Summary and Exam Tips for Pollution
Pollution is a subtopic of Human influences on the environment, which falls under the subject Science in the IB MYP curriculum. Pollution involves the introduction of harmful substances, known as pollutants, into the environment, making it undesirable or unfit for life. While some pollution arises from natural events like volcanic eruptions, most is due to human activities, such as the disposal of chemical waste, untreated sewage, and excess fertilizers. These pollutants can lead to eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems, where increased nutrients cause algal blooms, reducing oxygen levels and killing aquatic life.
Non-biodegradable plastics significantly impact both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In marine environments, plastics can injure or kill animals and release toxins, while on land, they contaminate soil, affecting agriculture. Air pollution from methane and carbon dioxide contributes to the enhanced greenhouse effect, leading to climate change. This results in global warming, extreme weather, and loss of biodiversity. Acid rain, caused by sulfur dioxide from fossil fuels, damages ecosystems and structures.
Exam Tips
- Understand Key Terms: Use specific biology terms when answering questions to demonstrate your understanding of concepts like eutrophication, greenhouse gases, and acid rain.
- Clarify Your Answers: Avoid vague terms like "it" or "they." Be specific about what you are referring to in your answers.
- Answer Structure: Pay attention to the number of marks allocated to each question to gauge the depth of your response.
- Question Analysis: Carefully read and understand what the question is asking. Differentiate between questions that ask "what" and "why" to provide accurate answers.
- Practice Questions: Regularly practice with past exam questions to familiarize yourself with the format and types of questions asked.
