This HESI A2 A&P practice test has 10 original anatomy and physiology questions, each with a short explanation. Cover the answers as you go, and note any question you were unsure about, even if you got it right. Those are the topics to review first.
These questions are not from Elsevier and they cannot predict your score. Your program also decides which sections you take, so confirm that A&P is required before you spend time on it.
HESI A2 A&P Practice Questions
Question 1
Which heart chamber pumps oxygen-rich blood out to the body?
- A. Right atrium
- B. Right ventricle
- C. Left atrium
- D. Left ventricle
Answer: D. The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta. Its thick muscular wall supports this work.
Question 2
Which valve sits between the right atrium and the right ventricle?
- A. Mitral
- B. Tricuspid
- C. Aortic
- D. Pulmonary
Answer: B. The tricuspid valve is on the right side. The mitral valve is between the left atrium and the left ventricle.
Question 3
Where does gas exchange happen in the lungs?
- A. Trachea
- B. Bronchi
- C. Alveoli
- D. Pleura
Answer: C. Oxygen and carbon dioxide cross between the alveoli and the surrounding capillaries.
Question 4
Where is most nutrient absorption completed?
- A. Stomach
- B. Small intestine
- C. Large intestine
- D. Esophagus
Answer: B. The small intestine absorbs most nutrients. The large intestine mainly absorbs water and electrolytes.
Question 5
What is the functional unit of the kidney?
- A. Neuron
- B. Nephron
- C. Ureter
- D. Alveolus
Answer: B. Nephrons filter blood and form urine. A neuron is a nerve cell.
Question 6
Which hormone lowers blood glucose?
- A. Glucagon
- B. Insulin
- C. Cortisol
- D. Epinephrine
Answer: B. The pancreas releases insulin, which helps cells take in glucose. Glucagon raises blood glucose.
Question 7
What connects bone to bone at a joint?
- A. Tendon
- B. Ligament
- C. Cartilage
- D. Fascia
Answer: B. Ligaments connect bone to bone. Tendons connect muscle to bone.
Question 8
Which part of the brain is mainly responsible for balance and coordination?
- A. Cerebellum
- B. Cerebrum
- C. Medulla
- D. Hypothalamus
Answer: A. The cerebellum coordinates movement and balance.
Question 9
What does the anatomical term "anterior" mean?
- A. Toward the back
- B. Toward the front
- C. Toward the head
- D. Away from the midline
Answer: B. Anterior means toward the front, and posterior means toward the back.
Question 10
What is the largest organ of the human body?
- A. Liver
- B. Lungs
- C. Skin
- D. Small intestine
Answer: C. The skin is the body's largest organ. The liver is the largest internal organ.
How to Read Your Score
Use your score as a rough guide only, because 10 questions is a small sample. What matters more is the pattern of your misses:
- Questions 1 and 2: review the cardiovascular system.
- Question 3: review the respiratory system.
- Question 4: review the digestive system.
- Question 5: review the urinary system.
- Question 6: review the endocrine system.
- Question 7: review the musculoskeletal system.
- Question 8: review the nervous system.
- Question 9: review directional terms.
- Question 10: review the integumentary system.
HESI A2 A&P Review Checklist
Check that you can do each of these without your notes:
- Trace blood through the heart, lungs and body.
- Explain how arteries, veins and capillaries differ.
- Describe how oxygen and carbon dioxide move during breathing.
- Follow food through the digestive tract and name the role of each organ.
- Explain how the kidneys filter blood and help balance fluid.
- Match the major endocrine glands to their main hormones.
- Tell the central and peripheral nervous systems apart.
- Name the main muscle types and the major bones.
- Use planes of the body and directional terms correctly.
How to Study Anatomy and Physiology
Study one system at a time. For each one, learn its parts first and then how they work together. Next, connect it to another system. For example, the respiratory system brings in the oxygen that the cardiovascular system delivers.
Draw diagrams from memory instead of only looking at them. Explain a process aloud, as if teaching a friend. If you get stuck, you have found exactly what to review. Finish each study session with a few mixed questions, because the real exam will not tell you which system a question comes from.
Vocabulary helps here too. Terms like hypertension and tachycardia are easier when you know their parts, so see our HESI A2 vocabulary study guide.
Get Help With HESI A2 A&P
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