Background: The epidermis also contains melanocytes , which are cells that produce melanin. Melanin is the brownish pigment that gives skin much of its color. Everyone has about the same number of melanocytes, but the melanocytes of people with darker skin produce more melanin. The amount of melanin produced is determined by heredity and exposure to UV light, which increases melanin output. Exposure to UV light also stimulates the skin to produce vitamin D . Because melanin blocks UV light from penetrating the skin, people with darker skin may be at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Situation: Robin and Samantha are both bodybuilders preparing for a competition. Both of them are trying to change their skin complexion to help their appearances at the competition. Robin begins exposing her skin to high amounts of UV light several days a week. Samantha decides not to use any UV light and instead just uses lotion to help her skin.

Question: Who will produce higher amounts of melanin?
Answer: Robin

Situation: Robin and Samantha are both bodybuilders preparing for a competition. Both of them are trying to change their skin complexion to help their appearances at the competition. Robin begins exposing her skin to high amounts of UV light several days a week. Samantha decides not to use any UV light and instead just uses lotion to help her skin.

Question: Who will produce lower amounts of melanin?
Answer: Samantha

Situation: Robin and Samantha are both bodybuilders preparing for a competition. Both of them are trying to change their skin complexion to help their appearances at the competition. Robin begins exposing her skin to high amounts of UV light several days a week. Samantha decides not to use any UV light and instead just uses lotion to help her skin.

Question: Who will produce lower amounts of vitamin D?
Answer: Samantha

Situation: Robin and Samantha are both bodybuilders preparing for a competition. Both of them are trying to change their skin complexion to help their appearances at the competition. Robin begins exposing her skin to high amounts of UV light several days a week. Samantha decides not to use any UV light and instead just uses lotion to help her skin.

Question: Who will produce higher amounts of vitamin D?
Answer: Robin

Situation: An anthropologist gathered observations for two native tribes from southern Africa.  He noticed that both tribes spend the majority of the day outside, and therefore they are both exposed to fairly high amounts of UV light. He also quickly realized that one key difference between the tribes was that members of tribe A had dark skin, while members of tribe B had light skin.

Question: Members of which tribe will produce more melanin?
Answer: tribe A

Situation: An anthropologist gathered observations for two native tribes from southern Africa.  He noticed that both tribes spend the majority of the day outside, and therefore they are both exposed to fairly high amounts of UV light. He also quickly realized that one key difference between the tribes was that members of tribe A had dark skin, while members of tribe B had light skin.

Question: Members of which tribe will produce less melanin?
Answer: tribe B

Situation: An anthropologist gathered observations for two native tribes from southern Africa.  He noticed that both tribes spend the majority of the day outside, and therefore they are both exposed to fairly high amounts of UV light. He also quickly realized that one key difference between the tribes was that members of tribe A had dark skin, while members of tribe B had light skin.

Question: Members of which tribe will block more UV light from penetrating their skin?
Answer: tribe A

Situation: An anthropologist gathered observations for two native tribes from southern Africa.  He noticed that both tribes spend the majority of the day outside, and therefore they are both exposed to fairly high amounts of UV light. He also quickly realized that one key difference between the tribes was that members of tribe A had dark skin, while members of tribe B had light skin.

Question: Members of which tribe will block less UV light from penetrating their skin?
Answer: tribe B

Situation: An anthropologist gathered observations for two native tribes from southern Africa.  He noticed that both tribes spend the majority of the day outside, and therefore they are both exposed to fairly high amounts of UV light. He also quickly realized that one key difference between the tribes was that members of tribe A had dark skin, while members of tribe B had light skin.

Question: Members of which tribe will be at greater risk for vitamin D deficiency?
Answer: tribe A

Situation: An anthropologist gathered observations for two native tribes from southern Africa.  He noticed that both tribes spend the majority of the day outside, and therefore they are both exposed to fairly high amounts of UV light. He also quickly realized that one key difference between the tribes was that members of tribe A had dark skin, while members of tribe B had light skin.

Question: Members of which tribe will be at lower risk for vitamin D deficiency?
Answer: tribe B