HESI A2 Anatomy & Physiology – Complete Practice Questions with
Answers & Explanations
Which is an anterior muscle?
A. Gluteus maximus
B. Quadriceps femoris
C. Biceps femoris
D. Adductor magnus - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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. - correct
answer 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.
Which part of the nervous system includes the femoral , radial, and ulnar nerves?
A. Somatic
B. Autonomic
C. Sympathetic
D. Parasympathetic - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer D. The ovaries are the egg-producing reproductive
organs.
Of the following processes, which one is a different level of defense from the others?
A. A low pH in the stomach
B. Cilia present in the trachea
C. Body cells recognizing a pathogen
D. Mucus present in the nasal cavity - correct answer C. A low pH in the stomach (choice A),
cilia in the trachea (choice B), and mucus (D) are primary defenses. Cells recognizing a pathogen
(choice C) is a third line of defense.
Which organ system is primarily responsible for regulating muscle growth?
A. The skeletal system
Answers & Explanations
Which is an anterior muscle?
A. Gluteus maximus
B. Quadriceps femoris
C. Biceps femoris
D. Adductor magnus - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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. - correct
answer 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.
Which part of the nervous system includes the femoral , radial, and ulnar nerves?
A. Somatic
B. Autonomic
C. Sympathetic
D. Parasympathetic - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer 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 - correct answer D. The ovaries are the egg-producing reproductive
organs.
Of the following processes, which one is a different level of defense from the others?
A. A low pH in the stomach
B. Cilia present in the trachea
C. Body cells recognizing a pathogen
D. Mucus present in the nasal cavity - correct answer C. A low pH in the stomach (choice A),
cilia in the trachea (choice B), and mucus (D) are primary defenses. Cells recognizing a pathogen
(choice C) is a third line of defense.
Which organ system is primarily responsible for regulating muscle growth?
A. The skeletal system
