HESI A2 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY 2026 – COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FOR NURSING ENTRANCE EXAM PREPARATION A+ VERIFIED LATEST VERSION
1. What is erythropoiesis and where does it occur?
A. The formation of red blood cells; Heart
B. The formation of white blood cells; Spleen
C. The formation of bile; Liver
D. The formation of red blood cells; Red bone marrow: D. The formation of red blood cells;
Red bone marrow
Explanation- Erythropoiesis is the production of red blood cells. In the early development of a fetus, erythropoiesis
takes place in the yolk sac, spleen, and liver. However, after birth, all erythropoiesis occurs in the bone marrow.
2. Which of the following male reproductive organs is also a part of the urinary
system?
A. Epidiymis
B. Vas deferens
C. Urethra
D. Ureter: C. Urethra
Explanation- In males, the urethra is the tube through which urine is voided. It is also the tube that semen flows
through during sexual activity. Therefore, it is part of both the urinary and reproductive systems in males.
3. The shoulder is an example of which type of synovial joint?
A. Ball-and-socket
B. Pivot
C. Saddle
D. Hinge: A. Ball-and-socket
4. What is the function of endocrine glands?
A. They secrete products directly into a duct that carries the products to where
they are needed.
B. They transmit nerve impulses between parts of the body.
C. They secrete hormones directly into the blood.
, HESI A2 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY 2026 – COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FOR NURSING ENTRANCE EXAM PREPARATION A+ VERIFIED LATEST VERSION
D. They are a group of cells that respond to specific hormones.: C. They secrete
hormones directly into the blood.
5. A sprain occurs when which of the following structures is stretched or torn?
A. Ligament
B. Tendon
C. Muscle
D. Fibrous joint: A. Ligament
6. Which of the following organelles would you expect to find an abundance
of in leukocytes?
A. Ribosomes
B. Lysosomes
C. Mitochondria
D. Golgi bodies: B. Lysosomes
7. Which of the following best describes the anatomical position?
A. Standing upright, facing away from the observer, upper extremities at the
body's sides, feet flat and directed outward, and the palms facing anteriorly.
B. Standing upright, facing away from the observer, upper extremities at the
body's sides, feet flat and directed forward, and the palms facing towards
anteriorly.
C. Standing upright, facing the observer, upper extremities at the body's sides,
feet flat and directed forward, and the palms facing posteriorly
D. Standing upright, facing the observer, upper extremities at the body's sides,
feet flat and directed forward, and the palms facing anteriorly: D. Standing upright,
facing the observer, upper extremities at the body's sides, feet flat and directed forward, and the palms facing
anteriorly
8. What does the presence of antidiuretic hormone stimulate?
, HESI A2 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY 2026 – COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FOR NURSING ENTRANCE EXAM PREPARATION A+ VERIFIED LATEST VERSION
A. Water reabsorption from the urinary filtrate
B. The increase of calcium levels in the blood
C. The release of water into the bladder to be voided as urine
D. Calcium reabsorption by the nephrons: A. Water reabsorption from the urinary filtrate
Explanation- The most important job of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is to conserve water in the body by reducing the
loss of water in urine. It does this by telling your kidneys how much water it needs to put back into your body instead
of voiding it as urine.
9. Which of the following types of cancer would present warning signs that are
identified using the ABCDE method?
A. Leukemia
B. Melanoma
C. Basal cell carcinoma
D. Squamous cell carcinoma: B. Melanoma
10. Where is the popliteal artery located?
A. Behind the knee
B. On the underside of the wrist
C. Near the top of the cubital fossa
D. Below the jaw line between the trachea and sternomastoid muscle: A. Behind
the knee
11. Which of the following is defined as "a group of similar cells and their
intercellular matrix that carry out a specific function together?"
A. Neuroglia
B. Tissues
C. Organs
D. Organ systems: B. Tissues
12. Which of the following lists the correct pathway of blood through the
circulatory system?
A. Left ventricle, vena cava, systemic circuit, aorta, right atrium, right ventricle,
ANSWERS FOR NURSING ENTRANCE EXAM PREPARATION A+ VERIFIED LATEST VERSION
1. What is erythropoiesis and where does it occur?
A. The formation of red blood cells; Heart
B. The formation of white blood cells; Spleen
C. The formation of bile; Liver
D. The formation of red blood cells; Red bone marrow: D. The formation of red blood cells;
Red bone marrow
Explanation- Erythropoiesis is the production of red blood cells. In the early development of a fetus, erythropoiesis
takes place in the yolk sac, spleen, and liver. However, after birth, all erythropoiesis occurs in the bone marrow.
2. Which of the following male reproductive organs is also a part of the urinary
system?
A. Epidiymis
B. Vas deferens
C. Urethra
D. Ureter: C. Urethra
Explanation- In males, the urethra is the tube through which urine is voided. It is also the tube that semen flows
through during sexual activity. Therefore, it is part of both the urinary and reproductive systems in males.
3. The shoulder is an example of which type of synovial joint?
A. Ball-and-socket
B. Pivot
C. Saddle
D. Hinge: A. Ball-and-socket
4. What is the function of endocrine glands?
A. They secrete products directly into a duct that carries the products to where
they are needed.
B. They transmit nerve impulses between parts of the body.
C. They secrete hormones directly into the blood.
, HESI A2 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY 2026 – COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FOR NURSING ENTRANCE EXAM PREPARATION A+ VERIFIED LATEST VERSION
D. They are a group of cells that respond to specific hormones.: C. They secrete
hormones directly into the blood.
5. A sprain occurs when which of the following structures is stretched or torn?
A. Ligament
B. Tendon
C. Muscle
D. Fibrous joint: A. Ligament
6. Which of the following organelles would you expect to find an abundance
of in leukocytes?
A. Ribosomes
B. Lysosomes
C. Mitochondria
D. Golgi bodies: B. Lysosomes
7. Which of the following best describes the anatomical position?
A. Standing upright, facing away from the observer, upper extremities at the
body's sides, feet flat and directed outward, and the palms facing anteriorly.
B. Standing upright, facing away from the observer, upper extremities at the
body's sides, feet flat and directed forward, and the palms facing towards
anteriorly.
C. Standing upright, facing the observer, upper extremities at the body's sides,
feet flat and directed forward, and the palms facing posteriorly
D. Standing upright, facing the observer, upper extremities at the body's sides,
feet flat and directed forward, and the palms facing anteriorly: D. Standing upright,
facing the observer, upper extremities at the body's sides, feet flat and directed forward, and the palms facing
anteriorly
8. What does the presence of antidiuretic hormone stimulate?
, HESI A2 ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY 2026 – COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FOR NURSING ENTRANCE EXAM PREPARATION A+ VERIFIED LATEST VERSION
A. Water reabsorption from the urinary filtrate
B. The increase of calcium levels in the blood
C. The release of water into the bladder to be voided as urine
D. Calcium reabsorption by the nephrons: A. Water reabsorption from the urinary filtrate
Explanation- The most important job of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is to conserve water in the body by reducing the
loss of water in urine. It does this by telling your kidneys how much water it needs to put back into your body instead
of voiding it as urine.
9. Which of the following types of cancer would present warning signs that are
identified using the ABCDE method?
A. Leukemia
B. Melanoma
C. Basal cell carcinoma
D. Squamous cell carcinoma: B. Melanoma
10. Where is the popliteal artery located?
A. Behind the knee
B. On the underside of the wrist
C. Near the top of the cubital fossa
D. Below the jaw line between the trachea and sternomastoid muscle: A. Behind
the knee
11. Which of the following is defined as "a group of similar cells and their
intercellular matrix that carry out a specific function together?"
A. Neuroglia
B. Tissues
C. Organs
D. Organ systems: B. Tissues
12. Which of the following lists the correct pathway of blood through the
circulatory system?
A. Left ventricle, vena cava, systemic circuit, aorta, right atrium, right ventricle,
