Scurvy

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/scurvy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the biochemical role?Essential co-factor for collagen synthesis, carnitine synthesis, and catecholamine synthesis; potent antioxidant
2. What is the human inability?Humans cannot synthesize ascorbic acid and must obtain it from their diet
3. Why did sailors get scurvy on long sea trips?Sailors ate only preserved foods that had almost no Vitamin C, so after many weeks they started to get scurvy.
4. How can we stop scurvy from happening?Eating fruits and vegetables that have Vitamin C, like oranges, strawberries, and broccoli, helps keep the body strong and stops scurvy.

Ascorbic Acid: The chemical name for Vitamin C, a vital nutrient for human health and metabolic processes.
Collagen Hydroxylation: An enzymatic process requiring Vitamin C that stabilizes collagen structure for tissue integrity.
Oxidative Stress: Cellular damage caused by an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants, which Vitamin C helps mitigate.