Physiology Practice Test 27
Physiology NCLEX Practice Test
Physiology is a key topic within the NCLEX test plan, located under Nursing Science → Clinical Foundations → Physiology. This section explores body functions to strengthen nursing understanding of assessment and intervention planning. Each test contains 50 questions designed to mirror the difficulty and variety of the real exam.
This is the 27th part of the Physiology series. To explore all practice tests under this topic, use the “Back to Main Topic” button at the end of the page.
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Physiology Practice Test 27
What is the primary product of photosynthesis that plants use for energy?
- Oxygen
- Carbon Dioxide
- Glucose
- ATP
Explanation: Answer reason: The main stable energy-rich molecule produced is glucose, which can be metabolized via cellular respiration or stored as starch for later use. Oxygen is primarily a byproduct released from water splitting rather than the energy source. Carbon dioxide is a reactant that is fixed into sugars, while ATP made in the light reactions is used transiently to build sugars and is not the end product used for longer-term energy needs.
Intravenous therapies often consist of electrolyte replacement therapies. Select the electrolyte that is accurately paired with one of its functions?
- Phosphate: The operation of the sodium potassium pump (The production of DNA and ATP)
- Potassium: The regulation of extracellular fluid (ICF)
- Chloride: The regulation of ICF (ECF)
- Calcium: Blood clotting
Explanation: Answer reason: Calcium is an essential cofactor in multiple steps of the coagulation cascade, enabling activation of clotting factors and formation of a stable fibrin clot. This makes its pairing with blood clotting physiologically accurate and clinically relevant when considering electrolyte replacement and bleeding risk. Potassium is primarily an intracellular cation that supports membrane potential and neuromuscular function, not extracellular fluid regulation. Chloride is the major extracellular anion involved in osmotic balance and acid–base regulation, so linking it to ICF is incorrect.
All sense organs send information to the brain via?
- Muscles
- Hormones
- Nerves
- Blood
Explanation: Answer reason: Afferent (sensory) neurons carry these impulses via peripheral and cranial nerves to the spinal cord/brain for processing and perception. Hormones and blood are chemical/transport systems and do not provide fast, point-to-point encoding of sensory modality and intensity. Muscles are effectors that respond to neural output rather than being the primary pathway for sensory input.
Which part of the body receives no blood?
- Tongue
- Teeth
- Eyes
- None
Explanation: Answer reason: The tongue is highly vascular, with a rich arterial supply supporting muscular activity and taste. Teeth are supplied via the dental pulp and periodontal tissues through branches of the maxillary artery. The eyes also have substantial blood supply (e.g., retinal and ciliary circulations) to support high metabolic demand, so no listed structure is truly bloodless.
Water Percentage in plasma is?
- 70%
- 90%
- 100%
- 120%
Explanation: Answer reason: Standard physiology describes plasma as about 90–92% water by volume, which supports transport and maintains osmotic balance and viscosity. Values like 70% are closer to total body water in some contexts, not plasma composition. Values of 100% or 120% are physiologically impossible for a percentage composition of a component.
Other name of water intoxication or water intoxication is related to ...?
- Isotonic overhydration
- Hypotonic overhydration
- Hypertonic overhydration
- All of above
Explanation: Answer reason: The lowered serum osmolality drives water into cells, particularly brain cells, causing cerebral edema with symptoms such as headache, confusion, seizures, and coma. This matches hypotonic overhydration rather than isotonic overhydration, which expands extracellular volume without lowering sodium concentration. Hypertonic overhydration implies excess sodium relative to water and would raise osmolality, producing opposite fluid shifts.
Which process describes the movement of molecules from high to low concentration?
- Active transport
- Diffusion
- Osmosis
- Endocytosis
Explanation: Answer reason: This describes diffusion, where solute particles spread until equilibrium is approached. Active transport is a key distractor because it moves substances against the gradient and requires ATP. Osmosis is a specific type of diffusion involving water across a semipermeable membrane, and endocytosis is vesicular bulk transport rather than gradient-driven particle movement.
What is the primary function of the lymphatic system?
- Transport oxygen
- Return interstitial fluid to blood
- Digest fats
- Produce hormones
Explanation: Answer reason: This prevents edema and supports effective blood volume and pressure. While lymphatics also transport dietary lipids from the intestine (via lacteals) and support immune surveillance, these are secondary compared with its core drainage/return function. Oxygen transport is a role of red blood cells in the cardiovascular system, and hormone production is an endocrine function.
The nurse is caring for a client having respiratory distress related to an anxiety attack. Recent arterial blood gas values are pH = 7.53, PaO2 = 72 mm Hg (72 mm Hg), PaCO2 = 32 mm Hg (32 mmHg), and HCO3- = 28 mEq/L (28 mmol/L). Which conclusion about the client should the nurse make?
- The client has acidic blood.
- The client is probably overreacting.
- The client is fluid volume overloaded.
- The client is probably hyperventilating.
Explanation: Answer reason: The core principle is ABG interpretation: elevated pH indicates alkalemia, and a low PaCO2 points to a primary respiratory alkalosis. Hyperventilation from anxiety causes excessive CO2 blow-off, lowering PaCO2 and raising pH, which matches these findings. The PaO2 of 72 mm Hg suggests mild hypoxemia, which can accompany anxiety-related tachypnea and ventilation–perfusion mismatch. “Acidic blood” is inconsistent with the alkalemic pH, and “overreacting” is a non-clinical, inappropriate conclusion.
Which cells in our body are popularly called "soldiers of the human body"?
- Basophils
- Red Blood Cell
- White Blood Cell
- Eosinophils
Explanation: Answer reason: These cells migrate to sites of injury or infection, participate in inflammation, and coordinate immune responses through phagocytosis and antibody/cytokine-mediated mechanisms. Because they actively protect the body, they are commonly referred to as the “soldiers” of the body. Red blood cells mainly transport oxygen and carbon dioxide, while basophils and eosinophils are only specific subtypes of leukocytes rather than the broad group implied by the question.
What is the process by which water moves across a cell membrane?
- Osmosis
- Diffusion
- Active transport
- Endocytosis
Explanation: Answer reason: This passive movement of water is termed osmosis and does not require cellular energy (ATP). Diffusion is a broader term for solute movement down a concentration gradient, but the specific term for water movement is osmosis. Active transport and endocytosis are energy-dependent processes used for moving solutes against gradients or bringing in large particles, not for the typical transmembrane movement of water.
Which organelle is responsible for generating energy for the cell?
- Ribosome
- Mitochondria
- Lysosome
- Golgi apparatus
Explanation: Answer reason: Mitochondria house the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain, which generate the bulk of ATP used for cellular work. Ribosomes synthesize proteins, lysosomes digest cellular debris, and the Golgi apparatus modifies and packages proteins/lipids rather than producing ATP. Therefore the organelle most directly responsible for energy generation is the one specialized for ATP production.
Which part of the ear is responsible for balance?
- Cochlea
- Eustachian tube
- Semicircular canals
- Tympanic membrane
Explanation: Answer reason: The semicircular canals sense angular (rotational) acceleration via endolymph movement that bends hair cells in the crista ampullaris. This provides key input for the vestibulo-ocular reflex and equilibrium. In contrast, the cochlea is specialized for hearing, while the Eustachian tube equalizes middle-ear pressure and the tympanic membrane transmits sound vibrations.
What is the primary function of the red blood cells?
- To fight infections
- To carry oxygen
- To digest food
- To regulate body temperature
Explanation: Answer reason: This function is the primary role of erythrocytes in supporting cellular aerobic metabolism. Fighting infection is mainly performed by white blood cells, not erythrocytes. While blood flow can influence heat distribution, thermoregulation is not the primary purpose of red blood cells.
What is the process by which water moves through a plant?
- Respiration
- Photosynthesis
- Transpiration
- Osmosis
Explanation: Answer reason: This evaporation generates negative pressure (tension) that pulls a continuous column of water upward through the xylem via the cohesion-tension mechanism. This explains whole-plant, long-distance transport from roots to leaves. Osmosis is important for water entering root cells locally, but it does not account for the bulk upward flow through vascular tissue.
What is the term for the movement of molecules from high to low concentration?
- Osmosis
- Diffusion
- Mitosis
- Meiosis
Explanation: Answer reason: This process does not require cellular energy (ATP) and occurs in gases and liquids and across permeable membranes. Osmosis is a specific type of diffusion referring only to water moving across a semipermeable membrane. Mitosis and meiosis are cell division processes and are unrelated to concentration-gradient particle movement.
The powerhouse of the cell is —?
- Nucleus
- Ribosome
- Mitochondria
- Golgi body
Explanation: Answer reason: This occurs primarily via the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain located in the mitochondrial matrix and inner membrane. Because most ATP for normal cell function is produced there, this organelle is termed the cell’s “powerhouse.” By contrast, the nucleus regulates genetic information, ribosomes synthesize proteins, and the Golgi apparatus modifies and packages proteins.
Which of the following parts of the brain controls body temperature and hunger?
- Thalamus
- Pond
- Hypothalamus
- Cerebellum
Explanation: Answer reason: The hypothalamus contains temperature-regulating nuclei (including the preoptic area) that coordinate heat production and heat loss responses via autonomic output. It also regulates hunger and satiety through hypothalamic nuclei (e.g., lateral hypothalamus and ventromedial/arcuate pathways) and hormonal signals such as leptin and ghrelin. In contrast, the thalamus mainly relays sensory information, and the cerebellum primarily coordinates movement and balance, making them poor fits for these homeostatic roles.
The mother of a newborn child calls the pediatrician’s office with concern that her child is often jolted or startled when waking from sleep. What reflex is the mother likely witnessing?
- Moro
- Routing
- Babinski
- Tonic neck
Explanation: Answer reason: It is commonly noticed when infants are awakened or startled by noise or movement, matching the mother’s description. Rooting is a feeding-related reflex elicited by stroking the cheek, Babinski is an upgoing plantar response to sole stimulation, and tonic neck is a postural “fencing” response to head turning. Persistence of a strong Moro beyond early infancy can be abnormal, but its presence in a newborn is expected.
The last physiologic function that the client lose during the induction of anesthesia is?
- Consciousness
- Cough reflex
- Respiratory movement
- Voluntary muscle control
Explanation: Answer reason: Loss of awareness occurs early, and protective airway reflexes such as coughing are blunted as anesthetic depth increases. Spontaneous breathing is maintained until deeper levels when the medullary respiratory center is significantly depressed, making this function the last to be lost. Clinically, this is why ventilation must be closely monitored and airway support is instituted as depth increases, even after the patient is unconscious.
A 60-year-old man with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and chronic renal insufficiency is admitted to the hospital because of lightheadedness. His medications include NPH insulin, amlodipine, and simvastatin. He is allergic to penicillin to which he gets an angioedema. His temperature is 37.1 C (98.8 F), blood pressure is 98/65 mm Hg, pulse is 87/min, and his respiratory rate is 22/min. On exam, he is ill appearing. His cardiac rhythm is regular and breath sounds are clear bilaterally. His abdominal exam is benign. A chest radiograph shows clear lungs. An electrocardiogram shows a sinus rhythm with peaked T waves. Laboratory studies show a serum sodium of 134 mEq/L, glucose of 98 mg/dL, and potassium of 6.2 mEq/L. The most appropriate intervention at this time is?
- Administration of glucose, orally
- Administration of insulin and glucose, intravenously
- Administration of furosemide, orally
- Administration of ringers lactate, intravenously
Explanation: Answer reason: Insulin rapidly shifts potassium into cells by stimulating the Na+/K+-ATPase, and concomitant dextrose prevents iatrogenic hypoglycemia, especially since the serum glucose is normal. Oral glucose alone will not correct the potassium and is too slow/inadequate for ECG-evident hyperkalemia. Oral furosemide may promote renal potassium excretion but is slower, depends on kidney function (he has chronic renal insufficiency), and does not address the immediate electrical risk; lactated Ringer’s contains potassium and can worsen hyperkalemia.
Which of the following is a type of tissue that contracts and produces movement?
- Epithelial tissue
- Connective tissue
- Muscle tissue
- Nervous tissue
Explanation: Answer reason: This contractile function is the defining property of muscle tissue (skeletal, cardiac, and smooth), allowing locomotion, pumping blood, and peristalsis. Epithelial tissue mainly provides lining, secretion, and absorption rather than force generation. Nervous tissue conducts electrical impulses to coordinate activity but does not itself produce movement by contracting.
A plant cell shrinks when placed in?
- A hypertonic solution
- A hypotonic solution
- Water
- A solution is isotonic with the cell sap
Explanation: Answer reason: In a hypertonic external solution, the surrounding fluid has a higher solute concentration than the plant cell sap, so water exits the cell. Loss of intracellular water decreases turgor pressure and causes the protoplast to pull away from the cell wall (plasmolysis), producing shrinkage. In hypotonic solutions or pure water, water enters and the cell becomes turgid rather than shrinking, while isotonic conditions produce no net size change.
Amount of water excreted as urine per day is about?
- 1000 ml
- 1500 ml
- 100 ml
- 500 ml
Explanation: Answer reason: In a typical hydrated adult, a commonly cited approximate daily urine volume is about 1500 mL. Values like 100 mL/day would indicate severe oliguria/anuria, and 500 mL/day suggests oliguria, both abnormal for most adults. 1000 mL/day can occur but is less representative of the standard average used in physiology exam questions.
What is the process by which the body maintains a stable internal environment?
- Homeostasis
- Metabolism
- Reproduction
- Adaptation
Explanation: Answer reason: This concept directly describes regulation of temperature, pH, glucose, blood pressure, and fluid balance to maintain internal stability. Metabolism refers to chemical reactions for energy use and biosynthesis, not the stability-maintaining control process itself. Adaptation is longer-term adjustment to environment and is broader than the moment-to-moment internal regulation being asked.
What is the term for the movement of molecules from high to low concentration?
- Osmosis
- Diffusion
- Active transport
- Endocytosis
Explanation: Answer reason: This is the defining feature of diffusion and explains how many solutes and gases distribute across fluids and membranes. Osmosis is a specific type of diffusion referring only to water moving across a semipermeable membrane. Active transport and endocytosis are energy-dependent mechanisms used to move substances against gradients or via vesicular uptake, respectively.
Which part of the brain regulates body temperature?
- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Hypothalamus
- Medulla oblongata
Explanation: Answer reason: The hypothalamus acts as the body’s “thermostat,” sensing blood temperature and coordinating heat-loss (sweating, vasodilation) and heat-gain (shivering, vasoconstriction) responses. It also mediates fever by resetting the temperature set point in response to pyrogens via prostaglandin pathways. By contrast, the cerebrum primarily handles higher cognition and voluntary actions, and the medulla mainly regulates vital autonomic functions like respiration and heart rate rather than temperature set-point control.
What is the term for the movement of molecules against a concentration gradient?
- Diffusion
- Osmosis
- Active transport
- Passive transport
Explanation: Answer reason: This distinguishes it from diffusion and osmosis, which are passive processes that occur down a concentration gradient without cellular energy expenditure. Passive transport is an umbrella term for gradient-driven movement and therefore cannot describe movement against the gradient. A classic physiologic example is the sodium-potassium ATPase maintaining resting membrane potentials by pumping ions against their gradients.
What is the normal Intracranial pressure?
- 20-30 mmHg
- 30-40 mmHg
- 5-15 mmHg
- 0-10 mmHg
Explanation: Answer reason: Typical resting values are about 5–15, and sustained elevations above ~20 are treated as intracranial hypertension. This range best matches expected physiologic measurements used in neuro monitoring. The higher ranges listed would more likely indicate pathologic elevation rather than normal baseline.
What is the term for the movement of substances across a cell membrane without using energy?
- Active transport
- Passive transport
- Osmosis
- Diffusion
Explanation: Answer reason: This umbrella term includes simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and osmosis, all of which occur without direct energy expenditure. The stem asks for the general term rather than a specific subtype, making this the best match. A common distractor is active transport, which by definition requires energy to move substances against a gradient.
A nurse is caring for a client with the following arterial blood gases: HCO3 of 18 mEq (22–26), CO2 of 28 mmHg (35–45). Which of the following pH values and acid base imbalances would accompany these values?
- Decreased pH and metabolic acidosis
- Decreased pH and respiratory acidosis
- Elevated pH and metabolic alkalosis
- Elevated pH and respiratory alkalosis
Explanation: Answer reason: The CO2 is also low, which is the expected respiratory compensation (hyperventilation) to blow off acid and raise pH toward normal. Since the primary abnormality is decreased bicarbonate, the accompanying pH would be decreased (acidemia) rather than elevated. Respiratory acidosis would require an elevated CO2, which is not present here.
The nurse is caring for a client with several broken ribs. The client is most likely to experience what type of acid-base imbalance?
- Respiratory acidosis from inadequate ventilation
- Respiratory alkalosis from anxiety and hyperventilation
- Metabolic acidosis from calcium loss due to broken bones
- Metabolic alkalosis from taking analgesics containing base products
Explanation: Answer reason: Increased PaCO2 shifts the carbonic acid–bicarbonate buffer toward more hydrogen ions, lowering pH and producing respiratory acidosis. This is the most direct and likely acid–base effect of impaired ventilation in thoracic trauma. Anxiety-related hyperventilation can occur, but sustained hyperventilation is less typical than guarded, shallow breathing when rib pain is significant.
Which phenomena is defined as a subjective human experience that is what the client says it is, it exists when the client says it is present. Does it alert humans to actual or potential bodily tissue damage?
- Anxiety
- Pain
- Fear
- Perception
Explanation: Answer reason: Pain is classically defined as whatever the experiencing person says it is and existing whenever they say it does, emphasizing its subjective nature. It is also a protective physiologic phenomenon that serves as a warning signal of actual or potential tissue damage (nociception) and prompts avoidance or care-seeking behaviors. Anxiety and fear are emotional states related to perceived threat, but they are not defined by the tissue-damage warning function. Perception is a broad cognitive process and is not the specific clinical phenomenon described by this standard definition.
The nurse is discussing biological clocks with another nurse. What term is used to describe a human's innate biological clock relating to daytime and nighttime wakefulness and activity?
- REM sleep
- Circadian rhythm
- Diurnal rhythm
- Nocturnal activity
Explanation: Answer reason: Circadian rhythms are endogenous ~24-hour cycles that regulate the sleep–wake pattern and daily fluctuations in alertness, core temperature, and hormone secretion. The question asks for the innate biologic clock governing day–night wakefulness, which is the definition of circadian rhythm (driven by the suprachiasmatic nucleus and influenced by light). REM sleep is a specific sleep stage rather than the overarching timing system that schedules sleep and wake. Diurnal and nocturnal describe patterns of activity (day-active vs night-active) but do not specifically name the internal clock mechanism.
Which of the following is responsible for oxygen transport in human blood?
- Hemoglobin
- Myoglobin
- Plasma proteins
- Leukocytes
Explanation: Answer reason: This allows large amounts of oxygen to be carried from the lungs to tissues while keeping dissolved plasma oxygen relatively low. Myoglobin mainly stores oxygen within muscle cells rather than transporting it through circulation. Leukocytes and plasma proteins have immune and oncotic/transport functions, but they are not the principal carriers of oxygen.
What is the term for the movement of molecules from high to low concentration?
- Active transport
- Osmosis
- Diffusion
- Endocytosis
Explanation: Answer reason: This describes how gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide move across alveolar-capillary membranes and how many solutes spread in fluids. Osmosis is a specific type of diffusion limited to water moving across a semipermeable membrane, so it is narrower than the stem’s general “molecules” wording. Active transport and endocytosis are energy-dependent processes and are not defined by movement from high to low concentration.
Which organelle is known as the "powerhouse" of the cell because it generates most of the cell's supply of ATP?
- Nucleus
- Ribosome
- Mitochondria
- Golgi Apparatus
Explanation: Answer reason: This organelle contains the electron transport chain and ATP synthase, which generate the majority of ATP in most human cells. The nucleus mainly stores genetic material and regulates transcription, while ribosomes synthesize proteins and the Golgi modifies/packages proteins for transport. Therefore, the organelle responsible for most ATP generation is the mitochondrion.
Which process involves the movement of molecules against their concentration gradient?
- Diffusion
- Osmosis
- Active transport
- Passive transport
Explanation: Answer reason: This is the defining feature of transport from lower concentration to higher concentration to maintain cellular homeostasis (e.g., Na+/K+ ATPase). Diffusion and osmosis are passive processes that move substances down their gradients without energy expenditure. “Passive transport” is a broad category that explicitly excludes movement against the gradient, making it incorrect here.
Which organelle is responsible for synthesizing proteins in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?
- Mitochondria
- Ribosome
- Golgi Apparatus
- Nucleus
Explanation: Answer reason: Prokaryotes lack membrane-bound organelles, but still have 70S ribosomes to produce all cellular proteins. Eukaryotic cells use 80S ribosomes in the cytosol and on rough ER, with additional ribosomes in mitochondria/chloroplasts. In contrast, the Golgi modifies and packages proteins after they are made, and the nucleus is primarily involved in transcription and genetic regulation rather than translation.
Which organelle is known as the "suicide bag" of the cell because it contains digestive enzymes?
- Mitochondria
- Lysosome
- Golgi Apparatus
- Nucleolus
Explanation: Answer reason: If their membrane ruptures or enzymes are released inappropriately, these enzymes can digest cellular components, leading to autolysis—hence the nickname “suicide bag.” Mitochondria primarily generate ATP and regulate apoptosis signaling but are not the main storage site of digestive enzymes. The Golgi apparatus modifies and packages proteins, while the nucleolus is involved in rRNA synthesis and ribosome assembly.
Which organelle is responsible for synthesizing lipids and detoxifying poisons in the cell?
- Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
- Golgi Apparatus
- Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
- Lysosome
Explanation: Answer reason: Its lack of ribosomes reflects that it is not primarily involved in protein synthesis. Rough ER is the main site of synthesis for secreted and membrane proteins, not lipid detox functions. Golgi mainly modifies and packages proteins/lipids for transport, and lysosomes perform intracellular digestion rather than detoxification and lipid production.
Which of the following is the function of the human liver?
- Production of bile
- Metabolisation of fat
- Metabolisation of carbohydrate
- All of the above
Explanation: Answer reason: It synthesizes and secretes bile, which is essential for emulsification and absorption of dietary lipids. It is a central site for lipid metabolism (e.g., fatty acid oxidation, lipoprotein synthesis, and cholesterol/bile acid handling) and for carbohydrate metabolism (e.g., glycogenesis, glycogenolysis, and gluconeogenesis) to maintain blood glucose. Because each listed function is a recognized hepatic role, the inclusive choice is the most accurate.
What is the primary purpose of Mitosis?
- Production of gametes (sperm/egg)
- Genetic diversity
- Growth and tissue repair
- Reducing the chromosome number by half
Explanation: Answer reason: This supports organismal growth and replacement of worn-out or damaged cells during tissue maintenance and wound healing. In contrast, producing gametes and reducing chromosome number by half are defining purposes of meiosis, not mitosis. Genetic diversity primarily arises from meiotic recombination and independent assortment, which do not occur in standard mitotic division.
Which organelle is known as the "post office" of the cell because it packages and ships proteins?
- Mitochondria
- Golgi Apparatus
- Lysosome
- Endoplasmic Reticulum
Explanation: Answer reason: The Golgi complex modifies, sorts, and packages proteins into vesicles for secretion or delivery to specific intracellular destinations, analogous to a cell’s shipping center. Proteins synthesized on ribosomes enter the rough ER first for initial folding and processing, then are transported to the Golgi for further maturation (e.g., glycosylation) and labeling. Mitochondria primarily generate ATP, and lysosomes are degradative organelles that digest macromolecules rather than export them. Therefore, the organelle responsible for packaging and “shipping” proteins is the Golgi apparatus.
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