Question 1

Erythropoietin is a hormone that increases production of red blood cells. As such, its target is:

Accepted Answer

Erythropoietin primarily targets the bone marrow to stimulate the production of red blood cells.

Question 2

Which of the following may be found in blood plasma?

Accepted Answer

Blood plasma contains sodium, water, glucose, and other substances.

Question 3

Why is the term white blood cell somewhat misleading?

Accepted Answer

White blood cells (WBCs) are primarily located in body tissues, such as the lymphatic system, and play a crucial role in the immune response. While they do circulate in the bloodstream, their main functions and majority are found in tissues, making the term "blood cell" somewhat misleading.

Question 4

A very high level of cholesterol in the liver this suggests that a person has:

Accepted Answer

The answer of A very high level of cholesterol in...

Question 5

Much of the blood plasma can depart from the circulatory system and be exchanged with the interstitial fluid in which part of the circulatory system?

Accepted Answer

The exchange of blood plasma with the interstitial fluid primarily occurs in the capillaries. This is because the walls of capillaries are thin enough to allow for the exchange of water, nutrients, and waste products between blood and tissues.

Question 6

If the diameter of an artery decreases, the pressure inside will:

Accepted Answer

According to the principle of fluid dynamics, specifically Bernoulli's principle, if the diameter of a tube (in this case, an artery) decreases, the velocity of the fluid (blood) flowing through it increases. According to the equation of continuity and Bernoulli's equation, this results in a decrease in pressure. However, in the physiological context of blood flow, the situation is more accurately described by Poiseuille's law, which indicates that resistance increases as the diameter decreases, leading to an increase in pressure upstream of the constriction to maintain flow. This is why the correct answer is that pressure inside the artery increases.

Question 7

Which of the following would have the same oxygen content?

Accepted Answer

Blood entering and leaving the right side of the heart would have the same oxygen content because the right side of the heart deals with deoxygenated blood, both receiving it from the body and pumping it to the lungs without altering its oxygen content.

Question 8

"Hot or quasi-warm-blooded fish, such as bluefin tuna, keep a higher temperature difference between their body and surrounding water than cold fish because:

Accepted Answer

Bluefin tuna and other warm-blooded fish maintain a higher body temperature than the surrounding water by utilizing a countercurrent heat exchanger system of veins and arteries. This system allows them to conserve and redistribute heat throughout their bodies, making them more efficient in colder waters.

Question 9

A person has been in a car accident and is hemorrhaging (bleeding internally). Although the person is losing blood volume, the blood pressure remains within normal limits for a few minutes. Which of the following explains this?

Accepted Answer

Vasoconstriction occurs as a compensatory mechanism to maintain blood pressure by narrowing blood vessels, which increases vascular resistance and helps sustain blood pressure despite the loss of blood volume.

Question 10

If your pulse is "racing or very fast, what is happening in the ventricles?

Accepted Answer

When your pulse is racing or very fast, it indicates that your heart, including the left ventricle, is contracting faster than normal to pump blood throughout the body. This is because the pulse rate is a direct reflection of the heart rate, which involves the synchronized contraction of both ventricles, but the question specifically asks about the left ventricle.

Question 11

Which artery in the body carries deoxygenated blood?

Accepted Answer

The pulmonary artery is unique among the arteries as it carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation.

Question 12

Why is the left side of the heart stronger than the right side of the heart?

Accepted Answer

The left side of the heart pumps blood through the systemic circulation to the entire body, requiring more force than the right side, which pumps blood only to the lungs (pulmonary circulation).

Question 13

To which part of an artery do LDLs attach ?

Accepted Answer

LDLs (low-density lipoproteins) attach to the endothelium, which is the innermost layer of the artery, part of the epithelium.

Question 14

The hormone ADH (antidiuretic hormone) causes the body to retain water and also increases blood pressure. As a result of this, which of the following would be correct?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The hormone ADH (antidiuretic hormone) causes the...

Question 15

The function of the respiratory system is:

Accepted Answer

The primary function of the respiratory system is to facilitate gas exchange, allowing oxygen to enter the blood and carbon dioxide to be expelled from the body.

Question 16

Earthworms need a source of oxygen to perform cellular respiration. The problem is that they lack lungs, so the oxygen they need is obtained by diffusion through their skin. Why do earthworms need to keep their skin moist?

Accepted Answer

Oxygen must dissolve in water before it can diffuse into the blood of earthworms. Their skin must remain moist to facilitate this process, allowing oxygen to be absorbed and used for cellular respiration.

Question 17

In the respiratory system, the larynx is also called the:

Accepted Answer

The larynx is commonly known as the voice box because it houses the vocal cords, which are essential for phonation (the production of sound).

Question 18

Why do people breathe into paper bags when they are hyperventilating?

Accepted Answer

Breathing into a paper bag helps increase CO₂ levels, which can help correct the respiratory alkalosis caused by hyperventilation.

Question 19

Major Tom is involved in building the international space station. During his spacewalk, a piece of debris strikes his faceplate and cracks it. Because there is no air pressure in space;

Accepted Answer

The lack of external pressure in space compared to the internal pressure of the air in his lungs would cause the air to rush out of his body, following the pressure gradient from high (inside the lungs) to low (space).

Question 20

The movement of gases between the alveoli and the blood is:

Accepted Answer

The movement of gases between the alveoli and the blood occurs through diffusion, a passive transport mechanism where gases move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

Quiz 29: Blood and Breath