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HESI A&P Practice Questions
1. Which is an anterior muscle?
A. Gluteus maximus
B. Quadriceps femoris
C. Biceps femoris
D. Adductor magnus
Correct Answer: B. Quadriceps femoris
Rationale: An anterior muscle is located near the front of the body. Of those
listed, the quadriceps (frontal thigh muscle) is the most anterior.
2. How might the headrest on a car prevent traumatic injury?
A. By limiting hyperflexion of the neck
B. By limiting hyperextension of the neck
C. By reducing vertebral compression
D. By preventing disc degeneration
Correct Answer: B. By limiting hyperextension of the neck
Rationale: The headrest prevents the head from moving too far backward,
or hyperextending the neck beyond its normal range.
3. Which might you expect to see in a whiplash injury?
A. Cardiopulmonary problems
B. Side-to-side spinal curvature
C. Eventual herniation of discs
D. Traumatic injury to ligaments
Correct Answer: D. Traumatic injury to ligaments
Rationale: Because of the hyperflexion and hyperextension caused by such
a collision, it is not uncommon to find tears or stretching of the ligaments of
the spine.
4. Muscle contractions that normally move food along the human
digestive system are known as ________.
A. defecation
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B. osmosis
C. peristalsis
D. circulation
Correct Answer: C. peristalsis
Rationale: Peristalsis is the involuntary, wavelike movement of muscles in
the intestine and elsewhere that pushes food along.
5. Which type of nutrient does not provide the body with energy?
A. Vitamin
B. Carbohydrate
C. Fat
D. Protein
Correct Answer: A. Vitamin
Rationale: Some nutrients supply energy (carbohydrates, proteins, and
fats), while others support metabolism (vitamins, minerals, and water)
without providing energy directly.
6. Where would you be likely to find a Schwann cell?
A. In the digestive system
B. In the nervous system
C. In the skeletal system
D. In the muscular system
Correct Answer: B. In the nervous system
Rationale: Schwann cells wrap around the nerve fibers and form the myelin
sheath in the peripheral nervous system.
7. How does the nervous system work with the muscular system?
A. The muscles of the body produce chemicals that feed the nerves.
B. The nervous system tells the muscles how to respond to the
environment.
C. The nervous system releases chemicals that remove excess waste from
the muscles.
D. The muscular system provides input that allows the nerves to make
decisions.
Correct Answer: B. The nervous system tells the muscles how to
respond to the environment.
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Rationale: The nervous system receives and transmits signals from the
environment that regulate voluntary and involuntary movement.
8. Which part of the nervous system includes the femoral, radial, and
ulnar nerves?
A. Somatic
B. Autonomic
C. Sympathetic
D. Parasympathetic
Correct Answer: A. Somatic
Rationale: The somatic nervous system has to do with reception of external
stimuli and voluntary control of the muscles, which includes these
peripheral nerves.
9. Where might a herniated lumbar disc be most likely to create pain?
A. Along the radial nerve
B. Within the spinal cord
C. Along the sciatic nerve
D. Along the tibial nerve
Correct Answer: C. Along the sciatic nerve
Rationale: Damage to a disc in the lower back will most likely cause pain
radiating downward along the sciatic nerve.
10. What is the name of the bone in the human thigh?
A. Ulna
B. Femur
C. Radius
D. Humerus
Correct Answer: B. Femur
Rationale: The ulna, radius, and humerus are arm bones; the femur is the
thigh bone.
11. The ovaries are part of the ___________.
A. skeletal system
B. nervous system
C. lymphatic system
D. reproductive system
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Correct Answer: D. reproductive system
Rationale: The ovaries are the egg-producing reproductive organs.
12. Of the following processes, which one is a different level of defense
from the others?
A. A low pH in the stomach
B. Cilia present in the trachea
C. Body cells recognizing a pathogen
D. Mucus present in the nasal cavity
Correct Answer: C. Body cells recognizing a pathogen
Rationale: Low pH, cilia, and mucus are primary defenses; cells recognizing
a pathogen is a third line of defense (specific immunity).
13. Which organ system is primarily responsible for regulating muscle
growth?
A. The skeletal system
B. The endocrine system
C. The nervous system
D. The reproductive system
Correct Answer: B. The endocrine system
Rationale: Hormones from the endocrine system, particularly from the
pituitary gland, regulate growth.
14. Which parts of the heart are separated by the mitral valve?
A. Left atrium and right atrium
B. Right atrium and right extremities
C. Left ventricle and right ventricle
D. Left atrium and left ventricle
Correct Answer: D. Left atrium and left ventricle
Rationale: The mitral valve opens to allow oxygenated blood collected in
the left atrium to flow into the left ventricle.
15. How might vitamin D deficiency present?
A. As bleeding gums
B. As swollen extremities
C. As red patches
D. As crooked bones
HESI A&P Practice Questions
1. Which is an anterior muscle?
A. Gluteus maximus
B. Quadriceps femoris
C. Biceps femoris
D. Adductor magnus
Correct Answer: B. Quadriceps femoris
Rationale: An anterior muscle is located near the front of the body. Of those
listed, the quadriceps (frontal thigh muscle) is the most anterior.
2. How might the headrest on a car prevent traumatic injury?
A. By limiting hyperflexion of the neck
B. By limiting hyperextension of the neck
C. By reducing vertebral compression
D. By preventing disc degeneration
Correct Answer: B. By limiting hyperextension of the neck
Rationale: The headrest prevents the head from moving too far backward,
or hyperextending the neck beyond its normal range.
3. Which might you expect to see in a whiplash injury?
A. Cardiopulmonary problems
B. Side-to-side spinal curvature
C. Eventual herniation of discs
D. Traumatic injury to ligaments
Correct Answer: D. Traumatic injury to ligaments
Rationale: Because of the hyperflexion and hyperextension caused by such
a collision, it is not uncommon to find tears or stretching of the ligaments of
the spine.
4. Muscle contractions that normally move food along the human
digestive system are known as ________.
A. defecation
, 2|Page
B. osmosis
C. peristalsis
D. circulation
Correct Answer: C. peristalsis
Rationale: Peristalsis is the involuntary, wavelike movement of muscles in
the intestine and elsewhere that pushes food along.
5. Which type of nutrient does not provide the body with energy?
A. Vitamin
B. Carbohydrate
C. Fat
D. Protein
Correct Answer: A. Vitamin
Rationale: Some nutrients supply energy (carbohydrates, proteins, and
fats), while others support metabolism (vitamins, minerals, and water)
without providing energy directly.
6. Where would you be likely to find a Schwann cell?
A. In the digestive system
B. In the nervous system
C. In the skeletal system
D. In the muscular system
Correct Answer: B. In the nervous system
Rationale: Schwann cells wrap around the nerve fibers and form the myelin
sheath in the peripheral nervous system.
7. How does the nervous system work with the muscular system?
A. The muscles of the body produce chemicals that feed the nerves.
B. The nervous system tells the muscles how to respond to the
environment.
C. The nervous system releases chemicals that remove excess waste from
the muscles.
D. The muscular system provides input that allows the nerves to make
decisions.
Correct Answer: B. The nervous system tells the muscles how to
respond to the environment.
, 3|Page
Rationale: The nervous system receives and transmits signals from the
environment that regulate voluntary and involuntary movement.
8. Which part of the nervous system includes the femoral, radial, and
ulnar nerves?
A. Somatic
B. Autonomic
C. Sympathetic
D. Parasympathetic
Correct Answer: A. Somatic
Rationale: The somatic nervous system has to do with reception of external
stimuli and voluntary control of the muscles, which includes these
peripheral nerves.
9. Where might a herniated lumbar disc be most likely to create pain?
A. Along the radial nerve
B. Within the spinal cord
C. Along the sciatic nerve
D. Along the tibial nerve
Correct Answer: C. Along the sciatic nerve
Rationale: Damage to a disc in the lower back will most likely cause pain
radiating downward along the sciatic nerve.
10. What is the name of the bone in the human thigh?
A. Ulna
B. Femur
C. Radius
D. Humerus
Correct Answer: B. Femur
Rationale: The ulna, radius, and humerus are arm bones; the femur is the
thigh bone.
11. The ovaries are part of the ___________.
A. skeletal system
B. nervous system
C. lymphatic system
D. reproductive system
, 4|Page
Correct Answer: D. reproductive system
Rationale: The ovaries are the egg-producing reproductive organs.
12. Of the following processes, which one is a different level of defense
from the others?
A. A low pH in the stomach
B. Cilia present in the trachea
C. Body cells recognizing a pathogen
D. Mucus present in the nasal cavity
Correct Answer: C. Body cells recognizing a pathogen
Rationale: Low pH, cilia, and mucus are primary defenses; cells recognizing
a pathogen is a third line of defense (specific immunity).
13. Which organ system is primarily responsible for regulating muscle
growth?
A. The skeletal system
B. The endocrine system
C. The nervous system
D. The reproductive system
Correct Answer: B. The endocrine system
Rationale: Hormones from the endocrine system, particularly from the
pituitary gland, regulate growth.
14. Which parts of the heart are separated by the mitral valve?
A. Left atrium and right atrium
B. Right atrium and right extremities
C. Left ventricle and right ventricle
D. Left atrium and left ventricle
Correct Answer: D. Left atrium and left ventricle
Rationale: The mitral valve opens to allow oxygenated blood collected in
the left atrium to flow into the left ventricle.
15. How might vitamin D deficiency present?
A. As bleeding gums
B. As swollen extremities
C. As red patches
D. As crooked bones
