A non-biodegradable substance is sometimes described as 'environmentally inert.' Under what conditions might…

Question

A non-biodegradable substance is sometimes described as 'environmentally inert.' Under what conditions might this be partially true? Even if a substance does not react chemically in the environment, explain one way it can still cause harm to living organisms or ecosystems.

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer A non-biodegradable substance may be considered "environmentally inert" if it does not chemically react or decompose under natural conditions — meaning it simply persists without direct chemical toxicity. However, it can still cause harm through **biological magnification**: as it passes up the food chain from one trophic level to the next, its concentration increases in organisms' bodies, reaching harmful or even lethal levels in top consumers. ## Explanation The textbook (ch. 13) explicitly states that non-biodegradable substances "may be inert and simply persist in the environment for a long time **or** may harm the various members of the ecosystem." Examiners expect: (1) a valid condition for 'inert' being partially true, and (2) one specific harm mechanism — biological magnification is the best textbook example here. Avoid vague answers like "it pollutes."

Science (086) — AI-generated practice question