Questions: What does the saying "the dose makes the poison" mean? What matters is the amount of a toxic substance present; whether or not we are exposed to the toxin is not relevant. Any amount of a dangerous substance is unacceptable and counting the numbers of compounds detected is a reliable way to establish danger. Most substances are toxic at some level of exposure depending on the substance and the nature of the exposure. All substances have equivalent potential for harm, so exposure to any of them is risky.

Solution Steps

The saying "the dose makes the poison" implies that the toxicity of a substance depends on its concentration or amount. This means that even substances that are generally considered safe can become harmful if taken in large enough quantities, and conversely, substances that are typically harmful can be safe in very small amounts.

1. "What matters is the amount of a toxic substance present; whether or not we are exposed to the toxin is not relevant."

   • This option is incorrect because exposure is indeed relevant; without exposure, the dose is zero, and there is no effect.

2. "Any amount of a dangerous substance is unacceptable and counting the numbers of compounds detected is a reliable way to establish danger."

   • This option is incorrect because it suggests that any amount of a dangerous substance is harmful, which contradicts the idea that toxicity depends on the dose.

3. "Most substances are toxic at some level of exposure depending on the substance and the nature of the exposure."

   • This option is correct because it aligns with the idea that the toxicity of a substance depends on the dose and the nature of the exposure.

4. "All substances have equivalent potential for harm, so exposure to any of them is risky."

   • This option is incorrect because it implies that all substances are equally harmful, which is not true. The potential for harm varies with the substance and the dose.

Final Answer