HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRETESTS & POSTTEST COMPILATION
TOPIC 1: Human Organism
1. Which of the sections below separates the
body into dorsal and ventral parts?
- Frontal Section
2. Which of the following pairs of terms are
synonymous in bipedal animals such as
humans but not in quadrupeds (animals that
walk on all four feet)?
- Dorsal & Lateral
3. Which of these characteristics of life means
"The ability to use energy to perform vital
functions"?
- Metabolism
4. From the anatomical position, the scapula
(shoulder blade) is always ________ to the ribs.
- Dorsal, posterior, and superficial
5. When you scratch a dog's back along its
spine, which of the following terms would apply
to the skin you are scratching?
- Dorsal, superior, medial, superficial
6. When a person is in anatomical position, the
wrist is ________ to the elbow.
- Distal
7. The basic structural and functional unit of an
organism, such as plant or animal, is the...
- Cell
8. Homeostasis is the condition produced by...
- The tendency for change in a body variable to
be counteracted as soon as the body variable
goes past its normal range of values.
9. In which quadrant of the abdomen is most of
the liver usually located?
- Right upper quadrant
10. Which statement below describes
physiological process?
- The blood transports nutrients and oxygen to
the cells of the body
11. Which of the sections below separates the
body into right and left parts?
- Median Plane/Sagittal Plane
12. The scientific discipline that deals with the
processes or functions of living organisms is...
- Physiology
13. The guillotine, a medieval instrument for
beheading criminals, could be described as
passing along a ________ plane through the
neck.
- Transverse
14. The major goals of physiology include
- Both "understanding and predicting the body's
response to stimuli" and "understanding how
the body maintains homeostasis" are correct.
15. Which of the following statements correctly
describes the control center of a homeostatic
mechanism?
- The control center responds to environmental
changes by always increasing the body
variable.
ACTIVITY:
Up to Bottom:
(blue) Frontal/Coronal,
(green) Transverse,
(red) Saggital/Median,
(yellow) Parasaggital
TOPIC 2: The Chemical Basis of Life
1. A solution with a pH of 7 is considered to be
- Neutral
2. Nucleotides are the building blocks for
- Nucleic Acids
3. The weak attraction between the negative
end of one polar molecule and the positive end
a of another polar molecule is called a(n)
________bond.
- Hydrogen.
4. Atom Y has 11 protons, 11 electrons, and 12
neutrons. What is the atomic number of Atom
Y?
- 11.
5. Monosaccharides are the building blocks for
________.
- Carbohydrates.
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRETESTS & POSTTEST COMPILATION

6. Which of these statements concerning lipids is
NOT true?
- A fatty acid that contains only single covalent
bonds between the carbon atoms is called
unsaturated.
7. Glycerol and fatty acids are the building
blocks for ________.
- Fats (triglycerides).
8. Two atoms with the same number of protons
and electrons, but different numbers of
neutrons, are called ________.
- Isotopes.
9. The building blocks for proteins are ________.
- Amino acids.
10. Atoms that have gained or lost electrons are
called
- Ions.
ACTIVITY:
1. pH Levels of Common Substances:
2. A cell releases a substance that travels
through the extracellular fluid and binds to a
membrane protein on a different cell. This is an
example of which cell function? What type of
membrane protein does the substance bind?
- Communication; Receptor
3. Our body cells perform several important
functions, including
- Communication, cell metabolism and energy
use, reproduction and inheritance, & synthesis
of molecules.
4. What term dealing with cancer means
"spreading to a new site"?
- Metastasis
5. Carrier-mediated transport mechanisms
- Exhibit specificity, include facilitated diffusion,
active transport, and secondary active
transport, function to move large water-soluble
molecules, & function to move electrically
charged ions.
6. Membrane channels that allow ions to
constantly pass through are called ________.

- Leak Channels

7. The ________ endoplasmic reticulum

manufactures lipids and carbohydrates,
whereas the ________ endoplasmic reticulum
assists with the synthesis of proteins, which it
sends to the Golgi apparatus.

- Smooth; Rough

8. The nucleolus...
2. DNA Structure:
- Is the location for production of large and small
Click the link below to view a bundle of DNA ribosomal subunits.
structures. What do the square plates
represent? 9. Transcription

- Nitrogenous Bases - Occurs when double strands of DNA separate,

and RNA nucleotides pair with DNA
3. Protein Structure: nucleotides, determines the sequence of
codons on a particular mRNA molecule,
How many subunits can you see in the sample
produces mRNA, & takes place in the nucleus
protein shown? Click the link below:
of the cell.
-4
10. Translation

- Involves formation of peptide bonds between

TOPIC 3: Cell Structures and Functions adjacent amino acids.

1. ________ are components of the cytoskeleton 11. The nucleic acid that combines with
that help to provide support, assist in cell preexisting protein to form ribosomal subunits is
division, and form cilia. ________.

- Microtubules. - rRNA.

12. Cell shrinkage is also called ________.

- Crenation.
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRETESTS & POSTTEST COMPILATION
13. When placed in a ________ solution, a cell will
exhibit a net loss of water. The specific process
by which the water leaves the cell is called
________.
- Hypertonic; Osmosis
14. If sugar solution A, which is twice as
concentrated as sugar solution B, is separated
from solution B by a selectively permeable
membrane.
- There would be a net movement of water from
B to A.
15. A dialysis membrane is selectively
permeable, and substances smaller than
proteins are able to pass through. The dialysis
machine allows blood to flow past one side of
the dialysis membrane and the dialysis fluid
flows on the other side of the membrane. If you
wanted to use a dialysis machine to remove
only urea (a small molecule) from blood, what
could you use for the dialysis fluid?
- A solution that is isotonic and contains the
same concentration of substances as blood,
except for having no urea in it
16. Membrane channels that allow ions to
constantly pass through are called ________.
- Leak Channels.
17. If a red blood cell were placed in distilled
water, we would expect the cell to
- Swell and Lyse
18. A selective poison that blocked the function
of the mitochondria was used on a group of
cells. Which of the following processes would
most likely be interrupted by the presence of
this poison?
- Active Transport
19. A cell examined under the microscope
shows large amounts of rough endoplasmic
reticulum, many Golgi apparatuses, and many
secretory vesicles. To which of the following
tissues would this cell most likely belong?
- Mammary Gland
20. Which of these molecules is correctly
matched with its method of movement through
the cell membrane?
- Large, water-soluble molecules: transported by
carrier-mediated process
1 → nucleus,
2 → plasma membrane,
3 → Golgi apparatus,
4 → cytoplasm,
5 → rough endoplasmic reticulum,
6 → smooth endoplasmic reticulum,
7 (Hint: has low pH) → lysosome
8 → microtubules,
9→ mitochondrion,
TOPIC 4: TISSUES
1. ________ are cells within nervous tissue that are
responsible for conducting action potentials.
- Neurons
2. Cell connections that bind adjacent cells
together and form permeability barriers are
called
- Tight Junction
3. Cells of the epidermis are mechanically
linked together via ________, which, together
with a network of fine proteins and intercellular
cement, connect the cell membranes of the
two cells.
- Desmosome
4. Epithelial Cells
- Can be somewhat far away from any blood
vessel, cover body surfaces or form glands,
usually have a free surface that is not in contact
with other cells, have a basement membrane
that attaches to underlying tissues.
5. Following an injury, chemicals are released or
activated in the injured tissues. These
chemicals, called chemical mediators, include
- Prostaglandins & Histamine
6. Hemidesmosome
- Are a modified form of a desmosomes, anchor
cells to the basement membrane, are found in
epithelium that is subjected to a high degree of
stress.
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRETESTS & POSTTEST COMPILATION

7. Major components of the extracellular matrix 19. In which type of epithelial tissues will the
of connective tissue include transport of gas and other materials be faster?

- Protein fibers, ground substance, and fluid. - Simple squamous epithelium

8. The connective tissue that covers muscles,
glands, and nerves is
- Loose or areolar connective tissue.
9. The supportive cells of the nervous system are
called ________.
- Glial
10. Which of the types of epithelial free surfaces
is correctly matched with its function?
- Smooth - decreases friction
11. Connective tissue cells whose names
contain the suffix -blast
- Produce matrix
20. Which of the following parts of the bone tissue
connects the bone cells to the Haversian
canal?
- Lacuna
21. Dense and loose connective tissues differ
mostly in the amount and arrangement of _____
fibers.
- Collagen
22. Which of the following are correct about
non-keratinized epithelial tissues? Select all
that apply.
- Found in the lining of the mouth, & composed
of stratified squamous cells.

12. Which of these is NOT one of the four basic 23. The rapid transmission of impulse along the
tissue types? axon fiber such as the saltatory conduction is
facilitated by the following pairs of structures?
- Glandular
- Nodes of Ranvier and myelin sheath.
13. The major symptoms of inflammation include
24. Which of the following does not contribute to
- Pain, Disturbance of function, Heat, Redness the strength of connective tissues?
and swelling.
- Abundance of collagen fibers
14. The blood-brain barrier is a specialized
epithelium that prevents many materials from 25. Which of the following characteristics are
passing from the blood into the brain. The cell shared by skeletal and cardiac muscles?
connections most likely present between the
- Both contain intercalated discs and both are
cells forming this barrier are
striated.
- Tight Junction
26. Which of the following proteins bind cell
15. Epithelium that consists of a single layer of surface carbohydrates (glycans) via
cells, in which some cells are tall and thin and heterophilic interactions?
reach the free surface and others do not, is
- Cadherins.
classified as
27. The cellular junctions that zip the epithelial
- Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium.
cell together like quilt is known as _____.
16. Stratified Epithelial Tissues
- Tight junctions
- Have multiple layers of cells that hinder
28. The fluid portion of the blood that contains
movement of materials into the body and are
water, globulins, minerals and other materials is
found in areas of the body where abrasions
called ____.
can occur.
- Plasma
17. Cell connections that bind adjacent cells
together and form permeability barriers are
called

- Tight Junctions

18. The most correct classification of an

epithelial tissue consisting of many layers of
cells, in which the outer layers are flat and thin
and the basal layers are cuboidal or columnar,
is

- Stratified Squamous Epithelium.

HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRETESTS & POSTTEST COMPILATION

1. Identify the cellular junctions between two 4.

epithelial cells. Drag and drop the names of the
1. Muscle tissue
structures in the corresponding letters: A-E
2. Contains
hemoglobin.

A. Tight Junction

B. Adherens Junction

C. Desmosome

D. Gap Junction

E. Hemidesmosome

TOPIC 5: INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

2. Drag and drop the corresponding terms or
descriptions with the images shown. 1. The stratum corneum of the epidermis

- Can become thickened and form a structure

called a callus or corn.

2. Racial variations in skin color are determined

by

- The number of melanocytes and the

distribution and deposition of melanin.

3. Melanin

1. Blood - Is produced by melanocytes.

2. Adipose 4. When a cancer is said to have metastasized,

it means that
3. Hyaline Cartilage
- It has spread to other areas of the body.
4. Dense Connective Tissue
5. Third-degree burns
5. Elastic Cartilage
- Result in excessive fluid loss.
6. Loose Connective Tissue
6. Which of the following functions of the
integumentary system is NOT correctly
3. matched with an example?

- Excretion-Hydrogen ions are moved from the

skin into the urine.

7. A hair is formed or made by cells within the

- Hair bulb.

8. Which part of the skin is filled with adipose

1. Simple Squamous Epithelium tissue?
2. Simple Columnar Epithelium - Subcutaneous tissue.
3. Pseudostratified Epithelium 9. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic
of aging of the integumentary system?
4. Simple Cuboidal Epithelium
- Increase in activity of sweat and sebaceous
5. Stratified Squamous Epithelium
glands.
6. Transitional Epithelium
10. Malignant melanoma

- Usually arises from melanocytes in a preexisting

mole.
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRETESTS & POSTTEST COMPILATION
11. Paul is on the newest diet craze. After a
couple of weeks of eating only carrots and
carrot-based products, he begins to notice that
his skin has a decidedly yellowish tint. This is
because
- Excess carotene from his diet has accumulated
in the lipids of the stratum corneum.
12. Most babies have more adipose tissue in the
subcutaneous tissue compared to
adults.ˇWhich of the following statements gives
a valid explanation for the difference?
- Babies lose body heat more easily than adults,
due to their size, and the extra adipose tissue
helps regulate body temperature by providing
insulation.
13. Which type of glands help to cool the body?
- Eccrine sweat glands & Apocrine sweat
glands.
14. The subcutaneous tissue
- Is important for padding and insulation,
contains about half of the body's stored lipids,
is loose connective tissue that attaches the skin
to underlying bone and muscle, is also called
hypodermis.
15. Sandra has been working very long hours
the past three months and has had very little
time to relax.ˇ She works as a medical
transcriptionist and spends most of her time at
her desk. The results of her recent annual
physical indicated that her calcium levels were
on the lower end of the acceptable values.ˇ
Her physician suggests that she adjust her diet
to include more calcium-rich foods and to
spend some time relaxing outdoors.ˇ Why
would her physician suggest she spend time
outdoors to improve her calcium levels?
- Sun exposure enables the production of
vitamin D in the body, which is necessary for
calcium absorption at the small intestine.
16. Sharon and Jennifer are sisters and grew up
in the same household. Jennifer enjoyed
spending her days outside while Sharon
enjoyed staying inside most days. Which
statement best describes how this difference in
sun exposure affecting skin aging between the
two sisters?
- Jennifer's skin is more likely to age at a faster
pace, because sun exposure decreases
collagen and elastic fibers in the skin.
17. The lunula is part of the
- Nail matrix.
18. Chef Brandi suffered a burn on her arm when
a kettle of spaghetti sauce exploded. The
doctor, using a forceps, pulls on a hair within the
area that is burned. The hair easily pulls out.
What degree of burn did the patient have?
- Third-degree burn
19. Which part of the skin is filled with adipose
tissue?
- Subcutaneous tissue.
20. Redness of the skin can result from all of the
following EXCEPT
- Poor oxygen supply.
21. When exposed to the cold, the ears and nose
may appear red. This is because
- Blood vessels dilate to prevent tissue damage
from the cold.
22. Which of the following conditions is NOT
correctly paired with its symptoms?
- Psoriasis: Circular scaly lesions.
23. A burn is an injury to a tissue caused by
- Exposure to excess heat, exposure to excess
cold, friction, exposure to chemicals.
24. Jaundice is caused by
- Collection of abnormal bile pigment in the skin.
25. Cyanosis is caused by
- Decreased oxygen content of blood.
TOPIC 6: SKELETAL SYSTEM
1. Bone remodeling
- is essential for maintaining blood calcium
levels, continues throughout the life span of the
individual, is controlled by the actions of
parathyroid hormone and calcitonin, is
accomplished by the actions of the osteoclasts
and osteoblasts.
2. Compact bone consists of cells called
osteocytes located within spaces in the matrix
called
- Lacunae.
3. Intramembranous ossification
- Occurs in the bones of the skull.
4. Which of these sections of the vertebral
column curve posteriorly?
- Thoracic curvature and sacrum (with coccyx).
5. Bones is a type of
- Connective tissue.
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRETESTS & POSTTEST COMPILATION

6. The joint uniting the parietal and temporal 19. Fibrous joints between the bones of the skull
bones is the are called ________.

- Squamous Suture. - Sutures

7. The two bones of the skull in which teeth are 20. A ________ is a hole found in bone.
located are the
- Foramen
- Maxilla and mandible.
21. Joints are classified structurally according to
8. Bone growth the ________ that binds them, and functionally
according to their ________.
- Occurs through the deposition of new bone
lamellae onto existing bone or other - Connective tissue; degree of motion
connective tissue.

9. In compact bone, a haversian canal, with the

lamellae and osteocytes surrounding it is called TOPIC 7: MUSCULAR SYSTEM
a(n)
1. The ________ is the smooth ER of a muscle fiber
- Osteon. and stores calcium ions.

10. If blood calcium levels are too high, ________ - Sarcoplasmic reticulum
activity decreases, while ________ activity
2. ATP
increases.
- Is required for muscle relaxation, releases part
- Osteoclast; Osteoblast.
of its energy as heat, provides energy for the
11. Which of these sections of the vertebral movement of the cross-bridges, attaches to the
column is matched with its correct number of myosin myofilaments.
vertebrae?
3. Creatine phosphate
- Sacral—5 vertebrae fused into one sacrum.
- Acts as an energy reserve in muscle tissue.
12. Carpals and tarsals are best classified as
4. The ________ consists of only actin
________ bones.
myofilaments.
- Short Bones
- I band
13. A long bone
5. A ________ is a single muscle cell.
- Has red marrow and yellow marrow in its
- Muscle fiber
cavities, has an epiphysis at each end, has
endosteum lining the medullary cavity, has a 6. A single motor neuron and all the skeletal
medullary cavity in the diaphysis. muscle fibers it innervates is called a ________.

14. The pectoral girdle - Motor Unit

- Consists of the clavicle and scapula. 7. Cardiac muscle

15. Is the anatomical term for a depression found - Is under involuntary control.
in bone.
8. The ________ is a group of muscle fibers
- Fossa surrounded by perimysium

16. The anatomical term for a tunnel in bone is - Muscle fascicle

- Canal or meatus. 9. Smooth muscle

17. The anatomical term for a cavity found inside - Has no distinct sarcomeres, does not develop
bone is ________. an oxygen deficit, may be autorhythmic,
contracts more slowly than skeletal muscle.
- Sinus.
10. Acetylcholine
18. The scapula
- Binds to receptors on the muscle cell
- Has a ridge, called the spine, on the posterior
membrane, is broken down by
surface, has a depression called the glenoid
acetylcholinesterase, causes an influx of
cavity where the head of the humerus
sodium ions into the muscle cell when bound to
articulates, has a coracoid process to which
its receptor, is the neurotransmitter at the
arm and chest muscles attach, has an
neuromuscular junction.
acromion process to which the clavicle
attaches.
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRETESTS & POSTTEST COMPILATION
11. The condition in which a muscle remains
contracted between stimuli without relaxing is
called a/an ________.
- Tetanus
12. Muscles are named according to their:
- Location or number of heads, size or shape,
origin or insertion point, function or action.
13. The specific molecules that provide calcium-
binding sites on actin are ________ molecules.
- Troponin
14. Aerobic respiration
- Requires oxygen, breaks down glucose, takes
place in mitochondria located within the
muscle fiber sarcoplasm, produces ATP, CO2,
and H2O.
TOPIC 8: NERVOUS SYSTEM
1. Action potentials
- Jump between nodes of Ranvier & occur in an
all-or-none fashion.
2. Chemical substances released from the
presynaptic terminal
- are called neurotransmitters, bind to receptors
on the postsynaptic membrane, may inhibit or
stimulate an action potential in the
postsynaptic membrane depending on the
receptors, are normally broken down by
enzymes located in the synapse.
3. Clusters of neuron cell bodies located in the
PNS are called ________.
- Ganglia
4. Following neurotransmitter activation of
chemically gated Na+ channels
- The cell may reach threshold, a local potential
is generated, the inside of the membrane
becomes more less negative to positive, the
Na+ channels open for a brief time, generating
a local current.
5. Gaps between segments of oligodendrocytes
or between individual Schwann cells are called
________.
- Nodes of Ranvier.
6. In a neuron, short, branching cytoplasmic
extensions that receive information and carry it
to the cell body are called ________.
- Dendrites.
7. The ________ consists of the brain and spinal
cord.
- Central nervous system.
8. Voltage-gated ion channels
- Open in response to changes in the membrane
potential & are responsible for the generation
of the action potential in neurons.
9. Which of the following are major functions of
the nervous system?
- Control muscles and glands, receive sensory
input, integrate information, maintain
homeostasis.
10. Which type of cell is composed of one
dendrite and one axon, and is found in the eye
and nose?
- Bipolar neuron
11. Spinal nerves
- contain both afferent and efferent fibers,
mostly exit between adjacent vertebrae, are
organized into plexuses, except for T2 to T11,
have both autonomic and somatomotor
efferent fibers.
12. White matter of the central nervous system
- is formed by bundles of parallel axons with their
myelin sheaths.
13. The numerous raised folds on the surface of
each cerebral hemisphere are called ________.
- Gyri
14. The "little brain" that controls balance and
coordinates movements is located posterior to
the brainstem and inferior to the occipital lobe
is the ________.
- Cerebellum
15. The ________ consists of the brain and spinal
cord.
- Central Nervous System
16. The thickest and most superficial of the
meninges is the ________.
- Dura mater
17. Cranial nerves such as the trigeminal and
vagus nerves contain. (Check all that apply)
- Sensory (afferent) neurons & Motor (efferent)
neurons.
18. The corpus callosum
- Consists of a broad band of white tracts, is the
largest of the commissures, allows sensory
information to be shared between the two
cerebral hemispheres, is found at the base of
the longitudinal fissure.
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRETESTS & POSTTEST COMPILATION
19. The enteric nervous system
- is capable of monitoring and controlling the
digestive tract independent of the CNS,
consists of the plexuses within the wall of the
digestive tract, includes sensory neurons,
sympathetic and parasympathetic motor
neurons, and enteric neurons, stimulates glands
to secrete substances into the digestive tract.
TOPIC 9: SENSES
1. Axons from olfactory neurons
- Pass through the cribriform plate of the
ethmoid bone, eventually relay information to
the brain through the olfactory tracts, form
cranial nerve I, enter the olfactory bulbs and
synapse with interneurons.
2. ________ detect light touch and superficial
pressure and are found in the epidermis.
- Merkel disks
3. The gelatinous mass inside of the eye is called
the ________.
- Vitreous humor
4. When you have a cold, the mucus secretions
in your respiratory tract increase and are
usually thicker than normal. How would this
affect your sense of smell?
- The increased amount of mucus reduces the
number of odorants that can reach and bind
to olfactory receptor cells.
5. The lens focuses light on the photoreceptor
cells by ________; this movement is
accomplished by the ________.
- Changing shape from spherical to flat;
suspensory ligaments and ciliary body.
6. The hair cells and tectorial membrane are
found in the
- Cochlea.
7. Another name for pain receptors is ________.
- Nociceptors
8. The middle layer of the eye that, consists of
the choroid, ciliary body, and iris is the ________.
- Vascular tunic
9. The iris
- surrounds an opening called the pupil, is
stimulated to contract by parasympathetic
stimulation, is the colored portion of the eye,
controls the diameter of the pupil.
10. The vestibule
- has chambers with patches of specialized
epithelium called maculae, can be divided
into the utricle and saccule, contains maculae,
which have hair cells embedded into a
gelatinous mass, is associated with static
equilibrium.
11. When you walk into a dark room, the radial
smooth muscles of the iris ________ the pupil of
your eye.
- Dilates
12. Retinal
- Synthesis in rod cells requires vitamin A.
13. Axons from olfactory neurons
- Eventually relay information to the brain
through the olfactory tracts, form cranial nerve
I, pass through the cribriform plate of the
ethmoid bone, enter the olfactory bulbs and
synapse with interneurons.
14. The spiral organ
- Contains specialized sensory cells with hairlike
projections.
15. The fleshy part of the external ear on the
outside of the head is the ________.
- Auricle
16. The choroid of the eye
- Consists of a vascular network and large
numbers of melanin-containing cells.
17. ________ respond to fine, discriminative touch
and are found just deep to the epidermis.
- Meissner corpuscles
18. The firm, opaque, white, outer connective
tissue layer of the posterior five-sixths of the eye
is the ________.
- Sclera
19. Which of the following is NOT one of the four
primary taste sensations?
- Spicy
20. Which of the following is not an accessory
structure of the eye?
- Retina
21. The auditory ossicles
- Transmit vibrations from the tympanic
membrane to the round window.
22. Joanna has been experiencing diffuse pain
in her upper right shoulder and right upper
abdomen. The pain is most likely the result of
- Referred pain from the liver and gallbladder.