Question

Assertion: Suspended particulate matter (SPM) is an important pollutant released by diesel vehicles.
Reason: Catalytic converters greatly reduce pollution caused by automobiles.
A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
B. Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
C. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect.
D. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect.

Answer 1

The small particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air are suspended particulate matter (SPM). The origins may be anthropogenic or natural. They have a detrimental effect on the environment and precipitation, adversely impacting human health, causing respiratory difficulties and other problems.

Complete answer:
The most dangerous type of air pollution is particulates or SPM. Volcanoes, trees, dust storms, grassland fires, living plants, and sea spray are naturally occurring particles. Significant quantities of particulates are also produced by human activities such as burning fossil fuels in cars, burning stubble, road dust, power plants, wet cooling towers in cooling systems, and many industrial processes.

Health conditions such as lung cancer, asthma, other respiratory disorders, cardiovascular diseases, birth defects, premature delivery, and premature death can be caused by inhalation of these things. In addition, they may also block the stomatal openings of plants and interfere with the functions of photosynthesis. In this way, in some plant species, high concentrations of particulate matter in the atmosphere can contribute to growth stunting or mortality.

A catalytic converter is an exhaust exposure control device that turns greenhouse gases and exhaust gas emissions from an internal combustion engine towards less toxic pollutants by facilitating a redox reaction. They are commonly used for either gas or diesel-fueled internal combustion engines, including lean-burn engines and kerosene heaters and stoves. Electric generators, construction machinery, locomotives, trucks, buses, bikes, and ships also use them. Pollution caused by cars and other machinery is minimized by catalytic converters. The statement and the justification are both accurate, but the reason for the assertion is not the correct explanation.

Hence, option B- Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion is the correct answer.

Note: Most companies are expected to build and operate some kind of dust collection system to manage particulate emissions because of health and environmental concerns. Polluted air is filtered by systems such as cyclonic separators, cloth philtre collectors (baghouses), wet scrubbers, and electrostatic precipitators, etc. It can also be washed in the open air, apart from this.