam is around 15-16 years. However, there are some exceptional cases where academically advanced students complete their studies early. If you have officially cleared Class 10 from CBSE, received a valid marksheet, and your school and board have accepted your age proof during registration, your certificate is considered valid. Problems only arise if your admission to Class 10 violated the board’s eligibility rules (for example, skipping multiple classes without approval). In such rare cases, the board might question the validity. But if CBSE has issued you the certificate after proper procedures, it is legally recognized for further studies, competitive exams, and jobs. If you are worried about age restrictions for certain exams (like 17 years minimum for NEET), you might need to wait until you meet the required age.
Thank you, and best of luck for your studies.
Hello,
Yes, you are right. To get eligible for the 10th board examination, you need a minimum of 75% attendance. This is a rule that applies to the CBSE, or Central Board of Secondary Education, recognized schools. There are exceptions to this rule in the scenario, like
- Medical Emergencies
- Personal Tragedies
- Official Sports Participation
I hope it will clear your query!!
hello,
These are the documents to take admission in 11th standard at your college from cbse to Maharashtra State Board.
- Class X Marksheet
- School Leaving Certificate
- Date of Birth Certificate
- Passport-Sized Photograph
- Migrant Certificate
- Aadhar Card or Government ID
I hope it resolves your query!!
To transfer from a CBSE school to a Maharashtra state board junior college for 11th standard, you'll need to provide several documents.
These typically include: your Class 10th mark sheet (original and attested copies), School Leaving Certificate/Transfer Certificate (TC) from your previous school, and a migration certificate if you're changing from a different board.
You'll also need a birth certificate, passport-sized photographs, and potentially an eligibility certificate from the Maharashtra State Board
The specific documents required may vary depending on the college and region. Verify the exact requirements with the college's admission office or official website.
Hello Aditya,
The documents required to take admission in 11th standard from CBSE to Maharashtra State Board are:
-
10th Marksheet (CBSE Board)
-
School Leaving Certificate (from previous school)
-
Migration Certificate (CBSE Board)
-
Aadhaar Card (student’s ID proof)
-
Passport size photographs
-
Caste Certificate (if applicable)
-
Domicile Certificate (if required by the college)
Some colleges may ask for additional documents. It’s best to check with the specific college for exact requirements.
Hope it helps !
Popular CBSE Class 10th Questions
A block of mass 0.50 kg is moving with a speed of 2.00 ms-1 on a smooth surface. It strikes another mass of 1.00 kg and then they move together as a single body. The energy loss during the collision is
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A particle is projected at 600 to the horizontal with a kinetic energy . The kinetic energy at the highest point
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In the reaction,
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How many moles of magnesium phosphate, will contain 0.25 mole of oxygen atoms?
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0.02 |
Option 2)
3.125 × 10-2 |
| Option 3)
1.25 × 10-2 |
Option 4)
2.5 × 10-2 |
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