Nursing Elites

1. What is the name of the structure that prevents food from entering the airway?

• A. trachea
• B. esophagus
• C. diaphragm
• D. epiglottis

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The epiglottis is the structure that prevents food from entering the airway. It acts as a lid over the trachea during swallowing, directing food to the esophagus instead of the windpipe (trachea). The trachea (Choice A) is the windpipe that allows air to pass into the lungs, the esophagus (Choice B) is the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach, and the diaphragm (Choice C) is a muscle involved in breathing and not in preventing food passage.

2. What is the primary role of the liver in the body?

• A. Producing insulin
• B. Detoxifying harmful substances
• C. Digesting food
• D. Storing energy

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Detoxifying harmful substances. While the liver does produce bile for digestion and stores nutrients like glycogen, its primary function is to filter and detoxify blood coming from the digestive tract before passing it to the rest of the body. Therefore, choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Producing insulin is mainly done by the pancreas, digesting food is primarily the role of the stomach and intestines, and storing energy is a function of various organs like muscles and fat cells.

3. Which type of blood vessel carries oxygenated blood away from the heart?

• A. Veins
• B. Arteries
• C. Capillaries
• D. Lymphatic vessels

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to supply tissues and organs with oxygen and nutrients. Veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart. Capillaries facilitate the exchange of nutrients and gases between the blood and tissues. Lymphatic vessels are part of the lymphatic system responsible for returning interstitial fluid to the bloodstream. Therefore, the correct answer is arteries as they carry oxygenated blood away from the heart.

4. Which gland produces melatonin?

• A. Pineal gland
• B. Thyroid gland
• C. Adrenal gland
• D. Pituitary gland

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is the Pineal gland. This gland is responsible for producing melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin production is influenced by exposure to light, with levels typically rising in the evening to promote sleep and falling in the morning to aid wakefulness. The Thyroid gland (choice B) produces hormones that regulate metabolism, the Adrenal gland (choice C) produces hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, and the Pituitary gland (choice D) controls several other glands in the endocrine system.

5. Which muscle is responsible for breathing?

• A. Diaphragm
• B. Intercostal muscles
• C. Rectus abdominis
• D. Pectoralis major

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The diaphragm is the primary muscle responsible for breathing. It is a large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the chest cavity. When it contracts, it flattens, increasing the volume of the chest cavity and causing inhalation. When it relaxes, it returns to its dome shape, decreasing the volume of the chest cavity and causing exhalation. The intercostal muscles, located between the ribs, assist the diaphragm in breathing by expanding and contracting the chest cavity. The rectus abdominis and pectoralis major are not directly involved in the process of breathing.

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