Human Growth and Development CLEP Prep Practice Exam

What is the physical change associated with puberty that signals the emergence of secondary sexual characteristics?

1. Body hair

2. Increased voice pitch

3. Muscle growth

4. Reproductive maturation

The correct answer is: Reproductive maturation

Puberty is a period of life when a child's body goes through physical changes that transform them into a fully-grown adult. This includes the development of secondary sexual characteristics, which are physical features that differ between males and females and are not related to sexual organs. These characteristics become more prominent during puberty, marking the transition from childhood to adulthood. While options A, B, and C can also occur during puberty, they are not the primary changes associated with the emergence of secondary sexual characteristics. Option A, body hair, is a result of an increase in androgen hormones during puberty that stimulates hair growth. However, this growth is a secondary sexual characteristic only in some areas of the body and is not the primary change associated with puberty. Option B, increased voice pitch, is also influenced by an increase in hormones, specifically testosterone, resulting in a deeper voice in males and a higher-pitched voice