Question 1

What has prevented polio from becoming eradicated on a global basis?

Accepted Answer

A)  knowledge of what causes polio 
B)  the development of an effective polio vaccine 
C)  public fear and suspicion of the safety of the polio vaccine 
D)  availability of the polio vaccine to developing countries 
E)  global suspension of the polio vaccine 
A)  knowledge of what causes polio 
B)  the development of an effective polio vaccine 
C)  public fear and suspicion of the safety of the polio vaccine 
D)  availability of the polio vaccine to developing countries 
E)  global suspension of the polio vaccine

Question 2

The study of organisms in the biosphere, including their harmful effects on ecosystems is known as

Accepted Answer

A)  environmental toxicology 
B)  Ecotoxicology 
C)  Biotoxicology 
D)  Epidemiology 
E)  Environmental toxicology and ecotoxicology 
A)  environmental toxicology 
B)  Ecotoxicology 
C)  Biotoxicology 
D)  Epidemiology 
E)  Environmental toxicology and ecotoxicology

Question 3

The National Institute of Environmental Health Science has identified several hundred environmental susceptibility genes. These genes

Accepted Answer

A)  affect how the body metabolizes toxicants, making toxicants more or less toxic. 
B)  provide complete protection from environmental pollution. 
C)  allow adults to produce enzymes necessary to eat unprocessed food with no ill effects. 
D)  cause weaknesses in the immune system. 
E)  influence a person's preference for outdoor activities. 
A)  affect how the body metabolizes toxicants, making toxicants more or less toxic. 
B)  provide complete protection from environmental pollution. 
C)  allow adults to produce enzymes necessary to eat unprocessed food with no ill effects. 
D)  cause weaknesses in the immune system. 
E)  influence a person's preference for outdoor activities.

Question 4

Which of the following is a leading cause of death in children of developing countries?

Accepted Answer

A)  malaria 
B)  malnourishment 
C)  lower respiratory tract infections 
D)  diarrheal diseases 
E)  All of these choices are correct 
A)  malaria 
B)  malnourishment 
C)  lower respiratory tract infections 
D)  diarrheal diseases 
E)  All of these choices are correct

Question 5

Risk analysis is a tool used to organize how we think about complex environmental systems. When we think about risk from a systems perspective we can decide whether it's most effective to:

Accepted Answer

A)  change out activities to avoid particular risks 
B)  limit the extent to which the hazard can come in to contact with us 
C)  limit the extent to which the hazard can harm us 
D)  provide some sort of offset or compensation for being harmed by the hazard 
E)  all of these choices are correct 
A)  change out activities to avoid particular risks 
B)  limit the extent to which the hazard can come in to contact with us 
C)  limit the extent to which the hazard can harm us 
D)  provide some sort of offset or compensation for being harmed by the hazard 
E)  all of these choices are correct

Question 6

When a chemical mixture has a greater combined effect than expected it is a _________ chemical mixture.

Accepted Answer

A)  synergistic 
B)  additive 
C)  compounding 
D)  unrealistic 
E)  antagonistic 
A)  synergistic 
B)  additive 
C)  compounding 
D)  unrealistic 
E)  antagonistic

Question 7

Pollutants that interfere with the normal functioning of hormones are called:

Accepted Answer

A)  radioisotopes. 
B)  synergists. 
C)  stimulants. 
D)  endocrine disrupters. 
E)  carcinogens. 
A)  radioisotopes. 
B)  synergists. 
C)  stimulants. 
D)  endocrine disrupters. 
E)  carcinogens.

Question 8

The infant mortality rate in a developing country is most likely to be:

Accepted Answer

A)  the same as in a highly developed country 
B)  lower than in a highly developed country 
C)  higher than in a highly developed country 
D)  unrelated to life expectancy in a developing country 
E)  impossible to determine 
A)  the same as in a highly developed country 
B)  lower than in a highly developed country 
C)  higher than in a highly developed country 
D)  unrelated to life expectancy in a developing country 
E)  impossible to determine

Question 9

Which of the following issues does not fall within the realm of Ecotoxicology?

Accepted Answer

A)  Intercellular molecular interactions 
B)  Loss of species richness 
C)  The relationship between the number of species and their roles in the ecosystem 
D)  Global climate change 
E)  Effects of contaminants on population size 
A)  Intercellular molecular interactions 
B)  Loss of species richness 
C)  The relationship between the number of species and their roles in the ecosystem 
D)  Global climate change 
E)  Effects of contaminants on population size

Question 10

A carcinogen is a

Accepted Answer

A)  type of microorganism associated with human sewage. 
B)  cancer-causing chemical, radiation, or virus. 
C)  vehicle that requires no gasoline to operate. 
D)  phytochemical (a protective plant compound that promotes health). 
E)  computer chip. 
A)  type of microorganism associated with human sewage. 
B)  cancer-causing chemical, radiation, or virus. 
C)  vehicle that requires no gasoline to operate. 
D)  phytochemical (a protective plant compound that promotes health). 
E)  computer chip.

Question 11

There is good news and bad news regarding the health and well-being of people in developing countries. Discuss two improving health issues for people in developing countries and two serious health risks.

Accepted Answer

Gradual improvements in sanitation and d

Question 12

Environmental contaminants are linked to ALL of the following serious diseases EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  cancer. 
B)  birth defects. 
C)  reproductive problems. 
D)  malaria. 
E)  damage to the nervous system. 
A)  cancer. 
B)  birth defects. 
C)  reproductive problems. 
D)  malaria. 
E)  damage to the nervous system.

Question 13

The body mass index (BMI) is used to determine the health status of your weight for a person of your height. Imagine you have a BMI of 35.7. Doctors would diagnose you as:

Accepted Answer

A)  malnourished. 
B)  underweight. 
C)  healthy weight. 
D)  overweight. 
E)  obese. 
A)  malnourished. 
B)  underweight. 
C)  healthy weight. 
D)  overweight. 
E)  obese.

Question 14

How do health care professionals define obesity? Identify two health risks associated with obesity.

Accepted Answer

Obesity is defined by calculating the bo

Question 15

Emerging diseases are

Accepted Answer

A)  infectious diseases that were not previously found in humans and typically jump from an animal host to humans. 
B)  infectious diseases that existed in the past but for a variety of reasons are increasing in incidence. 
C)  infectious diseases that were previously found in humans and typically jump from a human host to animals. 
D)  non-infectious diseases that have transformed into infectious diseases. 
E)  hidden diseases that are finally being detected through technology. 
A)  infectious diseases that were not previously found in humans and typically jump from an animal host to humans. 
B)  infectious diseases that existed in the past but for a variety of reasons are increasing in incidence. 
C)  infectious diseases that were previously found in humans and typically jump from a human host to animals. 
D)  non-infectious diseases that have transformed into infectious diseases. 
E)  hidden diseases that are finally being detected through technology.

Question 16

An antagonistic interaction in a chemical mixture results in:

Accepted Answer

A)  the expected effect given. 
B)  a greater combined effect than expected. 
C)  a smaller combined effect than expected given 
D)  no chemical reaction. 
E)  variable results depending on the chemicals present. 
A)  the expected effect given. 
B)  a greater combined effect than expected. 
C)  a smaller combined effect than expected given 
D)  no chemical reaction. 
E)  variable results depending on the chemicals present.

Question 17

DDT was sprayed in a Long Island salt marsh over a period of years for mosquito control. A portion of the food web is as follows:
Algae -> shrimp-> American eel -> Atlantic needlefish -> ring-billed gull
In which organism would biological magnification be greatest?

Accepted Answer

A)  Algae 
B)  shrimp 
C)  American eel 
D)  Atlantic needlefish 
E)  ring-billed gull 
A)  Algae 
B)  shrimp 
C)  American eel 
D)  Atlantic needlefish 
E)  ring-billed gull

Question 18

Which of the following statements about carcinogens is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cancer was traditionally the only disease evaluated in the chemical risk assessment of environmental contaminants. 
B)  Rats and mice often respond differently to the same toxicant. 
C)  It is assumed that one can extrapolate from doses and cancer rates in rats to determine human cancer rates. 
D)  The body often handles very small doses of carcinogens the same way as large doses. 
E)  None of these choices is correct 
A)  Cancer was traditionally the only disease evaluated in the chemical risk assessment of environmental contaminants. 
B)  Rats and mice often respond differently to the same toxicant. 
C)  It is assumed that one can extrapolate from doses and cancer rates in rats to determine human cancer rates. 
D)  The body often handles very small doses of carcinogens the same way as large doses. 
E)  None of these choices is correct

Question 19

A "dose-response curve" shows:

Accepted Answer

A)  the dose of a given chemical that is lethal to 50% of the population. 
B)  the dose of a given chemical that causes 50% of a population to exhibit a response. 
C)  the correct dose to use in the treatment of illness. 
D)  the dose that will be harmful to the environment. 
E)  the effect of different doses on a population of test organisms. 
A)  the dose of a given chemical that is lethal to 50% of the population. 
B)  the dose of a given chemical that causes 50% of a population to exhibit a response. 
C)  the correct dose to use in the treatment of illness. 
D)  the dose that will be harmful to the environment. 
E)  the effect of different doses on a population of test organisms.

Question 20

A lethal dose of a toxicant may vary depending on all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  organism's age 
B)  organism's height 
C)  organism's sex 
D)  organism's metabolism 
E)  organism's genetic makeup 
A)  organism's age 
B)  organism's height 
C)  organism's sex 
D)  organism's metabolism 
E)  organism's genetic makeup

Exam 7: Human Health and Environmental Toxicology

What has prevented polio from becoming eradicated on a global basis?

The study of organisms in the biosphere, including their harmful effects on ecosystems is known as

The National Institute of Environmental Health Science has identified several hundred environmental susceptibility genes. These genes

Which of the following is a leading cause of death in children of developing countries?

Risk analysis is a tool used to organize how we think about complex environmental systems. When we think about risk from a systems perspective we can decide whether it's most effective to:

When a chemical mixture has a greater combined effect than expected it is a _________ chemical mixture.

Pollutants that interfere with the normal functioning of hormones are called:

The infant mortality rate in a developing country is most likely to be:

Which of the following issues does not fall within the realm of Ecotoxicology?

A carcinogen is a

There is good news and bad news regarding the health and well-being of people in developing countries. Discuss two improving health issues for people in developing countries and two serious health risks.

Environmental contaminants are linked to ALL of the following serious diseases EXCEPT:

The body mass index (BMI) is used to determine the health status of your weight for a person of your height. Imagine you have a BMI of 35.7. Doctors would diagnose you as:

How do health care professionals define obesity? Identify two health risks associated with obesity.

Emerging diseases are

An antagonistic interaction in a chemical mixture results in:

DDT was sprayed in a Long Island salt marsh over a period of years for mosquito control. A portion of the food web is as follows: Algae -> shrimp-> American eel -> Atlantic needlefish -> ring-billed gull In which organism would biological magnification be greatest?

Which of the following statements about carcinogens is false?

A "dose-response curve" shows:

A lethal dose of a toxicant may vary depending on all of the following EXCEPT:

Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability

Environmental Laws Economic and Ethics

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Ecosystems and the Physical Environment

Ecosystems and Living Organisms

Major Ecosystems of the World

The Human Population

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Renewable Energy and Nuclear Power

Water: a Limited Resource

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