Nursing Elites

1. The adrenal cortex produces a group of steroid hormones called corticosteroids. What is a MAJOR function of corticosteroids?

• A. Regulate insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels
• B. Control blood pressure and electrolyte balance
• C. Stimulate the immune system and inflammatory response
• D. Promote growth and development during puberty

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Corticosteroids, produced by the adrenal cortex, primarily function to control blood pressure and electrolyte balance. One of the key corticosteroids, aldosterone, plays a crucial role in regulating sodium and potassium levels in the body. This regulation is essential for maintaining blood pressure and electrolyte balance. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because corticosteroids do not primarily regulate insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels, stimulate the immune system and inflammatory response, or promote growth and development during puberty. While corticosteroids can have effects on insulin sensitivity, immune response, and growth, their major role is in maintaining blood pressure and electrolyte balance.

2. Which phenomenon describes the separation of light into its component colors when passing through a prism?

• A. Refraction
• B. Diffraction
• C. Dispersion
• D. Reflection

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Dispersion is the phenomenon that describes the separation of light into its component colors when passing through a prism. When white light enters a prism, it is refracted at different angles depending on its wavelength, causing the colors to spread out. Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, not the separation of colors. Diffraction is the bending of light around obstacles, not the separation of colors. Reflection is the bouncing back of light rays from a surface, not the separation of colors. In the context of a prism, dispersion plays a key role in the creation of a spectrum of colors by separating the different wavelengths present in white light.

3. Which of the following is a common characteristic of alkynes?

• A. They have a triple bond between carbon atoms.
• B. They are saturated hydrocarbons.
• C. They contain only single bonds.
• D. They are aromatic compounds.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. Alkynes are hydrocarbons characterized by at least one triple bond between carbon atoms. This triple bond sets them apart from alkanes, which only have single bonds, and alkenes, which feature at least one double bond. The presence of a triple bond makes alkynes unsaturated hydrocarbons. Choice B is incorrect as alkynes are unsaturated hydrocarbons, not saturated. Choice C is incorrect because alkynes contain at least one triple bond, making them different from compounds with only single bonds. Choice D is incorrect because aromatic compounds have a distinct cyclic structure with resonance stabilization, a feature not shared by alkynes.

4. Where does most of the chemical digestion take place?

• A. Large intestine
• B. Stomach
• C. Small intestine
• D. Esophagus

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Most of the chemical digestion occurs in the small intestine. Enzymes in the small intestine break down nutrients into smaller molecules that can be absorbed by the body. The stomach plays a role in digestion by breaking down food mechanically and initiating some chemical digestion, but the majority of nutrient breakdown and absorption happens in the small intestine. The large intestine mainly absorbs water and salts, with little to no digestion taking place there. The esophagus is a muscular tube that helps move food from the mouth to the stomach and does not participate in digestion.

5. Which of the following is responsible for generating the electrical impulses that regulate the heartbeat?

• A. Aorta
• B. Pulmonary veins
• C. Coronary arteries
• D. Sinoatrial (SA) node

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The Sinoatrial (SA) node is responsible for generating the electrical impulses that regulate the heartbeat. It is often referred to as the heart's natural pacemaker because it initiates the electrical signals that coordinate the heart's contractions. The other options listed (Aorta, Pulmonary veins, Coronary arteries) do not play a direct role in generating the electrical impulses for the heartbeat. The Aorta is a large artery that carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart, the Pulmonary veins carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart, and the Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle itself, but none of them are involved in generating the electrical impulses that regulate the heartbeat.

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