APHY 101 MIDTERM EXAM 2026/2027 — 210 ORIGINAL PRACTICE
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS & RATIONALES
1. Which statement best describes physiology?
A. The study of body structures
B. The study of body functions
C. The study of disease only
D. The study of body regions
Answer: B) The study of body functions
Rationale: Physiology examines how cells, tissues, organs, and organ
systems function.
2. Which level of organization consists of two or more tissue types
working together?
A. Cellular
B. Chemical
C. Organ
D. Tissue
Answer: C) Organ
Rationale: An organ contains at least two different tissue types that
perform specific functions.
3. Which characteristic of life refers to the ability to detect and
respond to environmental changes?
A. Metabolism
B. Responsiveness
C. Growth
D. Reproduction
,Answer: B) Responsiveness
Rationale: Responsiveness allows an organism to detect and react to
internal or external stimuli.
4. Which term describes the body's ability to maintain relatively stable
internal conditions?
A. Metabolism
B. Differentiation
C. Homeostasis
D. Adaptation
Answer: C) Homeostasis
Rationale: Homeostasis maintains internal conditions within a
functional range.
5. Which directional term means toward the head?
A. Inferior
B. Distal
C. Superior
D. Lateral
Answer: C) Superior
Rationale: Superior means above or toward the head.
6. Which directional term means farther from the body's midline?
A. Medial
B. Lateral
C. Proximal
D. Deep
Answer: B) Lateral
Rationale: Lateral describes a position farther from the body's midline.
,7. The nose is ______ to the ears.
A. Lateral
B. Distal
C. Medial
D. Posterior
Answer: C) Medial
Rationale: The nose is closer to the body's midline than the ears.
8. The skin is ______ to the skeletal muscles.
A. Deep
B. Superficial
C. Inferior
D. Medial
Answer: B) Superficial
Rationale: Superficial structures are closer to the body surface.
9. Which plane divides the body into right and left portions?
A. Transverse
B. Frontal
C. Sagittal
D. Oblique
Answer: C) Sagittal
Rationale: A sagittal plane divides the body into right and left portions.
10. Which plane divides the body into anterior and posterior portions?
A. Frontal
B. Sagittal
C. Transverse
D. Median
, Answer: A) Frontal
Rationale: A frontal, or coronal, plane separates anterior and posterior
portions.
11. Which plane divides the body into superior and inferior portions?
A. Sagittal
B. Frontal
C. Transverse
D. Midsagittal
Answer: C) Transverse
Rationale: A transverse plane runs horizontally and separates superior
from inferior portions.
12. Which cavity contains the brain?
A. Vertebral
B. Cranial
C. Thoracic
D. Abdominal
Answer: B) Cranial
Rationale: The cranial cavity surrounds and protects the brain.
13. Which cavity contains the spinal cord?
A. Pelvic
B. Thoracic
C. Vertebral
D. Abdominal
Answer: C) Vertebral
Rationale: The vertebral cavity houses the spinal cord.
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS & RATIONALES
1. Which statement best describes physiology?
A. The study of body structures
B. The study of body functions
C. The study of disease only
D. The study of body regions
Answer: B) The study of body functions
Rationale: Physiology examines how cells, tissues, organs, and organ
systems function.
2. Which level of organization consists of two or more tissue types
working together?
A. Cellular
B. Chemical
C. Organ
D. Tissue
Answer: C) Organ
Rationale: An organ contains at least two different tissue types that
perform specific functions.
3. Which characteristic of life refers to the ability to detect and
respond to environmental changes?
A. Metabolism
B. Responsiveness
C. Growth
D. Reproduction
,Answer: B) Responsiveness
Rationale: Responsiveness allows an organism to detect and react to
internal or external stimuli.
4. Which term describes the body's ability to maintain relatively stable
internal conditions?
A. Metabolism
B. Differentiation
C. Homeostasis
D. Adaptation
Answer: C) Homeostasis
Rationale: Homeostasis maintains internal conditions within a
functional range.
5. Which directional term means toward the head?
A. Inferior
B. Distal
C. Superior
D. Lateral
Answer: C) Superior
Rationale: Superior means above or toward the head.
6. Which directional term means farther from the body's midline?
A. Medial
B. Lateral
C. Proximal
D. Deep
Answer: B) Lateral
Rationale: Lateral describes a position farther from the body's midline.
,7. The nose is ______ to the ears.
A. Lateral
B. Distal
C. Medial
D. Posterior
Answer: C) Medial
Rationale: The nose is closer to the body's midline than the ears.
8. The skin is ______ to the skeletal muscles.
A. Deep
B. Superficial
C. Inferior
D. Medial
Answer: B) Superficial
Rationale: Superficial structures are closer to the body surface.
9. Which plane divides the body into right and left portions?
A. Transverse
B. Frontal
C. Sagittal
D. Oblique
Answer: C) Sagittal
Rationale: A sagittal plane divides the body into right and left portions.
10. Which plane divides the body into anterior and posterior portions?
A. Frontal
B. Sagittal
C. Transverse
D. Median
, Answer: A) Frontal
Rationale: A frontal, or coronal, plane separates anterior and posterior
portions.
11. Which plane divides the body into superior and inferior portions?
A. Sagittal
B. Frontal
C. Transverse
D. Midsagittal
Answer: C) Transverse
Rationale: A transverse plane runs horizontally and separates superior
from inferior portions.
12. Which cavity contains the brain?
A. Vertebral
B. Cranial
C. Thoracic
D. Abdominal
Answer: B) Cranial
Rationale: The cranial cavity surrounds and protects the brain.
13. Which cavity contains the spinal cord?
A. Pelvic
B. Thoracic
C. Vertebral
D. Abdominal
Answer: C) Vertebral
Rationale: The vertebral cavity houses the spinal cord.
