Environmental Science

An electrostatic precipitator is a device used to remove fine particles, like dust and smoke, from a flowing gas using the force of an induced electrostatic charge. It is primarily used to control air pollution by capturing particulate matter from industrial emissions.

Deforestation removes trees that absorb rainfall and stabilize soil, leading to increased runoff and sedimentation in rivers, which can cause floods. Heavy snowfall and earthquakes are less direct causes, and construction of dams can sometimes control floods rather than cause them.

The Greenhouse Effect refers to the trapping of solar energy by atmospheric gases like carbon dioxide, which warms the Earth's surface. This is accurately described by option C.

Minamata disease is caused by severe mercury poisoning, specifically from methyl mercury contamination in water, which bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish. This neurotoxic compound leads to serious health effects in humans who consume contaminated seafood.

The term "dirty dozen" refers to 12 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) identified for their harmful environmental and health effects. These substances are resistant to degradation and accumulate in the environment and living organisms.

The ozone hole is primarily located over the South Pole, where the depletion of the ozone layer is most significant due to specific atmospheric conditions and chemical reactions involving chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Algae, especially marine phytoplankton, produce the largest amount of oxygen on Earth through photosynthesis, contributing more oxygen than terrestrial plants like trees. Peat bogs do not produce oxygen; they are carbon sinks. "None of these" is incorrect since algae are a major oxygen source.

The Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances responsible for ozone depletion.

Methane (CH4) is the second most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2) in terms of its contribution to the greenhouse effect. It has a much higher global warming potential per molecule than CO2, although it is less abundant.

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty designed to phase out substances that deplete the ozone layer, such as CFCs. As a result, the ozone hole over Antarctica is slowly healing.