biosci 100 HUMAN SURVIVAL mcq prep

the frozen continent 2026 s2 mid sem test

all of the following are correct with respect to radiative heat loss, except: a) the body loses heat when the skin is in contact with cold objects b) movement of air over the body will add to the cooling effect c) the rate of heat loss is attributed to moisture on skin and clothing being transferred to the atmosphere d) heat loss is likely to occur whether or not the body is clothed

c) the rate of heat loss attributed to moisture transfer — that's evaporative heat loss, not radiative

a person who is clumsy and shivering involuntarily is suffering from what degree of hypothermia? a) profound b) mild c) severe d) moderate

b) mild

what injury is shown in the image? a) hypothermia b) deep frostbite c) sunburn d) superficial frostnip

b) deep frostbite

you are working outside close to scott base, -45°c, no wind. forecast: wind increasing to 40 knots within the hour. what do you do? a) build a shelter to protect from wind b) return to scott base and stay inside c) continue working following normal safety precautions d) only do work travelling on foot in designated areas

b) return to scott base and stay inside

a person with slurred speech, violent shivering, and loss of motor control is suffering from what degree of hypothermia? a) severe b) mild c) profound d) moderate

d) moderate

frostnip: a) refers to the freezing of the epidermis b) leads to gangrene if not treated immediately c) is often treated with amputation d) refers to the freezing of the dermis

a) refers to the freezing of the epidermis

hypothermia occurs when: a) a person ingests cold food or drink b) the body loses more heat than it produces c) specific parts of the body are exposed to cold temperatures d) the body produces more heat than it loses

b) the body loses more heat than it produces

many early antarctic explorers suffered from a deficiency in vitamin c. what was the name of the disease that resulted? a) beri beri b) pellagra c) scurvy d) rickets

c) scurvy

the base layer of clothing in a cold environment should be made of any of the following except: a) polyester b) cotton c) silk d) wool

b) cotton — it retains moisture against the skin instead of wicking it away

which of the following was the most common material used for undergarments (the base layer) historically? a) reindeer fur b) wool c) cotton d) corduroy

b) wool

you and a colleague are working outdoors in antarctica. your colleague is shivering and starting to take their clothes off, and their speech is hard to understand. what's the cause? a) frostbite b) moderate hypothermia c) micronutrient deficiency d) they are drunk

b) moderate hypothermia (includes "paradoxical undressing," where the person feels falsely warm)

if your fingers have been exposed to the cold for too long, the skin turns white, then blisters, then the skin starts to turn black after a few days. what do you have? a) frostnip b) severe frostbite c) mild frostbite d) superficial frostbite

b) severe frostbite

the first obvious sign of hypothermia is: a) shivering b) coma c) stumbling d) rigid muscles

a) shivering

using the wind chill table, what wind speed produces an equivalent temperature of -40°c when the ambient air temperature is -25°c? a) 45 knots b) 62 knots c) 20 knots d) 25 knots

c) 20 knots

once a person has a core temperature of <22°c, they have what degree of hypothermia? a) mild b) moderate c) profound d) severe

d) severe

the men on scott's expedition to the south pole wore woollen mid-layer and canvas outer-layer clothing. which mechanism of heat loss would have resulted when the canvas outer layers were wet and froze overnight? a) evaporation b) convection c) radiation d) conduction

a) evaporation

when in antarctica, you can lose body heat through air or water flowing over the skin. what is this heat loss mechanism called? a) evaporation b) radiation c) convection d) conduction

c) convection

snow blindness: a) is an optical phenomenon in which the observer appears to be engulfed in a uniformly white glow b) results from inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea c) causes permanent vision loss d) may be caused by exposure of the unprotected eyes to blowing snow

b) results from inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea

snow blindness is: a) inability to see a great distance because of the stormy weather b) inability to distinguish objects because of the diffuse lighting c) sunburn of the cornea caused by uv d) windburn of the cornea

c) sunburn of the cornea caused by uv

scurvy: a) may be associated with bleeding or rotting gums b) can be resolved by a diet rich in unsaturated fats c) results from a deficiency in macronutrients d) results from a prolonged excess of vitamin c (ascorbic acid)

a) may be associated with bleeding or rotting gums

the early whalers and sealers relied on canned goods, with pemmican forming an important part of their diet. what is canned pemmican made of? a) dried beef, fat and cereal b) dried chicken, cabbage and lard c) dried whale, oil and rice d) dried seal, fat and grain

a) dried beef, fat and cereal

after working in the field for several hours in antarctica you experience headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps, and a dry mouth and eyes. what is the most likely cause? a) scurvy b) pellagra c) beri beri d) dehydration

d) dehydration

snow blindness: a) results in permanent vision loss b) is a painless condition affecting the conjunctiva and cornea of the eye c) can be avoided by using glasses to absorb ultraviolet light d) is caused only by direct sunlight

c) can be avoided by using glasses to absorb ultraviolet light

why would convection be a problem when working in antarctica? a) because we are often sitting on the ground or handling equipment for long periods of time b) we breathe more heavily in antarctica because we are often working at altitude c) because the air flowing over our skin when we are outside working carries heat away d) we do not sweat enough because it's cold

c) because the air flowing over our skin when we are outside working carries heat away

which of the following is not correct with respect to scurvy? a) scurvy may be associated with bleeding or rotting gums b) scurvy can be resolved by a diet rich in unsaturated fats c) scurvy may be associated with anomalies in the structure of collagen, a fibrous component of the connective tissue of the body d) scurvy results from a prolonged deficiency of vitamin c (ascorbic acid)

b) scurvy can be resolved by a diet rich in unsaturated fats — this is false; scurvy needs vitamin c, not unsaturated fats

which of the following reflects the difference in dietary requirements of living/working outdoors in antarctica compared to new zealand? a) you need to reduce both food and water intake when in antarctica b) your diet and water requirements are the same, but availability of resources is different c) your micronutrient needs increase when living in antarctica d) your macronutrient requirements are almost twice as much when in antarctica than in new zealand

d) macronutrient (energy/caloric) requirements are almost twice as much in antarctica

which heat loss mechanism is associated with wind chill? a) convection b) conduction c) evaporation d) radiation

a) convection

scott's expedition to the south pole included woollen mid-layer and canvas outer-layer clothing. which mechanism of heat loss occurred when the outer layers got wet? a) evaporation b) conduction c) radiation d) convection

a) evaporation

the base layer of modern antarctic clothing is primarily designed to: a) block wind b) conduct heat c) insulate from the cold d) wick moisture away from the body

d) wick moisture away from the body

what condition would result in these symptoms? a) frostbite b) scurvy c) hypothermia d) pellagra

a) frostbite

a scientist is working at cape bird counting penguins. if the wind speed is 30 knots and the wind chill equivalent temperature is -50°c, what is the outside air temperature? a) -54°c b) -15°c c) -77°c d) -30°c

d) -30°c