Darker Skin Color is Correlated with ____

Question

Darker skin color is correlated with ____.
A) the northern hemisphere
B) inland regions
C) coastal regions
D) longitude
E) the intensity of UV radiation

Accepted Answer

Darker skin color is correlated with the intensity of UV radiation. This is because melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color, absorbs UV radiation and protects skin cells from damage. People living closer to the equator (where the UV radiation is stronger) tend to have darker skin, while those living farther away have lighter skin to allow for more vitamin D production. The other options (northern hemisphere, inland regions, coastal regions, and longitude) are not directly related to skin color.