what is the main function of the epiglottis

ATI TEAS 7

TEAS Test 7 science

1. What is the main function of the epiglottis?

A. To store bile
B. To absorb nutrients
C. To prevent food from entering the trachea
D. To produce digestive enzymes

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The epiglottis is a flap of cartilage located at the base of the tongue that covers the opening of the trachea during swallowing to prevent food and liquids from entering the airway. This action helps direct food and liquids into the esophagus, which leads to the stomach for digestion, while also protecting the respiratory system from potential blockages that could lead to choking or aspiration pneumonia. Options A, B, and D are incorrect as the epiglottis is not involved in storing bile, absorbing nutrients, or producing digestive enzymes. Understanding the role of the epiglottis in the swallowing process is crucial for maintaining proper respiratory and digestive functions.

2. Which of the following best describes a function carried out by the circulatory system and the integumentary system working together?

A. Removal of excess heat from the body
B. Hormonal regulation of blood pressure
C. Transport of oxygen in the body
D. Production of red blood cells in the bone marrow

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Removal of excess heat from the body. The circulatory system, which includes blood vessels and the heart, works with the integumentary system, which consists of the skin, to regulate body temperature by removing excess heat. This process involves blood vessels near the skin's surface dilating to release heat and constricting to conserve heat, a mechanism crucial for maintaining homeostasis. Option B, Hormonal regulation of blood pressure, is incorrect as it does not accurately describe the collaborative function of these systems in regulating body temperature. Option C, Transport of oxygen in the body, is incorrect as it focuses on a different function of the circulatory system. Option D, Production of red blood cells in the bone marrow, is incorrect as it pertains to the skeletal and hematopoietic systems, not the circulatory and integumentary systems working together to regulate body temperature.

3. What is the difference between a pure substance and a mixture?

A. Pure substances have a fixed composition, mixtures don't.
B. Mixtures have a fixed composition, pure substances don't.
C. Pure substances can be in any state, mixtures are not always solids.
D. Pure substances are always elements, mixtures are always compounds.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Pure substances have a definite and constant composition, meaning they are made up of only one type of atom or molecule with fixed proportions. This composition does not vary. On the other hand, mixtures are composed of two or more substances physically combined. The components of a mixture can be present in varying proportions, leading to a variable composition. Choice A is correct as it accurately distinguishes between pure substances and mixtures based on the fixed composition of pure substances and the variable composition of mixtures. Choice B is incorrect because mixtures, not pure substances, have variable compositions. Choice C is incorrect as both pure substances and mixtures can exist in different states. Choice D is incorrect because pure substances can be compounds as well, not exclusively elements, and mixtures can contain elements and compounds.

4. What is a group of organisms of the same species living in a particular area called?

A. Community
B. Population
C. Ecosystem
D. Habitat

Correct answer: B

Rationale: A) Community refers to all the populations of different species living and interacting in a particular area. Since the question specifies organisms of the same species, community is not the correct answer. B) Population is a group of organisms of the same species living in a particular area. This term specifically refers to individuals of the same species and their interactions within a defined area. C) Ecosystem includes all the living organisms (biotic factors) and non-living components (abiotic factors) in a particular area and their interactions. While populations are part of an ecosystem, the term 'ecosystem' is broader and includes multiple populations. D) Habitat refers to the specific environment where an organism lives, including the physical and biological factors. It is the place where a population or individual organism resides, but it does not specifically refer to a group of organisms of the same species.

5. Which of the following blood vessels carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart?

A. Pulmonary vein
B. Pulmonary artery
C. Aorta
D. Vena cava

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Pulmonary vein. The pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. It is essential to distinguish between the pulmonary vein (A) and the pulmonary artery (B) in this context. The pulmonary vein transports oxygenated blood, while the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation. The aorta (C) functions as the main artery that delivers oxygenated blood from the heart to the body's tissues, while the vena cava (D) returns deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.