NSG 3113 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 1 — 2026/2027 210
PRACTICE QUESTIONS, ANSWERS & RATIONALES COMPLETE
WITH 100% VERIFIED ANSWERS
SECTION 1 — CELLULAR ADAPTATION AND INJURY
1. A patient has been immobilized in a cast for several weeks. Which
cellular adaptation explains the decrease in muscle size?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C — Atrophy
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size and often occurs when a
muscle is not used.
2. Which cellular adaptation involves an increase in cell size?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B — Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy increases the size of individual cells, resulting in
enlargement of the affected tissue or organ.
,3. Which cellular adaptation involves an increase in the number of
cells?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Necrosis
Answer: A — Hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in cell number caused by
increased cellular proliferation.
4. A patient develops an enlarged heart after years of hypertension.
Which adaptation is most likely?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Necrosis
Answer: B — Hypertrophy
Rationale: Chronic increased workload can cause cardiac muscle cells to
enlarge.
5. Which cellular adaptation involves replacement of one mature cell
type with another mature cell type?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
,C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
Answer: C — Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is a reversible adaptive change in which one
differentiated cell type is replaced by another.
6. A chronic smoker develops replacement of normal respiratory
epithelium with stratified squamous epithelium. This is an example of:
A. Atrophy
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Apoptosis
Answer: B — Metaplasia
Rationale: Chronic irritation can stimulate a reversible change from one
mature cell type to another.
7. Which cellular adaptation is generally considered potentially
reversible when the stressor is removed?
A. Metaplasia
B. Necrosis
C. Cell death
D. Irreversible membrane destruction
Answer: A — Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia may reverse when the underlying stimulus is
eliminated.
, 8. Which term describes abnormal cellular growth and maturation
that may be associated with cancer development?
A. Dysplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Hyperemia
Answer: A — Dysplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia involves abnormal cellular size, shape,
organization, and maturation.
9. Which change occurs when a cell becomes smaller because of
decreased workload?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: C — Atrophy
Rationale: Reduced workload is a common cause of cellular atrophy.
10. Which condition is most likely to cause skeletal muscle atrophy?
A. Increased exercise
B. Prolonged immobilization
C. Increased protein intake
D. Acute exercise
PRACTICE QUESTIONS, ANSWERS & RATIONALES COMPLETE
WITH 100% VERIFIED ANSWERS
SECTION 1 — CELLULAR ADAPTATION AND INJURY
1. A patient has been immobilized in a cast for several weeks. Which
cellular adaptation explains the decrease in muscle size?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C — Atrophy
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size and often occurs when a
muscle is not used.
2. Which cellular adaptation involves an increase in cell size?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B — Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy increases the size of individual cells, resulting in
enlargement of the affected tissue or organ.
,3. Which cellular adaptation involves an increase in the number of
cells?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Necrosis
Answer: A — Hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in cell number caused by
increased cellular proliferation.
4. A patient develops an enlarged heart after years of hypertension.
Which adaptation is most likely?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Necrosis
Answer: B — Hypertrophy
Rationale: Chronic increased workload can cause cardiac muscle cells to
enlarge.
5. Which cellular adaptation involves replacement of one mature cell
type with another mature cell type?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
,C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
Answer: C — Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is a reversible adaptive change in which one
differentiated cell type is replaced by another.
6. A chronic smoker develops replacement of normal respiratory
epithelium with stratified squamous epithelium. This is an example of:
A. Atrophy
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Apoptosis
Answer: B — Metaplasia
Rationale: Chronic irritation can stimulate a reversible change from one
mature cell type to another.
7. Which cellular adaptation is generally considered potentially
reversible when the stressor is removed?
A. Metaplasia
B. Necrosis
C. Cell death
D. Irreversible membrane destruction
Answer: A — Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia may reverse when the underlying stimulus is
eliminated.
, 8. Which term describes abnormal cellular growth and maturation
that may be associated with cancer development?
A. Dysplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Hyperemia
Answer: A — Dysplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia involves abnormal cellular size, shape,
organization, and maturation.
9. Which change occurs when a cell becomes smaller because of
decreased workload?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: C — Atrophy
Rationale: Reduced workload is a common cause of cellular atrophy.
10. Which condition is most likely to cause skeletal muscle atrophy?
A. Increased exercise
B. Prolonged immobilization
C. Increased protein intake
D. Acute exercise
