Question

Which situation would be most likely to cause a DNA mutation? A. A wood frog in a lake is exposed to temperatures below 0°C during the winter months. B. A person spends one hour each day under the ultraviolet rays of a tanning bed. C. A culture of cells is placed in a chamber and exposed to high pressure for 10 hours. D. A maple tree becomes dormant to prevent water loss during a drought.

Answer 1

I just took this test recently and the answer is:

B - A person spends one hour each day under the ultraviolet rays of a tanning bed.

This could cause a genetic mutation in the skin cells and cause skin cancer.

Answer 2

The correct answer is: B. A person spends one hour each day under the ultraviolet rays of a tanning bed.

The relationships between ultraviolet (UV) light and skin cancer are highly positive because it has been shown that indoor tanning bed use represents an avoidable risk factor for melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. UV light is a form of radiation that causes mutations in DNA by causing the chemical changes that alter the shape of the DNA. So, UV light is a potent mutagen and thus, tanning bed (source of UV light) can cause damage to the DNA in the surface layer of your skin after repeated or prolonged exposure. This might increase the risk for skin cancer.