NUR 242 Med Surg Exam 3 – Complete 200-Question Test
Bank
Based on verified 2025/2026 exam materials, here is a comprehensive 200-question test bank covering
respiratory, fluid/electrolyte, renal, and other med-surg topics with rationales .
SECTION 1: RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY & MECHANICS
Q1. What is ventilation?
• A) The circulation of blood through the lungs
• B) The movement of air into and out of the lungs
• C) The exchange of gases in the alveoli
• D) The transport of oxygen by hemoglobin
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Ventilation is the mechanical process of moving air into and out of the lungs. Perfusion is the
circulation of blood through the lungs .
Q2. What is perfusion?
• A) The movement of air into the lungs
• B) The circulation of blood through the lungs
• C) The exchange of gases in the alveoli
• D) The transport of carbon dioxide
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Perfusion refers to the circulation of blood through the pulmonary capillaries where gas
exchange occurs .
Q3. What are central chemoreceptors responsive to?
• A) Decreased PaO2 only
• B) Increased H+ in the brain ECF and increased PaCO2
• C) Decreased pH only
• D) Increased PaO2
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Central chemoreceptors are primarily responsive to increased H+ in the brain extracellular
fluid and increased PaCO2. This is known as the "hypercarbic drive" .
Q4. What are peripheral chemoreceptors responsive to?
, • A) Increased PaO2
• B) Decreased pH, increased PaCO2, and decreased PaO2
• C) Increased H+ in the brain ECF
• D) Decreased PaCO2
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Peripheral chemoreceptors respond to decreased pH, increased PaCO2, and decreased
PaO2—the "hypoxic drive" .
Q5. What are elastic forces in the lungs?
• A) Surface tension from water-air interface
• B) Opposition to flow caused by friction
• C) Lung recoil due to elastin, collagen, and fibrin
• D) Ease with which lungs can be inflated
✅ Answer: C
Rationale: Elastic forces are the lungs' tendency to recoil due to elastin, collagen, and fibrin fibers .
Q6. What are surface forces in the lungs?
• A) Lung recoil from elastin
• B) Surface tension due to water-air interface
• C) Airway resistance
• D) Lung distensibility
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Surface forces refer to surface tension caused by the water-air interface in the alveoli.
Surfactant reduces this surface tension .
Q7. What is airway resistance?
• A) The ease with which lungs can be inflated
• B) Opposition to flow caused by friction, primarily determined by airway radius
• C) The recoil of lungs from elastic fibers
• D) Surface tension in the alveoli
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Airway resistance is opposition to flow caused by frictional forces, primarily determined by
the airway radius .
Q8. What causes a right shift (decreased affinity) in the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve?
, • A) Alkalemia, hypothermia, hypocarbia
• B) Acidemia, hyperthermia, hypercarbia
• C) Decreased 2,3-DPG
• D) Increased pH
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Acidemia, hyperthermia, and hypercarbia cause a right shift, decreasing hemoglobin's affinity
for oxygen and promoting oxygen release to tissues .
Q9. What causes a left shift (increased affinity) in the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve?
• A) Acidemia, hyperthermia, hypercarbia
• B) Alkalemia, hypothermia, hypocarbia
• C) Increased 2,3-DPG
• D) Decreased pH
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Alkalemia, hypothermia, and hypocarbia cause a left shift, increasing hemoglobin's affinity
for oxygen and impairing oxygen release to tissues .
Q10. What is the difference between hypoxemia and hypoxia?
• A) They are the same condition
• B) Hypoxemia is decreased tissue oxygen; hypoxia is decreased blood oxygen
• C) Hypoxemia is decreased blood oxygen; hypoxia is decreased tissue oxygen
• D) Hypoxemia is a type of anemia
✅ Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxemia is deficient blood oxygen (low PaO2, low O2 saturation). Hypoxia is decreased
tissue oxygen, which can result from various causes .
Q11. What is ischemic hypoxia?
• A) Decreased tissue oxygen from decreased respirations
• B) Decreased tissue oxygen from decreased hemoglobin
• C) Decreased tissue oxygen from greatly reduced or interrupted arterial flow
• D) Decreased tissue oxygen from increased toxic substances
✅ Answer: C
Rationale: Ischemia is greatly reduced or interrupted flow through the arterial system, producing
significant tissue hypoxia .
Bank
Based on verified 2025/2026 exam materials, here is a comprehensive 200-question test bank covering
respiratory, fluid/electrolyte, renal, and other med-surg topics with rationales .
SECTION 1: RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY & MECHANICS
Q1. What is ventilation?
• A) The circulation of blood through the lungs
• B) The movement of air into and out of the lungs
• C) The exchange of gases in the alveoli
• D) The transport of oxygen by hemoglobin
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Ventilation is the mechanical process of moving air into and out of the lungs. Perfusion is the
circulation of blood through the lungs .
Q2. What is perfusion?
• A) The movement of air into the lungs
• B) The circulation of blood through the lungs
• C) The exchange of gases in the alveoli
• D) The transport of carbon dioxide
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Perfusion refers to the circulation of blood through the pulmonary capillaries where gas
exchange occurs .
Q3. What are central chemoreceptors responsive to?
• A) Decreased PaO2 only
• B) Increased H+ in the brain ECF and increased PaCO2
• C) Decreased pH only
• D) Increased PaO2
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Central chemoreceptors are primarily responsive to increased H+ in the brain extracellular
fluid and increased PaCO2. This is known as the "hypercarbic drive" .
Q4. What are peripheral chemoreceptors responsive to?
, • A) Increased PaO2
• B) Decreased pH, increased PaCO2, and decreased PaO2
• C) Increased H+ in the brain ECF
• D) Decreased PaCO2
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Peripheral chemoreceptors respond to decreased pH, increased PaCO2, and decreased
PaO2—the "hypoxic drive" .
Q5. What are elastic forces in the lungs?
• A) Surface tension from water-air interface
• B) Opposition to flow caused by friction
• C) Lung recoil due to elastin, collagen, and fibrin
• D) Ease with which lungs can be inflated
✅ Answer: C
Rationale: Elastic forces are the lungs' tendency to recoil due to elastin, collagen, and fibrin fibers .
Q6. What are surface forces in the lungs?
• A) Lung recoil from elastin
• B) Surface tension due to water-air interface
• C) Airway resistance
• D) Lung distensibility
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Surface forces refer to surface tension caused by the water-air interface in the alveoli.
Surfactant reduces this surface tension .
Q7. What is airway resistance?
• A) The ease with which lungs can be inflated
• B) Opposition to flow caused by friction, primarily determined by airway radius
• C) The recoil of lungs from elastic fibers
• D) Surface tension in the alveoli
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Airway resistance is opposition to flow caused by frictional forces, primarily determined by
the airway radius .
Q8. What causes a right shift (decreased affinity) in the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve?
, • A) Alkalemia, hypothermia, hypocarbia
• B) Acidemia, hyperthermia, hypercarbia
• C) Decreased 2,3-DPG
• D) Increased pH
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Acidemia, hyperthermia, and hypercarbia cause a right shift, decreasing hemoglobin's affinity
for oxygen and promoting oxygen release to tissues .
Q9. What causes a left shift (increased affinity) in the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve?
• A) Acidemia, hyperthermia, hypercarbia
• B) Alkalemia, hypothermia, hypocarbia
• C) Increased 2,3-DPG
• D) Decreased pH
✅ Answer: B
Rationale: Alkalemia, hypothermia, and hypocarbia cause a left shift, increasing hemoglobin's affinity
for oxygen and impairing oxygen release to tissues .
Q10. What is the difference between hypoxemia and hypoxia?
• A) They are the same condition
• B) Hypoxemia is decreased tissue oxygen; hypoxia is decreased blood oxygen
• C) Hypoxemia is decreased blood oxygen; hypoxia is decreased tissue oxygen
• D) Hypoxemia is a type of anemia
✅ Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxemia is deficient blood oxygen (low PaO2, low O2 saturation). Hypoxia is decreased
tissue oxygen, which can result from various causes .
Q11. What is ischemic hypoxia?
• A) Decreased tissue oxygen from decreased respirations
• B) Decreased tissue oxygen from decreased hemoglobin
• C) Decreased tissue oxygen from greatly reduced or interrupted arterial flow
• D) Decreased tissue oxygen from increased toxic substances
✅ Answer: C
Rationale: Ischemia is greatly reduced or interrupted flow through the arterial system, producing
significant tissue hypoxia .
