CMT Anatomy and Physiology Basics — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organ is primarily responsible for filtering blood and producing urine?
- Liver
- Kidney (Correct answer)
- Spleen
- Pancreas
Correct answer: Kidney
The kidneys filter blood, remove waste products, and produce urine as part of the renal system.
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located in the retroperitoneal space. They filter approximately 180 liters of blood daily through nephrons, removing metabolic waste products like urea and creatinine. The filtrate is concentrated into urine, which travels through the ureters to the bladder for storage and eventual elimination.
Question 2: The trachea divides into two main branches called:
- Alveoli
- Bronchi (Correct answer)
- Bronchioles
- Pleura
Correct answer: Bronchi
The trachea bifurcates at the carina into the right and left main bronchi, which enter each lung.
The trachea, or windpipe, extends from the larynx and divides at the carina (approximately at the level of T4-T5 vertebrae) into the right and left main bronchi. The right bronchus is wider, shorter, and more vertical than the left, which is why aspirated foreign objects more commonly lodge in the right bronchus. The bronchi further subdivide into smaller bronchioles within the lungs.
Question 3: What type of muscle tissue is found in the walls of blood vessels?
- Skeletal muscle
- Cardiac muscle
- Smooth muscle (Correct answer)
- Striated voluntary muscle
Correct answer: Smooth muscle
Smooth muscle lines the walls of blood vessels and controls vasoconstriction and vasodilation.
Smooth muscle is an involuntary, non-striated muscle tissue found in the walls of blood vessels (tunica media), the gastrointestinal tract, the bladder, and other hollow organs. In blood vessels, smooth muscle contraction causes vasoconstriction (narrowing), increasing blood pressure, while relaxation causes vasodilation (widening), decreasing blood pressure. This is regulated by the autonomic nervous system and various hormones.
Question 4: The cerebellum is primarily responsible for:
- Regulating body temperature
- Coordinating voluntary movement and balance (Correct answer)
- Processing visual information
- Controlling heart rate
Correct answer: Coordinating voluntary movement and balance
The cerebellum coordinates voluntary movements, maintains posture, and helps with balance and equilibrium.
The cerebellum, located in the posterior cranial fossa, receives input from sensory systems, the spinal cord, and other parts of the brain to fine-tune motor actions. It does not initiate movement but coordinates timing, force, and accuracy. Damage to the cerebellum results in ataxia (uncoordinated movements), dysmetria (inability to judge distances), and intention tremor, though it does not cause paralysis.
Question 5: Which blood cells are primarily responsible for transporting oxygen?
- White blood cells
- Platelets
- Red blood cells (Correct answer)
- Plasma cells
Correct answer: Red blood cells
Red blood cells (erythrocytes) contain hemoglobin, which binds to oxygen for transport throughout the body.
Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are biconcave disc-shaped cells that lack a nucleus in their mature form. They contain hemoglobin, a protein with four iron-containing heme groups, each capable of binding one oxygen molecule. A single RBC contains approximately 270 million hemoglobin molecules. The average lifespan of an RBC is 120 days, after which it is removed by the spleen and liver.
Question 6: The sinoatrial (SA) node is located in which chamber of the heart?
- Left atrium
- Right atrium (Correct answer)
- Left ventricle
- Right ventricle
Correct answer: Right atrium
The SA node, the heart's natural pacemaker, is located in the upper wall of the right atrium.
The sinoatrial node is a small cluster of specialized cardiac cells located in the superior posterolateral wall of the right atrium, near the junction of the superior vena cava. It generates electrical impulses at a rate of 60-100 beats per minute at rest, making it the heart's natural pacemaker. The impulse travels through the atria to the atrioventricular (AV) node, then through the bundle of His and Purkinje fibers to the ventricles.
Question 7: Which hormone is produced by the adrenal medulla during a stress response?
- Insulin
- Cortisol
- Epinephrine (Correct answer)
- Thyroxine
Correct answer: Epinephrine
Epinephrine (adrenaline) is released by the adrenal medulla as part of the fight-or-flight response.
The adrenal glands sit atop each kidney and consist of two distinct regions. The adrenal medulla (inner portion) produces catecholamines—primarily epinephrine and some norepinephrine—in response to sympathetic nervous system stimulation. Epinephrine increases heart rate, dilates airways, redirects blood flow to muscles, and raises blood glucose levels. The adrenal cortex (outer portion) produces cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens.
Question 8: The peritoneum is a membrane that lines which body cavity?
- Thoracic cavity
- Cranial cavity
- Abdominal cavity (Correct answer)
- Spinal cavity
Correct answer: Abdominal cavity
The peritoneum is a serous membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and covers most abdominal organs.
The peritoneum is the largest serous membrane in the body, consisting of two layers: the parietal peritoneum (lining the abdominal wall) and the visceral peritoneum (covering the organs). The potential space between these layers is the peritoneal cavity, which contains a small amount of serous fluid to reduce friction. Some organs are intraperitoneal (stomach, liver) while others are retroperitoneal (kidneys, pancreas).
Question 9: Which type of joint allows the greatest range of motion?
- Hinge joint
- Pivot joint
- Ball-and-socket joint (Correct answer)
- Saddle joint
Correct answer: Ball-and-socket joint
Ball-and-socket joints, such as the hip and shoulder, allow movement in all planes including rotation.
Ball-and-socket joints (also called spheroidal joints) consist of a rounded head (ball) fitting into a cup-like depression (socket). This arrangement permits flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, rotation, and circumduction. The shoulder (glenohumeral) joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint but sacrifices stability, making it more prone to dislocation. The hip joint has slightly less range but is more stable due to the deeper acetabulum.
Question 10: What is the primary function of the lymphatic system?
- Producing red blood cells
- Transporting oxygen to tissues
- Filtering fluid and supporting immune function (Correct answer)
- Regulating body temperature
Correct answer: Filtering fluid and supporting immune function
The lymphatic system returns excess interstitial fluid to the blood, filters pathogens, and houses immune cells.
The lymphatic system consists of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, the spleen, thymus, and tonsils. It collects excess interstitial fluid (approximately 3 liters daily) that leaks from blood capillaries and returns it to the venous circulation via the thoracic duct and right lymphatic duct. Lymph nodes filter this fluid, trapping pathogens and foreign particles, where lymphocytes (B cells and T cells) mount immune responses.
Question 11: The medulla oblongata controls which vital functions?
- Memory and learning
- Breathing and heart rate (Correct answer)
- Vision and hearing
- Voluntary movement
Correct answer: Breathing and heart rate
The medulla oblongata regulates autonomic functions including respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure.
The medulla oblongata is the lowest part of the brainstem, continuous with the spinal cord. It contains vital centers: the respiratory center (regulating breathing rhythm and depth), the cardiac center (controlling heart rate via vagal tone), and the vasomotor center (regulating blood vessel diameter and blood pressure). It also controls reflexes such as vomiting, coughing, sneezing, and swallowing. Damage to the medulla is often fatal.
Question 12: Which electrolyte is most important for muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmission?
- Sodium
- Calcium (Correct answer)
- Potassium
- Magnesium
Correct answer: Calcium
Calcium is essential for triggering muscle contraction and plays a role in neurotransmitter release at nerve synapses.
Calcium ions play a central role in muscle contraction through the sliding filament mechanism. When a nerve impulse reaches a muscle fiber, calcium is released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, binding to troponin and exposing actin binding sites for myosin cross-bridge formation. In nerve transmission, calcium influx at the presynaptic terminal triggers neurotransmitter vesicle release into the synaptic cleft. Normal serum calcium is 8.5-10.5 mg/dL; imbalances cause tetany (low) or arrhythmias (high).
CMT Anatomy and Physiology Basics
Which organ is primarily responsible for filtering blood and producing urine?
What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for CMT
An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:
- A timed, full-length CMT mock exam — 150 questions in 150 minutes with a 70% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
- A fixed CMT question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
- Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
- A printable CMT cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
- CMT flashcards built from the same question bank.
These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. We have not yet matched this exam's facts to an official source, so confirm fees, dates and rules with the exam body. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy