Q33
3 marksShort AnswerSection C

Explain how some harmful chemicals enter our bodies through the food chain. Why is the concentration of these harmful chemicals found to be maximum in human beings?

Our Environment
Ecosystem
Official Answer

Some harmful chemicals enter our bodies through the food chain when we consume organisms that have already accumulated these chemicals in their bodies. This phenomenon is known as biological magnification. The concentration of these harmful chemicals is found to be maximum in human beings because we are at the top of the food chain and consume a wide variety of organisms, including those that have already accumulated these chemicals in their bodies.

biological magnificationfood chainharmful chemicals

Marking Scheme

  • 1/3 for explaining how harmful chemicals enter our bodies through the food chain
  • 2/2 for explaining why the concentration of these chemicals is maximum in human beings

Hint

Think about how organisms at different trophic levels interact with each other and how chemicals can be transferred from one organism to another.

Quick Oral Answer

Biological magnification is the process by which harmful chemicals accumulate in organisms at different trophic levels. This occurs when organisms consume other organisms that have already accumulated these chemicals in their bodies. As a result, the concentration of these chemicals increases at each trophic level, with human beings being at the top of the food chain and consuming a wide variety of organisms.

Analysis & Explanation

The question requires the student to explain how harmful chemicals enter our bodies through the food chain and why the concentration of these chemicals is maximum in human beings. The student should be able to describe the process of biological magnification and how it leads to the accumulation of harmful chemicals in human beings.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1not explaining the process of biological magnification
  2. 2not explaining why the concentration of harmful chemicals is maximum in human beings

Interesting Facts

Biological magnification is a major concern for human health as it can lead to the accumulation of toxic chemicals in our bodies.

Some harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, can persist in the environment for a long time and accumulate in organisms at different trophic levels.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2023?

This question carries 3 marks in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2023 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in Science?

This question is from the chapter "Our Environment" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in Science?

This question covers the topic "Ecosystem" from CBSE Class 10 Science.

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2023 paper?

This is a Short Answer question from Section C in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2023 paper.