PTA Board Exam 2025 Questions and
Answers
Anatomic dead space volume (VD) - ANSWER✔✔-The volume of air that occupies the non-
respiratory conducting airways
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximal volume of air that can be exhaled
after a normal tidal exhalation. ERV is approx. 15% of total lung volume.
Forced expiratory volume (FEV) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximal volume of air exhaled in a specified
period of time: usually the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd second of a forced vital capacity maneuver.
Functional residual capacity (FRC) - ANSWER✔✔-The volume of air in the lungs after normal
exhalation. FRC=ERV+RV. FRC is approx. 40% of total lung volume.
Inspiratory capacity (IC) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximal volume of air that can be inspired after a
normal tidal exhalation. IC=TV+IRV. Approx. 60% of total lung volume
Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximal volume of air that can be inspired
after normal tidal volume inspiration. IRV is approximately 50% of total lung volume.
Peak expiratory flow (PEF) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximum flow of air during the beginning of a
forced expiratory maneuver
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,Residual Volume (RV) - ANSWER✔✔-the volume of gas remaining in the lungs at the end of a
maximal expiration. Approx. 25% of total lung volume.
Tidal Volume (TV) - ANSWER✔✔-Total volume inspired and expired with each breath during
quiet breathing. Approx. 10% of total lung volume
Total Lung Capacity (TLC) - ANSWER✔✔-The volume of air in the lungs after max inspiration.
The sum of all lung volumes.
Vital Capacity (VC) - ANSWER✔✔-volume change that occurs between maximal inspiration and
maximal expiration. Approx. 75% of total lung volume
Akinesia - ANSWER✔✔-The inability to initiate movement; commonly seen in patients with
Parkinson's disease
Asthenia - ANSWER✔✔-generalized weakness, typically secondary to cerebellar pathology
Ataxia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to perform coordinated movements
Athetosis - ANSWER✔✔-A condition that presents with involuntary movements combined with
instability of posture. Peripheral movements occur without central stability
Bradykinesia - ANSWER✔✔-slow movement
Chorea - ANSWER✔✔-movements that are sudden, random, and involuntary
Clasp-knife response - ANSWER✔✔-A form of resistance seen during range of motion of a
hypertonic joint where there is greatest resistance at the initiation of range that lessens with
movement through the range of motion
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,Clonus - ANSWER✔✔-characteristic of an upper motor neuron lesion; involuntary alternating
spasmodic contraction of a muscle precipitated by a quick stretch reflex
cogwheel rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-A form of rigidity where resistance to movement has a phasic
quality to it; often seen with Parkinson's disease.
Dysdiadochokinesia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to perform rapid alternating movements
Dysmetria - ANSWER✔✔-The inability to control the range of a movement and the force of
muscular activity.
Dystonia - ANSWER✔✔-closely related to athetosis; however there is larger axial muscle
involvement rather than appendicular muscles
Fasciculation - ANSWER✔✔-A muscular twitch that is caused by random discharge of a lower
motor neuron and its muscle fibers; suggests lower motor neuron disease, however, can be benign
Hemiballism - ANSWER✔✔-an involuntary and violent movement of a large body part
Kinesthesia - ANSWER✔✔-Ability to perceive the direction and extent of movement of a joint or
body part
Lead pipe rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-form of rigidity where there is uniform and constant resistance to
ROM, often associated with lesions of basal ganglia
rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-a state of severe hypertonicity where a sustained muscle contraction does
not allow for any movement at a specified joint
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, Tremor - ANSWER✔✔-involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movements secondary to a basal ganglia
lesion
Agnosia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to interpret information
Agraphesthesia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to recognize symbols, letters or numbers traced on the skin
Agraphia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to write due to a lesion on the brain. Normally found in combo
with aphasia
Apraxia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to perform purposeful learned movements or activities even
though there is no sensory or motor impairment
astereogenesis - ANSWER✔✔-inability to recognize objects by sense of touch
Body schema - ANSWER✔✔-having an understanding of the body as a whole and the relationship
of its parts to the whole
decerebrate rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-characteristic of a corticospinal lesion at level of brainstem that
results in extension of trunk and all extremities
decorticate rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-A characteristic of a corticospinal lesion at the level of the
diencephalon where the trunk and lower extremities are positioned in extension and the upper
extremities are positioned in flexion
diplopia - ANSWER✔✔-double vision
Dysarthria - ANSWER✔✔-slurred and impaired speech due to a motor deficit of the tongue or
other muscles essential for speech.
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Answers
Anatomic dead space volume (VD) - ANSWER✔✔-The volume of air that occupies the non-
respiratory conducting airways
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximal volume of air that can be exhaled
after a normal tidal exhalation. ERV is approx. 15% of total lung volume.
Forced expiratory volume (FEV) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximal volume of air exhaled in a specified
period of time: usually the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd second of a forced vital capacity maneuver.
Functional residual capacity (FRC) - ANSWER✔✔-The volume of air in the lungs after normal
exhalation. FRC=ERV+RV. FRC is approx. 40% of total lung volume.
Inspiratory capacity (IC) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximal volume of air that can be inspired after a
normal tidal exhalation. IC=TV+IRV. Approx. 60% of total lung volume
Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximal volume of air that can be inspired
after normal tidal volume inspiration. IRV is approximately 50% of total lung volume.
Peak expiratory flow (PEF) - ANSWER✔✔-The maximum flow of air during the beginning of a
forced expiratory maneuver
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Residual Volume (RV) - ANSWER✔✔-the volume of gas remaining in the lungs at the end of a
maximal expiration. Approx. 25% of total lung volume.
Tidal Volume (TV) - ANSWER✔✔-Total volume inspired and expired with each breath during
quiet breathing. Approx. 10% of total lung volume
Total Lung Capacity (TLC) - ANSWER✔✔-The volume of air in the lungs after max inspiration.
The sum of all lung volumes.
Vital Capacity (VC) - ANSWER✔✔-volume change that occurs between maximal inspiration and
maximal expiration. Approx. 75% of total lung volume
Akinesia - ANSWER✔✔-The inability to initiate movement; commonly seen in patients with
Parkinson's disease
Asthenia - ANSWER✔✔-generalized weakness, typically secondary to cerebellar pathology
Ataxia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to perform coordinated movements
Athetosis - ANSWER✔✔-A condition that presents with involuntary movements combined with
instability of posture. Peripheral movements occur without central stability
Bradykinesia - ANSWER✔✔-slow movement
Chorea - ANSWER✔✔-movements that are sudden, random, and involuntary
Clasp-knife response - ANSWER✔✔-A form of resistance seen during range of motion of a
hypertonic joint where there is greatest resistance at the initiation of range that lessens with
movement through the range of motion
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Clonus - ANSWER✔✔-characteristic of an upper motor neuron lesion; involuntary alternating
spasmodic contraction of a muscle precipitated by a quick stretch reflex
cogwheel rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-A form of rigidity where resistance to movement has a phasic
quality to it; often seen with Parkinson's disease.
Dysdiadochokinesia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to perform rapid alternating movements
Dysmetria - ANSWER✔✔-The inability to control the range of a movement and the force of
muscular activity.
Dystonia - ANSWER✔✔-closely related to athetosis; however there is larger axial muscle
involvement rather than appendicular muscles
Fasciculation - ANSWER✔✔-A muscular twitch that is caused by random discharge of a lower
motor neuron and its muscle fibers; suggests lower motor neuron disease, however, can be benign
Hemiballism - ANSWER✔✔-an involuntary and violent movement of a large body part
Kinesthesia - ANSWER✔✔-Ability to perceive the direction and extent of movement of a joint or
body part
Lead pipe rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-form of rigidity where there is uniform and constant resistance to
ROM, often associated with lesions of basal ganglia
rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-a state of severe hypertonicity where a sustained muscle contraction does
not allow for any movement at a specified joint
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, Tremor - ANSWER✔✔-involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movements secondary to a basal ganglia
lesion
Agnosia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to interpret information
Agraphesthesia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to recognize symbols, letters or numbers traced on the skin
Agraphia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to write due to a lesion on the brain. Normally found in combo
with aphasia
Apraxia - ANSWER✔✔-inability to perform purposeful learned movements or activities even
though there is no sensory or motor impairment
astereogenesis - ANSWER✔✔-inability to recognize objects by sense of touch
Body schema - ANSWER✔✔-having an understanding of the body as a whole and the relationship
of its parts to the whole
decerebrate rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-characteristic of a corticospinal lesion at level of brainstem that
results in extension of trunk and all extremities
decorticate rigidity - ANSWER✔✔-A characteristic of a corticospinal lesion at the level of the
diencephalon where the trunk and lower extremities are positioned in extension and the upper
extremities are positioned in flexion
diplopia - ANSWER✔✔-double vision
Dysarthria - ANSWER✔✔-slurred and impaired speech due to a motor deficit of the tongue or
other muscles essential for speech.
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
