Final answer:
The toxicity of a pesticide is best described by its capacity to cause injury or harm. DDT is an example of a chemical agent, and both acute and chronic pesticide exposures can have serious health effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
To describe the toxicity of a pesticide, one might refer to its capacity to cause injury or harm. However, several characteristics are used to describe pesticide toxicity:
- Tendency for acute/chronic exposure
- Poison strength
- Pesticide capacity to cause injury/harm
The correct answer to the student's question about the characteristic used to describe the toxicity of a pesticide is C. Pesticide capacity to cause injury/harm.
The pesticide DDT, as a reference, is an example of a chemical agent, which can be toxic depending on the dose and exposure time. Long-term low-level exposure and long-term high-level exposure to pesticides can lead to serious health effects including cancer and other illnesses. Public health officials pay close attention to pesticide exposure levels to prevent poisoning and protect human health.