Practice Test #1
1. Arrange the following specific examples in the correct sequence of levels in the structural hierarchy?
A. Enzyme – goblet cell – epithelium – small intestine – gastrointestinal system – dog
B. Goblet cell – enzyme – epithelium – small intestine – dog –gastrointestinal system
C. Small intestine – epithelium – enzyme – goblet cell – gastrointestinal system – dog
D. Dog – small intestine – gastrointestinal system – goblet cell – epithelium – enzyme
2. Which of the following conditions is caused by the abnormality in heart function?
A. Stroke
B. Arrhythmia
C. Hypertension
D. Anemia
3. Which of the following structures is medial to kidneys?
A. Adrenal glands
B. Spleen
C. Large intestine
D. Vertebral column
4. Bile and pancreatic juice flow to which section of the gastrointestinal tract?
A. Stomach
B. Large intestine
C. Small intestine
D. Esophagus
5. This structural protective protein is present in structures such as nails, cells of the epidermis, hair, and even
animal claws and hooves.
A. Collagen
B. Keratin
C. Elastin
D. Albumin
6. Which of the following connects bones?
A. Ligaments
B. Tendons
C. Sutures
D. Periosteum
7. Diastolic pressure and systolic pressure are a result of __________
A. Atrial contraction/atrial relaxation
B. Atrial relaxation/ventricular contraction
C. Ventricular contraction/ventricular relaxation
D. Ventricular relaxation/ventricular contraction
8. Which of the following hormones regulates the sleep cycle?
A. Adrenaline
B. Renin
C. Melatonin
D. Thyroid hormone
1
9. An extensive physical property refers to a property that changes depending on the amount of a substance
present. Which of the following is not an extensive property?
A. Mass
B. Length
C. Volume
D. Boiling point
10. Maria walks on a dark street and a cat jumps out and startles her. Maria feels an increase in heart rate and a
dry mouth and finds herself gripping tightly to her umbrella as a potential defense weapon. The nervous system
that is responsible for activating these responses is___________.
A. Limbic
B. Parasympathetic
C. Sympathetic
D. Sensory
11. Which of the following is not a short bone?
A. Patella
B. Phalange
C. Carpal
D. Tarsal
12. Genetic information is stored in which of the following cell organelles?
A. Nucleus
B. Mitochondrion
C. Nucleolus
D. Ribosome
13. Which of the following does not represent a function for kidneys?
A. Maintaining electrolyte balance
B. Regulation of blood pressure
C. Site of red blood cell production
D. Maintaining fluid balance
14. During hyperventilation, the chemical sensors in the body will register______
A. Low CO2 and low blood pH
B. Low CO2 and high blood pH
C. High CO2 and low blood pH
D. High CO2 and high blood pH
15. Which of the following is part of the specific immune response?
A. Adaptive immunity
B. Skin and mucosa
C. Complement
D. Phagocytes
16. If epiglottis malfunctions and food does not enter the esophagus but travels down the respiratory system, it
will enter which of the following structures?
A. Trachea
B. Alveoli
C. Bronchi
D. Lungs
2
17. Which of the following macromolecules contain the majority of enzymes that catalyze chemical reactions
critical to life?
A. Nucleic acids
B. Proteins
C. Carbohydrates
D. Lipids
18. Which of the following best describes how the skin maintains temperature homeostasis during a cold day?
A. Sweat glands increase sweat production and blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow to the skin
B. Sweat glands decrease sweat production and blood vessels constrict to increase blood flow to the skin
C. Sweat glands increase sweat production and blood vessels dilate to decrease blood flow to the skin
D. Sweat glands decrease sweat production and blood vessels constrict to decrease blood flow to the skin
19. A group of researchers would like to study the effect of different insecticides on caterpillar mortality. In this
study, ________is the dependent variable.
A. Caterpillar mortality
B. Temperature
C. Amount of food provided
D. Different types of insecticides
20. In males, the urethra plays an additional role that is not present in females. Which of the following describes
this additional function?
A. It transports semen
B. It transports eggs to the uterus
C. It transports urine to the urinary bladder
D. It secretes semen
21. Which iron-containing protein binds to oxygen in the circulatory system?
A. Albumin
B. Hemoglobin
C. Protease
D. Trypsin
22. What would happen to the tidal volume if your chest is constricted (e.g., with a girdle or ace bandage)?
A. Increase
B. Decrease
C. Stay the same
D. Not enough information to determine
23. During gas exchange in the lungs, which of the following statements is correct?
A. Oxygen moves from capillaries to alveoli and carbon dioxide moves from alveoli to capillaries
B. Carbon dioxide moves from capillaries to alveoli and oxygen moves from alveoli to capillaries
C. Both oxygen and carbon dioxide move from alveoli to capillaries
D. Both oxygen and carbon dioxide move from capillaries to alveoli
24. Worn out and damaged red blood cells are taken out of the circulation in the _____.
A. Bone marrow
B. Lymph nodes
C. Kidneys
D. Spleen
25. Which of the following statements correctly describes the subatomic particles?
3
A.
B.
C.
D.
Protons are negatively charged whereas electrons are positively charged
An electron has a mass of 1 amu, same as a proton
Atoms of each particular element has a unique number of protons but can vary in number of neutrons
An atom’s mass is determined by the number of protons and electrons
26. Which of the following enzymes aids digestion by breaking down polysaccharides?
A. Lactase
B. Trypsin
C. Amylase
D. Lipase
27. Which of the following structures plays a role in transporting urine to the body exterior?
A. Kidney
B. Urinary bladder
C. Urethra
D. Ureter
28. The testes, are held by the_________external to the body
A. Epididymis
B. Vas deferens
C. Scrotum
D. Prostate
29. A pea plant has a genotype of TT for stem height. This pea plant is
A. Heterozygous dominant
B. Homozygous dominant
C. Heterozygous recessive
D. Homozygous recessive
30. Which of the following substances is a neurotransmitter released at the neuromuscular junction to induce
muscle contraction?
A. Dopamine
B. Acetylcholine
C. Melatonin
D. Nitric oxide
31. You need to measure 200 ml of a 5% glucose solution for an experiment. Which of the following laboratory
tools should you use?
A. Pipette
B. Electronic balance
C. Flask
D. Meter stick
32. A doctor noticed low bone mass and weak bone in a 66-year-old female patient who is otherwise healthy.
What condition is a likely cause of the demineralization in this patient?
A. Rheumatoid arthritis
B. Osteoporosis
C. Muscle dystrophy
D. Hyperthyroidism
33. Arrange the following events of cell communication via the synapse in the correct sequence.
a. Acetylcholine binds to the cell surface receptors of muscle fibers
4
b.
c.
d.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Acetylcholine is released from the axon terminal
Presynaptic motor neuron fires and nerve impulses travel to axon terminal
Acetylcholine diffuses through the synaptic cleft
a-b-d-c
b-c-d-a
c-b-d-a
d-b-c-a
34. Which of the following blood vessels carry blood away from the heart?
A. Arteries
B. Veins
C. Pulmonary arteries
D. Pulmonary veins
35. Which of the following cell types produces antibodies?
A. Dendritic cells
B. Antigen-presenting cells
C. T cells
D. Plasma cells
36. Which of the following is the middle section of the small intestine?
A. Ileum
B. Duodenum
C. Cecum
D. Jejunum
37. Which of the following structures does not contribute to semen?
A. Cowper’s gland
B. Prostate
C. Seminal gland
D. Vas deferens
38. Which of the following is produced by ovaries?
A. Prolactin
B. Progesterone
C. Oxytocin
D. Erythropoietin
39. A clinical trial was conducted to study the effect of a drug (RX) on reducing blood pressure. Blood pressure
were measured in 100 participants (divided to two groups) before and after the treatment. The data on systolic
blood pressure are shown below. Which of the following statements may be correct based on the experimental
data?
Group Pre-treatment Post-treatment
Control
175
155
RX
172
150
A. Drug RX seems to be ineffective in reducing the blood pressure because blood pressure increased in both
groups after the treatment
B. Drug RX can also decrease diastolic pressure in patients
C. The decrease in blood pressure in the Drug RX group is likely due to the placebo effect or chance and
further research is most likely needed
5
D. With a decrease of 22 mm Hg in systolic pressure, Drug RX is shown to be a very effective drug to reduce
blood pressure
40. Which of the following bones is proximal to patella?
A. Tibia
B. Femur
C. Fibula
D. Phalanges
41. Muscle cells and skin cells have different morphology and perform different functions. This is because they
differ in ________.
A. Types of chromosomes
B. Number of chromosomes
C. Genes expressed
D. Genome sequences
42. Which of the following statements is correct?
A. A segment of DNA is chromosome
B. Chromosomes are made up of DNA and proteins.
C. Genes are a segment of RNA
D. Each chromosome codes for a protein
43. Which of the following phase changes require the gain of heat?
A. Boiling
B. Freezing
C. Deposition
D. Condensation
44. A group of researchers would like to study the effect of practice time on math test scores in high school
students. They hypothesize that increasing practice time will improve math test scores in these students. In this
study, ________is the independent variable.
A. Test score
B. Grade
C. School district
D. Time spent on practice
45. Which of the following is a disaccharide?
A. glycogen
B. lactose
C. fructose
D. glucose
46-47. Below is the data a student collected in the lab. Based on the data, answer the next two questions.
Temperature of solvent (°C)
Rate of solubility (g/sec)
-20
0
-10
0
0
0
6
10
0
20
0.9
30
1.6
40
4.8
46. Which of the following statements regarding the experiment is correct?
A. The student measured the temperature and molecular weight of a substance
B. The student measured the solubility and the molecular movement speed of a substance
C. The student measured the solubility of a substance under different temperatures
D. The student measured the phase change of a substance under different temperatures.
47. Which of the following statements is appropriate based on the experimental data?
A. The rate of solubility remained zero below 0 °C and increased to 0.9 g/sec at 10 °C
B. The rate of solubility decreases as the temperature increases
C. The rate of solubility was the lowest at -20 °C and it reached the highest at 40 °C
D. The rate of solubility above 40 °C is unknown
48. Which functional division of the nervous system would be responsible for the physiological changes (e.g.,
increased heart rate and sweating) some people experience during events such as exams, job interviews, and
public speaking?
A. central
B. peripheral
C. somatic
D. automatic
49. If amylase is broken down to monomeric subunits, the monomers will be________.
A. amino acids
B. nucleotides
C. monosaccharides
D. glycerol and fatty acids
50. Balance this following chemical reaction:
A.
B.
C.
D.
2, 3, 2, 3
1, 3, 1, 3
2, 3, 1, 6
1, 3, 2, 6
51. Which of the following phase changes correctly explains why a glass of cold soda placed outside on a hot
summer day would have water all over the outside of the glass?
A. freezing
B. condensation
C. deposition
D. sublimation
7
52. Gloria has been living in the Swiss Alps for about a year for a research project. When she first moves there, she
has symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and dizziness. When she returns to New York City, she finds
out that her erythrocyte level is higher than normal. This is known as _____.
A. polycythemia
B. leukopenia
C. leukemia
D. anemia
53. C13and N15 have many applications in life sciences. For example, biologists have used the ratio of the ratio of to
determine food chain length and trophic structures. Compared with the more common C12 and N14, C13and N15
have different _________.
A. number of protons
B. number of neutrons
C. number of electrons
D. atomic numbers
8
Practice Test #1 Key and Explanations
1. The correct answer is A. An enzyme is a molecule, which is the lowest level among the six levels given. The next
level is goblet cell (cell level), epithelium (tissue level), small intestine (organ level), gastrointestinal system (organ
system), and dog (organism)
2. The correct answer is B. Although generally considered cardiovascular diseases, stroke and hypertension are
related to abnormal functions of the blood vessels. Anemia is a blood disease with reduced oxygen carrying
capacity, caused by factors such as low number of red blood cells or iron deficiency.
3. The correct answer is D. In order to answer this question, you need to be familiar with the term “medial” and
the locations of body organs and structures. The only structure that is closer to the midline of the body than the
kidneys is vertebral column.
4. The correct answer is C. Bile and the pancreatic juice flow into the small intestine and specifically the
duodenum.
5. The correct answer is B. Keratin is a large protective protein present in the skin and its accessory structures.
6. The correct answer is A. Ligaments connect bones to bones whereas tendons connect muscles to bones. In a
typical synovial joint image, the adjoining bones are joined by ligaments along with some other structures.
Sutures are fibrous joints found in the skull. Periosteum is a tough fibrous sheath that covers bones.
7. The correct answer is D. Ventricular relaxation and contraction generate diastolic and systolic pressures,
respectively.
8. The correct answer is C. Melatonin, secreted by the pineal gland, regulates sleep cycle. Pretest/sample
question—do not include in score calculation.
9. The correct answer is D. An extensive property changes depending on how much of a substance is present.
Mass, length, and volume are determined by the amount of a substance and thus are extensive properties. The
only intensive property in the answer choices is boiling point which is not dependent on the quantity of a
substance.
10. The correct answer is C. Flight-and-fight response is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system, often in an
emergency situation.
11. The correct answer is B. Phalanges are long bones. Patella is a special type of short bone, and all carpals and
tarsals are short bones.
12. The correct answer is A. Some students get nucleus and nucleolus confused. The nucleolus is a region in the
nucleus where ribosomes are assembled. Mitochondrion is the power house of the cell; glucose is oxidized here
to generate energy (i.e., ATP) for cellular functions. Ribosome is the protein-making machine. Ribosomes read the
genetic information in messenger RNA and synthesize proteins following the genetic instructions.
13. The correct answer is C. The bone is the site of hematopoiesis and not the kidneys. However, kidneys are
involved in the regulation of red blood cell production via the hormone erythropoietin. Kidneys also produce renin
which plays a role in blood pressure regulation. Kidneys also maintains the homeostasis of water, electrolytes, and
pH.
14. The correct answer is B. During hyperventilation, the body is taking in too much air which results in high O2
level and low CO2 level. The low CO2 will further lead to high pH (more CO2, more acidic, lower pH; less CO2, less
acidic, higher pH).
9
15. The correct answer is A. The adaptive immunity, including humoral and cell-mediated immunity, is specific.
Skin and mucosa are part of the first line of defense (non-specific), and complement and phagocytes are part of
the second line of defense (non-specific). Answer B, C, and D will target any invading foreign substances whereas
A will only target a specific foreign invader.
16. The correct answer is A. Food will travel down the trachea (known as the windpipe), and head for the lungs.
17. The correct answer is B. Most of the enzymes are proteins. Some are RNAs.
18. The correct answer is D. When it is cold, the body tries to reduce heat loss. Sweat production will decrease
and blood flow (carrying heat) to the body surface will also decrease due to the constriction of blood vessels. On a
hot day, sweat production will increase and blood flow to the body surface will increase due to the dilation of
blood vessels.
19. The correct answer is A. The variable that is measured in the study and is affected by the different types of
insecticides (independent variable) is caterpillar mortality. Temperature and food are controlled variables that
need to be kept the same amount all treatments.
20. The correct answer is A. In males the urethra transports both urine and semen. Ureters, not urethra, transport
urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. Urethra is not a gland and it does not secrete semen.
Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
21. The correct answer is B. Hemoglobin binds to oxygen (and carbon dioxide) and this is the mechanism for red
blood cells to transport oxygen. Albumin is a protein present in plasma that transports certain substances.
Protease refers to enzymes that break down proteins. Trypsin is a type of protease found in the digestive system
to digest proteins in food.
22. The correct answer is B. If the chest is constricted, the chest cannot expand as much and this will reduce how
much air can be breathed in and out of the lungs, which is the tidal volume.
23. The correct answer is B. CO2 moves out of capillaries (very small blood vessels) into alveoli whereas O2 moves
from the alveoli to the blood.
24. The correct answer is D. Worn out and damaged RBCs are removed in the spleen.
25. The correct answer is C. A is incorrect because protons are positively charged and electrons are negatively
charged. B is incorrect because electrons are not considered in calculating the atomic mass; their mass is
negligible. D is incorrect because an atom’s mass is determined by the number of protons and neutrons (not
electrons).
26. The correct answer is C. Amylase breaks down starch, a polysaccharide. Lactase breaks down lactose (milk
sugar; a disaccharide). Trypsin breaks down proteins whereas lipase digests lipid.
27. The correct answer is C. The urethra transports urine to the body exterior. The ureters transport urine from
the kidneys to the urine bladder.
28. The correct answer is C. The testes are held in the scrotum.
29. The correct answer is B. Capital letters usually indicate dominant alleles. TT is homozygous dominant.
30. The correct answer is B. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter motor neurons release at the neuromuscular
junction to “activate” the muscle fibers. Dopamine is also a neurotransmitter but plays a different role from
acetylcholine. Dopamine gives us the feeling of pleasure and is involved in motivating behavior. It is released after
certain activities such as eating delicious food or exercise. Melatonin is a hormone used to regulate the sleep
cycle. Nitric oxide, an odorless gas, is also a chemical messenger used by our body like acetylcholine and
10
dopamine. It is a signaling molecule important for certain pathways such as the cardiovascular system where it
causes vasodilation (blood vessels dilate).
31. The correct answer is C. The volumetric flask provides the most accurate measurement of liquid volume.
Pipettes are normally used for measuring a much smaller volume of liquid, usually less than a few milliliters.
32. The correct answer is B. Considering the patient’s gender and age, she is likely suffering osteoporosis due to
the low estrogen production after menopause. Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease and may happen
to younger individuals. Muscle dystrophy is about muscles and not bones. Hyperthyroidism affects metabolism,
which is caused by the over production of thyroid hormone. But it is irrelevant to calcium homeostasis and bone
health. Parathyroid gland, and not thyroid gland, regulates the homeostasis of calcium level. Overly active
parathyroid gland can lead to the loss of bone mass as the osteoclasts are stimulated to break down the bones.
33. The correct answer is C. First, the presynaptic cell (motor neuron) fires and the nerve impulses travel to the
axon terminal causing the release of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Acetylcholine diffuses through the space
between the two cells (known as the synaptic cleft), and eventually binds to the receptors of the postsynaptic cell
(muscle fiber). This binding will further trigger a series of changes in the muscle fibers causing the muscle fibers to
contract.
34. The correct answer is A. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart, whereas veins
carry blood toward the heart. Pulmonary arteries are too specific in this case; they only transport blood away
from the heart to the lungs.
35. The correct answer is D. Plasma cells, a special group of B cells, produce antibodies.
36. The correct answer is D. The three sections in order are duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
37. The correct answer is D. Vas deferens is a tubular structure that transports sperm. It does not secrete anything
as part of the semen. A quick note: most college AP textbooks use “bulbo-urethral gland” instead of Cowper’s
gland. But Cowper’s gland has been used on TEAS, so be sure to know both names. All the other three glands,
Cowper’s gland, prostate and seminal glands, secrete part of the semen fluid.
38. The correct answer is B. Estrogen and progesterone, the female sex hormones, are produced by ovaries.
Prolactin is synthesized in the pituitary gland. Oxytocin is produced by hypothalamus. Erythropoietin is
synthesized in the kidneys.
39. The correct answer is C. The decrease in blood pressure was 22 mm Hg in the experimental group and 20 mm
Hg in the control group, a minor and probably non-significant difference. This suggests that the drug RX is not
effective in reducing the systolic pressure and the 2 mm Hg difference could be due to chance. A is not correct
because post-treatment measurements of blood pressure for both groups were lower than (and not higher than)
levels prior to the treatment. B is incorrect because the data are about systolic pressure and there is no mention
of how RX would affect the diastolic pressure. D is incorrect because you need to compare the results to the
control. If both RX group and the control have similar decreases in blood pressure, e.g., 20 vs 22 mmHg in this
case, the drug is probably not effective.
40. The correct answer is B. In order to answer this question, you need to be familiar with the term “proximal”
and the locations of bones. Only the femur (thigh bone) is closer to the body trunk than the patella (kneecap).
41. The correct answer is C. All muscle and skin cells of a particular organism have the same genes and genome
sequences as well as types and numbers of chromosomes. The only thing that differs between different types of
cells is that they express different sets of genes from the same genome. For a quick and overly simplified example,
if the total genome of an organism has 10 genes, muscle cells may express Genes 1 and 4. Whereas skin cells may
11
express Genes 2 and 6. This results in production of different protein products and leads to different appearances
and functions of cells.
42. The correct answer is B. Genes (not chromosomes) are segments of DNA (not RNA). Each gene codes for a
protein. A chromosome may contain many genes and code for many proteins. The only correct answer is B,
chromosomes are made up of DNA and proteins (mostly histone proteins).
43. The correct answer is A. Boiling requires the gain of heat, meaning that the change of state from liquid to gas
requires the input of heat. All the other phase changes are from less orderly state to more orderly state (e.g., gas
to liquid [condensation], liquid to solid [freezing], gas to solid [deposition]), which requires the loss of heat (these
processes release heat). You can also figure out the answer is boiling because one needs to heat up water (or
another substance) to boil. In this process, heat/energy is provided.
44. The correct answer is D. The variable that is being tested in this study (independent variable) is time spent on
practice. This independent variable may affect the dependent variable which is test score. Grade and school
district are factors that may be taken into consideration as controlled variables as these factors may affect the
results if not kept the same.
45. The correct answer is B. Lactose is a disaccharide made up of one glucose and one galactose. Glycogen is a
polysaccharide made up of many glycose molecules, whereas fructose and glucose are both monosaccharides.
Other examples of common disaccharides include sucrose and maltose. Pretest/sample question—do not
include in score calculation.
46. The correct answer is C. The student measured the solubility of a particular substance under different
temperatures to determine the effect of temperature on solubility.
47. The correct answer is D. Based on the data in the table, the rate of solubility was measured between -20 °C
and 40 °C. How the solubility would change above 40 °C would be unknown. A is incorrect because the rate of
solubility reached 0.9 g/sec at 20 °C and not 10 °C. B is incorrect because the rate of solubility increases as
temperature increases above 20 °C it is a positive relationship. C is incorrect because the rate of solubility was
zero for the first few temperatures and it was zero at between -20 °C and 10 °C, so -20 °C is not the only
temperature point when solubility was the lowest.
48. The correct answer is D. These physiological functions are involuntary responses under the control of
autonomic division of the nervous system (“autopilot”). The somatic division controls skeletal muscles and
voluntary movements. Central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) are not the functional
division the question asks for.
12
49. The correct answer is A. Amylase is a protein enzyme. Once amylase is broken down, the molecule will be
broken down to the building blocks (monomers) of protein, which are amino acids.
50. The correct answer is C. Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
51. The correct answer is B. Warm air comes into contact with cold glass. The water vapor in the air changes to
liquid water due to the temperature drop, which is called condensation (from gas to liquid). There is no solid
forming in this case, so freezing (liquid to solid) and deposition (gas to solid) are not correct. There is no gas
forming in this case, Sublimation is from solid to gas which is also incorrect. Pretest/sample question—do not
include in score calculation.
52. The correct answer is A. Upon first moving to a high-altitude area, symptoms such as shortness of breath and
feeling tired may develop because of the thinner area in high altitude areas. Such air does not contain as much
oxygen as the air from lower altitude areas. As the oxygen supply drops, the body is likely to try to increase the
oxygen carrying capacity of the blood by producing more oxygen carrying red blood cells. This will lead to
polycythemia, which is not considered a disorder in this case.
53. The correct answer is B. C12 and C13, N14 and N15 are isotopes and thus differ in the number of neutrons.
Isotopes are the same element and have the same number of protons and atomic number as well as the same
number of electrons. Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
13
Practice Test #2
1. Which of the following statements about the body system and its functions is correct?
A. The urinary system filters blood and remove metabolic wastes and foreign invaders
B. The endocrine system maintains the body’s homeostasis via hormones and is considered the fast-acting
control system of the body
C. The cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels which produce and transport blood
D. The reproduction system produces gametes for fertilization and produce sex hormones to promote
development of sex organs and gametes
2. Which of the following types of joints is freely movable?
A. fibrous joint
B. cartilaginous joint
C. ball-and-socket joint
D. all of the above
3. Which of the following structures may be visible if sectioned by a median plane and a transverse plane at the
same time?
A. scapula
B. sternum
C. lungs
D. carpals
4. What do the majority of genes code for that determine traits?
A. proteins
B. carbohydrates
C. lipids
D. nucleic acids
5. The lungs are covered by a double-layer membrane called______.
A. pleura
B. pericardium
C. endocardium
D. periosteum
6. Cardiac muscle is found in the _____layer of the heart.
A. Periosteum
B. Myocardium
C. Pericardium
D. Pleura
7. Which of the following structures is found exclusively in females?
A. Ureter
B. Fallopian tube
C. Cowper’s gland
D. Parathyroid gland
8. Which of the following values is appropriate for the length of the human humerus bone?
A. 30 g
B. 30 m
14
C. 30 cm
D. 30 mm
9. A deficiency in this element may impair hemoglobin synthesis and lead to anemia.
A. Na
B. K
C. Mg
D. Fe
10. What is the protective pigment that shields the nuclei of skin cells from UV radiation?
A. Melatonin
B. Melanin
C. Keratinocyte
D. Adipocyte
11. Osteomalacia is a condition characterized by soft bones. It is prevalent in Muslim countries where women
cover their body except the eyes. What is the cause of this condition in Muslim women in relationship to the
function of the skin?
A. Skin is not exposed to normal bacteria and particles and as a result, the immune system develops
hypersensitivity and starts to attack bone tissue
B. Such dressing code impairs the mechanism of temperature regulation by the skin via blood flow and
sweat production
C. Skin is not exposed to sunlight which leads to low estrogen production; similar to the cause of
osteoporosis in women going through menopause
D. Skin is not exposed to sunlight which leads to low vitamin D production; vitamin D is critical for calcium
absorption to maintain bone health
12. What happens to O2 and CO2 levels during hyperventilation?
A. O2 and CO2 levels increase
B. O2 and CO2 levels decrease
C. O2 level increases and CO2 level decreases
D. O2 level decreases and CO2 level increases
13. Which of the following structures connects the kidneys to the urinary bladder?
A. Kidney
B. Urinary bladder
C. Urethra
D. Ureter
14. Which of the following connects muscles to bones?
A. Ligaments
B. Tendons
C. Synovial membrane
D. Periosteum
15. Which of the following cell organelles uses the genetic information in mRNA to synthesize proteins?
A. Nucleus
B. Mitochondrion
C. Nucleolus
D. Ribosome
16. In a blood pressure reading of 130/80 mm, 130 and 80 refer to ________blood pressure, respectively.
15
A.
B.
C.
D.
Systolic and diastolic
Diastolic and systolic
High and low
Low and high
17. Which of the following is under involuntary control?
A. Speaking
B. Digestion
C. Jumping
D. Swallowing
18. Which of the following conditions is caused by abnormal white blood cells?
A. Stroke
B. Sickle cell disease
C. Polycythemia
D. Leukemia
19. The following chemical reaction is ________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Synthesis
Decomposition
Single displacement
Double displacement
20. Gas exchange in tissues is due to which of the following concentration gradients?
A. Lower oxygen and higher carbon dioxide in cells than in blood
B. Lower carbon dioxide and higher oxygen in cells than in blood
C. Lower oxygen and carbon dioxide in cells than in blood
D. Higher oxygen and carbon dioxide in cells than in blood
21. The heart generates a typical “lub-dub” sound. The “lub” sound is due to the closing of_____.
A. Atrioventricular valves
B. Pulmonary valve
C. Aortic valve
D. Semilunar valves
22. Which of the following macromolecules stores information that is used to direct protein synthesis?
A. Nucleic acids
B. Proteins
C. Carbohydrates
D. Lipids
23. Which of the following organs produces bile?
A. Liver
B. Gallbladder
C. Small intestine
D. Pancreas
24. Which of the following structures is shared by the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems?
A. Nasal cavity
B. Pharynx
16
C. Larynx
D. Esophagus
25. If you add proteases to a protein shake and wait for some time for the chemical reactions to take place. What
new substances do you expect to find that are not in the original protein shake?
A. Nucleotides
B. Amino acids
C. Simple sugars
D. Fatty acids and glycerol
26. Which of the following cell types is involved in humoral immunity?
A. Cells in the thymus
B. Monocytes
C. T cells
D. B cells
27. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, in which tissues of the _____are attacked by one’s own
immune system.
A. Bone
B. Joint
C. Muscle
D. Bone marrow
28. How do you predict the rate of chemical reaction would change based on the graph below?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Chemical reaction rate will be increase as NaCl concentration increases
Chemical reaction rate will be decrease as NaCl concentration increases
Chemical reaction rate will be the highest at medium NaCl concentration
NaCl concentration has little effect on enzyme activity
29. Which of the following substances is not normally present in a healthy person’s urine?
A. creatinine
B. glucose
C. urea
17
D. potassium
30. The appendix is connected to which section of the large intestine?
A. Jejunum
B. Cecum
C. Rectum
D. sigmoid colon
31. Which of the following glands plays a role in regulating sleep cycle?
A. pituitary gland
B. thyroid gland
C. hypothalamus
D. pineal body
32. Which of the following breaks down the bone matrix and is involved in bone remodeling?
A. osteoblast
B. osteoclast
C. osteon
D. osteocyte
33. A pea plant with a genotype of Tt crosses with a pea plant of tt. What do you predict regarding the genotype
and phenotype of the offspring? T= tall, t=short
A. all offspring will be Tt
B. all offspring will be homozygous
C. offspring may be tall or short and the ratio of tall to short is 3:1
D. offspring may be tall or short and the ratio of tall to short is 1:1
34. When a person feels a hot object, it is a process of ________.
A. sensory input
B. integration
C. motor input
D. motor output
35. Deoxygenated blood in the right atrium will flow this pathway next:
A. right ventricle, pulmonary arteries, lungs
B. right ventricle, pulmonary veins, lungs
C. right ventricle, aorta, body
D. right ventricle, superior and inferior venae cavae, body
36. Which of the following cell organelles modifies, sorts and tags proteins before they become the final protein
products and are sent off to intracellular locations or outside the cell?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. mitochondrion
C. lysosome
D. vacuole
37. Many cells in the blood are part of the body defense system. Which of the following cells is not involved in
fighting infections?
A. Platelets
B. Monocytes
C. Neutrophils
D. eosinophils
18
38. The pathway of air flow in the human body is correctly described in ________.
A. nasal cavity, trachea, larynx, pharynx, bronchi, lungs
B. nasal cavity, trachea, bronchi, pharynx, larynx, lungs
C. nasal cavity, pharynx, trachea, larynx, bronchi, lungs
D. nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs
39. The contraction and relaxation of the smooth muscles in the gastrointestinal tract produces wave-like
movement that pushes food bolus down the GI tract. This wave-like movement is known as _________.
A. mechanical digestion
B. involuntary muscle movement
C. peristalsis
D. chemical digestion
40. Metabolic wastes from organic macromolecules such as urea and uric acid are removed from the blood which
of the following organs?
A. Lungs
B. Liver
C. Large intestine
D. Kidney
41. In an adrenaline rush, adrenaline, commonly known as the “fight-or-flight” hormone, is released suddenly by
which of the following glands?
A. Hypothalamus
B. Liver
C. Pituitary gland
D. Adrenal glands
42. Which of the following statements correctly describes translation?
A. In translation, the genetic information in mRNA is used to direct the synthesis of proteins in the
cytoplasm
B. In translation, DNA exits the nucleus and deliver the genetic instructions to ribosomes to synthesize
proteins
C. The genetic codon that codes for one amino acid consists of 2-4 nucleotides with one start codon and
three stop codons
D. In translation, mRNA is read by ribosomes to reversely synthesize DNA which is common in viruses
43. Which of the following may increase the production of erythropoietin by the negative feedback?
A. consuming foods rich in iron
B. daily exercise
C. polycythemia
D. lung diseases that lower the amount of oxygen obtained by the body
44-47. A researcher is interested in the anti-cancer property of a new substance, specifically two concentrations
of this substance for potentially treating cancer. She prepared cell cultures and exposed cells to solutions of
different concentrations of this substance for 96 hours. Below is a table showing the data from her experiments.
Answer the following questions related to this study.
Control
Initial cell density
Cell density after 96 h
10000 cells/ml
9500 cells/ml
19
5 mg/L substance
10000 cells/ml
3000 cells/ml
50 mg/L substance
10000 cells/ml
8000 cells/ml
44. Which of the following is the hypothesis for this study?
A. Cells will die over a period of 96 hours
B. This new substance will help cancer cells grow and multiply
C. This new substance will inhibit cancer cell growth
D. A new cell culture medium will inhibit cancer cell growth
45. Which of the following is the independent variable of this experiment?
A. cell number reduction
B. type of cancer cells
C. experimental duration
D. the new substance
46. Which of the following best describes the results of this study?
A. The 50 g/L concentration of this new substance induced the highest reduction in cell density
B. There is little reduction in the cell density of the control which is normal due to random fluctuation of cell
density
C. Cell density was decreased in all three treatments in 48 hours.
D. The 5 g/L concentration of this new substance reduced the cell density by 50%
47. Which of the following would invalid the results of this experiment?
A. keep experimental temperature the same among all treatments
B. use three different cell media, one for each of the three groups
C. use one type of cell for all treatments
D. repeat the experiment
48. Balance this chemical reaction:
A.
B.
C.
D.
1, 1, 1, 1
1, 3, 1, 3
3, 1, 3, 1
1, 2, 1, 2
49. Nutrients such as carbohydrates and lipids in food provide the daily energy demand of our body. The energy
stored in these nutrients is_______.
A. chemical energy
B. kinetic energy
C. radiation energy
D. light energy
50. Huntington’s disease is a dominant genetic disease which often manifests later in life. A young couple who
plans to have a child soon consults a genetic counselor due to the consideration of family history. The genetic
testing results indicate that one of them is heterozygous dominant and the other one is recessive. How would the
genetic counselor advise the couple regarding the possibility of their potential child having this genetic disease?
A. 25%
B. 50%
20
C. 75%
D. 100%
51. Which of the following best describes a fascicle?
A. bundle of myofilaments
B. bundle of myofibrils
C. a muscle
D. bundle of muscle fibers enclosed by perimysium
52. Arrange the layers of the skin from the deepest layer outward.
A. dermis, epidermis, hypodermis
B. epidermis, dermis, hypodermis
C. hypodermis, epidermis, dermis
D. hypodermis, dermis, epidermis
53. Ice floats in liquid water. This is because _________.
A. Ice has a higher molecular weight than water
B. Ice has a lower molecular weight than water
C. Ice has a higher density than water
D. Ice has a lower density than water
21
Practice Test #2 Key and Explanations
1. The correct answer is D. For A, the urinary system filters blood to remove metabolic wastes, but it does not
remove foreign invaders (that is the job for immune and lymphatic systems). B mistakes the endocrine system for
the fast-acting control system of the body; the endocrine system is the slow-acting control system whereas the
nervous system is the fast-acting system. C is incorrect because the cardiovascular system does not produce
blood; red bone marrow is the site of hemopoiesis.
2. The correct answer is C. Synovial joints, including ball-and-socket joints, are movable joints. Fibrous joints (e.g.,
sutures of the skull) are immovable and cartilaginous joints are slightly movable.
3. The correct answer is B, sternum. In order to answer this question, you need to be familiar with the body
sections and plans – sagittal (including median/midsagittal), transverse, and coronal. The median plane goes
through the midline of the body while the transverse plane goes through the body horizontally. Scapula, lungs,
and carpals may be visible if sectioned by a transverse plan but not a median plane.
4. The correct answer is A. Some genes code for RNA but the majority of genes code for proteins. Proteins directly
determine traits.
5. The correct answer is A. Pericardium encloses the heart and the visceral layer of pericardium, known as the
epicardium, is considered the outermost layer of the heart wall. Endocardium is the deepest layer (inner lining) of
the heart wall. Periosteum is the connective tissue layer covering bones.
6. The correct answer is B. “Myo” refers to muscle. Myocardium is the middle layer of the heart wall and is
composed of cardiac muscle.
7. The correct answer is B. Fallopian tubes are unique to females. The Cowper’s gland is also known as the bulbourethral gland and is a gland found in males. Both females and males have ureters and parathyroid glands.
8. The correct answer is C. A is a measurement of weight (mass) and not length. Meter is too large for measuring
the length of bones. On the other hand, a millimeter is too small for measuring the length of bones.
9. The correct answer is D. Iron, with an element symbol of Fe, is a component of hemoglobin. Iron deficiency
leads to low levels of hemoglobin and anemia.
10. The correct answer is B, melanin. Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain to regulate
sleep. It is spelled similar to melanin. Keratinocytes are cells in the skin that produce keratin. Adipocytes are
commonly known as fat cells.
11. The correct answer is D. UV in the sunlight is required for skin to produce vitamin D. If the skin is covered and
UV is blocked, it will disrupt the vitamin D production in the skin and lead to calcium deficiency.
12. The correct answer is C. During hyperventilation, the body is taking in too much air which results in high O2
level and low CO2 level.
13. The correct answer is D. The ureters transport urine from the kidneys to the urine bladder.
14. The correct answer is B. Tendons connect muscles to bones whereas ligaments connect bones to bones.
15. The correct answer is D. Ribosomes synthesize proteins using the genetic information in mRNA.
16. The correct answer is A. In blood pressure reading, the high number refers to the systolic pressure and the low
number refers to the diastolic pressure.
22
17. The correct answer is B. Any activities that involve skeletal muscles would be under voluntary control. On the
other hand, smooth muscles, cardiac muscles, and glands are controlled by involuntary nerve signals. A, C, and D
all involve skeletal muscles. Digestion, which involves smooth muscles and glands, is controlled involuntarily.
18. The correct answer is D. Abnormal white blood cells cause leukemia.
19. The correct answer is D. This is a double displacement reaction. Pretest/sample question—do not include in
score calculation.
20. The correct answer is A. Gas exchange in tissues is driven by the concentration gradients of O2 and CO2
between the blood and the cells. Specifically, O2 is higher in blood and lower in cells, and will move from blood to
cells. CO2 is lower in blood and higher in cells, and will move from cells to blood.
21. The correct answer is A. The first heart sound “lub” is generated by the closing of the two atrioventricular
valves, namely mitral and tricuspid valves.
22. The correct answer is A. Nucleic acids, such as DNA, store the genetic information that is used to direct protein
synthesis.
23. The correct answer is A. The bile is stored in the gallbladder but it is produced by the liver.
24. The correct answer is B. Pharynx is shared by the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. Both the air and
food travel through the pharynx.
25. The correct answer is B. Proteases break down proteins in the protein shake to the building blocks which are
amino acids.
26. The correct answer is D. B cells are involved in humoral immunity whereas T cells (mature in the thymus) are
involved in cell-mediated immunity. Monocytes are part of the second line of defense (non-specific).
27. The correct answer is B. Rheumatoid arthritis is a joint disease, where one’s own immune system attacks the
tissues of the joint.
28. The answer is C. Enzyme activity determines the rate of chemical reactions enzymes catalyze. Therefore, a
high enzyme activity will result in a high chemical reaction rate. This is a bell-shaped curve, which suggests that
the enzyme activity increases until reaching a point and then decreases. The enzyme has the highest activity at
medium NaCl concentration and at this concentration, the rate of the chemical reaction will be the highest.
29. The correct answer is B. Creatinine is a normal constituent in the urine. It is a metabolic waste from normal
functions of muscles and is filtered out of the blood by the kidneys. Urea is produced during protein metabolism.
Electrolytes such as Na (sodium) and K (potassium) are also normal constituents in the urine. The urine of a
healthy person does not normally contain glucose as glucose is usually reabsorbed back to the blood. However,
high blood glucose levels can lead to the presence of glucose in the urine, as seen in diabetic patients.
30. The correct answer is B. The appendix is attached to cecum (beginning of the large intestine).
31. The correct answer is D. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland/body to regulate sleep cycle.
32. The correct answer is B. Osteoclasts are cells that break down bones. A trick to remember this is the letter “c”
in osteoclast is “cleave”, meaning split or sever. Osteoblasts synthesize the bone matrix – the letter “b” for
building bones. Osteons are structural units of long bones. Osteocytes are mature bone cells “trapped” in lacunae;
they originate from osteoblasts.
23
33. The correct answer is D. A Tt x tt cross will result in 50% Tt (tall) and 50% tt (short). Therefore, the offspring
will be 50% tall and 50% short and the ratio is 1:1. A Tt x Tt cross will result in a 3:1 phenotypic ratio.
Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
34. The correct answer is A. Feeling something/sensation is sensory input. The sensory receptors gather
information, temperature in this case, and send the information to the brain to be processed. This is sensory
input. Integration is when the central nervous system (CNS) processes the sensory information and makes a
decision. Once the CNS makes a decision and sends the message to muscles or glands to respond, that is motor
output.
35. The correct answer is A. Deoxygenated blood needs to travel to the lungs to get oxygenated. Therefore, blood
will enter the right ventricle, then pulmonary arteries, and the lungs.
36. The correct answer is A. The Golgi apparatus modifies and packages proteins. Mitochondrion is the power
house of the cell where glucose is broken down to release energy (stored in ATP) for cellular functions. Lysosome
contains digestive enzymes and is usually involved in breaking down and recycle worn out cell organelles. Vacuole
is usually used for transporting and storing substances such as water, sugar, etc.
37. The correct answer is A. Monocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils are white blood cells that fight foreign
invaders. Platelets, on the other hand, are involved in repair and healing of injured tissues.
38. The correct answer is D. Air is drawn into the nasal cavity, flows first past the pharynx (throat), larynx (voice
box), trachea (commonly referred to as the windpipe), two bronchi, and finally the lungs.
39. The correct answer is C. The question is about the definition for peristalsis. Peristalsis is present in other
tracts/canals as well, for instance, in the ureters to move urine down the ureters.
40. The correct answer is D. Kidneys filter blood and remove metabolic wastes from blood.
41. The correct answer is D. Adrenaline is released by the adrenal glands in an emergency situation.
42. The correct answer is A. B is incorrect because DNA does not exit the nucleus. mRNA carries the genetic
information from DNA and leaves the nucleus to deliver the information to ribosomes. C is incorrect because each
genetic codon consists of exactly 3 nucleotides, and not a range of 2-4 nucleotides. D is false because mRNA is
read by ribosomes to synthesize proteins, not DNA. Some viruses can carry out reverse transcription where they
use RNA as a template to synthesize DNA. But keep in mind that this is reverse transcription and not translation.
43. The answer is D. This question is about determining the causal relationship and sequence of events. The body
uses the negative feedback mechanism to regulate production of erythropoietin. If the blood oxygen level goes
down, kidneys will ramp up erythropoietin production. Some lung diseases decrease oxygen taken in by the body
and this will stimulate the kidneys to make more erythropoietin to increase the number of red blood cells as an
effort to increase the blood oxygen level.
44. The correct answer is C. The key information in the question is “the anti-cancer property of a new substance”.
Cancer is uncontrolled cell growth. The “anti-cancer property” indicates that the researcher hypothesizes that
this new substance inhibits/slows down cancer cell growth. Therefore, C is the correct answer and A and B are
wrong. There is no mention of a new cell culture medium in the question so D is irrelevant.
45. The correct answer is D. The study tests the effect of the new substance on cell growth. The new substance is
the independent variable.
46. The correct answer is B. There is a very small drop in cell density for the control. This is common as cell density
fluctuates during an experiment; it may be slightly higher or lower than the initial cell density. As long as the
decrease or increase is not too much, it is acceptable (often protocols will state how much change is acceptable
24
for the control group). A is not correct because the lower concentration (5 g/L) actually causes the highest
reduction. C is not correct because the data are about 96-hour exposure and not 48-hour exposure. We would not
know what happened at the 48-hour time point. D is not correct because the reduction from 10000 cells/ml to
3000 cells/ml is almost three-fold and not 50%.
47. The correct answer is B. Different cell media may have different effects on cell growth and confound the
results. Therefore, the research has to use the same type of cell medium for all treatments in this experiment.
48. The correct answer is C.
49. The correct answer is A. The energy stored in chemicals including carbohydrates and lipids is chemical energy.
Kinetic energy is the energy contained in moving objects, such as a wind turbine and a running person. Radiation
energy is released by radioactive substances. Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
50. The correct answer is B. The key information in the question is that Huntington’s disease is a dominant genetic
condition. This means that both HH and Hh genotypes lead to the development of the disease in adulthood. The
couple’s genotypes are heterozygous dominant (Hh) and recessive (hh). Based on the Punnett Square, the
offspring’s genotypes are Hh (50%) and hh (50%). Therefore, the chances that their child may have Huntington’s is
50% (Hh genotype).
51. The correct answer is D. A fascicle is a bundle of muscle fibers and each fascicle is enclosed by a connective
tissue sheath called perimysium. The organization of muscle from large to small scale is: a particular muscle,
fascicles, muscle fibers, myofibrils, and myofilaments (myosin and actin). Pretest/sample question—do not
include in score calculation.
52. The correct answer is D. “Hypo” means below and “epi” means upon, above. Hypodermis is deep to dermis,
and dermis is deep to epidermis (the most superficial layer of the skin). Pretest/sample question—do not include
in score calculation.
53. The correct answer is D. Ice has a lower density than water and is lighter than water. Both ice and liquid water
are water and have the same molecular weight. Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
25
Practice Test #3
1. The movement of air in and out of the body via inhalation and exhalation is known as_____.
A. Lung capacity
B. Ventilation
C. Perfusion
D. Gas exchange
2. Which of the following hormones maintains secondary sex characteristics in females?
A. Estrogen
B. Progesterone
C. Oxytocin
D. testosterone
3. Which of the following body systems picks up excess fluid from tissues, and monitors and removes foreign
substances?
A. cardiovascular system
B. lymphatic system
C. immune system
D. endocrine system
4. Which of the following statements correctly explains why sweating cools down the body?
A. Water changing from liquid phase to gas phase requires gain of heat and takes heat away from the body.
B. Water changing from liquid phase to gas phase requires loss of heat and takes heat away from the body.
C. Water changing from gas phase to liquid phase requires gain of heat and takes heat away from the body.
D. Water changing from gas phase to liquid phase requires loss of heat and takes heat away from the body.
5. Which of the following organs stores bile?
A. Liver
B. Gallbladder
C. Small intestine
D. Pancreas
6. Candy and other sweet food items are likely to have a great amount of ______.
A. Protein
B. Nucleic acid
C. Lipid
D. Carbohydrate
7. A person retracts the hand to avoid a hot object. It is a process of ________.
A. sensory input
B. integration
C. motor input
D. motor output
8. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms whose genetic material has been modified through
genetic engineering in order to obtain desired traits that do not naturally occur. For example, many genetically
modified crops contain a foreign gene called Bt, which allows the plants to make a pest-killing toxin normally
produced by a soil bacterium. Some researchers are working to find more genes like the Bt gene in the laboratory.
They recently tested two candidate genes from some soil bacteria to treat corn earworms and obtained the
26
following results. Which of the following statements is correct based on the information and data from this
hypothetical study?
Group
Corn earworm caterpillar mortality (%)
Control (corn without bacterial gene) 2
Group A (corn with bacterial gene 1) 80
Group B (corn with bacterial gene 2) 5
A. The hypothesis is that Group A and Group B should have higher caterpillar mortality than control due to
the bacterial gene inserted in the plants.
B. Temperature and sunlight may have little impact on the experiment results and do not need to be
controlled during the experiment.
C. Bacterial gene 2 appears to be effective against corn earworms with a caterpillar survival rate of 5%
D. These two bacterial genes allow the corn plants to kill pests other than corn earworms.
9. In the cortex of the kidney reside the majority of the functional units of the kidney, known as_____.
A. proximal tubule
B. distal tubule
C. glomerulus
D. nephron
10. Which of the following organ systems detects and processes sensory information and consequently activates
body responses?
A. cardiovascular system
B. nervous system
C. endocrine system
D. skeletal system
11. The elbow is _______to the shoulder of a human body.
A. proximal
B. distal
C. median
D. Anterior
12. To measure 1.2 g of NaCl salt, it is best to use which of the following laboratory instruments?
A. micropipette
B. balance
C. flask
D. ruler
13. Which of the following endocrine glands is not located in the brain?
A. parathyroid gland
B. pituitary gland
C. pineal gland
D. hypothalamus
14. Low levels of hemoglobin lead to __________.
A. polycythemia
B. anemia
C. leukemia
D. leukopenia
15. Oxygenated blood in the left atrium will flow this pathway:
27
A.
B.
C.
D.
left ventricle, pulmonary arteries, lungs
left ventricle, pulmonary veins, lungs
left ventricle, aorta, body
left ventricle, superior and inferior vena cavae, body
16. Sebum, an oily substance, is secreted by which of the following structures in the skin to soften and lubricate
the hair and the skin?
A. Sudoriferous gland
B. Mammary gland
C. Sebaceous gland
D. Hair follicles
17. Heartbeat is under ________.
A. voluntary control
B. involuntary control
C. sensory control
D. both voluntary and involuntary control
18. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord due to the damage of this
white fatty material that protects and insulates nerves.
A. myelin
B. acetylcholine
C. melanin
D. dopamine
19. Which of the following structures is the breathing control center through monitoring of CO2 level and blood
pH?
A. heart
B. hypothalamus
C. diaphragm
D. medulla
20. Which of the following does not describe kidney functions?
A. Filtering blood and removing wastes
B. Secretion of adrenaline
C. Regulate blood pressure
D. Regulate red blood cell production
21. A student performed an experiment where she crossed two heterozygous red flower plants. She gathered the
50 seeds and planted them. She obtained 37 red flower plants and 13 white flower plants. Which of the following
statements is likely true based on the experiment results?
A. Red flower is likely a recessive trait
B. The color trait appears to follow Mendelian laws of heredity.
C. The color trait appears to follow non-Mendelian laws of heredity.
D. The ratio of red to white is approximately 1:1.
22. Which of the following may increase blood calcium level?
A. high osteoblast activity
B. high osteoclast activity
C. deficiency in vitamin D
D. high estrogen level
28
23. A chemical, after analysis, is shown to consist of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen in the ratio of 1:1:2. Based on
your knowledge, this chemical is mostly likely to be which of the following compounds?
A. Glycogen
B. Hemoglobin
C. Triglyceride
D. DNA
24. Which of the following statements correctly describes the skeletal system?
A. The skeletal system consists of bones only
B. The skeletal system is the site of hematopoiesis
C. The yellow bone marrow in the medullary cavity of long bones stores minerals, such as calcium and
phosphate
D. Bones are connected by immovable joints
25. Which of the following properties can be used to identify a particular substance?
A. Density
B. Mass
C. Temperature
D. Volume
26. The heart generates a typical “lub-dub” sound. The “dub” sound is due to the closing of_____.
A. atrioventricular valves
B. pulmonary valve
C. aortic valve
D. semilunar valves
27. Which layer of the skin contains blood vessels and nerve endings?
A. epidermis
B. dermis
C. hypodermis
D. subcutaneous fat
28. A common indication of infection in blood work is_______
A. Elevated red blood cell count
B. Reduced red blood cell count
C. Elevated white blood cell count
D. Reduced white blood cell count
29. During hypoventilation, the chemical sensors in the body will register______
A. Low CO2 and low pH
B. Low CO2 and high pH
C. High CO2 and low pH
D. High CO2 and high pH
30. Michael had an accident and injured the bones in the knee and the lower leg. Based on your knowledge of
bones, which of the following bones was not injured in this accident?
A. Patella
B. Femur
C. Fibula
D. tibia
29
31. Which of the following glands sits atop the kidneys?
A. Pancreas
B. Liver
C. Ovaries
D. Adrenal
32. Which of the following structures, if diseased, will directly affect how blood is filtered in the kidneys?
A. glomerulus
B. renal vein
C. renal tubules
D. medulla
33. _______blood is present in the left atrium and left ventricle.
A. deoxygenated
B. oxygenated
C. nutritious
D. iron-rich
34. Element A is not stable and decays to Element B and Element C. It is known that A has 176 protons and B has 7
protons. How many protons does Element C have?
A. 169
B. 170
C. 175
D. 183
35. The contraction and relaxation of muscles are achieved by the attachment and detachment of which of the
following proteins?
A. collagen and keratin
B. antibodies and antigen
C. neurotransmitters and synapse
D. actin and myosin
36. Which of the following chemical reactions represent an example of single displacement?
37. Which of the following scenarios would lead to swelling of human red blood cells? Red blood cells have a
concentration of 0.9% NaCl.
A. Place the cells in 0.9% NaCl
B. Place the cells in distilled water
C. Place the cells in 10% NaCl
D. Place the cells in seawater
38. Which of the following statements correctly describes diffusion and osmosis?
A. Both processes require energy to move molecules from low concentration to higher concentration
B. In osmosis, movement of water molecules does not require energy and water moves from a high water
concentration area to a lower water concentration area
C. Osmosis refers to the movement of molecules down the concentration gradient in water without energy
from ATP
30
D. In diffusion, movement of molecules is primarily affected by the concentration gradient with little
influence from other factors such as temperature and distance molecules travel.
39. Which of the following is not part of the axial skeleton?
A. Clavicle
B. Ribs
C. Skull
D. Vertebral column
40. Which of the following phase changes require the loss of heat?
A. Sublimation
B. Melting
C. Boiling
D. Condensation
41. A lab assistant notices a substance in the lab with labels ineligible. The lab assistant tries to identify the
substance using density along with assessment of other properties. She took out 12 cm3 of the substance and
obtained a weight of 24 g for the amount she measured. Based on the density information alone, which of the
following candidates may be more likely to be this substance?
A. Substance A with a density of 2 g/cm3
B. Substance B with a density of 12 g/cm3
C. Substance C with a density of 36 g/cm3
D. Substance D with a density of 288 g/cm3
42. Dialysis involves diverting patients’ blood to a dialysis machine to remove waste products. These patients
most likely have failure of which organ system?
A. Immune
B. Endocrine
C. Genitourinary
D. Cardiovascular
43. The normal blood pH ranges from 7.35 to 7.45. Acidosis is a condition of low pH (below 7.35) of the blood due
to high H+ concentration. Which of the following actions may cause acidosis?
A. Breathe deeply and rapidly
B. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
C. Stay relaxed
D. Stroke
44. The structural and functional units of compact bone, arranged in cylindrical shape, are_________.
A. osteons
B. lacunae
C. periosteum
D. canaliculus
45. The digestion of carbohydrates begins in the________.
A. stomach
B. mouth
C. esophagus
D. small intestine
46. Which of the following glands secretes many digestive enzymes to aid the digestion in the small intestine?
A. liver
31
B. gallbladder
C. stomach
D. pancreas
47. Which of the following female reproductive structures is the primary site of fertilization?
A. ovary
B. fallopian tube
C. uterus
D. cervix
48. If the DNA of a particular species contains 20% C, how much T do you expect in the DNA?
A. 20%
B. 30%
C. 40%
D. 50%
49. The primary drive for movement of gas molecules at alveoli and at tissues is_________.
A. Diffusion: O2 and CO2 move from low concentration to higher concentration
B. Diffusion: O2 and CO2 move from higher concentration to lower concentration
C. Osmosis: O2 and CO2 move from low concentration to higher concentration
D. Osmosis: O2 and CO2 move from higher concentration to lower concentration
50-53. A group of researchers noticed a pattern of city air quality and resident mortality due to respiratory
diseases. They decided to investigate whether air pollution may result in mortality related to respiratory diseases.
They selected three cities with severe air pollution and three cities with mild air pollution and recorded mortality
due to all respiratory diseases in residents for 3 consecutive years. Below is the graph from their study.
50. Which of the following best describes the hypothesis of this study?
A. Air quality affects respiratory disease-related mortality. Lower pollution levels increase such mortality
related to respiratory diseases.
B. Air quality affects respiratory disease-related mortality. Higher pollution levels increase such mortality.
C. Differences in cities such as economic development affect mortality due to respiratory diseases.
D. Rate of respiratory diseases increase air pollution levels in cities.
51. Which of the following variables is the dependent variable?
A. City air quality
32
B. Income level of residents
C. Number of hospitals
D. Mortality rate due to respiratory diseases
52. Which of the following may strengthen the researchers’ conclusion?
A. Include more years of monitoring
B. Increase number of hospital staff at each city
C. Collect data from one city from each category (i.e., mild or severe air pollution)
D. Collect data on the duration from onset of symptoms to death in residents
53. Which of the following is correct based on the data shown in the graph?
A. The mortality rate due to respiratory diseases decreased from 2001 to 2003 for both groups.
B. The mortality rate due to respiratory diseases stayed stable from 2001 to 2003 for both groups.
C. The mortality rate due to respiratory diseases was higher in cities of heavy pollution than cities of mild
pollution for all three years.
D. The mortality rate due to respiratory diseases changed very little during 2002 and 2003 for cities with
heavy pollution.
33
Practice Test #3 Key and Explanations
1. The correct answer is B. The movement of air in and out of the body is known as ventilation. Perfusion refers to
the blood flow to alveolar capillaries. Ventilation and perfusion are important for gas exchanged at the alveoli.
2. The correct answer is A. While progesterone is also a female sex hormone secreted by the ovaries, its functions
are more related to regulating the menstrual cycle, facilitating implementation of the embryo, and maintaining
pregnancy. Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus, stimulates contraction of smooth muscles in the uterus
during delivery. Testosterone is a male sex hormone.
3. The correct answer is B. Lymphatic system picks up excess fluid leaked out of the blood vessels and returns the
fluid (known as lymph) back to blood. During that process, the immune cells in the lymph nodes and tissues
monitor and remove foreign substances.
4. The correct answer is A. A change of substance from more orderly state to less orderly state requires the input
of heat/energy (gain of heat). Such heat is provided by the body. As the body heat is used for liquid water to
change to water vapor, the body is cooled down. Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
5. The correct answer is B. The bile is stored in the gallbladder after it is produced by the liver.
6. The correct answer is D. Sweet food has a lot of simple sugars and simple sugars are carbohydrates.
7. The correct answer is D. The sensory receptors gather information – high temperature in this case, and send
the information to the brain to be processed. This is sensory input. Integration is when the central nervous system
(CNS) processes and interprets the sensory information. Once the CNS makes a decision, it sends the message to
muscles or glands to respond. This is known as motor output, which occurs when the person retracted the hand.
The input to the nervous system will be sensory (sensation) and the output will be motor (muscle or gland action).
“Motor input” is not a correct term.
8. The correct answer is A. B is not correct because temperature and sunlight may affect caterpillar mortality and
are important controlled variables. C is not correct because the table shows mortality rate and not survival rate.
A 5% mortality rate is very low and thus bacterial gene 2 is not effective against corn earworms. Bacterial gene 1
causes a much higher caterpillar mortality and as a result, has a much higher efficacy than bacterial gene 2. D is
also incorrect because the data are based on corn earworms. We do not know how other pest species would react
(low or high mortality) to the protein products of these genes.
9. The correct answer is D. Nephron is the functional unit of the kidney. All the other options are parts of a
nephron.
10. The correct answer is B. The nervous system consists of the brain, the spinal cord, and the nerves and sensory
organs in the peripheral system. The main function for the nervous system is to coordinate bodily functions by
detecting and processing information and subsequently activating appropriate responses.
11. The correct answer is B. When looking at structures of a limb, we usually use proximal and distal to describe
the anatomical direction. The elbow is further away from the trunk of the body and is therefore distal to the
shoulder.
12. The correct answer is B. Electric balances and triple beam balances are used to measure the weight of solid
substances. A micropipette is used to measure a small volume of liquid whereas a flask is used to measure a small
volume of liquid. A ruler is used to measure length.
34
13. The correct answer is A. Parathyroid glands, located near the thyroid glands, are found in the neck. The other
three glands are part of the brain.
14. The correct answer is B. Low levels of hemoglobin will reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and
result in anemia. Polycythemia is when the number of red blood cells is too high. Leukemia is caused by abnormal
white blood cells. Leukopenia is a reduction in the number of white blood cells.
15. The correct answer is C. Oxygenated blood needs to be transported to tissues and cells of the body. Therefore,
blood will enter the left ventricle, then aorta, and finally body cells.
16. The correct answer is C. Sebaceous gland produces sebum. Sudoriferous gland is commonly known as sweat
gland and produces sweat as a mechanism to regulate body temperature.
17. The correct answer is B. Cardiac muscle is controlled involuntarily and thus heartbeat is under involuntary
control (“autopilot”).
18. The correct answer is A. The myelin sheath wraps around nerves to protect and insulate electrical impulses. It
also speeds up the transmission of nerve impulses. Acetylcholine and dopamine are neurotransmitters that are
used for communication between neurons or between a motor neuron and muscle fibers. Melanin is the skin
pigment that is produced by melanocytes to protect the genetic material in skin cells from UV
damage. Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
19. The answer is D. The breathing control center is in the brain, known as the medulla. Medulla regulates critical
functions of life such as breathing and heart rate. The heart does not regulate breathing. Its main function is to
pump blood. Hypothalamus is the control center of the endocrine system. Diaphragm is the major breathing
muscle.
20. The correct answer is B. Adrenaline is secreted by the adrenal glands which sit atop the kidneys. Kidneys
secrete renin and erythropoietin which regulate blood pressure and red blood cell production, respectively. The
primary function of the kidneys is stated in A, which is “cleansing the blood”.
21. The correct answer is B. Based on the red to white ratio which is approximately 3:1 (37/13 or 37/13 = 2.8, ratio
= 2.8:1, rounded to 3:1), we can conclude that this color trait follows Mendelian laws of heredity. If the ratio is not
3:1, then it is likely to follow non-Mendelian law of heredity. The trait that is expressed in a heterozygous
individual is likely to be the dominant trait and not the recessive trait, so A is false. The ratio, after calculation is
2.8:1 which is very close to 3:1; therefore D is not correct.
22. The correct answer is B. This question is about determining the causal relationship and sequence of events.
Calcium is present in the bone or in the blood for certain functions. Additionally, cells like muscle cells also store
Ca. The bone uses Ca to build the bone matrix. High osteoblast activity leads to more bone matrix being
developed and Ca drawn from the blood into bones. This will decrease blood calcium level. High osteoclast
activity, on the other hand, breaks down bone matrix and returns Ca back to the blood. Deficiency in vitamin D
will decrease Ca absorption in the digestive tract and lowers Ca level in blood. Estrogen helps maintain bone
health and the mineral level in bone (basically helps calcium stay in the bone). When the body is deficient in
estrogen, osteoclasts live longer and resorb more bone, leading to higher calcium level in blood. Older women
with less estrogen production often suffer osteoporosis.
23. The correct answer is A. The group of chemicals consisting of 1:1:2 C:O:H (or 1:2:1 C:H:O) is carbohydrates.
Proteins and nucleic acids often have other elements such as N, P, and/or S. Lipids can have other elements as
well (e.g., P in phospholipids), and the ratio of C:H:O is not 1:2:1. The only carbohydrate in the answer choices is
glycogen. Glycogen is a polysaccharide that animals use to store excess glucose, primarily in the
liver. Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
35
24. The correct answer is B. Hematopoiesis takes place in the red marrow housed in bones. The skeletal system
consists of both bones and cartilage. The yellow bone marrow stores fats and not minerals; mineral salts are
stored in the bone matrix. Bones can be connected by immovable (fibrous joints), slightly movable (cartilaginous
joints), and freely movable joints (synovial joints).
25. The correct answer is A. Density is an intensive property that is unique to a particular substance. Mass and
volume change depending on the quantity of a substance and should not be used to identify a substance.
Temperature can be easily influenced by the environmental conditions and should not be used for identification
purposes.
26. The correct answer is D. The second heart sound “dub” is generated by the closing of two semilunar valves:
pulmonary valve and aortic valve.
27. The correct answer is B. The different layers of the skin perform different functions. Dermis is deep to
epidermis and contains hair follicles, nerve endings, blood vessels, glands, collagen (protein fibers), and
connective tissues. Hypodermis is deep to the dermis and typically has fat which makes the skin plump and
insulate the body for temperature homeostasis. Subcutaneous means below or underneath all skin layers.
28. The correct answer is C. White blood cells are part of the body’s defense against pathogens, especially
neutrophils (most abundance white blood cell) which are among the first responders to infection. Elevated white
blood cell count is usually an indication of an infection.
29. The correct answer is C. During hypoventilation, the body is not taking in enough air/O2 or getting rid of much
CO2. This results in high CO2 levels. The high CO2 levels will further lead to low pH (more CO2, more acidic, pH
lower; less CO2, less acidic, pH higher).
30. The answer is B. Femur is the bone in the upper leg. Patella is the kneecap. Tibia and fibula are the bones in
the lower leg.
31. The correct answer is D. Adrenal glands sit atop the kidneys.
32. The correct answer is A. Glomerulus is the site of blood filtering in the kidneys. Renal vein transports filtered
(“clean”) blood back to the main bloodstream; this is after blood has been filtered. Renal tubules perform
reabsorption and secretion of additional substances into the urine such as H+ and drugs; they do not directly filter
blood. The medulla has abundant renal tubules for urine reabsorption and concentration, and collecting ducts for
collecting final urine. The medulla does not directly filter blood either.
33. The correct answer is B. The left side of the heart holds oxygenated blood after oxygenation at the lungs. This
question is about the oxygen level and not about nutrient levels in blood. Therefore, C and D are not relevant.
34. The correct answer is A. The decomposition products, B and C combined, should have the same number of
protons as the initial element A. Therefore, Element C should have 176-7 = 169 protons.
35. The correct answer is D. Actin and myosin are proteins found in muscle fibers that interact during muscle
contraction. Collagen and keratin are large protein fibers that are found in the skin and its accessory structures
like hair and nails. Antibodies and antigen are related to immune functions and not muscles. Motor neurons
control muscle fibers via synapse. Motor neurons release neurotransmitters to the synapse to signal the muscle
fibers to contract.
36. The correct answer is B. A is a decomposition reaction. C is a double replacement reaction. D is a synthesis
reaction.
37. The correct answer is B. Swelling of the cell is a result of water flowing into the cell. Water flows from a low
solute concentration area (high water concentration area) to a higher solution concentration area (lower water
36
concentration area). The cell normally has a concentration of 0.9% NaCl. In order for water to move from the
surrounding solution into the cell, the surrounding solution needs to have a NaCl concentration lower than 0.9%.
Thus the correct answer is B, distilled water which has 0% NaCl. Pretest/sample question—do not include in
score calculation.
38. The correct answer is B. A is incorrect because neither diffusion nor osmosis requires energy. C is incorrect
because osmosis refers to the movement of water molecules and not movement of other molecules in water. D is
also incorrect because the rate of diffusion is dependent on factors such as temperature and distance; high
temperature and shorter distance normally speed up diffusion.
39. The correct answer is A. Clavicle is part of the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeleton consists of the skull,
vertebral column, and the thoracic cage (ribs and sternum).
40. The correct answer is D. Sublimation (solid to gas), melting (solid to liquid), and boiling (liquid to gas) are all
phase changes from more orderly to less orderly phase, which requires the gain of heat. Condensation is phase
change from gas to liquid, less orderly to more orderly state, and this requires the loss of heat (meaning the
process releases heat to the environment).
41. Answer: The correct answer is A. Density = mass/volume = 24 g/12 cm3 = 2 g/cm3. This substance has a density
of 2 g/cm3. Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
42. The correct answer is C. The kidneys of the genitourinary system filter blood and remove metabolic waste
molecules from the blood. The dialysis machine is basically “an artificial kidney”.
43. The correct answer is B. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can block airflow into the lungs and as a result,
the body has difficulty getting sufficient O2 and removing CO2. As CO2 level increases, it also increases the acidity
of the blood leading to acidosis. Hyperventilation can lead to alkalosis, the opposite of acidosis, due to the low
CO2 level. Stay relaxed will not change breathing too much and will not cause acidosis or alkalosis. Stroke involves
interrupted blood supply in the brain but it does not affect blood pH.
44. The correct answer is A. Osteons are the structural and functional units of compact bone. Lacunae are small
spaces resided by mature bone cells. Periosteum is a tough fibrous sheath covering the bones. Canaliculi are tiny
tunnel-like structures that connect mature bone cells for communication.
45. The correct answer is B. The amylase in the saliva breaks down starch (a polysaccharide).
46. The correct answer is D. Pancreas produces a lot of digestive enzymes into the pancreatic juice which enters
the small intestine to aid digestion. The liver secretes bile to aid lipid digestion by emulsification; but bile does not
contain enzymes.
47. The correct answer is B. The fallopian tube is the site of fertilization. After that, fertilized egg will normally
travel to the uterus and implant there.
48. The correct answer is B. This question tests your knowledge of base pairing. C and G are equal in percentage
and will be 20% each with a total of 40%. This leaves A and T combined 60%. As A is equal to T in percentage, A
and T will be both 30% (60% /2 = 30%).
49. Answer: The correct answer is B. This question asks about gas movement and therefore, does not involve
water and is not about osmosis. For diffusion of gases, molecules move from a high concentration area to a lower
concentration area. Pretest/sample question—do not include in score calculation.
50. The correct answer is B. Lower air quality due to pollution is hypothesized to increase mortality caused by
respiratory diseases. C is irrelevant since economic development is not the focus of the study.
37
51. The correct answer is D. City air quality is the variable that is investigated in this study (independent variable).
Mortality is the variable that is hypothesized to be affected by air pollution levels (dependent variable). Therefore,
mortality caused by respiratory diseases is the dependent variable.
52. The correct answer is A. Including more years of monitoring will increase the sample size and provide more
data on the relationship between pollution levels and mortality due to respiratory diseases. B and D are irrelevant
to this study. C decreases the sample size to just one replicate per group; this is normally considered a major issue
in scientific investigations.
53. The correct answer is C. The mortality rate due to respiratory diseases for both groups increased during 2001
to 2003, so A and B are not correct. D is not correct because the mortality rate due to respiratory disease changed
very little during 2002 and 2003 only for cities with mild pollution but not for cities with heavy pollution.
38