WGU D313 OA ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY EXAM 2025
BANK | ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AND
RATIONALES | EXPERT VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED PASS |
LATEST UPDATE
1. Where is the heart positioned? (Choose 2 answers)
A. Lateral to the lungs
B. Inferior to the diaphragm
C. Superior to the diaphragm
D. Medial to the lungs
Correct Answers: C (Superior to the diaphragm), D (Medial to the lungs)
Rationale: The heart lies in the mediastinum. It rests on (and thus is superior to) the diaphragm
and is located between the lungs, i.e., medial to them.
2. What is the cardiac muscle of the heart?
A. Myocardium
B. Endocardium
C. Epicardium
D. Pericardium
Correct Answer: A. Myocardium
Rationale: The myocardium is the thick, muscular middle layer of the heart wall responsible for
contraction.
3. Which chamber of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs?
A. Left atrium
B. Right atrium
C. Left ventricle
D. Right ventricle
Correct Answer: A. Left atrium
Rationale: Oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins enters the left atrium.
4. The mitral (bicuspid) valve is located between which chambers of the heart?
A. Right atrium and right ventricle
B. Right ventricle and pulmonary trunk
pg. 1
,C. Left atrium and left ventricle
D. Left ventricle and aorta
Correct Answer: C. Left atrium and left ventricle
Rationale: The mitral (bicuspid) valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle.
5. Which of the following valves is not found in the heart?
A. Aortic valve
B. Pulmonary valve
C. Ileocecal valve
D. Tricuspid valve
Correct Answer: C. Ileocecal valve
Rationale: The ileocecal valve is in the digestive tract (between the small and large intestine),
not in the heart.
6. Semilunar valves have 2 crescent-shaped cusps. (T/F)
A. True
B. False
Correct Answer: B. False
Rationale: Semilunar valves (aortic and pulmonary) each have three half-moon (crescent)
shaped cusps.
7. Which valve lies between the left ventricle and the aorta?
A. Pulmonary valve
B. Aortic valve
C. Tricuspid valve
D. Mitral valve
Correct Answer: B. Aortic valve
Rationale: The aortic valve guards the opening between the left ventricle and the aorta.
8. The four heart valves prevent the backflow of blood. (T/F)
A. True
B. False
pg. 2
,Correct Answer: A. True
Rationale: Heart valves act as one-way gates, ensuring blood flows forward and does not back
up into preceding chambers.
9. Which structure prevents blood from flowing back into the atria?
A. Tricuspid and bicuspid valves
B. Aortic and pulmonary valves
C. Atria and ventricles
D. Chordae tendineae only
Correct Answer: A. Tricuspid and bicuspid valves
Rationale: These AV valves keep blood from re-entering the atria when ventricles contract.
10. Which structure is responsible for the sound of the human heartbeat?
A. Atria contracting
B. Valves closing
C. Blood hitting arterial walls
D. Myocardium relaxing
Correct Answer: B. Valves closing
Rationale: The classic "lub-dub" sounds are made by closure of the AV valves (“lub”) and
semilunar valves (“dub”).
11. Which blood vessel carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium?
A. Pulmonary artery
B. Pulmonary veins
C. Coronary artery
D. Superior vena cava
Correct Answer: B. Pulmonary veins
Rationale: Pulmonary veins are the only veins that carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs back
to the heart.
12. Where are the elastic arteries located?
A. Near the heart
B. In the arterioles
C. In the venules
D. In capillary beds
pg. 3
, Correct Answer: A. Near the heart
Rationale: Elastic arteries (e.g., aorta, pulmonary trunk) are closest to the heart to withstand
high pressure surges.
13. Medium veins do not have internal or elastic laminae and therefore are not able to
withstand high pressure. (T/F)
A. True
B. False
Correct Answer: A. True
Rationale: Medium veins lack the thick elastic layers arteries have, so they can’t handle high
arterial pressure.
14. Which of the following types of veins contain valves?
A. Venules
B. Medium veins
C. Large veins
D. Sinus veins
Correct Answer: B. Medium veins
Rationale: Medium veins commonly have valves to prevent backflow, especially in limbs.
15. Veins generally have very thick walls in relation to their diameter, with a large lumen.
(T/F)
A. True
B. False
Correct Answer: B. False
Rationale: Veins have thinner walls than arteries (relative to diameter) but a larger lumen.
16. Which statements are true about veins? (Choose 2 answers)
A. They are more numerous than arteries.
B. They have thick, muscular walls.
C. They lack smooth muscle entirely.
D. They lack (or have very little) smooth muscle compared to arteries.
pg. 4
BANK | ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AND
RATIONALES | EXPERT VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED PASS |
LATEST UPDATE
1. Where is the heart positioned? (Choose 2 answers)
A. Lateral to the lungs
B. Inferior to the diaphragm
C. Superior to the diaphragm
D. Medial to the lungs
Correct Answers: C (Superior to the diaphragm), D (Medial to the lungs)
Rationale: The heart lies in the mediastinum. It rests on (and thus is superior to) the diaphragm
and is located between the lungs, i.e., medial to them.
2. What is the cardiac muscle of the heart?
A. Myocardium
B. Endocardium
C. Epicardium
D. Pericardium
Correct Answer: A. Myocardium
Rationale: The myocardium is the thick, muscular middle layer of the heart wall responsible for
contraction.
3. Which chamber of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs?
A. Left atrium
B. Right atrium
C. Left ventricle
D. Right ventricle
Correct Answer: A. Left atrium
Rationale: Oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins enters the left atrium.
4. The mitral (bicuspid) valve is located between which chambers of the heart?
A. Right atrium and right ventricle
B. Right ventricle and pulmonary trunk
pg. 1
,C. Left atrium and left ventricle
D. Left ventricle and aorta
Correct Answer: C. Left atrium and left ventricle
Rationale: The mitral (bicuspid) valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle.
5. Which of the following valves is not found in the heart?
A. Aortic valve
B. Pulmonary valve
C. Ileocecal valve
D. Tricuspid valve
Correct Answer: C. Ileocecal valve
Rationale: The ileocecal valve is in the digestive tract (between the small and large intestine),
not in the heart.
6. Semilunar valves have 2 crescent-shaped cusps. (T/F)
A. True
B. False
Correct Answer: B. False
Rationale: Semilunar valves (aortic and pulmonary) each have three half-moon (crescent)
shaped cusps.
7. Which valve lies between the left ventricle and the aorta?
A. Pulmonary valve
B. Aortic valve
C. Tricuspid valve
D. Mitral valve
Correct Answer: B. Aortic valve
Rationale: The aortic valve guards the opening between the left ventricle and the aorta.
8. The four heart valves prevent the backflow of blood. (T/F)
A. True
B. False
pg. 2
,Correct Answer: A. True
Rationale: Heart valves act as one-way gates, ensuring blood flows forward and does not back
up into preceding chambers.
9. Which structure prevents blood from flowing back into the atria?
A. Tricuspid and bicuspid valves
B. Aortic and pulmonary valves
C. Atria and ventricles
D. Chordae tendineae only
Correct Answer: A. Tricuspid and bicuspid valves
Rationale: These AV valves keep blood from re-entering the atria when ventricles contract.
10. Which structure is responsible for the sound of the human heartbeat?
A. Atria contracting
B. Valves closing
C. Blood hitting arterial walls
D. Myocardium relaxing
Correct Answer: B. Valves closing
Rationale: The classic "lub-dub" sounds are made by closure of the AV valves (“lub”) and
semilunar valves (“dub”).
11. Which blood vessel carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium?
A. Pulmonary artery
B. Pulmonary veins
C. Coronary artery
D. Superior vena cava
Correct Answer: B. Pulmonary veins
Rationale: Pulmonary veins are the only veins that carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs back
to the heart.
12. Where are the elastic arteries located?
A. Near the heart
B. In the arterioles
C. In the venules
D. In capillary beds
pg. 3
, Correct Answer: A. Near the heart
Rationale: Elastic arteries (e.g., aorta, pulmonary trunk) are closest to the heart to withstand
high pressure surges.
13. Medium veins do not have internal or elastic laminae and therefore are not able to
withstand high pressure. (T/F)
A. True
B. False
Correct Answer: A. True
Rationale: Medium veins lack the thick elastic layers arteries have, so they can’t handle high
arterial pressure.
14. Which of the following types of veins contain valves?
A. Venules
B. Medium veins
C. Large veins
D. Sinus veins
Correct Answer: B. Medium veins
Rationale: Medium veins commonly have valves to prevent backflow, especially in limbs.
15. Veins generally have very thick walls in relation to their diameter, with a large lumen.
(T/F)
A. True
B. False
Correct Answer: B. False
Rationale: Veins have thinner walls than arteries (relative to diameter) but a larger lumen.
16. Which statements are true about veins? (Choose 2 answers)
A. They are more numerous than arteries.
B. They have thick, muscular walls.
C. They lack smooth muscle entirely.
D. They lack (or have very little) smooth muscle compared to arteries.
pg. 4
