Question

your neighbor is 5 months pregnant and still smoking about a pack of cigarettes a day. perhaps she is unaware that nicotine is a ______ for the fetus of a mother who smokes heavily.
depressants
hallucinogen
teratogen
zygote

Explanation:

• A depressant slows down the central nervous system. Nicotine's main effect is not this in the context of fetal harm.
• A hallucinogen causes hallucinations. Nicotine does not typically have this effect.
• A teratogen is an agent that can cause birth defects. Nicotine, when a mother smokes heavily, can harm the fetus (e.g., low - birth weight, increased risk of certain health problems), so it acts as a teratogen.
• A zygote is the initial cell formed when two gametes fuse. It is not a category for a harmful agent like nicotine.

Answer:

C. teratogen