TRUE or FALSE: Through physical forces, plastic breakdown into smaller pieces which are not harmful to marine life.

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The question asks us to evaluate the statement: 'TRUE or FALSE: Through physical forces, plastic breakdown into smaller pieces which are not harmful to marine life.'

Option 1: True
- Examining the claim, it asserts that physical forces break plastic into smaller pieces that are not harmful. While plastics can indeed fragment through physical processes (e.g., waves, abrasion), these resultant fragments are often microplastics. Microplastics are widely documented to be ingested by a variety of marine organisms, from plankton to whales, leading to physical blockage, false satiation, and exposure to adsorbed pollutants. The notion that these smaller pieces are not harmful contradicts substantial ecological research.
- A key misconception in this option is assuming that size reduction inherently eliminates risk. In reality, smaller fragments can be more easily ingested and can distribute through the food web, potentially causing chronic harm over time. The statement ignores these established toxicological and ecological concerns.

Option 2: False
- This option states that the claim is not true. The core idea to evaluate is whether physical fragmentation into smaller pieces is harmless. The correct scientific understanding is that fragments—especially microplastics—pose risks to marine life, including ingestion, physical harm, and chemical exposure. This makes the claim described in the prompt incorrect.
- The reasoning here emphasizes that fragmentation does not equate to safety: smaller pieces can persist in the environment, migrate widely, and interact with biological systems in harmful ways, which counters the assertion of no harm.
- In differentiating from potential misconceptions, note that some might think larger plastic pieces are the primary threats or that only chemical degradation is concerning. However, both physical fragmentation and the resulting microplastics are recognized as environmental hazards, and the statement fails to reflect that nuance.

Overall, the analysis shows that the proposed statement oversimplifies and mischaracterizes the consequences of plastic fragmentation, since the smaller pieces produced by physical forces can be harmful to marine life due to ingestion and associated effects.

OCEAN 102 A Checking-In Quiz: Lecture 26

TRUE or FALSE: Through physical forces, plastic breakdown into smaller pieces which are not harmful to marine life.

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