ATI TEAS Science Questions

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B - Hypothalamus. The hypothalamus plays a crucial role in controlling the pituitary gland and regulating essential functions such as hunger, thirst, and body temperature. It acts as a vital link between the nervous system and the endocrine system, contributing to the maintenance of homeostasis in the body. Choice A, the Thalamus, is incorrect as it is primarily involved in relaying sensory information to the cerebral cortex. Choice C, the Medulla oblongata, is not responsible for regulating hunger, thirst, and body temperature; instead, it controls autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate. Choice D, the Cerebellum, is primarily associated with coordination and balance, not the regulation of endocrine functions or basic physiological needs.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B, Skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle is both voluntary and striated, as well as attached to bones, allowing for movement. Smooth muscle, on the other hand, is involuntary and typically found in the walls of internal organs, controlling functions like digestion. Cardiac muscle is also striated, but it is involuntary and specifically found in the heart, responsible for cardiac contractions to pump blood. 'Epithelial muscle' is an incorrect term; epithelial tissue is a type of tissue that forms the linings of various body surfaces and structures, not a muscle type.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The corrected answer is C. Elastic arteries, like the aorta, are the largest arteries in the body. They possess elastic fibers in their walls, allowing them to stretch and recoil in response to the pulsatile nature of blood flow from the heart. This elasticity helps to maintain blood pressure by absorbing the pressure waves generated by the heart's contractions and ensuring continuous blood flow to the organs. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because elastic arteries are not the smallest arteries, do not constrict and dilate frequently, are not medium-sized arteries for distributing blood to various organs, and are not thin-walled arteries supplying blood to capillaries. Elastic arteries have a specific structure and function related to their ability to accommodate blood pressure changes due to their elastic properties, which is essential for the cardiovascular system's proper functioning.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The main role of the large intestine in digestion is to absorb water. When food reaches the large intestine, most nutrients have already been absorbed by the small intestine. In the large intestine, water is absorbed from the remaining undigested food, helping to form solid waste (feces). Absorbing proteins, carbohydrates, or fats primarily occurs in the small intestine, not in the large intestine. Therefore, options A, B, and C are incorrect.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Totipotent stem cells have the unique ability to differentiate into any cell type in the human body and can generate a complete organism. They are considered the most versatile type of stem cells, capable of developing into all cell types, including extraembryonic tissues. Choice A, Totipotent stem cells, is the correct answer as it specifically describes stem cells with the broadest differentiation potential. Choice B, Multipotent stem cells, refers to stem cells that can differentiate into a limited range of cell types. Choice C, Pluripotent stem cells, can give rise to almost all cell types, but not the complete organism like totipotent stem cells. Choice D, Hematopoietic stem cells, are a type of multipotent stem cells that give rise to various blood cell types, but do not have the same broad differentiation potential as totipotent stem cells.