Which health effect is linked to thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer?
Environmental impacts · EPA 608 Core. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
How CFCs and HCFCs destroy stratospheric ozone, and what that does to health and the environment.
The question
Which health effect is linked to thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer?
- More cases of skin cancer and cataractsCorrect answer
- Higher rates of food poisoning
- More frequent heat stroke in summer
- Increased hearing loss in adults
Why “More cases of skin cancer and cataracts” is correct
A thinner ozone layer lets more ultraviolet radiation reach the ground. Greater UV exposure raises the risk of skin cancer and eye cataracts and can weaken the immune system.
Source: EPA: Test Topics
Why the other answers are wrong
- Higher rates of food poisoning — Food poisoning comes from bacteria, not ultraviolet exposure.
- More frequent heat stroke in summer — Heat stroke is driven by air temperature, not by UV getting through the ozone layer.
- Increased hearing loss in adults — Hearing loss has no link to ultraviolet radiation.
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