WGU D312 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT EXAM 2026 |
COMPLETE QUESTIONS & DETAILED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES
WGU D312 — ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT EXAM 2026
COMPLETE 300 QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED ANSWERS & RATIONALE
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE HUMAN BODY & ANATOMICAL
TERMINOLOGY
1. Which term describes the study of the structure of the human body?
A) Physiology
B) Pathology
C) Anatomy
D) Histology
E) Cytology
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Anatomy RATIONALE: Anatomy is the scientific
study of the structure of living organisms, including their organs, tissues, and cells.
Physiology studies function, not structure.
2. The term "physiology" refers to which of the following?
A) Study of body structure
B) Study of body function
C) Study of disease
D) Study of tissues
E) Study of cells
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Study of body function RATIONALE: Physiology
examines how body parts function and work together to maintain life. It is
complementary to anatomy, which focuses on structure.
,3. Which anatomical position describes the body standing upright, facing
forward, with palms facing anteriorly?
A) Prone position
B) Lateral recumbent position
C) Supine position
D) Standard anatomical position
E) Fowler's position
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Standard anatomical position RATIONALE: The
standard anatomical position is the reference point for all anatomical descriptions. The
body stands erect, facing forward, arms at the sides, palms facing anteriorly (forward).
4. The term "superior" in anatomy means:
A) Toward the front of the body
B) Toward the back of the body
C) Toward the head or upper part
D) Toward the feet or lower part
E) Away from the midline
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Toward the head or upper part RATIONALE:
Superior means toward the head end or upper part of a structure. For example, the
head is superior to the neck.
5. Which directional term means "toward the back of the body"?
A) Anterior
B) Superior
C) Lateral
D) Posterior
E) Medial
, CORRECT ANSWER: D) Posterior RATIONALE: Posterior (also called dorsal)
refers to the back surface of the body. Anterior refers to the front surface.
6. The plane that divides the body into left and right halves is called the:
A) Frontal plane
B) Transverse plane
C) Oblique plane
D) Coronal plane
E) Sagittal plane
CORRECT ANSWER: E) Sagittal plane RATIONALE: The sagittal plane
divides the body into left and right portions. When it divides the body into equal halves,
it is called the midsagittal or median plane.
7. Which plane divides the body into superior and inferior portions?
A) Sagittal plane
B) Frontal (coronal) plane
C) Transverse (horizontal) plane
D) Oblique plane
E) Median plane
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Transverse (horizontal) plane RATIONALE: The
transverse plane, also known as the horizontal or axial plane, divides the body into
superior (upper) and inferior (lower) sections.
8. The body cavity that contains the brain and spinal cord is called the:
A) Thoracic cavity
B) Abdominopelvic cavity
C) Dorsal body cavity
D) Ventral body cavity
, E) Pericardial cavity
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Dorsal body cavity RATIONALE: The dorsal body
cavity is subdivided into the cranial cavity (contains the brain) and the vertebral/spinal
canal (contains the spinal cord).
9. Which of the following is NOT part of the ventral body cavity?
A) Thoracic cavity
B) Abdominal cavity
C) Pelvic cavity
D) Cranial cavity
E) Pericardial cavity
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Cranial cavity RATIONALE: The cranial cavity is part
of the dorsal body cavity, not the ventral cavity. The ventral cavity includes the thoracic
and abdominopelvic cavities.
10. The term "lateral" refers to:
A) Toward the midline of the body
B) Away from the midline of the body
C) Toward the head
D) Toward the feet
E) Toward the front
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Away from the midline of the body RATIONALE:
Lateral means away from the midline or toward the side of the body. Medial is the
opposite term, meaning toward the midline.
11. What is homeostasis?
A) The process of cell division
B) The study of body tissues
C) The maintenance of a stable internal environment
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT EXAM 2026 |
COMPLETE QUESTIONS & DETAILED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES
WGU D312 — ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT EXAM 2026
COMPLETE 300 QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED ANSWERS & RATIONALE
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE HUMAN BODY & ANATOMICAL
TERMINOLOGY
1. Which term describes the study of the structure of the human body?
A) Physiology
B) Pathology
C) Anatomy
D) Histology
E) Cytology
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Anatomy RATIONALE: Anatomy is the scientific
study of the structure of living organisms, including their organs, tissues, and cells.
Physiology studies function, not structure.
2. The term "physiology" refers to which of the following?
A) Study of body structure
B) Study of body function
C) Study of disease
D) Study of tissues
E) Study of cells
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Study of body function RATIONALE: Physiology
examines how body parts function and work together to maintain life. It is
complementary to anatomy, which focuses on structure.
,3. Which anatomical position describes the body standing upright, facing
forward, with palms facing anteriorly?
A) Prone position
B) Lateral recumbent position
C) Supine position
D) Standard anatomical position
E) Fowler's position
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Standard anatomical position RATIONALE: The
standard anatomical position is the reference point for all anatomical descriptions. The
body stands erect, facing forward, arms at the sides, palms facing anteriorly (forward).
4. The term "superior" in anatomy means:
A) Toward the front of the body
B) Toward the back of the body
C) Toward the head or upper part
D) Toward the feet or lower part
E) Away from the midline
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Toward the head or upper part RATIONALE:
Superior means toward the head end or upper part of a structure. For example, the
head is superior to the neck.
5. Which directional term means "toward the back of the body"?
A) Anterior
B) Superior
C) Lateral
D) Posterior
E) Medial
, CORRECT ANSWER: D) Posterior RATIONALE: Posterior (also called dorsal)
refers to the back surface of the body. Anterior refers to the front surface.
6. The plane that divides the body into left and right halves is called the:
A) Frontal plane
B) Transverse plane
C) Oblique plane
D) Coronal plane
E) Sagittal plane
CORRECT ANSWER: E) Sagittal plane RATIONALE: The sagittal plane
divides the body into left and right portions. When it divides the body into equal halves,
it is called the midsagittal or median plane.
7. Which plane divides the body into superior and inferior portions?
A) Sagittal plane
B) Frontal (coronal) plane
C) Transverse (horizontal) plane
D) Oblique plane
E) Median plane
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Transverse (horizontal) plane RATIONALE: The
transverse plane, also known as the horizontal or axial plane, divides the body into
superior (upper) and inferior (lower) sections.
8. The body cavity that contains the brain and spinal cord is called the:
A) Thoracic cavity
B) Abdominopelvic cavity
C) Dorsal body cavity
D) Ventral body cavity
, E) Pericardial cavity
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Dorsal body cavity RATIONALE: The dorsal body
cavity is subdivided into the cranial cavity (contains the brain) and the vertebral/spinal
canal (contains the spinal cord).
9. Which of the following is NOT part of the ventral body cavity?
A) Thoracic cavity
B) Abdominal cavity
C) Pelvic cavity
D) Cranial cavity
E) Pericardial cavity
CORRECT ANSWER: D) Cranial cavity RATIONALE: The cranial cavity is part
of the dorsal body cavity, not the ventral cavity. The ventral cavity includes the thoracic
and abdominopelvic cavities.
10. The term "lateral" refers to:
A) Toward the midline of the body
B) Away from the midline of the body
C) Toward the head
D) Toward the feet
E) Toward the front
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Away from the midline of the body RATIONALE:
Lateral means away from the midline or toward the side of the body. Medial is the
opposite term, meaning toward the midline.
11. What is homeostasis?
A) The process of cell division
B) The study of body tissues
C) The maintenance of a stable internal environment
