Exam 5: Human Variation and Adaptation
_______________ are genetic changes that give their carriers a better chance of survival and reproduction than individuals without the genetic change who live in the same environment.
D
Skin color has come to represent for many people a clear "racial" marking. What do we know about the reasons for differences in skin color?
The reasons for differences in skin color are primarily due to evolutionary adaptations to different environments and levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
People living closer to the equator, where UV radiation is more intense, have darker skin to protect against the harmful effects of UV rays. This is because melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color, acts as a natural sunscreen by absorbing and dissipating UV radiation.
Conversely, people living in regions with less intense UV radiation have lighter skin, allowing for better absorption of UV rays to produce vitamin D, which is essential for bone health.
Additionally, migration and interbreeding between different populations over thousands of years have also contributed to the wide range of skin colors seen today.
It's important to note that skin color is not a reliable indicator of race, as it is a complex trait influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, it's crucial to understand the scientific basis for differences in skin color and to challenge the notion that it represents a clear "racial" marking.
Humans are influenced by their environment, but at the same time humans can dramatically change their environment. Examples of this include
D
A major reason for the European domination of colonized peoples was
________________ are the ultimate source of all genetic variation.
Which do you judge to be better for the future of humankind and why? The perpetuation of human variability or the creation of an invariable "perfect" human.
Height, in a population, is determined by two major influences,
A population can develop inherited resistances to diseases because
It can be concluded that ______________ is related to height.
_________________describes what seems to be a general relationship between body size and temperature.
The most notable physical variations among human populations are those that are
The connection between "race" and intelligence is weak because
What factors-genetic, cultural and environmental-account for variations in height?
Filters
- Essay(0)
- Multiple Choice(0)
- Short Answer(0)
- True False(0)
- Matching(0)