Nursing Elites

1. Which of the following is a function of the skeletal system?

• A. To produce red blood cells
• B. To provide structural support
• C. To transport nutrients
• D. To store fat

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: To provide structural support. The skeletal system is primarily responsible for supporting the body's structure, protecting internal organs, facilitating movement, and storing minerals. While bones do play a role in producing red blood cells (hematopoiesis) in the bone marrow, the main function related to the question is providing structural support. Choices C and D are incorrect as the skeletal system is not involved in transporting nutrients or storing fat. The main functions of the skeletal system are related to support, protection, movement facilitation, mineral storage, and hematopoiesis.

2. What is the name of the white blood cells that attack foreign invaders?

• A. Phagocytes
• B. Lymphocytes
• C. Platelets
• D. Red blood cells

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Phagocytes are a type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in the immune system by engulfing and digesting foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and other harmful substances. They are part of the body's innate immune response and are essential for protecting the body against infections. Lymphocytes, on the other hand, are another type of white blood cell involved in the adaptive immune response, producing antibodies, and coordinating immune responses. Platelets are cell fragments involved in blood clotting, while red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to tissues. Therefore, the correct answer is Phagocytes (Choice A) because they are specifically tasked with attacking and destroying foreign invaders in the body, distinguishing them from the other choices which have different functions within the immune system.

3. What is the myelin sheath and what does it do?

• A. A group of nerve cells that perform a specific function.
• B. A fatty substance that insulates some nerve fibers.
• C. A fluid-filled cavity within the brain.
• D. The junction between two neurons.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The myelin sheath is a fatty substance that insulates some nerve fibers. It is made up of specialized cells that wrap around the axons of neurons, providing insulation and speeding up the transmission of nerve impulses. Choice A is incorrect as the myelin sheath is not a group of nerve cells but rather a substance that surrounds nerve fibers. Choice C is incorrect as the myelin sheath is not a fluid-filled cavity within the brain. Choice D is incorrect as the myelin sheath is not the junction between two neurons.

4. What is the role of the spindle apparatus in cell division?

• A. To separate sister chromatids
• B. To move chromosomes to opposite poles of the cell
• C. To form a new nuclear envelope around each daughter cell
• D. To synthesize new DNA

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The spindle apparatus, composed of microtubules, plays a crucial role in cell division (mitosis and meiosis) by ensuring proper chromosome separation and distribution to opposite poles of the cell. This segregation is vital for creating two genetically identical daughter cells in mitosis or four haploid daughter cells in meiosis. Choice A is incorrect because the separation of sister chromatids is specifically carried out by kinetochore fibers within the spindle apparatus. Choice C is inaccurate as the formation of a new nuclear envelope occurs post chromosome segregation. Choice D is incorrect as DNA synthesis does not occur within the spindle apparatus; it takes place during the S phase of the cell cycle.

5. Which structure of the nervous system carries an action potential in the direction of a synapse?

• A. Cell body
• B. Axon
• C. Neuron
• D. Myelin

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is the axon. The axon is the elongated, threadlike part of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body towards other neurons or target cells, such as muscles or glands, in the direction of a synapse. Action potentials travel along the axon as electrical signals to communicate with neighboring cells. The cell body (choice A) contains the nucleus and organelles but does not transmit action potentials. Neuron (choice C) is a broad term that includes the entire nerve cell, not a specific structure. Myelin (choice D) is a fatty substance that surrounds and insulates axons, aiding in the conduction of nerve impulses, but it does not directly carry the action potential towards a synapse.

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