Anatomy and physiology is 8 of the 150 scored items on the NHA CCMA. Answer 10 exam style questions on cardiovascular, immune and endocrine systems and see exactly which concepts would cost you points on test day.
Start the 10 questions →Which heart chamber pumps oxygenated blood out to the body?
These questions cover cardiovascular, blood, lymphatic and immune, endocrine and special senses. Each one shows the correct answer and why every other option is wrong, so a miss tells you exactly what to review before the CCMA.
Prefer to read first? Every question from the practice set above, with the correct answer and why each wrong option is wrong.
Answer: B. The left ventricle pumps oxygen-rich blood into the aorta and out to the body. Its wall is the thickest of the four chambers because it works against the highest pressure.
Why not A: The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs.
Why not C: The right atrium receives blood from the body.
Why not D: The left atrium receives blood from the lungs.
Exam tactic: Left ventricle → aorta → body.
Answer: B. Plasma, the liquid portion of blood, makes up about 55% of blood volume; formed elements make up the rest, mostly red blood cells.
Why not A: White cells are a very small fraction.
Why not C: Platelets are a very small fraction.
Why not D: Red cells make up most of the remaining 45%.
Exam tactic: Plasma = the liquid majority.
Answer: A. Plasma cells, which develop from activated B lymphocytes, make antibodies (immunoglobulins) that target specific antigens.
Why not B: Thrombocytes (platelets) help clotting.
Why not C: Erythrocytes (red cells) carry oxygen.
Why not D: Osteocytes are bone cells.
Exam tactic: B cells → antibodies.
Answer: C. The adrenal glands sit atop each kidney. The adrenal medulla releases epinephrine, and the adrenal cortex releases hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone.
Why not A: The parathyroids are on the thyroid.
Why not B: The thyroid is in the neck.
Why not D: The pineal gland is in the brain.
Exam tactic: Ad-renal = near the kidney.
Answer: B. The snail-shaped cochlea in the inner ear converts sound vibrations into nerve impulses. The semicircular canals help with balance.
Why not A: The auricle is the external ear.
Why not C: The malleus is a middle-ear bone.
Why not D: The tympanic membrane (eardrum) is between the outer and middle ear.
Exam tactic: Cochlea = hearing.
Answer: A. Ball-and-socket joints allow movement in many directions, including rotation. The elbow and knee are hinge joints.
Why not B: Saddle joints, like the base of the thumb, move in two planes.
Why not C: Hinge joints move in one plane.
Why not D: Pivot joints allow rotation, like the neck.
Exam tactic: Shoulder/hip = ball-and-socket.
Answer: B. Melanin, produced by melanocytes in the epidermis, gives skin color and absorbs UV radiation.
Why not A: Hemoglobin carries oxygen in red blood cells.
Why not C: Keratin is a protective protein.
Why not D: Collagen gives strength to the dermis.
Exam tactic: Melanin = pigment.
Answer: B. The trachea carries air from the larynx to the bronchi. It is held open by C-shaped cartilage rings.
Why not A: The pharynx is the throat.
Why not C: The larynx is the voice box.
Why not D: The esophagus carries food.
Exam tactic: Trachea = windpipe.
Answer: A. Peristalsis is the rhythmic contraction of smooth muscle that moves food along the digestive tract.
Why not B: Defecation is elimination of stool.
Why not C: Mastication is chewing.
Why not D: Emulsification breaks fats into droplets.
Exam tactic: Peristalsis = waves.
Answer: D. Dendrites are branching extensions that receive incoming signals and carry them toward the cell body. The axon carries the impulse away from the cell body.
Why not A: Myelin insulates the axon to speed conduction.
Why not B: The synaptic cleft is the gap between neurons.
Why not C: Axon terminals release neurotransmitters to the next cell.
Exam tactic: Dendrites receive; axons send.
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