-
environmental health
study of how environmental factors affect human health and our quality of life
-
hazards
factors that threaten or are harmful to human health
-
pathogens
disease-causing agents
-
epidemiology
study of disease in human populations
-
toxicology
study of how poisonous substances affect an organism's health
-
toxicity
determines how harmful a substance is to an organism. Depends on what the substance is and how much of the substance is needed to cause harm
-
dose
amount of a substance an organism is exposed to
-
response
the effect an organism shows as a result of exposure
-
dose-response relationship
relationship between the different doses and the responses they generate
-
threshold dose
when responses occur only above a certain dose
-
risk
probability that a hazard will cause a harmfuol response
-
risk assessment
process of measuring risk
-
infectious diseases
diseases caused by pathogens
-
vectors
disease-carrying organisms
-
emerging disease
disease that has appeared in the human population for the first time, or that has existed for a while but is increasing rapidloy or spreading around the world
-
pandemic
an outbreak that becomes widespread and affects a whole region, continent, or the world
-
pollution
matter or energy that is released into the environment
-
carcinogens
chemicals that cause cancer
-
teratogens
chemicals that harm embryos and fetuses
-
neurotoxins
chemicals that affect the nervous system
-
allergens
overactivate the immune system, causing an immune response when one is not necessary
-
asbestos
mineral that forms long, thin microscopic fibers
-
radon
colorless, odorless, highly toxic radioactive gas
-
pesticide drift
airborne transport of pesticides
-
bioaccumulation
process through which organisms build up large concentrations of toxic substances in their bodies
-
hurricane
powerful storm that forms over the ocean in the tropics
-
storm surge
dome of water that crashes along the coast where the hurricane hits
-
thunderstorm
storm that produces both lightning and thunder
-
biomagnification
process through which concentrations of toxic substances are magnified with each step of the food chain
-
avalanche
mass of snow sliding down a slope
-
earthquake
occurs when the plates of the earth that were previously pushed together move apart and release energy, causing the earth to shake
-
landslides
occur when rock and soil slide down a slope
-
tsunami
a large ocean wave caused by an earthquake
-
volcano
an opening in Earth's crust through which lava, ash, and gases are ejected
-
mudflows
large masses of soil, rock, and water sliding down a slope
-
tornado
type of windstorm in which a funnel of rotating air drops down from a storm cloud and touches Earth's surface
|
|
