Physiology and anatomy question and answers
A large part of beginning the study of anatomy and physiology is learning the specialised words that are
used. This new terminology may seem daunting but the challenge lies in its unfamiliarity rather than its
difficulty of comprehension. You must expect to encounter a lot of new words and be prepared to learn
them over the course of your study. Many of the words contain information as the words are
constructed with a prefix and a suffix or a stem that identifies the word as referring to a specific part of
anatomy or physiology. This sometimes makes the words rather long
or unusual.
You should know what the anatomical position of the body is and in what direction the transverse,
sagittal & coronal planes of the body lie. Directional terms such as: proximal/distal; deep/superficial;
superior/inferior; lateral/medial; anterior/posterior; caudal/cephalic allow the location of one
anatomical feature to be placed relative to another. The dorsal and ventral body cavities are located on
different sides of the body and contain different organs. For ease of communication, the abdomen is
divided into nine regions: right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac, right lumbar, umbilical,
left lumbar, right inguinal, hypogastric (or pubic), left inguinal regions. You should know the difference
between physiology and anatomy and the definitions of metabolism, anabolism and catabolism.
1. Which of the listed terms is described by: “All the chemical processes that take
place in the organelles and cytoplasm the cells of the body”?
A. Metabolism
B. Cellular respiration
C. Homeostasis
D. Physiology
Answer is A: The quoted statement is a defi nition of metabolism
2
2. Which major organ lies deep to the right hypochondriac region?
A. The stomach
B. The spleen
C. The liver
D. The duodenum
Answer is C: hypochondriac = below the rib cartilage; liver is located mostly
on the right side.
3. Which plane of the body divides it into dorsal and ventral regions?
A. Transverse
,Physiology and anatomy question and answers
B. Axial
C. Coronal
D. Sagittal
Answer is C: dorsal and ventral = front and back – a coronal section so divides
the body into these sections.
4. To which of the following does the “tissue level” of structural organisation
refer?
A. atoms, ions, molecules and electrolytes
B. mitochondria, ribosomes, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum
C. nephron, alveolus, villus, lobule
D. muscle, nervous, connective, epithelial
Answer is D: the listed structures are the four major tissue types.
5. The directional term “superior” in anatomy means which of the following?
A. cephalic
B. ventral
C. caudal
D. dorsal
Answer is A: cephalic refers to the head region. While superior refers to being
closer to the head than is the other anatomical structure in question.
6. Which of the following is the best defi nition of physiology?
A. The microscopic study of tissues and cells
B. The study of how the body works.
C. All the chemical processes that take place in the organelles of the body’s
cells.
D. The body’s automatic tendency to maintain a relatively constant internal
environment.
Answer is B: physiology is indeed the study of how the (healthy) body
functions.
,Physiology and anatomy question and answers
7. The “anatomical position” could be described as which of the following?
A. Lying down prone
B. Lying down supine
C. Standing displaying the ventral surface of the body
D. Standing with arms and legs abducted
Answer is C: this is the best answer. Standing is required, as is having the arms
hanging parallel to the sides, with palms facing forward.
8. Which choice best describes the location of the majority of the musculo- skeletal
system?
A. It is in the dorsal cavity
B. It is in the ventral cavity
C. It is in the abdomino-pelvic cavity
D. It is not located in a body cavity
Answer is D: the musculo-skeletal system is located in the arms and legs, and
surrounding, but outside of the abdomino-pelvic, thoracic and the dorsal
cavities.
9. Which of the following is/are the contents of the ventral cavity?
A. heart and lungs
B. brain and spinal cord
C. viscera
D. gut, kidneys, liver, pancreas, spleen, bladder, internal reproductive organs.
Answer is C: this is the best answer. It is a collective term for all organs in the
thoracic and abdomino-pelvic cavities.
10. Which of the stated relationships is correct?
A. the heart is inferior to the clavicle
B. the shoulder is distal to the carpals
C. the phalanges are proximal to the metacarpals
D. the eye is medial to the eyebrows
Answer is A: The heart is indeed below (inferior) to the clavicle. All other
, Physiology and anatomy question and answers
choices are wrong.
11. Which of the following is/are the contents of the dorsal body cavity?
A. heart and lungs
B. brain and spinal cord
C. viscera
D. gut, kidneys, liver, pancreas, spleen, bladder, internal reproductive organs.
Answer is B: dorsal refers to the back, the cavity enclosed by the skull and
vertebrae.
12. Which of the stated relationships is correct?
A. the heart is superior to the large intestine
B. the shoulder is distal to the metacarpals
C. the phalanges are proximal to the carpals
D. the eye is medial to the nose
Answer is A: the heart is indeed above (superior) to the intestine. All other
answers are wrong.
13. What is the study of how body parts function called?
A. histology
B. physiology
C. homeostasis
D. metabolism
Answer is B: physiology refers to function
14. Which of the following correctly describes the two named body parts?
A. the elbow is proximal to the shoulder
B. the phalanges are distal to the carpals
C. the ribs are proximal to the sternum
D. the elbow is distal to the knee
Answer is B: phalanges (fi nger bones) are indeed further from the trunk along
A large part of beginning the study of anatomy and physiology is learning the specialised words that are
used. This new terminology may seem daunting but the challenge lies in its unfamiliarity rather than its
difficulty of comprehension. You must expect to encounter a lot of new words and be prepared to learn
them over the course of your study. Many of the words contain information as the words are
constructed with a prefix and a suffix or a stem that identifies the word as referring to a specific part of
anatomy or physiology. This sometimes makes the words rather long
or unusual.
You should know what the anatomical position of the body is and in what direction the transverse,
sagittal & coronal planes of the body lie. Directional terms such as: proximal/distal; deep/superficial;
superior/inferior; lateral/medial; anterior/posterior; caudal/cephalic allow the location of one
anatomical feature to be placed relative to another. The dorsal and ventral body cavities are located on
different sides of the body and contain different organs. For ease of communication, the abdomen is
divided into nine regions: right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac, right lumbar, umbilical,
left lumbar, right inguinal, hypogastric (or pubic), left inguinal regions. You should know the difference
between physiology and anatomy and the definitions of metabolism, anabolism and catabolism.
1. Which of the listed terms is described by: “All the chemical processes that take
place in the organelles and cytoplasm the cells of the body”?
A. Metabolism
B. Cellular respiration
C. Homeostasis
D. Physiology
Answer is A: The quoted statement is a defi nition of metabolism
2
2. Which major organ lies deep to the right hypochondriac region?
A. The stomach
B. The spleen
C. The liver
D. The duodenum
Answer is C: hypochondriac = below the rib cartilage; liver is located mostly
on the right side.
3. Which plane of the body divides it into dorsal and ventral regions?
A. Transverse
,Physiology and anatomy question and answers
B. Axial
C. Coronal
D. Sagittal
Answer is C: dorsal and ventral = front and back – a coronal section so divides
the body into these sections.
4. To which of the following does the “tissue level” of structural organisation
refer?
A. atoms, ions, molecules and electrolytes
B. mitochondria, ribosomes, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum
C. nephron, alveolus, villus, lobule
D. muscle, nervous, connective, epithelial
Answer is D: the listed structures are the four major tissue types.
5. The directional term “superior” in anatomy means which of the following?
A. cephalic
B. ventral
C. caudal
D. dorsal
Answer is A: cephalic refers to the head region. While superior refers to being
closer to the head than is the other anatomical structure in question.
6. Which of the following is the best defi nition of physiology?
A. The microscopic study of tissues and cells
B. The study of how the body works.
C. All the chemical processes that take place in the organelles of the body’s
cells.
D. The body’s automatic tendency to maintain a relatively constant internal
environment.
Answer is B: physiology is indeed the study of how the (healthy) body
functions.
,Physiology and anatomy question and answers
7. The “anatomical position” could be described as which of the following?
A. Lying down prone
B. Lying down supine
C. Standing displaying the ventral surface of the body
D. Standing with arms and legs abducted
Answer is C: this is the best answer. Standing is required, as is having the arms
hanging parallel to the sides, with palms facing forward.
8. Which choice best describes the location of the majority of the musculo- skeletal
system?
A. It is in the dorsal cavity
B. It is in the ventral cavity
C. It is in the abdomino-pelvic cavity
D. It is not located in a body cavity
Answer is D: the musculo-skeletal system is located in the arms and legs, and
surrounding, but outside of the abdomino-pelvic, thoracic and the dorsal
cavities.
9. Which of the following is/are the contents of the ventral cavity?
A. heart and lungs
B. brain and spinal cord
C. viscera
D. gut, kidneys, liver, pancreas, spleen, bladder, internal reproductive organs.
Answer is C: this is the best answer. It is a collective term for all organs in the
thoracic and abdomino-pelvic cavities.
10. Which of the stated relationships is correct?
A. the heart is inferior to the clavicle
B. the shoulder is distal to the carpals
C. the phalanges are proximal to the metacarpals
D. the eye is medial to the eyebrows
Answer is A: The heart is indeed below (inferior) to the clavicle. All other
, Physiology and anatomy question and answers
choices are wrong.
11. Which of the following is/are the contents of the dorsal body cavity?
A. heart and lungs
B. brain and spinal cord
C. viscera
D. gut, kidneys, liver, pancreas, spleen, bladder, internal reproductive organs.
Answer is B: dorsal refers to the back, the cavity enclosed by the skull and
vertebrae.
12. Which of the stated relationships is correct?
A. the heart is superior to the large intestine
B. the shoulder is distal to the metacarpals
C. the phalanges are proximal to the carpals
D. the eye is medial to the nose
Answer is A: the heart is indeed above (superior) to the intestine. All other
answers are wrong.
13. What is the study of how body parts function called?
A. histology
B. physiology
C. homeostasis
D. metabolism
Answer is B: physiology refers to function
14. Which of the following correctly describes the two named body parts?
A. the elbow is proximal to the shoulder
B. the phalanges are distal to the carpals
C. the ribs are proximal to the sternum
D. the elbow is distal to the knee
Answer is B: phalanges (fi nger bones) are indeed further from the trunk along
