WGU D236 – PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Actual Questions and Answers
Expert-Verified Explanation
This Exam contains:
✪ Multiple-choice and True/False Format
✪ Expert-Verified Explanations
✪ Verified with Trusted Textbooks
1. What is the definition of homeostasis?
A) Movement of water across membranes
B) Stable internal environment maintained by the body
C) Excess fluid in body tissues
D) Cellular energy production process
Answer: B
EXPLANATION: Homeostasis refers to the body’s ability to maintain a relatively constant internal state
despite external changes.
2. What percentage of body weight is intracellular fluid?
A) 1/3
B) 1/4
C) 2/3
D) 3/4
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Intracellular fluid makes up about 2/3 of total body water, primarily within muscle
cells.
3. Where is extracellular fluid located?
A) Inside red blood cells
B) Between organelles
C) Outside cells in blood vessels and tissues
D) Inside mitochondria
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Extracellular fluid is found outside cells, including in blood vessels, skin, and spinal
fluid.
4. What is diffusion?
A) Movement of water to higher pressure
B) Movement of particles from low to high concentration
C) Movement of particles from high to low concentration
D) Release of fluid by exocytosis
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Diffusion is the passive movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration
to one of lower concentration.
5. What is osmosis?
, A) Movement of particles into mitochondria
B) Fluid movement toward lower solute concentration
C) Movement of fluid to a higher solute concentration
D) Passive filtration across membranes
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Osmosis is the movement of water toward an area with a higher solute concentration.
6. What causes filtration?
A) Osmotic pressure
B) Chemical reaction
C) Hydrostatic pressure differences
D) Electrical gradients
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Filtration occurs when fluid and solutes move from high hydrostatic pressure to low
pressure areas.
7. What does osmolality measure?
A) Water retention in cells
B) Number of red blood cells
C) Osmotically active particles per kg of water
D) Amount of glucose in plasma
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Osmolality indicates the concentration of solute particles in water.
8. Which of the following is a hypertonic solution?
A) 0.45% saline
B) 0.9% saline
C) >0.9% saline
D) Distilled water
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Hypertonic solutions have an osmolality above 300 mOsm/kg.
9. What is the osmolality of a hypotonic solution?
A) >300
B) <300
C) 300
D) None of the above
Answer: B
EXPLANATION: Hypotonic solutions have fewer solutes than plasma, <300 mOsm/kg.
10. What type of fluid is 0.9% normal saline?
A) Hypertonic
B) Hypotonic
C) Isotonic
D) None of the above
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: 0.9% saline is isotonic, mimicking the body's natural plasma osmolality.
Actual Questions and Answers
Expert-Verified Explanation
This Exam contains:
✪ Multiple-choice and True/False Format
✪ Expert-Verified Explanations
✪ Verified with Trusted Textbooks
1. What is the definition of homeostasis?
A) Movement of water across membranes
B) Stable internal environment maintained by the body
C) Excess fluid in body tissues
D) Cellular energy production process
Answer: B
EXPLANATION: Homeostasis refers to the body’s ability to maintain a relatively constant internal state
despite external changes.
2. What percentage of body weight is intracellular fluid?
A) 1/3
B) 1/4
C) 2/3
D) 3/4
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Intracellular fluid makes up about 2/3 of total body water, primarily within muscle
cells.
3. Where is extracellular fluid located?
A) Inside red blood cells
B) Between organelles
C) Outside cells in blood vessels and tissues
D) Inside mitochondria
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Extracellular fluid is found outside cells, including in blood vessels, skin, and spinal
fluid.
4. What is diffusion?
A) Movement of water to higher pressure
B) Movement of particles from low to high concentration
C) Movement of particles from high to low concentration
D) Release of fluid by exocytosis
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Diffusion is the passive movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration
to one of lower concentration.
5. What is osmosis?
, A) Movement of particles into mitochondria
B) Fluid movement toward lower solute concentration
C) Movement of fluid to a higher solute concentration
D) Passive filtration across membranes
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Osmosis is the movement of water toward an area with a higher solute concentration.
6. What causes filtration?
A) Osmotic pressure
B) Chemical reaction
C) Hydrostatic pressure differences
D) Electrical gradients
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Filtration occurs when fluid and solutes move from high hydrostatic pressure to low
pressure areas.
7. What does osmolality measure?
A) Water retention in cells
B) Number of red blood cells
C) Osmotically active particles per kg of water
D) Amount of glucose in plasma
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Osmolality indicates the concentration of solute particles in water.
8. Which of the following is a hypertonic solution?
A) 0.45% saline
B) 0.9% saline
C) >0.9% saline
D) Distilled water
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: Hypertonic solutions have an osmolality above 300 mOsm/kg.
9. What is the osmolality of a hypotonic solution?
A) >300
B) <300
C) 300
D) None of the above
Answer: B
EXPLANATION: Hypotonic solutions have fewer solutes than plasma, <300 mOsm/kg.
10. What type of fluid is 0.9% normal saline?
A) Hypertonic
B) Hypotonic
C) Isotonic
D) None of the above
Answer: C
EXPLANATION: 0.9% saline is isotonic, mimicking the body's natural plasma osmolality.
