Iodine-131 from Nuclear Fallout Is a Potential Major Short-Term Human

question 1

Multiple Choice

Iodine-131 from nuclear fallout is a potential major short-term human health threat because

• A)it is concentrated in the thyroid and has a relatively long half-life.
• B)it is concentrated in the thyroid and has a relatively short half-life.
• C)it is chemically similar to calcium and has a relatively long half-life.
• D)it is chemically similar to calcium and has a relatively short half-life.

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Definitions:

Oxidation

A chemical reaction involving the loss of electrons from a molecule, which often results in the production of energy.

Citric Acid Cycle

A key metabolic pathway that occurs in the mitochondria, involving a series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through the oxidation of acetate.

NADH

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced form), a coenzyme found in all living cells that plays a critical role in energy production through cellular respiration.

Citric Acid Cycle

A series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through the oxidation of acetate derived from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into carbon dioxide.