Definitions
- Referring to something that has been exposed to harmful substances or bacteria. - Describing a situation where something has been made impure or unsafe for use. - Talking about the presence of unwanted or harmful elements in a substance or environment.
- Describing a situation where the air, water, or soil has been made impure or harmful due to human activity. - Referring to the presence of toxic or harmful substances in the environment. - Talking about the degradation of natural resources due to human actions.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words refer to something that has been made impure or unsafe.
- 2Both words are used to describe negative environmental conditions.
- 3Both words can be used to describe situations caused by human activity.
- 4Both words imply that the original state of the object or environment was pure or safe.
What is the difference?
- 1Cause: Contaminated implies that the impurity or harm was caused by contact with a specific substance or bacteria, while polluted refers to a more general degradation of the environment.
- 2Scope: Contaminated can be used to describe a single object or substance, while polluted is typically used to describe an entire environment or ecosystem.
- 3Severity: Polluted suggests a more severe level of impurity or harm than contaminated.
- 4Type of impurity: Contaminated is often used to describe biological impurities, while polluted is more commonly used to describe chemical or toxic impurities.
- 5Remediation: Contaminated implies that the object or substance can be cleaned or purified, while polluted suggests a more permanent or difficult-to-reverse condition.
Remember this!
While both contaminated and polluted describe situations where something has been made impure or unsafe, there are some key differences between the two words. Contaminated implies a specific cause and can refer to a single object or substance, while polluted suggests a more general degradation of the environment and is typically used to describe an entire ecosystem. Additionally, polluted suggests a more severe level of impurity or harm than contaminated, and contaminated is often used to describe biological impurities while polluted is more commonly used to describe chemical or toxic impurities.
