Nursing Elites

1. A physician prescribes a drug to help control a person's anxiety attacks. This drug most likely targets the

• A. Amygdala.
• B. Parietal lobe.
• C. Hypothalamus.
• D. Sensory neuron.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Amygdala. The amygdala is a key brain structure involved in the processing of emotions, including anxiety. Medications for anxiety disorders often target the amygdala to help regulate emotional responses and control anxiety attacks. The amygdala plays a crucial role in the brain's fear circuit and is essential for the appropriate response to stress and threat perception. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the parietal lobe is primarily involved in sensory processing and spatial reasoning, the hypothalamus regulates basic functions like hunger, thirst, and body temperature, and sensory neurons transmit signals from sensory receptors to the central nervous system, none of which are directly related to the regulation of anxiety attacks.

2. What is the protective fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord?

• A. Blood
• B. Cerebrospinal fluid
• C. Myelin sheath
• D. Insulin

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Cerebrospinal fluid is the protective fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It acts as a cushion to protect these vital organs from injury and provides nutrients and removes waste products. Blood, myelin sheath, and insulin do not serve as the protective fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Blood carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, myelin sheath is a protective covering of nerve fibers, and insulin is a hormone involved in regulating blood sugar levels.

3. Which part of the brain is responsible for controlling involuntary actions like breathing and heart rate?

• A. Cerebellum
• B. Medulla oblongata
• C. Cerebrum
• D. Thalamus

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is the Medulla oblongata. This region of the brain is located in the brainstem and is responsible for controlling vital autonomic functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. The Cerebellum (Choice A) is primarily involved in coordination and balance. The Cerebrum (Choice C) is responsible for higher brain functions like thinking and voluntary muscle movement. The Thalamus (Choice D) acts as a relay station for sensory information but is not primarily responsible for controlling involuntary actions like breathing and heart rate.

4. What is the term for the transfer of energy through a food chain?

• A. Photosynthesis
• B. Cellular respiration
• C. Transpiration
• D. Trophic cascade

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Rationale: A) Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll. B) Cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose and other molecules to produce energy in the form of ATP. C) Transpiration is the process by which water is absorbed by plant roots, moves through the plant, and is released as vapor through pores in the leaves. D) Trophic cascade refers to the transfer of energy through a food chain or food web, where the impact of a predator on its prey cascades down the food chain, affecting multiple trophic levels. This term describes the indirect effects that predators can have on lower trophic levels, influencing the entire ecosystem.

5. Which of these pairs represents an example of convergent evolution?

• A. Humans and chimpanzees
• B. Bats and birds
• C. Dolphins and sharks
• D. Snakes and earthworms

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Convergent evolution refers to the process by which different species independently evolve similar traits or characteristics due to similar environmental pressures. In the case of bats and birds, both have evolved wings for flight despite not sharing a recent common ancestor with wings. Bats are mammals, while birds are avians, yet they both have wings adapted for flight, which is a classic example of convergent evolution. A) Humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestor and have not independently evolved similar traits. C) Dolphins and sharks are not closely related, and their similarities are due to adaptations to their aquatic environment rather than convergent evolution. D) Snakes and earthworms belong to different classes (reptiles and annelids, respectively) and do not share recent common ancestors, making their similarities not a result of convergent evolution.

Similar Questions