Anthropology Practice Test 2025 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success

The correct answer, acclimatization, refers to the body's short-term physiological adjustments in response to high altitude, such as increased respiratory rate or heart rate, but it typically happens over a shorter timespan. When considering long-term physiological adaptations to high altitude, you can think of changes like increased red blood cell production, which enhances the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity. These adaptations occur over extended periods and are more stable, allowing individuals to function effectively in a high-altitude environment.

Hyperventilation, while a response to lower oxygen availability, represents a temporary change rather than a long-term adaptation. Anoxia and hypoxia describe conditions of reduced oxygen availability and are more about the environmental conditions rather than physiological adaptations. Understanding these terms helps clarify the distinction between short-term adjustments and longer-term adaptations in altitude physiology.