Question

The major source of noise pollution, worldwide is due to
(a) Office equipment
(b) Transport system
(c) Sugar, textile and paper industries
(d) Oil refineries and thermal power plants

Answer 1

Noise pollution is commonly characterised as the daily exposure of humans or other living organisms to elevated sound levels that may lead to adverse effects. Sound levels below 70 dB are not harmful to living organisms, according to the World Health Organisation, no matter how long or consistent the exposure is.

Complete answer:
Transport's environmental effect is important because transport is a big energy user and burns much of the oil in the world. This produces air pollution, including nitrous oxides which particulates, which, by carbon dioxide emissions, is an important contributor to global warming.

Additional information: It has been shown that exposure to prolonged or unnecessary noise causes a variety of health issues, from stress, impaired focus, loss of productivity in the workplace, and communication problems and exhaustion due to lack of sleep, to more severe problems such as cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, tinnitus, etc.
High noise levels and an increased occurrence of coronary heart disease may lead to cardiovascular effects in humans. Noise in animals can increase the risk of death by altering the detection and avoidance of predators or prey, interfering with reproduction and navigation, and leading to permanent hearing loss.
So, the correct answer is ‘(b) Transport system’.

Note: How humans respond subjectively to noise is less obvious. Noise tolerance is also independent of decibel levels. The soundscape research by Murray Schafer was pioneering in this regard. He makes convincing points in his work on how humans react to noise on a subjective level, and how culture conditions that subjectivity.