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HESI A2 A&P Questions and Answers
Which is an anterior muscle?
A. Gluteus maximus
B. Quadriceps femoris
C. Biceps femoris
D. Adductor magnus
Ans: B. An anterior muscle is located near the front of the body. Of
those listed, the quadriceps( frontal thigh muscle) is the most anterior.
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
Ans: B. The headrest prevents the head from moving too far backward,
or hyperextending the neck beyond its normal range.
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
Ans: D. 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. The injury is front-to-back, making choice B
unlikely, and a herniated disc (choice C) is more of a compression injury.
Muscle contractions that normally move food along the human
digestive system are known as ________.
A. defecation
B. osmosis
C. peristalsis
D. circulation
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Ans: C. Defecation(choice A) is the elimination of waste. Osmosis (choice
B) is the movement of molecules across a membrane. Circulation (choice
D) is the movement of blood through the body. Peristalsis (choice C) is
the involuntary, wavelike movement of muscles in the intestine and
elsewhere that pushes food along.
Which type of nutrient does not provide the body with energy?
A. Vitamin
B. Carbohydrate
C. Fat
D. Protein
Ans: A. Some nutrients supply energy, and others support metabolism.
Nutrients in the first set include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Those
in the secound set include vitamins, minerals, and water.
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
Ans: B. Schwann cells wrap around the nerve fibers and form the myelin
sheath in the peripheral nervous system.
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.
Ans: B. The nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and
nerves. It receives and transmits signals from the environment that
regulate voluntary and involuntary movement.
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Which part of the nervous system includes the femoral , radial,
and ulnar nerves?
A. Somatic
B. Autonomic
C. Sympathetic
D. Parasympathetic
Ans: A. The symphathetic and parasympathetic systems (choice C and D)
are part of the autonomic nervous system (choice B), which controls
involuntary actions of the smooth muscles, glands, and heart. The
somatic nervous system (choice A) has to do with reception of external
stimuli and voluntary control of the muscles.
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
Ans: C. Damage to a disc in the lower back will most likely cause pain
radiating downward along the sciatic nerve.
What is the name of the bone in the human thigh?
A. Ulna
B. Femur
C. Radius
D. Humerus
Ans: B. The ulna (choice A), radius (choice C), and humerus (choice D)
are arm bones.
The ovaries are part of the ___________.
A. skeletal system
B. nervous system
C. lymphatic system
D. reproductive system
Ans: D. The ovaries are the egg-producing reproductive organs.
© 2025 All rights reserved
HESI A2 A&P Questions and Answers
Which is an anterior muscle?
A. Gluteus maximus
B. Quadriceps femoris
C. Biceps femoris
D. Adductor magnus
Ans: B. An anterior muscle is located near the front of the body. Of
those listed, the quadriceps( frontal thigh muscle) is the most anterior.
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
Ans: B. The headrest prevents the head from moving too far backward,
or hyperextending the neck beyond its normal range.
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
Ans: D. 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. The injury is front-to-back, making choice B
unlikely, and a herniated disc (choice C) is more of a compression injury.
Muscle contractions that normally move food along the human
digestive system are known as ________.
A. defecation
B. osmosis
C. peristalsis
D. circulation
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
Ans: C. Defecation(choice A) is the elimination of waste. Osmosis (choice
B) is the movement of molecules across a membrane. Circulation (choice
D) is the movement of blood through the body. Peristalsis (choice C) is
the involuntary, wavelike movement of muscles in the intestine and
elsewhere that pushes food along.
Which type of nutrient does not provide the body with energy?
A. Vitamin
B. Carbohydrate
C. Fat
D. Protein
Ans: A. Some nutrients supply energy, and others support metabolism.
Nutrients in the first set include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Those
in the secound set include vitamins, minerals, and water.
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
Ans: B. Schwann cells wrap around the nerve fibers and form the myelin
sheath in the peripheral nervous system.
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.
Ans: B. The nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and
nerves. It receives and transmits signals from the environment that
regulate voluntary and involuntary movement.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
Which part of the nervous system includes the femoral , radial,
and ulnar nerves?
A. Somatic
B. Autonomic
C. Sympathetic
D. Parasympathetic
Ans: A. The symphathetic and parasympathetic systems (choice C and D)
are part of the autonomic nervous system (choice B), which controls
involuntary actions of the smooth muscles, glands, and heart. The
somatic nervous system (choice A) has to do with reception of external
stimuli and voluntary control of the muscles.
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
Ans: C. Damage to a disc in the lower back will most likely cause pain
radiating downward along the sciatic nerve.
What is the name of the bone in the human thigh?
A. Ulna
B. Femur
C. Radius
D. Humerus
Ans: B. The ulna (choice A), radius (choice C), and humerus (choice D)
are arm bones.
The ovaries are part of the ___________.
A. skeletal system
B. nervous system
C. lymphatic system
D. reproductive system
Ans: D. The ovaries are the egg-producing reproductive organs.
© 2025 All rights reserved
