arsenic: A very poisonous metal element that occurs in three chemically distinct forms and varies by color (yellow, black, gray). The most common form is a brittle crystalline (gray) form. Some manufacturers take advantage of its toxicity by adding it to pesticides.
Note: A phenomenon in which mental resources are concentrated on a specific object or event.
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: (ADHD) A disorder characterized by inability to concentrate or pay attention, being physically hyperactive, unable to control behavior, or a combination of these.
action: The way something, often a person or other living thing, acts towards others or acts itself.
grain: Plants of the grass family (such as wheat, barley, corn, oats, and rice) that provide edible seeds for staple food.
chemicals: A substance formed when two or more atoms combine in a certain proportion and structure. For example, water is a chemical produced when two hydrogen atoms combine with one oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H2O. Chemistry can also be used as an adjective to describe the properties of materials that result from various reactions between different compounds.
clinical: (in medicine) Referring to diagnosis, treatment, or experimentation involving humans.
clinical trial: An attempt at research that involves people.
reliable: An adjective meaning believable or convincing.
data: Facts and/or statistics collected together for analysis. They are not necessarily organized in a way that gives them meaning. For digital information (the type stored by computers), these data are typically numbers stored in binary code and represented as strings of 0’s and 1’s.
develop: Appearing or produced naturally or through human intervention such as manufacturing. (In biology) The growth of an organism from conception to adulthood. They often change in chemistry, size, mental maturity, or sometimes even shape.
hindrance: (in medicine) A condition in which the body does not function properly, causing a condition that may be considered a disease. This term is sometimes used interchangeably with disease.
environment: The sum of everything that exists around an organism, or the processes and conditions produced by those things. Environment can also refer to the weather or ecosystem in which an animal lives, or the temperature and humidity (or the placement of objects near the item of interest).
environmental hygiene: A field of research focused on measuring the effects of pollutants and other factors in the environment on the health of humans, wildlife, and ecosystems.
environmental protection agency: (or EPA) A national government agency tasked with helping create a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment in the United States. Created on December 2, 1970, it requires data on the potential toxicity of new chemicals (other than foods and drugs regulated by other agencies) to be approved for sale and use. If such a chemical is potentially toxic, there are limits or guidelines in place regarding the amount that can be released (or accumulated) into the air, water, or soil.
federal government: Of or relating to the national government of a country (but not a state or local government within that country). For example, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health are both agencies of the U.S. federal government.
concentration: To look intently at or concentrate on a particular point or object.
food and drug administration: (or FDA) The FDA, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for overseeing the safety of many products. For example, they are responsible for ensuring that medicines are properly labeled, safe, and effective. Cosmetics and nutritional supplements are safe and properly labeled. And tobacco products are regulated.
fruit: The reproductive organs of plants that contain seeds.
information: A fact provided or a learned trend about something or someone, often as a result of the study of data.
lead: A toxic heavy metal (abbreviated as Pb) that moves calcium to where it wants to go in the body (bones, teeth, etc.). This metal is especially toxic to the brain. Even at relatively low levels, IQ can be permanently impaired in a child’s developing brain.
link: A connection between two people or things.
mental health: Describes someone’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It refers to how people conduct themselves and interact with others. This includes how people make choices, cope with stress, and manage fear and anxiety. Poor mental health can be caused by illness or reflect a short-term reaction to life’s challenges. It can occur at any age, from babies to the elderly.
rainbow: Arcs of color that appear in the sky during or just after rain. This occurs when water droplets in the atmosphere bend white sunlight into different hues (usually red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet).
range: The total extent or distribution of something. For example, a plant or animal’s habitat is the area in which it naturally occurs. (in mathematics or measurement) A range over which a value varies (such as from the highest temperature to the lowest temperature). Also, the distance something can reach or be perceived.
risk: The probability or mathematical probability that something bad will happen. For example, exposure to radiation poses a risk of cancer. Or danger, or danger itself.
(for example: “The cancer risks people faced included drinking water contaminated with radiation and arsenic.”)
synthesis: Something that is not naturally occurring but is created by people. Many synthetic materials have been developed to replace natural materials, such as synthetic rubber, synthetic diamonds, and synthetic hormones. Some have the same chemical composition and structure as the original.
tar: A viscous black flammable slime obtained from coal or wood. It is composed of various hydrocarbons, resins, alcohols, etc.
tool: An object made or obtained by humans or other animals that they use to accomplish some purpose, such as reaching food, defending themselves, or grooming themselves.
toxicologist: A scientist who investigates the potential harm caused by physical factors in the environment. These may include substances that you may be exposed to intentionally, such as chemicals, tobacco smoke, and food, or substances that you may be exposed to out of choice, such as air or water pollutants. Toxicologists may study the risks such exposures pose, how they cause harm, and how they move throughout the environment.
unique: Something different. The only one of its kind.
Source: www.snexplores.org
