Q&A Hero

Q: Most digested food is absorbed into the blood by the villi of the small intestine.

Q: Digestion is a process of mechanical and chemical breakdown of larger food molecules into smaller ones that can be absorbed.

Q: Voluntary control of urination is accomplished by: A) an external sphincter made of skeletal muscle. B) an internal sphincter of smooth muscle. C) the skeletal muscle of the bladder. D) contraction of the ureters.

Q: Why does alcohol ingestion increase urine output? A) The alcohol increases blood pressure. B) The alcohol suppresses ADH production. C) The alcohol stimulates ADH production. D) The alcohol redirects blood flow away from the skin and to the kidneys. E) The alcohol is converted to excess water by the liver.

Q: What affect does ADH secretion have on the kidneys? A) Water stays trapped in the kidney tubules. B) Urine output increases. C) The filtration rate increases. D) Water moves out of the kidney tubules. E) Blood pressure to the kidneys decreases.

Q: The knot of capillaries in a nephron, where filtration of blood occurs, is the: A) glomerulus. B) bowman's capsule. C) proximal tubule. D) distal tubule. E) collecting duct.

Q: Place the following in order of the movement of urine through the urinary system: (1) urethra, (2) ureter, (3) kidney, (4) urinary bladder. A) 1, 2, 3, 4 B) 3, 4, 1, 2 C) 1, 3, 2, 4 D) 2, 3, 4, 1 E) 3, 2, 4, 1

Q: In a traditional food pyramid, which type of food would be closest to the base? A) dairy products B) fish and poultry C) whole grain foods D) vegetables E) fruits

Q: Why are saturated fats considered a less healthy nutrient? A) Because saturated fats are from animal sources, they can produce allergic reactions. B) Saturated fats cannot be used for energy as the other fats can. C) Saturated fats raise HDL levels, which contributes to heart disease. D) Saturated fats raise LDL levels, which contributes to heart disease.

Q: Why are large amounts of red meat and butter not healthy choices in the diet? A) They contain too much protein. B) They contain a lot of saturated fat. C) Most people cannot digest them. D) They contain excessive amounts of fiber.

Q: Which of the following types of fat are the least healthy? A) trans fat B) polyunsaturated fat C) saturated fat D) monounsaturated fat

Q: What is the difference between fats and oils? A) Oils are mostly made of saturated fat. B) Fats are mostly made of unsaturated fat. C) Oils are liquids and fats are solid at room temperature. D) Fats are always healthier as long as they are mostly saturated.

Q: The measure of how blood glucose levels are affected by a given amount of carbohydrate is: A) sugar input. B) glycemic load. C) monosaccharide ratio. D) insulin index.

Q: Which of the following is a complex carbohydrate that cannot be digested? A) disaccharides B) starches C) high fructose corn syrup D) fibers

Q: What is unusual about soy protein as opposed to other plant protein sources? A) Soy protein has all essential amino acids in the proper proportions. B) Soy protein has the same saturated fat levels as animal fat. C) Soy protein has more energy per gram than lipids. D) Soy protein has only one-tenth the energy per gram of other proteins.

Q: In what way are the essential amino acids different from nonessential amino acids? A) Nonessential amino acids are not necessary for any proteins we make. B) Nonessential amino acids are not absorbed by the digestive tract. C) Essential amino acids cannot be made and must be obtained from food. D) Essential amino acids are the ones exclusively used to make enzymes.

Q: Which of the following has the most stored energy per gram? A) minerals B) proteins C) carbohydrates D) lipids

Q: Calories are a measure of the: A) nutritional value of food. B) amount of energy the food contains. C) weight of the food. D) amount of minerals and vitamins a food contains.

Q: Deficiency of which nutrient can cause muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat, or paralysis? A) potassium B) sulfur C) iron D) copper

Q: Which category of nutrient would be best described as compounds needed in small amounts in the diet to facilitate chemical reactions in the body? A) lipids B) trace minerals C) vitamins D) enzymes

Q: Which of the following is a trace mineral? A) sodium B) sulfur C) phosphorus D) iodine

Q: Which of the following is an example of a nutrient that helps to regulate bodily processes? A) protein B) water C) lipid D) potassium

Q: The appendix is attached to which portion of the large intestine? A) the cecum B) the colon C) the rectum D) the ileocecal valve

Q: What is the main function of the colon? A) to complete the digestion of lipids B) to absorb water and vitamin K C) to control nutrients it will send to the rest of the body D) to digest and absorb carbohydrates

Q: Which organ is central to the body's metabolism of nutrients? A) the stomach B) the kidneys C) the liver D) the small intestine

Q: The main function of the gallbladder is to: A) make bile. B) make gallstones. C) store and concentrate digestive enzymes. D) store and concentrate bile.

Q: Gallstones are a problem when they: A) get stuck in the folds of the small intestine. B) block the cystic duct or common bile duct. C) break and release enzymes. D) break and release cholesterol.

Q: How would blockage of the pancreatic duct affect the digestive system? A) The food in the small intestine would be more basic (alkaline). B) It would have little effect because liver enzymes would take over. C) The small intestine would contain acidic, mostly undigested chyme. D) The stomach would be unable to function.

Q: What is the first part of the small intestine that receives food from the stomach? A) duodenum B) ileum C) jejunum D) cecum

Q: Roughly how long is the small intestine? A) 6 feet B) 14 feet C) 20 feet D) 30 feet

Q: Most of the absorption of digested food takes place in the: A) stomach. B) esophagus. C) large intestine. D) small intestine.

Q: Most digestion occurs in the: A) large intestine. B) mouth. C) stomach. D) small intestine.

Q: In addition to breaking down food, what other valuable function does stomach acid perform? A) Stomach acid kills bacteria and other pathogens in food. B) Stomach acid activates enzymes in the small intestine. C) Stomach acid recycles chlorine. D) Stomach acid converts waste molecules into bile.

Q: Why doesn't the hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach digest its own lining cells? A) The stomach has a dense connective tissue lining. B) Lining cells produce a protective mucus layer. C) The cells make chemicals that quickly neutralize all the acid. D) The acid is specific to proteins, not cells.

Q: Which structure regulates the passage of food from the stomach into the small intestine? A) the pharynx B) the epiglottis C) the stomach submucosa D) the pyloric sphincter

Q: Which of the following best describes the stomach's role in absorption? A) The stomach absorbs most nutrients. B) The stomach absorbs mostly large proteins. C) The stomach absorbs some drugs and alcohol but few nutrients. D) The stomach absorbs acids.

Q: The mixture of food and digestive juices that leaves the stomach is called: A) cud. B) chyme. C) pepsin. D) trypsin.

Q: What is the function of the rugae, or folds in the stomach? A) The rugae push food down toward the intestine. B) The rugae allow the stomach to expand when food enters. C) The rugae neutralize excess acid. D) The rugae manufacture bile.

Q: Which is the main organic molecule that is digested by the secretions of the stomach? A) carbohydrate B) lipid C) nucleic acid D) protein

Q: How does food move from the pharynx to the stomach? A) Gravity alone pushes food through the trachea. B) Gravity alone pushes food through the esophagus. C) Peristalsis and gravity push food through the trachea. D) Peristalsis and gravity push food through the esophagus.

Q: The upper throat may be referred to as the: A) pharynx. B) epiglottis. C) larynx. D) trachea.

Q: What problem might result from damage to the epiglottis? A) A person would no longer be able to taste food. B) Food would be able to enter the respiratory passageway. C) Food would not be digested properly. D) A person would no longer be able to swallow.

Q: Chemical digestion begins in the: A) mouth. B) stomach. C) large intestine. D) small intestine.

Q: How do fats leave the digestive system and enter the bloodstream? A) in the veins B) in the capillaries C) in the arteries D) in the lymphatic vessels

Q: In the digestive system, the villi are: A) muscles in the digestive system that push the food along. B) finger-like projections of the mucosa. C) glands that release digestive enzymes. D) blood vessels that pick up nutrients from the digestive system.

Q: Which type of muscle is involved in peristalsis in the intestine? A) cardiac B) skeletal C) smooth D) voluntary

Q: Most of the blood vessels and nerves in the digestive tract are located in the layer of: A) muscularis externa. B) submucosa. C) serosa. D) mucosa.

Q: Which layer of the digestive tract is actually in contact with the food? A) muscularis externa B) submucosa C) serosa D) mucosa

Q: The outermost layer of the digestive tract is the: A) muscularis externa. B) submucosa. C) serosa. D) mucosa.

Q: Digestion of which organic molecule takes a somewhat more complicated route than most nutrients? A) carbohydrate B) fat C) protein D) nucleic acid

Q: Blood carries most nutrients straight from the small intestine to which organ? A) the heart B) the liver C) the kidneys D) the stomach E) the pancreas

Q: Which of the following is an accessory organ in the digestive system? A) the skin B) the lungs C) the pancreas D) the kidneys

Q: An athletic friend of yours recently had a blood test, asked for a copy of the report, and looked up numbers for his "total cholesterol," or combined LDL/HDL numbers. An online source lists his total as slightly high. He says, "My doctor's a quack! He told me my cholesterol was fine!" You press your friend for more details and come to understand that his LDL levels are within the healthy range, but his HDL levels are higher than average. What do you say to your friend to help him understand his doctor's comments?

Q: Arteries branch into smaller and smaller arteries until they become small-diameter ________ that enter the capillary bed.

Q: List the pathway a single red blood cell would follow from the superior vena cava to the lungs.

Q: Why does exchange occur only in capillaries and not in arteries or veins?

Q: Which blood vessels carry blood away from the heart?

Q: What technique is used to separate blood into plasma and formed elements?

Q: A friend has been asked to be a bone marrow donor for her sister. She tells you that her sister has low red blood cell counts that drop more every day. Your friend doesn't understand why blood transfusion wouldn't work without having to do a bone marrow treatment. How would you explain the need for the bone marrow donation to your friend?

Q: The technical term for a white blood cell is ________.

Q: Match the following.A) "windpipe"B) "upper throat"C) small air passagewaysD) tiny air sacs E) "voice box"Larynx

Q: Match the following.A) "windpipe"B) "upper throat"C) small air passagewaysD) tiny air sacs E) "voice box"Trachea

Q: Match the following.A) "windpipe"B) "upper throat"C) small air passagewaysD) tiny air sacs E) "voice box"Bronchioles

Q: Match the following.A) "windpipe"B) "upper throat"C) small air passagewaysD) tiny air sacs E) "voice box"Pharynx

Q: Match the following.A) "windpipe"B) "upper throat"C) small air passagewaysD) tiny air sacs E) "voice box"Alveoli

Q: Match the following.A) pumps blood to the aortaB) receives blood from the pulmonary veinsC) pumps blood to the pulmonary arteriesD) receives blood from the superior vena cavaLeft ventricle

Q: Match the following.A) pumps blood to the aortaB) receives blood from the pulmonary veinsC) pumps blood to the pulmonary arteriesD) receives blood from the superior vena cavaLeft atrium

Q: Match the following.A) pumps blood to the aortaB) receives blood from the pulmonary veinsC) pumps blood to the pulmonary arteriesD) receives blood from the superior vena cavaRight ventricle

Q: Match the following.A) pumps blood to the aortaB) receives blood from the pulmonary veinsC) pumps blood to the pulmonary arteriesD) receives blood from the superior vena cavaRight atrium

Q: Pulmonary ventilation occurs because of pressure differences between the lungs and the external environment.

Q: Contraction of the diaphragm causes exhalation to occur.

Q: When the thoracic cavity gets smaller, the pressure inside the lungs increases.

Q: The trachea branches into left and right bronchioles.

Q: Capillaries are essentially water-tight vessels, so nutrients and gases diffuse in and out, but water stays put.

Q: Valves in veins are important features that help keep blood moving back toward the heart.

Q: Some proteins are too large to leave the capillaries.

Q: Blockage of the aorta is the most common fatal heart attack.

Q: Inflammation is a typical part of the initial process that can result in a heart attack.

Q: The left ventricle pumps blood into the pulmonary artery.

Q: The stimuli for contraction of the heart come from within the heart rather than from the nervous system.