Anatomy HESI A2 Practice Test

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Detoxifying harmful substances. The liver plays a crucial role in filtering and detoxifying harmful substances like drugs, alcohol, and metabolic waste products. It metabolizes these substances to make them less harmful for elimination from the body. This function is essential for maintaining overall health and preventing damage to other organs. Incorrect Choices: A: Producing insulin - The pancreas is responsible for producing insulin, not the liver. C: Digesting food - The liver produces bile that aids in digestion, but its primary role is not digesting food. D: Storing energy - While the liver does store glycogen as an energy reserve, its primary role is not storing energy.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: To store urine. The urinary bladder is a muscular organ that serves as a reservoir for urine produced by the kidneys. It temporarily stores urine until it is ready to be excreted from the body. Filtering blood (A) is the function of the kidneys, storing and concentrating bile (B) is the function of the gallbladder, and absorbing nutrients (D) mostly occurs in the small intestine. Therefore, the main function of the urinary bladder is to store urine before it is eliminated from the body.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: To filter blood and remove old red blood cells. The spleen is an important organ in the lymphatic system responsible for filtering blood, removing old or damaged red blood cells, and storing platelets. It also plays a role in immune function by producing antibodies and storing lymphocytes. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as the spleen's main functions are related to blood filtration and immune response, not lymphocyte production, vitamin storage, or temperature regulation.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Larynx. The larynx is an organ of the respiratory system responsible for producing sound and protecting the trachea during swallowing. It is located in the throat region and contains vocal cords. The brain (A) is part of the nervous system, not the respiratory system. The urethra (C) is part of the urinary system, and the pancreas (D) is part of the digestive system. Therefore, the larynx is the only choice directly related to the respiratory system.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Semicircular canals. These structures in the inner ear are responsible for detecting rotational movement and maintaining balance. The semicircular canals contain fluid that moves in response to head movements, stimulating hair cells that send signals to the brain about the body's position in space. A: The cochlea is responsible for hearing, not balance. C: Ossicles are tiny bones in the middle ear that transmit sound vibrations to the cochlea. D: The Eustachian tube helps equalize pressure in the middle ear and is not directly related to balance. In summary, the semicircular canals are crucial for maintaining balance by detecting rotational movements, while the other structures mentioned are primarily involved in hearing or pressure regulation.