Deck 17: Environmental Health and Justice: How Does Our Environment Affect Our Health

Question 1

A key feature of chemical hazards is a chemical

A) found in the environment.
B) to which humans are commonly exposed
C) that can cause health effects.
D) All of these are correct.

Answer 1

that can cause health effects.

Question 2

How do biological hazards differ from chemical hazards?

A) Biological hazards are associated with eating contaminated foods.
B) Biological hazards are from organic substances.
C) Biological hazards are rarely found in living things.
D) Biological hazards are not as harmful as chemical hazards.

Answer 2

Biological hazards are from organic substances.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a biological hazard?

A) lead paint
B) sewage containing disease-causing bacteria
C) air pollution, such as methane and nitrates
D) None of these are correct.

Answer 3

sewage containing disease-causing bacteria

Question 4

Ricin is a chemical found in castor beans. Once isolated, a dose the size of a grain of salt can kill an adult human. Ricin would be classified as a

A) toxin.
B) pathogen.
C) biological hazard.
D) blood-borne pathogen.

Question 5

The World Health Organization defines as the assessment and control of biological, chemical, and physical factors that affect our well-being.

A) environmental justice
B) toxicology
C) epidemiology
D) environmental health

Question 6

Several people show up at a local hospital with the symptoms of food poisoning. They are all interviewed about what they have recently eaten, and a common source of exposure is found: a nearby restaurant. Samples are taken from foods at the restaurant to be tested for pathogens causing the outbreak of illness. This scenario describes

A) toxicology.
B) epidemiology.
C) environmental justice.
D) herd immunity.

Question 7

In 2014, a large increase in a chemical called microcystin, produced by bacteria in Lake Erie's water, prevented Toledo, Ohio, from using its drinking water for several days. Researchers are now conducting tests on how microcystin impacts the health of organisms living in the lake and of humans that consume it. This illustrates an example of

A) toxicology.
B) epidemiology.
C) environmental justice.
D) herd immunity.

Question 8

The Love Canal tragedy in New York, along with the idea that all people have the same environmental rights, is found in

A) toxicology.
B) epidemiology.
C) environmental justice.
D) herd immunity.

Question 9

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are publishing a report highlighting several important organisms causing disease in humans. Tuberculosis-a lung infection from the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis Gastroenteritis-inflammation in the digestive tract caused by rotavirus Hepatitis-liver disease resulting from a blood infection with Hepatitis B virus
What common feature do these diseases share?

A) They are all chemical hazards.
B) They are all caused by respiratory infections.
C) They are all caused by pathogens.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 10

A patient at a local hospital believes they have a respiratory infection. What material should be sampled to find the cause of the infection?

A) blood
B) sputum (mucus from the lungs)
C) stool (feces)
D) skin (biopsy)

Question 11

A family in rural Africa gets its drinking water from a local stream. The water is not treated or filtered before use. Upon testing, several bacterial pathogens are found in the water, including Vibrio cholerae, the cause of cholera. What type of illness would MOST likely sicken this family?

A) respiratory infection
B) diarrheal disease
C) blood-borne pathogen
D) chemical hazard

Question 12

Diseases such as malaria, which are transmitted by mosquitoes, and HIV/AIDS have what feature in common?

A) caused by blood-borne pathogens
B) caused by respiratory infections
C) result in a diarrheal disease
D) All of these are correct.

Question 13

Herd immunity is critical for reducing

A) the number of people vaccinated against a disease.
B) the amount of vaccines that people should get.
C) the spread of an infection through a population.
D) a pathogen from becoming immune to a treatment.

Question 14

Malaria is often controlled with the use of DDT. Why would this be effective at reducing cases of this disease?

A) DDT can effectively treat patients with malaria.
B) DDT decreases mosquito populations, which can spread malaria.
C) DDT prevents malaria from infecting red blood cells.
D) DDT kills ticks, which can spread malaria.

Question 15

Which of the following can commonly spread respiratory diseases?

A) engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse
B) touching contaminated surfaces
C) being bitten by a mosquito
D) eating improperly stored food

Question 16

How are vaccinations and herd immunity related?

A) Vaccines prevent diseases in cattle, reducing the spread to humans.
B) Vaccines lead to bacterial immunity.
C) Vaccines make it so that no one can become infected.
D) Vaccines reduce susceptible individuals in the population.

Question 17

Which characteristic of volatile organic compounds causes them to be a source of indoor air pollution?

A) contain toxins
B) readily evaporate at room temperature
C) produced by combustion
D) All of these are correct.

Question 18

The table below shows several compounds and the amount of time it takes to degrade in aquatic settings. The chemicals in this table are all representative of ?

A) chemical hazards.
B) persistent organic pollutants.
C) physical hazards.
D) persistence.

Question 19

Mercury, PCBs, and dioxin are chemicals that do not degrade under standard environmental conditions, and in the past they have accumulated to dangerous levels in the Great Lakes. These would be classified as

A) radiation.
B) persistent organic pollutants.
C) biological hazards.
D) volatile organic compounds.

Question 20

Physical hazards differ from the other types of hazards discussed in chapter 17 due to damage to

A) the health of the population.
B) the abiotic environment.
C) coastlines.
D) natural resources.

Question 21

Mercury can undergo biological magnification; it accumulates as it moves up the food chain. Based on this information, we would classify mercury as a

A) volatile organic compound.
B) Biological hazard
C) fat-soluble toxin.
D)water-soluble toxin.

Question 22

Which of the following would be considered a geological hazard?

A) tsunami
B) mudslide
C) hurricane
D) All of these are correct.

Question 23

The deforestation of landscapes and higher amounts of rainfall in some areas can increase the risk of

A) heat waves.
B) landslides.
C) tsunamis.
D) storm surges.

Question 24

Which type of geological hazard is MOST common along fault lines of Earth's crust?

A) tsunami
B) landslide
C) drought
D) earthquake

Question 25

A tsunami typically starts in what location?

A) the ocean
B) a steep hill
C) the center of a hurricane
D) None of these are correct.

Question 26

Visible light, infrared, and microwaves are all examples of

A) ionizing energy.
B) radiation.
C) ultraviolet light.
D) physical hazards.

Question 27

Ionizing radiation is particularly harmful because

A) its source is the Sun.
B) it is an odorless gas.
C) it can react with our cells and cause damage.
D) it is a biological hazard.

Question 28

Why is a test needed to determine if a home has high levels of radon?

A) It is an odorless and tasteless gas.
B) It can be remediated by venting.
C) Radon exposure can cause lung cancer.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 29

What is the source of ultraviolet radiation, including UVA and UVB?

A) radioactive materials
B) underground rocks and soil
C) air pollutants, including ozone
D) the Sun

Question 30

Which event is typically associated with abnormal snowmelt?

A) flooding
B) drought
C) storm surge
D) earthquake

Question 31

How can a storm surge differ from typical flooding?

A) A storm surge can be caused by high winds.
B) A storm surge can be caused by higher pressure.
C) A storm surge can cause flooding in upstream areas.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 32

In July 2019, many European countries experienced record high temperatures, with Paris, France, reaching 42.6°C (108.7°F). These high temperatures remained for several days. This is an example of a

A) geological hazard.
B) physical hazard
C) drought.
D) heat wave.

Question 33

Drought is associated with precipitation and evaporation.

A) low; low
B) low; high
C) high; low
D) high; high

Question 34

When most states set their goals for vaccination rates, they are usually between 85 and 90%. Why aren't these goals set at 100% in order to prevent preventable diseases?

Question 35

Describe the arguments for and against the use of DDT in developing countries. Be sure to include at least one argument for and one argument against its use.

Question 36

A phrase that is often used in toxicology is "the dose makes the poison." Describe one example of this from your own experience or from the chapter.

Question 37

How can exposure to ultraviolet radiation be limited or prevented?

Question 38

Why is radon found in the basement of homes?