Biology of Skin Color

Indigenous (native) people of which country would be expected to have the darkest skin color?

• Southwestern Canada

• Northwestern Brazil

• Southwestern China

• Western Australia

Indigenous (native) people of which country would be expected to have the lightest skin color?

• Southwestern Canada

• Northwestern Brazil

• Southwestern China

• Western Australia

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

Which factor is directly responsible for the skin pigmentation you were born with?

• Your exposure to the sun

• Different amounts and types of melanin

• The food you eat

• Weather you live in hot or cold temperatures

What does melanin protect?

• The nucleus

• Nucleic acid

• Folate

• All of the above

What selective advantage did people have to increase melanin production?

• Increased protection from skin cancer

• Increased protection from folate destruction

• Increased synthesis of vitamin D

• All of the above

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

What selective advantage did people have to lose increased melanin production? (Or in other words, to have less melanin?)

• Increased protection from skin cancer

• Increased protection from folate destruction

• Increased synthesis of vitamin D

• All of the above

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

Which population would be most at risk for having a folate deficiency?

• People with less melanin living near the equator

• People with less melanin living near the poles

• People with more melanin living near the equator

• People with more melanin living near the poles

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

Which population would be most at risk for developing rickets, a skeletal disorder that is caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate?

• People with less melanin living near the equator

• People with less melanin living near the poles

• People with more melanin living near the equator

• People with more melanin living near the poles

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-1

Claim: Biological traits are features that are good or bad.

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

Claim: Biological traits are features that enhance an organism’s odds of survival.

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-4