Understanding Pollution and Its Impact

What is the primary cause of oil spills in marine environments?

• Natural seepage

• Offshore drilling accidents

• Volcanic eruptions

• Agricultural runoff

Which of the following best describes bioremediation?

• The use of chemical dispersants to break down oil

• The use of microorganisms to degrade environmental contaminants

• The physical removal of pollutants from water

• The burning of oil on the water's surface

Explain how the Deepwater Horizon oil spill impacted marine life in the Gulf of Mexico. Provide specific examples and evidence to support your explanation.

• Marine life was unaffected due to natural resilience.

• Some species thrived due to increased food availability.

• Many species suffered due to oil toxicity and habitat destruction.

• The spill had no long-term effects on marine life.

Differentiate between point source and non-point source pollution with examples.

• Point source pollution is from a single, identifiable source; non-point source is from multiple, diffuse sources.

• Point source pollution is from multiple sources; non-point source is from a single source.

• Both are from single, identifiable sources.

• Both are from multiple, diffuse sources.

Which of the following is a common method used to clean up oil spills?

• Incineration

• Skimming

• Filtration

• Sedimentation

Discuss the strategic planning required for implementing bioremediation in an oil spill scenario. What factors must be considered?

• Only the type of oil spilled

• The type of microorganisms, environmental conditions, and extent of contamination

• The cost of chemical dispersants

• The availability of skimming equipment

What was the primary cause of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

• A hurricane

• Equipment failure and poor safety practices

• A terrorist attack

• A volcanic eruption

Identify the main human activities that contribute to non-point source pollution.

• Industrial emissions

• Agricultural runoff and urban stormwater

• Oil drilling

• Nuclear power generation

Which of the following is an example of point source pollution?

• Runoff from agricultural fields

• Discharge from a wastewater treatment plant

• Pesticides carried by wind

• Oil from cars on roads

How does human activity exacerbate the effects of oil spills on marine ecosystems?

• By reducing the natural resilience of marine species

• By increasing the natural resilience of marine species

• By having no impact on marine ecosystems

• By cleaning up oil spills immediately