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Difficulty: EasyHuman Morphological and Physiological Variations

Which of the following human traits represents a physiological variation rather than a morphological variation?

  1. Ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC)Answer
  2. B
    Fingerprint ridge pattern
  3. C
    Shape of the human nose
  4. D
    Attached versus free earlobes

Answer

Ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC)
The ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) depends on functional chemical receptors on the tongue, which makes it a physiological variation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Distinguish between morphological and physiological variations in humans.
Morphological variations involve external appearance, anatomical structures, and physical form. Physiological variations involve body functions, biochemical processes, and cellular mechanisms.
Separating physical structure from biological function is necessary to classify human traits accurately.
2
Classify the given options based on structure versus function.
Fingerprint patterns, nose shape, and earlobe structure are physical body features (morphological). The ability to taste PTC is a sensory functional response based on receptor chemistry (physiological).
Identifying the trait driven by functional biochemistry pinpoints the physiological variation.

Key Concept

Classification of human variations into morphological (structural/physical form) and physiological (functional/biochemical process) categories.
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Topics

Human Morphological and Physiological Variations

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