Given below are two statements, an Assertion (A) and a Reason (R). which a harmful chemical enters the food chain and gets concentrated at each level in the food chain. Choose the correct answer.

Assertion (A):In a lake polluted with pesticides, the big fish will contain the maximum amounts of pesticides as a result of biomagnification.

Reason (R):Biomagnification is the process in

ABoth (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A) ✓ Correct

BBoth (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)

C(A) is true, but (R) is false

D(A) is false, but (R) is true

Correct answer: (A) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

Explanation

Both statements are true and the reason correctly explains the assertion about pesticide levels in big fish.

The assertion is sound: in a pesticide-polluted lake the large fish carry the most pesticide through biomagnification.

The reason is sound: biomagnification is the process by which a harmful chemical enters the food chain and concentrates at each higher level.

Because concentration climbs at every step, the top predator fish ends up with the heaviest load, just as the assertion states.

Persistent, fat-soluble chemicals like DDT are the ones that biomagnify most.

This is why apex consumers, including humans, face the greatest exposure.

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