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Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Q1. [1]
Assertion (A) : Highest percentage of pesticides is found in tertiary consumers in a food chain. Reason (R) : Chemicals / pesticides get accumulated progressively at each trophic level.
  1. (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of the Assertion (A).
  2. (B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of the Assertion (A).
  3. (C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
  4. (D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2026 31/4/1 Q9
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:41 · grounding rag
Model Answer

(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A), because pesticides accumulate at each trophic level (biological magnification), reaching maximum concentration at the highest level.

Source: Our Environment, 13.1.1

Explanation

The passage directly states that harmful chemicals "get accumulated progressively at each trophic level" (this is biological magnification). Humans/top consumers accumulate the maximum concentration. Since R correctly explains why A is true, option (A) is the answer. Note: the passage says humans at the top level get maximum concentration — tertiary consumers are at/near the top, so A holds true.

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Previous-year CBSE Grade 10 board exam questions, organised by subject and chapter, each with a model answer — free to read and print.