250+ TOP MCQs on Thermal Pollution and Answers

Energy & Environment Management Multiple Choice Questions on “Thermal Pollution”.

1. What is called when an industry removes water from a source and then returns the heated water to its source?
a) Water pollution
b) Soil pollution
c) Air pollution
d) Thermal pollution
Answer: d
Clarification: Thermal pollution occurs when an industry removes water from a source, uses the water for cooling purposes, and then returns the heated water to its source such as lakes, rivers and even oceans.

2. Which one of the following can cause thermal pollution?
a) Residential houses
b) Power plants
c) Death of marine organisms
d) Oil spill
Answer: b
Clarification: Power plants can cause thermal pollution. Thermal pollution refers to the degradation of water quality as a result of any process that changes the ambient water temperature. Power plants discharge heated water, which is at least 15 Celsius higher than the normal and it is back into a water body.

3. What is the effect of warmer temperature to the fishes?
a) Increase the metabolism
b) Decrease the metabolism
c) Stabilize the metabolism
d) Increase the solubility of oxygen
Answer: a
Clarification: The warmer temperature decreases the solubility of oxygen and increase the metabolism of fish. This changes the ecological balance of the river. Within certain limits, thermal additions can promote the certain fish and fish catch may be high in the vicinity of a power plant.

4. What is the disadvantage of control measures of thermal pollution by passing the heated water?
a) Water is lost due to leakage
b) Water is lost due to absorption
c) Water is lost due to dilution
d) Water is lost due to evaporation
Answer: d
Clarification: Thermal pollution can be controlled by passing the heated water through a large shallow cooling pond into which hot water is pumped and a cooling tower after it leaves the condenser. In both the cases large amounts of water are lost to evaporation.

5. Which one of the following cause thermal pollution?
a) Release of cold water
b) Organic manures
c) Purified water
d) More number of trees
Answer: a
Clarification: Release of cold water caused thermal pollution apart for that none of the above given options contribute for thermal pollution. Many industries liberate very cool water from their reservoirs. This water when mixed up with warm water rivers it creates a misbalance in the water bodies.

6. Growing industrial activities is one of the reasons for thermal pollution.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Growing industrial activities gives a repenting feeling to know that thermal pollutants are increasing day by day because of the growing industrial activities. Therefore, thermal pollution is also growing.

7. How does soil erosion cause thermal pollution?
a) By making natural water bodies to hold in its normal level
b) By polluting the water bodies
c) By avoiding sunlight to fall on the water bodies
d) By making natural water bodies to rise beyond their normal level
Answer: d
Clarification: Soil erosion is one of the main causes of thermal pollution. Soil erosion makes natural water bodies to rise beyond their normal level. Thus, they get more exposed to sunlight and cause thermal pollution.

8. What is a thermal shock?
a) Sudden raises of temperature to abnormal level
b) Sudden cooling of temperature to abnormal level
c) Temperature don’t change
d) Temperature change only due to environmental factors
Answer: a
Clarification: Thermal shock resulting in a rise in temperature of water bodies. When industries and factories dispose the water into water bodies the temperature suddenly raises to an abnormal level. This acts as a thermal shock for aquatic life.

9. What is the main effect of thermal pollution to the oxygen solubility in water bodies?
a) They increase the solubility of oxygen in water bodies
b) They maintain the solubility of oxygen in water bodies
c) They reduce the solubility of oxygen in water bodies
d) They don’t cause any affect in solubility of oxygen to the water bodies
Answer: c
Clarification: One of the main effects of thermal pollution is they reduced the solubility of oxygen in water bodies. This less solubility of oxygen in water mainly affects the metabolism of water animals and thus it leads to death of aquatic animals.

10. Which of the following is the main reason for thermal pollution?
a) Bio fuels
b) Organic farming
c) Eco friendly vehicles
d) Power plants
Answer: d
Clarification: Power plants are the main reasons behind growing thermal pollution. Because power plants use water as a cooling agent for cooling down their machines. This used water is in high temperature and it is released back to the water bodies and cause thermal pollution.

11. How does an artificial lake help in solving thermal pollution?
a) It stores heated water
b) It gives a good aesthetic view
c) It helps to breed fishes
d) It is used during the summer season where water scarcity cause
Answer: a
Clarification: Artificial lakes help in preventing thermal pollution. In artificial lakes, heated water can be stored easily. These lakes are very helpful for normalizing the temperature of the hot water. Hot water will not disposed back to the natural water bodies.

12. What is called for the useless heat from hot water recycled by industries?
a) Cooling towers
b) Recycling
c) Heat pump
d) Co-generation
Answer: d
Clarification: Co-generation can be helpful to combat thermal pollution. In the process of co-generation, the useless heat from hot water can be recycled and used smartly in many tasks by industries. Thus this process prevents thermal pollution.

13. Generally how many types of cooling towers are there?
a) One
b) Two
c) Three
d) Four
Answer: b
Clarification: Generally the cooling towers are of two types they are, wet cooling tower and the dry cooling tower. In wet cooling tower, the heated water gets spread upon the flow directing panels. In the dry cooling tower, the heated water is made to flow in circular elongated pipes.

14. Runoff from paved surfaces can cause thermal pollution.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Urban runoff discharged to surface likes roads and parking lots can make the water warmer. During summer seasons, the pavement gets quite hot, which creates warm runoff that gets into the sewer systems and water bodies and causes thermal pollution.