APHY 101 MIDTERM EXAM HUMAN ANATOMY &
PHYSIOLOGY 2026/2027 | Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis | Latest Correct Answers | Pass Guaranteed - A+
Graded
Section 1: Introduction to A&P & Homeostasis (Q1-15)
1. A patient is lying face down on the examination table. What is this anatomical
position called?
A. Supine
B. Prone [CORRECT]
C. Lateral
D. Erect
Rationale: Prone means lying face down. Supine is face up, lateral is side-lying, and
erect is standing upright. These terms are fundamental for describing patient
positioning in clinical settings.
Correct Answer: B
2. The heart is located __________ to the lungs.
A. Lateral
B. Superior
C. Medial [CORRECT]
D. Distal
Rationale: The heart sits between the lungs in the mediastinum, making it medial (closer
to the midline). Lateral means away from the midline, superior means above, and distal
refers to farther from the trunk or point of attachment.
Correct Answer: C
3. The knee is __________ to the ankle.
A. Distal
B. Inferior
,C. Proximal [CORRECT]
D. Superficial
Rationale: Proximal means closer to the point of attachment (trunk). The knee is closer
to the hip than the ankle is. Distal means farther from attachment, inferior means below,
and superficial means near the surface.
Correct Answer: C
4. Which body cavity contains the brain?
A. Thoracic cavity
B. Abdominopelvic cavity
C. Dorsal cavity (cranial portion) [CORRECT]
D. Mediastinum
Rationale: The dorsal cavity is divided into cranial (brain) and vertebral (spinal cord)
portions. The thoracic cavity contains the heart and lungs, the abdominopelvic cavity
contains digestive and urinary organs, and the mediastinum is the central compartment
of the thoracic cavity.
Correct Answer: C
5. The serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and covering abdominal organs is
called the:
A. Pleura
B. Pericardium
C. Peritoneum [CORRECT]
D. Meninges
Rationale: The peritoneum is the serous membrane of the abdominopelvic cavity. The
pleura surrounds the lungs, the pericardium surrounds the heart, and the meninges
surround the brain and spinal cord.
Correct Answer: C
6. Which of the following is an example of negative feedback?
A. Blood clotting cascade
B. Childbirth (oxytocin release)
C. Body temperature regulation maintaining 37°C [CORRECT]
D. Action potential generation
,Rationale: Negative feedback reverses a change to maintain homeostasis
(thermoregulation). Blood clotting, childbirth, and action potentials are positive
feedback loops that amplify the initial stimulus rather than reversing it.
Correct Answer: C
7. In a negative feedback loop, the __________ detects a change and sends information
to the __________.
A. Effector; receptor
B. Control center; effector
C. Receptor; control center [CORRECT]
D. Stimulus; receptor
Rationale: The receptor (sensor) detects the change and sends input to the control
center (integration center), which then directs the effector to respond. Reversing
receptor/control center or using stimulus as the detector are incorrect.
Correct Answer: C
8. [CLINICAL CONNECTION] A patient with uncontrolled diabetes has elevated blood
glucose that remains high despite insulin administration. This represents a failure of:
A. Positive feedback
B. Negative feedback homeostatic regulation [CORRECT]
C. Anatomical position maintenance
D. Serous membrane secretion
Rationale: Blood glucose regulation is a classic negative feedback loop. Failure to return
glucose to normal indicates disrupted homeostatic negative feedback. Positive
feedback, anatomical position, and serous membranes are unrelated to glucose control.
Correct Answer: B
9. The plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions is the:
A. Sagittal plane
B. Coronal (frontal) plane [CORRECT]
C. Transverse plane
D. Midsagittal plane
Rationale: The coronal (frontal) plane divides anterior from posterior. Sagittal divides
left from right, transverse divides superior from inferior, and midsagittal is a specific
sagittal plane through the midline.
, Correct Answer: B
10. The umbilical region is located in which abdominal quadrant?
A. Right upper quadrant
B. Left lower quadrant
C. Central region of the abdominopelvic cavity [CORRECT]
D. Right iliac region
Rationale: The umbilical region is the central area surrounding the navel. Quadrants
(RUQ, LUQ, RLQ, LLQ) are four divisions; the umbilical region is part of the nine-region
scheme and sits centrally, not in any quadrant.
Correct Answer: C
11. [FEEDBACK LOOP] During thermoregulation, when body temperature rises above
37°C, sweat glands are activated. In this response, the sweat glands serve as the:
A. Receptor
B. Control center
C. Effector [CORRECT]
D. Stimulus
Rationale: The effector carries out the response (sweating to cool the body).
Thermoreceptors detect temperature, the hypothalamus serves as the control center,
and the elevated temperature is the stimulus.
Correct Answer: C
12. Positive feedback loops are characterized by:
A. Self-limiting responses that reverse the initial stimulus
B. Amplification of the initial stimulus, moving the system away from homeostasis
[CORRECT]
C. Maintenance of stable internal conditions
D. Receptor inhibition of the control center
Rationale: Positive feedback amplifies the stimulus (e.g., blood clotting, childbirth).
Self-limiting reversal and stable conditions describe negative feedback; receptor
inhibition of the control center is not a feedback mechanism.
Correct Answer: B
13. The parietal pleura covers the:
PHYSIOLOGY 2026/2027 | Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis | Latest Correct Answers | Pass Guaranteed - A+
Graded
Section 1: Introduction to A&P & Homeostasis (Q1-15)
1. A patient is lying face down on the examination table. What is this anatomical
position called?
A. Supine
B. Prone [CORRECT]
C. Lateral
D. Erect
Rationale: Prone means lying face down. Supine is face up, lateral is side-lying, and
erect is standing upright. These terms are fundamental for describing patient
positioning in clinical settings.
Correct Answer: B
2. The heart is located __________ to the lungs.
A. Lateral
B. Superior
C. Medial [CORRECT]
D. Distal
Rationale: The heart sits between the lungs in the mediastinum, making it medial (closer
to the midline). Lateral means away from the midline, superior means above, and distal
refers to farther from the trunk or point of attachment.
Correct Answer: C
3. The knee is __________ to the ankle.
A. Distal
B. Inferior
,C. Proximal [CORRECT]
D. Superficial
Rationale: Proximal means closer to the point of attachment (trunk). The knee is closer
to the hip than the ankle is. Distal means farther from attachment, inferior means below,
and superficial means near the surface.
Correct Answer: C
4. Which body cavity contains the brain?
A. Thoracic cavity
B. Abdominopelvic cavity
C. Dorsal cavity (cranial portion) [CORRECT]
D. Mediastinum
Rationale: The dorsal cavity is divided into cranial (brain) and vertebral (spinal cord)
portions. The thoracic cavity contains the heart and lungs, the abdominopelvic cavity
contains digestive and urinary organs, and the mediastinum is the central compartment
of the thoracic cavity.
Correct Answer: C
5. The serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and covering abdominal organs is
called the:
A. Pleura
B. Pericardium
C. Peritoneum [CORRECT]
D. Meninges
Rationale: The peritoneum is the serous membrane of the abdominopelvic cavity. The
pleura surrounds the lungs, the pericardium surrounds the heart, and the meninges
surround the brain and spinal cord.
Correct Answer: C
6. Which of the following is an example of negative feedback?
A. Blood clotting cascade
B. Childbirth (oxytocin release)
C. Body temperature regulation maintaining 37°C [CORRECT]
D. Action potential generation
,Rationale: Negative feedback reverses a change to maintain homeostasis
(thermoregulation). Blood clotting, childbirth, and action potentials are positive
feedback loops that amplify the initial stimulus rather than reversing it.
Correct Answer: C
7. In a negative feedback loop, the __________ detects a change and sends information
to the __________.
A. Effector; receptor
B. Control center; effector
C. Receptor; control center [CORRECT]
D. Stimulus; receptor
Rationale: The receptor (sensor) detects the change and sends input to the control
center (integration center), which then directs the effector to respond. Reversing
receptor/control center or using stimulus as the detector are incorrect.
Correct Answer: C
8. [CLINICAL CONNECTION] A patient with uncontrolled diabetes has elevated blood
glucose that remains high despite insulin administration. This represents a failure of:
A. Positive feedback
B. Negative feedback homeostatic regulation [CORRECT]
C. Anatomical position maintenance
D. Serous membrane secretion
Rationale: Blood glucose regulation is a classic negative feedback loop. Failure to return
glucose to normal indicates disrupted homeostatic negative feedback. Positive
feedback, anatomical position, and serous membranes are unrelated to glucose control.
Correct Answer: B
9. The plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions is the:
A. Sagittal plane
B. Coronal (frontal) plane [CORRECT]
C. Transverse plane
D. Midsagittal plane
Rationale: The coronal (frontal) plane divides anterior from posterior. Sagittal divides
left from right, transverse divides superior from inferior, and midsagittal is a specific
sagittal plane through the midline.
, Correct Answer: B
10. The umbilical region is located in which abdominal quadrant?
A. Right upper quadrant
B. Left lower quadrant
C. Central region of the abdominopelvic cavity [CORRECT]
D. Right iliac region
Rationale: The umbilical region is the central area surrounding the navel. Quadrants
(RUQ, LUQ, RLQ, LLQ) are four divisions; the umbilical region is part of the nine-region
scheme and sits centrally, not in any quadrant.
Correct Answer: C
11. [FEEDBACK LOOP] During thermoregulation, when body temperature rises above
37°C, sweat glands are activated. In this response, the sweat glands serve as the:
A. Receptor
B. Control center
C. Effector [CORRECT]
D. Stimulus
Rationale: The effector carries out the response (sweating to cool the body).
Thermoreceptors detect temperature, the hypothalamus serves as the control center,
and the elevated temperature is the stimulus.
Correct Answer: C
12. Positive feedback loops are characterized by:
A. Self-limiting responses that reverse the initial stimulus
B. Amplification of the initial stimulus, moving the system away from homeostasis
[CORRECT]
C. Maintenance of stable internal conditions
D. Receptor inhibition of the control center
Rationale: Positive feedback amplifies the stimulus (e.g., blood clotting, childbirth).
Self-limiting reversal and stable conditions describe negative feedback; receptor
inhibition of the control center is not a feedback mechanism.
Correct Answer: B
13. The parietal pleura covers the:
