Kenneth S. Saladin | Original Chapter-by-Chapter A&P MCQs with Verified Correct
Answers and Detailed Rationales Covering Homeostasis, Chemistry of Life, Cellular
Biology
Course
A&P 101 – Anatomy and Physiology
1. Homeostasis
Which statement best describes homeostasis?
A. Maintenance of static internal conditions regardless of external change
B. Maintenance of a stable internal environment through dynamic regulation
C. Permanent elimination of physiological variation
D. Uncontrolled fluctuation of body systems
Answer: B
Rationale: Homeostasis is not a fixed state but a dynamic balance where physiological
variables fluctuate within narrow limits via feedback systems.
2. Negative Feedback
A rise in blood glucose triggers insulin release. This is an example of:
A. Positive feedback
B. Negative feedback
C. Feedforward control only
D. Non-regulatory response
Answer: B
Rationale: Negative feedback reverses a change in a controlled variable, restoring it toward a
set point.
3. Positive Feedback Example
Which process is a classic example of positive feedback?
A. Body temperature regulation
B. Blood glucose regulation
C. Blood clotting
D. Oxygen transport
,Answer: C
Rationale: Blood clotting amplifies itself until the injury is sealed—this is self-reinforcing
feedback.
4. pH Scale
A solution with pH 3 is:
A. Neutral
B. Weakly basic
C. Strongly acidic
D. Slightly alkaline
Answer: C
Rationale: pH values below 7 indicate acidity; lower numbers mean higher hydrogen ion
concentration.
5. Buffer Systems
Buffer systems in the body function to:
A. Eliminate all acids from blood
B. Maintain stable pH by resisting changes in hydrogen ion concentration
C. Increase metabolic rate
D. Produce enzymes
Answer: B
Rationale: Buffers absorb excess H⁺ or OH⁻, stabilizing pH essential for enzyme function.
6. Water Properties
Water’s high heat capacity is important because it:
A. Allows rapid temperature changes in the body
B. Prevents rapid fluctuations in body temperature
C. Stops evaporation completely
D. Increases blood viscosity
Answer: B
,Rationale: High heat capacity allows the body to resist temperature changes, stabilizing
internal conditions.
7. Cell Membrane Structure
The primary structural component of the plasma membrane is:
A. Cellulose
B. Phospholipid bilayer
C. Glycogen layer
D. DNA strands
Answer: B
Rationale: The membrane is formed by a phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins,
creating selective permeability.
8. Diffusion
Diffusion across a membrane is driven by:
A. ATP consumption
B. Electrochemical gradients
C. Ribosome activity
D. Protein synthesis
Answer: B
Rationale: Molecules move down their concentration or electrical gradient without energy
input.
9. Osmosis
Osmosis refers to the movement of:
A. Solutes across membranes
B. Water across a selectively permeable membrane
C. Proteins into the nucleus
D. Ions against gradients using ATP
Answer: B
, Rationale: Osmosis is specifically the passive movement of water toward higher solute
concentration.
10. Cellular Organelles
The organelle responsible for ATP production is the:
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Mitochondrion
C. Lysosome
D. Ribosome
Answer: B
Rationale: Mitochondria generate ATP through cellular respiration, supplying energy for
cellular functions.
11. Amino Acids
Which property best distinguishes amino acids from other biological molecules?
A. Contain phosphate groups
B. Contain both amino and carboxyl functional groups
C. Always insoluble in water
D. Lack carbon atoms
Answer: B
Rationale: Amino acids are characterized by having both an amino group (-NH₂) and a
carboxyl group (-COOH), making them amphoteric and essential for protein structure.
12. Protein Structure
The primary structure of a protein refers to:
A. Folding into alpha helices
B. Sequence of amino acids
C. Interaction of multiple polypeptides
D. Final 3D shape
Answer: B
Rationale: Primary structure is the linear sequence of amino acids, determined by genetic
coding.