Understanding Toxicology and Its Impact

What does the phrase “the dose makes the poison” mean?

• Only some substances are poisonous.

• Any substance can be harmful if you have too much of it.

• Only chemicals made in a laboratory are dangerous.

• Natural substances are never harmful.

What is toxicology?

• The study of plants and animals.

• The study of how substances affect living things.

• The study of weather patterns.

• The study of rocks and minerals.

How can toxicology help in forensic investigations?

• By predicting the weather at a crime scene.

• By identifying harmful substances in a person’s body.

• By measuring the distance between two places.

• By growing plants at the scene.

Which of the following is an example of a toxic substance?

• Water

• Table salt

• Both water and table salt, if taken in very large amounts

• Neither water nor table salt

Which of the following best describes a poison?

• A substance that is always safe

• A substance that can cause harm to living things

• A type of food

• A type of plant

If a scientist finds a high concentration of a toxic chemical in a person’s blood, what might this suggest?

• The person drank a lot of water

• The person was exposed to a dangerous amount of the chemical

• The person is very healthy

• The person has a cold

Which of the following is NOT a job that a toxicologist might do?

• Test for drugs in athletes

• Study how medicines affect the body

• Build bridges

• Help solve crimes

Which of the following is a reason why toxicology is important in medicine?

• To make food taste better

• To find out if medicines are safe for people to use

• To build taller buildings

• To make clothes last longer

If a person is exposed to a small amount of a toxic substance, what is most likely to happen?

• They will always get very sick

• They may not be harmed, depending on the dose

• They will become stronger

• They will turn green

Which of the following is a common way toxicologists collect evidence in forensic cases?

• Taking fingerprints

• Collecting blood or urine samples

• Drawing pictures

• Planting trees