Nursing Elites

1. What defines the systole phase in the cardiac cycle?

• A. Relaxation of the heart
• B. Contraction of the heart
• C. Diastole of the heart
• D. Pulse rate of the heart

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Contraction of the heart. Systole is the phase of the cardiac cycle during which the heart muscle contracts, pumping blood out of the chambers. It is essential for maintaining circulation and delivering oxygen and nutrients to the body's tissues. Diastole (choice C) is the relaxation phase of the heart when the chambers fill with blood. Pulse rate (choice D) is the number of heartbeats per minute, not specifically related to the systole phase. Choice A, 'Relaxation of the heart,' is incorrect because systole refers to the contraction phase of the cardiac cycle, not relaxation.

2. Which muscles play a significant role in the process of forced exhalation by contracting to reduce the thoracic cavity volume?

• A. Diaphragm
• B. External intercostal muscles
• C. Internal intercostal muscles
• D. Abdominal muscles

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The abdominal muscles play a significant role in forced exhalation by contracting to reduce the thoracic cavity volume. When these muscles contract, the pressure within the thoracic cavity increases, assisting in the expulsion of air from the lungs. This action helps to compress the abdomen and push the diaphragm upwards, further decreasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and aiding in the exhalation process. The diaphragm (Choice A) is mainly involved in inhalation by contracting and moving downward to increase thoracic cavity volume. External intercostal muscles (Choice B) and internal intercostal muscles (Choice C) are primarily involved in the process of inhalation by expanding the thoracic cavity during normal breathing, rather than forced exhalation.

3. When light interacts with a perfectly smooth surface, like a mirror, the dominant interaction is:

• A. Refraction
• B. Diffraction
• C. Total internal reflection
• D. Specular reflection

Correct answer: D

Rationale: When light interacts with a perfectly smooth surface like a mirror, the dominant interaction is specular reflection. Specular reflection occurs when light rays are reflected off a smooth surface at the same angle as the incident angle, resulting in a clear and sharp reflection. Refraction, which involves the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, is not the dominant interaction with a perfectly smooth surface. Diffraction, the bending of light waves around obstacles, is not the dominant interaction with smooth surfaces. Total internal reflection occurs when light is reflected back into a medium due to encountering a boundary at an angle greater than the critical angle, but it is not the dominant interaction on a perfectly smooth surface like a mirror.

4. Which of the following is a type of white blood cell that plays a key role in adaptive immunity by seeking out, attacking, and destroying targeted pathogens?

• A. memory B cells
• B. neutrophils
• C. antibodies
• D. cytotoxic T cells

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is cytotoxic T cells. Cytotoxic T cells are a type of white blood cell that is crucial in adaptive immunity. They are specialized in recognizing and destroying infected or abnormal cells in the body. Neutrophils are primarily involved in innate immunity, providing rapid response to infections. Antibodies are proteins produced by B cells and are essential in specific immune responses, but they do not directly attack pathogens. Memory B cells are part of the adaptive immune response, responsible for mounting a quicker and stronger response upon re-exposure to a pathogen. However, they do not directly seek out and destroy pathogens like cytotoxic T cells do.

5. What are the tiny contractile units within muscle cells called?

• A. Myocytes
• B. Myofibrils
• C. Sarcomeres
• D. Tendons

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Sarcomeres are the smallest contractile units within muscle cells. They consist of overlapping filaments of actin and myosin proteins, which interact to produce muscle contractions. Myocytes are the entire muscle cells, myofibrils are bundles of protein filaments found within muscle cells, and tendons are tough connective tissues that connect muscles to bones. Therefore, sarcomeres specifically represent the contractile units responsible for muscle contraction, making them the correct answer in this context.

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