1 | Page
Hesi Anatomy and Physiology Questions and
Answers
homeostasis
Ans: body's maintenance of a stable environment
receptors
Ans: molecule or cell that provides information about the environment
control center (and set point)
Ans: indicates correct value (e.g. body temp)
effectors
Ans: What elicits a response that alters conditions within the body's
internal environment. (e.g. muscles and glands)
negative feedback
Ans: When receptors measure deviations from the set point, effectors
are activated and conditions are returned toward the set point and
effectors gradually shut off. This movement toward homeostasis and
balance is called .........
positive feedback
Ans: Homeostatic mechanisms that function when changes byeffectors
move the body away from normal conditions, causing more changes, is
called...... (examples are blood clotting and labor contractions)
organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organism
Ans: Levels of organization
organelle
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, 2 | Page
Ans: Cell components that perform a specific function
cells
Ans: Basic unit of structure and function
tissues
Ans: Groups of cells organized into layers or masses that have specific
functions
organs
Ans: Structures that perform a specialized function (comprised of
tissues)
Organ systems
Ans: Groups of organs that function together closely
Organism
Ans: Comprised of an interacting organ system
superior
Ans: above, or closer to the head
inferior
Ans: below, or closer to the feet
Anterior (Ventral)
Ans: Toward the front
Posterior (Dorsal)
Ans: Toward the back
medial
Ans: Toward the midline
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lateral
Ans: Away from the midline (closer to the sides)
Median (saggital) plane
Ans: Imaginary vertical line dividing the body into right and left
portions
Coronal/Frontal plane
Ans: Imaginary vertical line dividing the body into anterior and
posterior portions
Transverse (cross-sectional)
Ans: Imaginary horizontal line dividing the body into superior and
inferior
Dorsal cavities (near the back)
Ans: Cranial and spinal cavity
Cranial cavity
Ans: Cavity that contains the brain
Spinal cavity (vertebral)
Ans: Cavity that contains the spinal cord and vertebrae
orbits, nasal, oral, thoracic, mediastinum, pericardial, pleural, and
abdominopelvic (peritoneal)
Ans: Ventral cavities (near the front of the body)
orbits
Ans: Cavity that contains the eyes and associated skeletal muscles and
nerves
Nasal cavity
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, 4 | Page
Ans: Cavity that is divided into right and left portions by the nasal
septum; air-filled sphenoid and frontal sinuses
Oral cavity
Ans: Cavity that contains the teeth and tongue
thoracic cavity
Ans: Cavity that contains the lungs (chest cavity)
Mediastinum
Ans: Space between the lungs that contains the heart, esophagus,
trachea, and thymus
Pericardial cavity
Ans: Potential space between the visceral pericardium and the parietal
pericardium
middle ear cavities
Ans: Cavity containing the incus, malleus, stapes
Pleural cavities (lungs)
Ans: Cavities (right and left) that are the potential space between the
parietal and visceral pleural membranes
Abdominopelvic cavity
Ans: Cavity that extends from the diaphragm to the floor of the pelvis;
includes stomach, liver, spleen, gallbladder, small and large intestines,
urinary bladder, and reproductive organs
Peritoneal cavity
Ans: Cavity that is the potential space between the parietal and visceral
peritoneal membranes
Pleural membranes (parietal is the outside layer that lines the
cavity, visceral is the inside layer, covering the lung)
© 2025 All rights reserved
Hesi Anatomy and Physiology Questions and
Answers
homeostasis
Ans: body's maintenance of a stable environment
receptors
Ans: molecule or cell that provides information about the environment
control center (and set point)
Ans: indicates correct value (e.g. body temp)
effectors
Ans: What elicits a response that alters conditions within the body's
internal environment. (e.g. muscles and glands)
negative feedback
Ans: When receptors measure deviations from the set point, effectors
are activated and conditions are returned toward the set point and
effectors gradually shut off. This movement toward homeostasis and
balance is called .........
positive feedback
Ans: Homeostatic mechanisms that function when changes byeffectors
move the body away from normal conditions, causing more changes, is
called...... (examples are blood clotting and labor contractions)
organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organism
Ans: Levels of organization
organelle
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
Ans: Cell components that perform a specific function
cells
Ans: Basic unit of structure and function
tissues
Ans: Groups of cells organized into layers or masses that have specific
functions
organs
Ans: Structures that perform a specialized function (comprised of
tissues)
Organ systems
Ans: Groups of organs that function together closely
Organism
Ans: Comprised of an interacting organ system
superior
Ans: above, or closer to the head
inferior
Ans: below, or closer to the feet
Anterior (Ventral)
Ans: Toward the front
Posterior (Dorsal)
Ans: Toward the back
medial
Ans: Toward the midline
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
lateral
Ans: Away from the midline (closer to the sides)
Median (saggital) plane
Ans: Imaginary vertical line dividing the body into right and left
portions
Coronal/Frontal plane
Ans: Imaginary vertical line dividing the body into anterior and
posterior portions
Transverse (cross-sectional)
Ans: Imaginary horizontal line dividing the body into superior and
inferior
Dorsal cavities (near the back)
Ans: Cranial and spinal cavity
Cranial cavity
Ans: Cavity that contains the brain
Spinal cavity (vertebral)
Ans: Cavity that contains the spinal cord and vertebrae
orbits, nasal, oral, thoracic, mediastinum, pericardial, pleural, and
abdominopelvic (peritoneal)
Ans: Ventral cavities (near the front of the body)
orbits
Ans: Cavity that contains the eyes and associated skeletal muscles and
nerves
Nasal cavity
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4 | Page
Ans: Cavity that is divided into right and left portions by the nasal
septum; air-filled sphenoid and frontal sinuses
Oral cavity
Ans: Cavity that contains the teeth and tongue
thoracic cavity
Ans: Cavity that contains the lungs (chest cavity)
Mediastinum
Ans: Space between the lungs that contains the heart, esophagus,
trachea, and thymus
Pericardial cavity
Ans: Potential space between the visceral pericardium and the parietal
pericardium
middle ear cavities
Ans: Cavity containing the incus, malleus, stapes
Pleural cavities (lungs)
Ans: Cavities (right and left) that are the potential space between the
parietal and visceral pleural membranes
Abdominopelvic cavity
Ans: Cavity that extends from the diaphragm to the floor of the pelvis;
includes stomach, liver, spleen, gallbladder, small and large intestines,
urinary bladder, and reproductive organs
Peritoneal cavity
Ans: Cavity that is the potential space between the parietal and visceral
peritoneal membranes
Pleural membranes (parietal is the outside layer that lines the
cavity, visceral is the inside layer, covering the lung)
© 2025 All rights reserved
