Question 1

Pathogenic organisms are those that cause diseases.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 2

Evaluate at least five major environmental risks you have faced in the past year. List the risks you have encountered and rank them from most harmful to least harmful (in terms of increasing the chances of dying in any given year). Support your ranking with explanations.

Accepted Answer

Refer to Table 8.4 on p. 174 in textbook. Answers should include items listed here in the correct order (ranked from most to least harmful) based on risk.

Question 3

Half of the antibiotic prescriptions given to humans in the U.S. are unnecessary or the wrong ones.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 4

Radiation can act as a mutagen because it

Accepted Answer

A)  Deactivates the immune system 
B)  Interferes with the activity of nerve cells 
C)  Causes muscles to grow at unusual rates 
D)  Damages genetic material in cells 
E)  Represses oxygen uptake 
A)  Deactivates the immune system 
B)  Interferes with the activity of nerve cells 
C)  Causes muscles to grow at unusual rates 
D)  Damages genetic material in cells 
E)  Represses oxygen uptake

Question 5

Cardiovascular disease is strongly related to which of these dietary factors?

Accepted Answer

A)  Vitamin deficiencies 
B)  A lack of cruciferous vegetables 
C)  Excessive calorie consumption 
D)  Protein imbalances 
E)  High salt and fat intake 
A)  Vitamin deficiencies 
B)  A lack of cruciferous vegetables 
C)  Excessive calorie consumption 
D)  Protein imbalances 
E)  High salt and fat intake

Question 6

Diseases such as cholera and ebola are

Accepted Answer

A)  Caused by pathogenic organisms 
B)  Called communicable diseases 
C)  Called emergent diseases 
D)  All of these are characteristics of diseases such as cholera and ebola 
A)  Caused by pathogenic organisms 
B)  Called communicable diseases 
C)  Called emergent diseases 
D)  All of these are characteristics of diseases such as cholera and ebola

Question 7

Toxic substances are dangerous because they

Accepted Answer

A)  React or interfere with specific cell functions 
B)  Can physically remove or tear tissues 
C)  Are usually synthetic 
D)  Cause debilitating parasitic diseases 
E)  Cause excessive water accumulation in tissues 
A)  React or interfere with specific cell functions 
B)  Can physically remove or tear tissues 
C)  Are usually synthetic 
D)  Cause debilitating parasitic diseases 
E)  Cause excessive water accumulation in tissues

Question 8

Evidence suggests that children and adults typically have

Accepted Answer

A)  the sensitivity to environmental toxins. 
B)  different sensitivities, with children's higher. 
C)  different sensitivities, with adult's higher. 
D)  sensitivities that show no particular trends. 
A)  the sensitivity to environmental toxins. 
B)  different sensitivities, with children's higher. 
C)  different sensitivities, with adult's higher. 
D)  sensitivities that show no particular trends.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  If a substance is toxic, its toxicity is highly dependent on its form and where it is present in the environment. 
B)  If a substance is toxic, it is equally toxic regardless of its form or where it is present in the environment. 
C)  The most important factor in the toxicity of a substance is the route it enters our bodies. 
D)  The most important factor in the toxicity of a substance is its persistence in the environment. 
E)  None of these statements is true. 
A)  If a substance is toxic, its toxicity is highly dependent on its form and where it is present in the environment. 
B)  If a substance is toxic, it is equally toxic regardless of its form or where it is present in the environment. 
C)  The most important factor in the toxicity of a substance is the route it enters our bodies. 
D)  The most important factor in the toxicity of a substance is its persistence in the environment. 
E)  None of these statements is true.

Question 10

Fat-soluble contaminants

Accepted Answer

A)  Tend to accumulate in the surface water of aquatic habitats 
B)  Are easily excreted by organisms 
C)  Tend to accumulate in soil, sediments, and organisms 
D)  Commonly biomagnify from lower to higher trophic levels 
E)  Have very low bioconcentration factors 
A)  Tend to accumulate in the surface water of aquatic habitats 
B)  Are easily excreted by organisms 
C)  Tend to accumulate in soil, sediments, and organisms 
D)  Commonly biomagnify from lower to higher trophic levels 
E)  Have very low bioconcentration factors

Question 11

An example of a neurotoxin is

Accepted Answer

A)  lead. 
B)  alcohol. 
C)  mold spores. 
D)  carbon monoxide. 
A)  lead. 
B)  alcohol. 
C)  mold spores. 
D)  carbon monoxide.

Question 12

The dose/response curve shows that

Accepted Answer

A)  Some exposure is necessary before most individuals respond 
B)  Any exposure causes immediate response 
C)  Response levels off as dosage increases 
D)  The dose decreases as response increases 
E)  All of these are represented by the dose/response curve 
A)  Some exposure is necessary before most individuals respond 
B)  Any exposure causes immediate response 
C)  Response levels off as dosage increases 
D)  The dose decreases as response increases 
E)  All of these are represented by the dose/response curve

Question 13

Biomagnification is a concentration of toxins

Accepted Answer

A)  Within certain cells of the body 
B)  within cells of predators as they consume and store the toxins that were in the bodies of their prey. 
C)  Within the liver as an organism gets older 
D)  Within the bodies of organisms at low trophic levels 
E)  None of these is true regarding biomagnification 
A)  Within certain cells of the body 
B)  within cells of predators as they consume and store the toxins that were in the bodies of their prey. 
C)  Within the liver as an organism gets older 
D)  Within the bodies of organisms at low trophic levels 
E)  None of these is true regarding biomagnification

Question 14

Chronic effects of a toxic response

Accepted Answer

A)  Are less harmful than acute effects 
B)  Can last a long time or be permanent 
C)  Rarely show up in time to be diagnosed 
D)  Are unlikely to be lethal 
E)  Are likely to kill the individual during the initial exposure 
A)  Are less harmful than acute effects 
B)  Can last a long time or be permanent 
C)  Rarely show up in time to be diagnosed 
D)  Are unlikely to be lethal 
E)  Are likely to kill the individual during the initial exposure

Question 15

The chemical responsible for more problems in embryonic development than any other is

Accepted Answer

A)  benzene. 
B)  thalidomide. 
C)  alcohol. 
D)  DDT. 
A)  benzene. 
B)  thalidomide. 
C)  alcohol. 
D)  DDT.

Question 16

Which of the following tissues is more likely to develop cancers?

Accepted Answer

A)  Skin, because there is a high cellular reproduction rate to replace injured cells 
B)  Eyes, because they are always exposed to light 
C)  Fat, because of bioaccumulation 
D)  Bones, because of the increased radiation in our environment 
E)  No one tissue is more likely to develop cancer when compared to another type of tissue 
A)  Skin, because there is a high cellular reproduction rate to replace injured cells 
B)  Eyes, because they are always exposed to light 
C)  Fat, because of bioaccumulation 
D)  Bones, because of the increased radiation in our environment 
E)  No one tissue is more likely to develop cancer when compared to another type of tissue

Question 17

Sick-building syndrome is a result of exposure to ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  radon 
B)  arsenic 
C)  asbestos 
D)  formaldehyde 
A)  radon 
B)  arsenic 
C)  asbestos 
D)  formaldehyde

Question 18

During the twentieth century, world life expectancies have

Accepted Answer

A)  more than tripled. 
B)  more than doubled. 
C)  not increased dramatically. 
D)  None of these choices are correct 
A)  more than tripled. 
B)  more than doubled. 
C)  not increased dramatically. 
D)  None of these choices are correct

Question 19

Some soft vinyls are softened with a potential carcinogen, phthalate plasticizers, that may leach out if a baby chews on the product. Discuss whether or not you would be worried about phthalates (and therefore not allow your child to have them) if you had a child. Use at least three items that support your reasoning.

Accepted Answer

You would most likely be worried because

Question 20

Which of the following is not a problem with generalizing the results of LD50 to humans?

Accepted Answer

A)  Closely related species can have different reactions. 
B)  Different individuals of the same species can have different reactions. 
C)  Differences in physiology and metabolism can lead to different reactions. 
D)  Smaller species generally have reactions that are more sensitive. 
E)  Differences in metabolism can lead to different reactions. 
A)  Closely related species can have different reactions. 
B)  Different individuals of the same species can have different reactions. 
C)  Differences in physiology and metabolism can lead to different reactions. 
D)  Smaller species generally have reactions that are more sensitive. 
E)  Differences in metabolism can lead to different reactions.

Exam 8: Environmental Health and Toxicology

Pathogenic organisms are those that cause diseases.

Evaluate at least five major environmental risks you have faced in the past year. List the risks you have encountered and rank them from most harmful to least harmful (in terms of increasing the chances of dying in any given year). Support your ranking with explanations.

Half of the antibiotic prescriptions given to humans in the U.S. are unnecessary or the wrong ones.

Radiation can act as a mutagen because it

Cardiovascular disease is strongly related to which of these dietary factors?

Diseases such as cholera and ebola are

Toxic substances are dangerous because they

Evidence suggests that children and adults typically have

Which of the following statements is true?

Fat-soluble contaminants

An example of a neurotoxin is

The dose/response curve shows that

Biomagnification is a concentration of toxins

Chronic effects of a toxic response

The chemical responsible for more problems in embryonic development than any other is

Which of the following tissues is more likely to develop cancers?

Sick-building syndrome is a result of exposure to ___________.

During the twentieth century, world life expectancies have

Which of the following is not a problem with generalizing the results of LD50 to humans?

Understanding Our Environment

Principles of Science and Systems

Matter, Energy, and Life

Evolution, Biological Communities, and Species Interactions

Biomes: Global Patterns of Life

Population Biology

Human Populations

Food and Hunger

Farming: Conventional and Sustainable Practices

Biodiversity: Preserving Species

Biodiversity: Preserving Landscapes

Restoration Ecology

Geology and Earth Resources

Climate Change

Air Pollution

Water Use and Management

Water Pollution

Conventional Energy

Sustainable Energy

Solid, Toxic, and Hazardous Waste

Urbanization and Sustainable Cities

Ecological Economics

Environmental Policy, Law, and Planning

What Then Shall We Do

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