HESI A2
Biology HESI A2 Practice Exam
1. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a recessive sex-linked trait carried on the X chromosome. In an example of an unaffected father and a female carrier who have two daughters and two sons, which is the predicted outcome?
- A. Both daughters will carry the disease.
- B. Both sons will carry the disease.
- C. One daughter may have the disease.
- D. One son may have the disease.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a recessive sex-linked trait carried on the X chromosome. Since the father is unaffected and does not carry the disease, he must have a normal X chromosome. The mother is a carrier, which means she has one normal X chromosome and one X chromosome with the disease allele. The daughters will inherit one X chromosome from each parent; one would be normal, and the other has a chance of carrying the disease allele. So, there is a 50% chance that one daughter may have the disease, as she could inherit the X chromosome with the disease allele. The sons will inherit the Y chromosome from the father and the X chromosome from the mother, so they will not be affected by the disease. Therefore, the predicted outcome is that one daughter may have the disease, while the sons will not carry the disease. This rules out choices A, B, and D.
2. In nature, water vapor becomes liquid water through the process of ___________.
- A. condensation
- B. sublimation
- C. precipitation
- D. absorption
Correct answer: A
Rationale: In nature, water vapor becomes liquid water through the process of condensation. Condensation occurs when water vapor cools and changes its state from a gas to a liquid, forming droplets that we commonly see as water droplets on surfaces or clouds in the sky. Sublimation refers to the transition from a solid to a gas without passing through the liquid phase. Precipitation is the process where water in the atmosphere falls to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Absorption is the process of one substance being taken in by another.
3. Which cells in the human body lack nuclei?
- A. Nerve cells
- B. Red blood cells
- C. Liver cells
- D. Connective tissue cells
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, lack nuclei in humans. This absence of a nucleus allows more space for hemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen, making red blood cells efficient at their function of oxygen transport in the body. Nerve cells (Choice A), liver cells (Choice C), and connective tissue cells (Choice D) all possess nuclei as they require genetic material for their functions, such as cell signaling, protein synthesis, and structural support.
4. Why do gardeners sometimes use salt to get rid of slugs?
- A. The salt moves from the exterior into the slug’s body.
- B. The salt causes water in the slug to move outward.
- C. The salt and slug slime merge to form a new compound.
- D. The salt’s corrosiveness breaks down the slug’s cell walls.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Gardeners use salt to get rid of slugs because salt is corrosive and breaks down the slug's cell walls. When the slug comes into contact with salt, the salt draws moisture out of the slug's body, causing dehydration and ultimately leading to the slug's death. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because the primary mechanism of salt in eliminating slugs is its corrosive action on the slug's body, not the movement of salt into the slug's body, outward movement of water in the slug, or merging with slug slime to form a new compound.
5. Which is not part of a nucleic acid?
- A. Sulfate
- B. Phosphate
- C. Carbon
- D. Nitrogen
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Sulfate is not part of a nucleic acid. Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are composed of nucleotide units, which consist of a phosphate group, a sugar molecule (ribose in RNA and deoxyribose in DNA), and a nitrogenous base. Carbon and nitrogen are essential elements found in nucleic acids, while sulfate is not a component of nucleic acid structure. Therefore, the correct answer is A: Sulfate.
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