Advanced Nursing Exam: Body Water
Balance, Electrolytes, Sodium, Potassium,
Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Chloride,
Intracellular & Extracellular Fluids, IV
Therapy, Dehydration, Intake & Output, Urine
Output, Osmosis, Diffusion, Filtration,
Hydrostatic Pressure, Acid-Base Balance,
Metabolic & Respiratory Acidosis/Alkalosis,
Buffers, pH Homeostasis, Hypernatremia,
Hypokalemia, Nursing Interventions, Patient
Education, Pediatric & Adult Considerations
Exam Questions Verified and Complete with
A+ Graded Rationales Latest Updated 2026
1. What percentage of an adult's body weight consists of water?
a.10% to 20%
b.30% to 40%
c.50% to 60%
d.70% to 80%
c.50% to 60%
The percentage of water declines to 50% to 60% in adults.
Premature: 90%
Newborn: 70%-80%
As infants ages: percentage decreases by 12 y/o
Adult: 50%-60%
Older adult: Drops 45%-55%
pg. 483
,*2. When administering intravenous (IV) fluids, the nurse ensures that the IV fluids are infusing
as ordered to prevent dehydration in an adult. Dehydration can become lethal if the patient
loses:
a.5% of body fluid.
b.10% of body fluid.
c.15% of body fluid.
d.20% of body fluid.
d.20% of body fluid.
A loss of 20% of body fluid in an adult is fatal.
Adult:
loss of 10%: serious
loss of 20%: fatal
Infant:
loss of 5%: serious
loss of 10%: Very serious
loss of 15% or more: Fatal
pg 483
3. The nurse uses a diagram to show that fluids in the interstitial and intravascular
compartments are combined to form the:
a.intercellular compartment.
b.circulating compartment.
c.vertical compartment.
d.extracellular compartment.
d.extracellular compartment.
The fluids in the interstitial and intravascular compartments are combined to form the
, extracellular compartment.
2 compartments:
-Intracellular
-Extracellular
*Intracellular: larger, 66% of body fluid. contains dissolved particles: solutes
*Extracellular: contains large amounts of O2 and CO2, glucose, amino & fatty acids. Sodium,
calcium, chloride, and bicarbonate
pg. 483
4. The nurse encourages a patient who has been vomiting to drink fluids because the body fluid
lost daily must match the amount of fluid taken in to maintain homeostasis. The recommended
daily amount of water for an adult is about:
a.1000 mL.
b.1500 mL.
c.2050 mL.
d.2500 mL.
d.2500 mL.
Daily water intake and output is about 2500 mL in the adult.
Adult: 2200-2700mL
pg. 484
5. The nurse must keep an accurate intake and output record to assess kidney efficiency. In
order for the kidneys to remove waste, they must produce an hourly urine output of at least:
a.10 mL.
b.20 mL.
c.30 mL.
d.40 mL.
Balance, Electrolytes, Sodium, Potassium,
Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Chloride,
Intracellular & Extracellular Fluids, IV
Therapy, Dehydration, Intake & Output, Urine
Output, Osmosis, Diffusion, Filtration,
Hydrostatic Pressure, Acid-Base Balance,
Metabolic & Respiratory Acidosis/Alkalosis,
Buffers, pH Homeostasis, Hypernatremia,
Hypokalemia, Nursing Interventions, Patient
Education, Pediatric & Adult Considerations
Exam Questions Verified and Complete with
A+ Graded Rationales Latest Updated 2026
1. What percentage of an adult's body weight consists of water?
a.10% to 20%
b.30% to 40%
c.50% to 60%
d.70% to 80%
c.50% to 60%
The percentage of water declines to 50% to 60% in adults.
Premature: 90%
Newborn: 70%-80%
As infants ages: percentage decreases by 12 y/o
Adult: 50%-60%
Older adult: Drops 45%-55%
pg. 483
,*2. When administering intravenous (IV) fluids, the nurse ensures that the IV fluids are infusing
as ordered to prevent dehydration in an adult. Dehydration can become lethal if the patient
loses:
a.5% of body fluid.
b.10% of body fluid.
c.15% of body fluid.
d.20% of body fluid.
d.20% of body fluid.
A loss of 20% of body fluid in an adult is fatal.
Adult:
loss of 10%: serious
loss of 20%: fatal
Infant:
loss of 5%: serious
loss of 10%: Very serious
loss of 15% or more: Fatal
pg 483
3. The nurse uses a diagram to show that fluids in the interstitial and intravascular
compartments are combined to form the:
a.intercellular compartment.
b.circulating compartment.
c.vertical compartment.
d.extracellular compartment.
d.extracellular compartment.
The fluids in the interstitial and intravascular compartments are combined to form the
, extracellular compartment.
2 compartments:
-Intracellular
-Extracellular
*Intracellular: larger, 66% of body fluid. contains dissolved particles: solutes
*Extracellular: contains large amounts of O2 and CO2, glucose, amino & fatty acids. Sodium,
calcium, chloride, and bicarbonate
pg. 483
4. The nurse encourages a patient who has been vomiting to drink fluids because the body fluid
lost daily must match the amount of fluid taken in to maintain homeostasis. The recommended
daily amount of water for an adult is about:
a.1000 mL.
b.1500 mL.
c.2050 mL.
d.2500 mL.
d.2500 mL.
Daily water intake and output is about 2500 mL in the adult.
Adult: 2200-2700mL
pg. 484
5. The nurse must keep an accurate intake and output record to assess kidney efficiency. In
order for the kidneys to remove waste, they must produce an hourly urine output of at least:
a.10 mL.
b.20 mL.
c.30 mL.
d.40 mL.
