Deck 5: Human Adaptation: Thermoregulation and Skin Color

Question 1

With regard to human differences in biological traits, anthropologists ask

A) What are the adaptive significances of the traits?
B) How can these traits fit into a typology?
C) How do these traits correspond racial categories?
D) How does lung size connect to skin color?

Answer 1

What are the adaptive significances of the traits?

Question 2

Maintaining normal physiological function in spite of external stressors is the process of

A) hypoxia.
B) hypothermia.
C) homeostasis.
D) hyperthermia.

Answer 2

homeostasis.

Question 3

The epicanthal eye fold

A) is a response to an infection such as a cold virus.
B) results in an increase in the number of offspring produced.
C) functions as camouflage.
D) may be the result of random genetic drift.

Answer 3

may be the result of random genetic drift.

Question 4

Cultural adaptations include

A) wearing clothes and sweating.
B) food preparation and increasing the number of red blood cells at high altitudes.
C) building protective housing and food acquisition technology.
D) building an igloo and having a short rotund body

Question 5

The process of short-term adaptations to environmental stress is called

A) acclimatization
B) thermal equilibrium
C) developmental acclimatization
D) heat exchange

Question 6

Adaptation to cold environments includes

A) the family bed.
B) shivering.
C) vasoconstriction.
D) any or all of these

Question 7

Skin color in humans is distributed according to

A) longitude.
B) latitude.
C) altitude.
D) continents.

Question 8

_______ comprise the least biologically active aspect of solar radiation

A) Infrared rays.
B) Ozone rays.
C) Ultraviolet rays.
D) X-rays and gamma rays.

Question 9

Spina bifida is the result of

A) lack of vitamin D in people with dark skin.
B) dark skin in low latitudes
C) dark skin in high latitudes
D) light skin and overexposure to solar radiation, which leads to photolysis of folate.

Question 10

People whose ancestors have lived in hot climates and who continue to occupy hot climates have both a genetic adaptation and acclimatization to the heat found in their environment.

Question 11

In the U.S. a tan is seen as a sign of health, vigor and affluence but it may lead to medical problems because it damages the skin.

Question 12

Rickets is more the result a deficiency of vitamin D than a deficiency of calcium.

Question 13

Dark people of Africa descent have more melanocytes the light skinned people of European descent.

Question 14

Albinos are only found among humans.

Question 15

_______________ proposed that warm-blooded animals will have a large body size in cold climates.

Question 16

_______________ proposed that warm-blooded animals will have long limbs and protruding body parts in hot climates.

Question 17

______________ is a gene associated with skin color from black to white in Europeans.

Question 18

Calcium absorption depends on the presence of _____________.

Question 19

______________ discovered the relationship between skin color, solar radiation, and neural tube defects.