NCERT Solutions Class 10 Science Chapter 15

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15: Our Environment

Class 10 Science Chapter 15 is about- Our Environment. This is a critical chapter and carries a weightage of 3 marks in the CBSE Board Examination. This chapter covers several topics crucial to forming the basic knowledge about environmental science. . 

Extramarks is one of the leading  online educational platforms   for students. Our NCERT Solutions for Chapter 15 Class 10 Science is developed by subject matter experts  to help students understand all the basic to complex environmental  concepts with precise definitions, diagrams, and real-life examples. Concepts like constituents of air, wind, air present in the soil, the importance of oxygen for living organisms, and the importance of plants for survival and the atmosphere are well explained in the  NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15.

Our NCERT Solutions are prepared  in such a way that the answers are self-explanatory, and will  clarify your doubts making  it easier to understand the concepts thoroughly and quickly. . You will find solutions to all the questions covered in NCERT textbook as per updated CBSE syllabus. The step by step methods of solving problems in the NCERT solutions facilitate students understand the concepts better while solving NCERT questions. Thus, enhancing their thought process and encouraging them to find answers to tricky and difficult questions.

Key Topics Covered In NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15

The environment means everything which surrounds us. It includes living (biotic) things such as microorganisms, plants, animals, human beings, and non-living (abiotic) components such as weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, and atmosphere forming a balanced ecosystem. Environment affects the life and development of an organism. 

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15 discusses how various environmental components interact and how humans impact the environment.

Ecosystem and its Components:

This unit teaches about our surrounding nature, consisting of biotic (living) things like plants, human beings, and animals, and abiotic(non-living) things like air, soil, water, etc. These biotic and abiotic components live together and interact in a particular habitat to form a balanced ecosystem.

Structure of Ecosystem:

The ecosystem structure consists of two major components : 

• Biotic components 
• Abiotic components. 

It can be understood through the flow chart:

1. Biotic Components:

As covered in the Class 10 Science NCERT Solutions Chapter 15, the biotic components consist of all living organisms such as plants, animals, microorganisms, and humans. These living organisms are classified into three groups below based on how they survive in the ecosystem.

• Producers: Also known as Autotrophs. They are capable of producing their food using sunlight (Photosynthesis). Examples include All green plants and blue-green algae.
• Consumers: Also known as Heterotrophs. The organisms depending on producers directly or indirectly for survival are grouped under Consumers. Consumers are further categorized as (i) Herbivorous: Grass Eaters, For Eg. Cow, deer (ii) Carnivorous: Flesh Eaters, for Eg. Lion Tiger (iii) Omnivorous: Feed on both plants and flesh, for Eg Dogs, Bears (iv) Parasite: Live & feed on the host body, for Eg. Plasmodium.
• Decomposers: Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi break down/decompose complex organic compounds in dead plants and animals into simpler elementary substances like water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium, which are used by plants to grow. Thus, they play a significant role in cycling the nutrients and replenishing the ecosystem’s natural resources.

2. Abiotic Components:

The abiotic components include physical factors such as temperature, rainfall, wind, rocks, soil, minerals, water sources, and the local atmosphere. Like Biotic components, abiotic components also have their ecological role. For Example, elements and compounds like nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium serve as sources of nutrients for living organisms. Apart from providing nutrients, they also provide organisms with a place to live and thrive – a habitat.

Types of Ecosystem: 

The two types of Ecosystems are:

1. Man-made Ecosystem: 

These are artificial ecosystems created and maintained by human beings. Examples are aquarium, garden, agriculture, apiary, poultry, piggery, city, town, dams, etc.

2. Natural Ecosystem: 

Natural ecosystems are further divided into aquatic ecosystems and terrestrial ecosystems.

• Aquatic Ecosystem:  The ecosystem in the water body is called an aquatic ecosystem. This can be further divided into two types. 

(i) Freshwater Ecosystem: The water is sweet and has no salt. This includes lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and wetlands.

(ii) Marine Ecosystem: The water of this ecosystem has more salt content and cannot be consumed. A variety of animal and plant life can be found here compared to the freshwater ecosystem. This includes the sea and oceans. 

• Terrestrial Ecosystem: This ecosystem is found on land only. This comprises both biotic and abiotic components that are interrelated with each other. Examples include forest, tundra, grassland, and deserts. 
• A forest consists of several trees, animals, and microorganisms that live in collaboration with the abiotic components of the environment. Forests are vital in maintaining the temperature, generating oxygen, and reducing carbon dioxide in the air. 
• Grassland ecosystems are the areas dominated by grass. . They are found in tropical and temperate regions with insufficient rainfall. Savanna is one more example of a grassland ecosystem.
• Tundra ecosystems are found in the Arctic region, on top of the mountain, where the climate is cold, and rainfall is scant. The lands are covered with snow most of the year and are treeless.
• Deserts are regions with little rainfall and sparse  vegetation. The days are hot, and the nights are cold.

The various forms of ecosystems are explained with visual diagrams for easy understanding. Students can register on Extramarks’ website and get access to our NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15.

Important Ecological Concepts:

The four essential concepts of ecology are:

1. Food Chain: 

A food chain is a biological process of food or energy flow, from the producer to the consumer and eventually to an apex predator or decomposer. The plants utilize light energy from the sun for photosynthesis, synthesizing their food. The light energy is converted into chemical energy and eventually passed through successive trophic levels.

Decomposers like bacteria and fungi break down the complex organic compounds of dead plants, animals, and organic debris into simple inorganic substances, releasing chemicals like phosphorus, nitrogen, and calcium into the soil. Plants(producers) utilise these chemicals to make nutrients. 

Examples of Food Chains: Grass(Producer, T1) →, Deer(Herbivore, T2) →, Lion(Carnivore, T3) 

2. Food Web: 

The Food web is the graphical representation of various interconnected food chains of different trophic levels in the ecosystem, where plants are the foundation of all the food chains throughout the food web.

3. Trophic level pyramid: 

Also called an ecological pyramid is a graphical representation of the number, energy, and biomass of each trophic level in a given ecosystem. 

There are usually four trophic levels:

• I trophic level: It consists of producers or autotrophs, for example, phytoplankton, grass, trees, etc.
• II trophic levels: It includes primary consumers or herbivores, for example, zooplanktons, grasshoppers, cows, insects, etc.
• III trophic levels: It includes secondary consumers or small carnivores, for example, frogs, mice, birds, fishes, etc.
• IV trophic levels: It includes tertiary consumers or larger carnivores, for example, humans, lions, tigers, etc.

4. Energy flow:

It is the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another. The pyramid of energy depicts the direction and amount of energy transferred. The 10% rule states that only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to another in any food chain.

Students can refer to NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15 for in-depth information and explanation about the four essential concepts of ecology.

Environmental Problems: 

In the present world, some harmful human activities affect the environment in many ways—for example, Air pollution, Depletion of the Ozone Layer, and Waste disposal.

1. Air Pollution: 

It is caused due to many pollutants, organic molecules, or other hazardous substances in the atmosphere.

2. Depletion of Ozone Layer: 

The ozone layer protects living beings from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. The absence of this layer can cause many health conditions like skin cancer and the destruction of plants and weaken the immune system. When excessive CFCs (Chloro Fluoro Carbon) are released into the air, they react with ozone molecules and deplete the ozone layer.

3. Waste or garbage disposal: 

Industrialization and modern lifestyle have resulted in tremendous waste generation. For example, Plastic bags, disposals, etc., which are non-biodegradable, cause harm to nature in the long run.

Managing the Garbage that we Produce: 

Proper waste management should be followed right from its inception to its final disposal. The following steps can be used to manage waste and proper monitoring and regulation.

1. Segregation of waste.
2. Collection.
3. Transport.
4. Treatment.
5. Processing & Recycling.
6. Disposal.
7. Less usage of non-biodegradable items like plastics, styrofoam, and thermocouples.

Environmental pollution is a growing concern and students should be sensitized to the same. Waste management processes are elaborated further in our NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15. 

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15: Exercises &  Solutions

One of the best ways to prepare for the examination is by referring to and practicing the questions given in our NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15. All the questions are backed with answers to help them understand the important points easily and make them revise quickly. . Questions from the textbooks are also available for further practice. Solutions have been curated to bring conceptual clarity among the students and enhance their knowledge with concise answers that can help them in their higher studies as well. 

Students may study various questions, such as MCQs, short and long-answer questions, and more. The questions and their solutions are consolidated and carefully curated under the links given below: 

• NCERT Solutions-Very Short-answer Questions
• NCERT Solutions – Short-answer Questions
• NCERT Solutions – MCQ’s
• NCERT Solutions – Long-answer Questions

Along with Class 10 Science solutions, you can explore NCERT Solutions on our Extramarks’ website for all primary and secondary classes.

NCERT Exemplar Class 10 Science 

NCERT Exemplar Class 10 Science Chapter 15 is one of the most definitive study and practice materials. Students need to explore a repository of questions to practice and score good grades. . By practicing these advanced Exemplar questions thoroughly along with the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15, students strengthen their concepts, analyze their shortcomings, and overcome them ahead of the board examinations. It also helps students in improving their time management skills.

Students can refer to the Exemplar problem and Solutions for Class 10 Science from the below link:

• NCERT Solutions Class 10 Science -Exemplar

Key Features of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15

The benefits of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15 include:

• Our NCERT solutions are structured in lucid and simple language that is easy to understand.
• NCERT Solutions provide detailed answers to the chapter questions, and advanced tricky questions along with exercises to help students be confident in the subject and perform exceedingly well in the exams.
• The notes are prepared by highly qualified and experienced faculty who meticulously follow the latest NCERT textbooks to provide authentic and reliable study material to students.  .
•  NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 15 provides well-explained solutions to all the in-text and end-text questions in the chapter. 
• Our study materials help students become confident in the concepts they have learned and prepare well for examinations
• NCERT Solutions on Extramarks can be referred for CBSE Examinations and competitive examinations such as Olympiads, JEE, NEET, etc.
• The content provided by the Extramarks is regularly updated as per the CBSE Board.