HESI A2 Biology Practice Test

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Epithelial tissue is primarily found lining the organs, such as the skin, digestive tract, and respiratory tract. This tissue serves as a protective barrier and aids in absorption and secretion. The other choices, heart muscle, tendons, and spinal cord, are not locations where epithelial tissue is typically found. Heart muscle is cardiac muscle tissue, tendons are composed of dense regular connective tissue, and the spinal cord consists of nervous tissue. Therefore, the correct answer is A, organ lining, as it aligns with the typical locations of epithelial tissue in the body.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Connective tissue. Fat is a type of adipose tissue, which is a specialized form of connective tissue that stores energy in the form of fat cells. Connective tissue provides support, structure, and insulation to the body. Muscle tissue (B) is responsible for movement, nervous tissue (C) transmits signals, and epithelial tissue (D) forms protective barriers. Fat does not perform these functions, hence choices B, C, and D are incorrect.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Create energy. Mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell because they produce ATP, the primary energy source for cellular functions. They do this through a process called cellular respiration. Option A is incorrect as the nucleus controls the cell. Option C is incorrect as protein synthesis occurs in the ribosomes. Option D is incorrect as waste packaging is typically done by lysosomes.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Enzymes are typically proteins because they are biological catalysts made up of amino acids. Proteins have specific structures that allow them to bind to substrates and speed up chemical reactions. Fats, sugars, and neurons do not possess the specific structural properties required for enzyme function. Therefore, the correct answer is B (Proteins).

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: They are denoted Aa. Heterozygous traits refer to the presence of different alleles at a specific gene locus. In this case, A and a represent two different alleles for the same trait. When an individual is heterozygous, one allele is dominant (A) and the other is recessive (a). Therefore, the correct notation for a heterozygous trait is Aa. Option A is incorrect because heterozygous traits are not haploid (having one set of chromosomes), but diploid (having two sets). Option B is incorrect as it denotes a homozygous dominant genotype. Option C is incorrect as it denotes a homozygous recessive genotype.