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Cardiovascular System (Heart and Blood Vessels) — HS Anatomy & Physiology practice questions

11 multiple-choice questions and 5 flashcards on Cardiovascular System (Heart and Blood Vessels), about 7% of the HS Anatomy & Physiology bank. Every one carries a written rationale.

Written and maintained by Nick Burton · last updated 2026-08-22 · how we write and review questions

What this chapter covers

Cardiovascular System (Heart and Blood Vessels) is one of 13 chapters in CoStudy's HS Anatomy & Physiology bank, and it holds 11 of the bank's 150 multiple-choice questions — roughly 7% of the total. That proportion is not arbitrary: chapters follow the certifying body's published exam outline, and the number of questions in each is set by that domain's published weight, so the share of your practice time this chapter takes matches the share of the real exam it accounts for.

Studying by chapter is worth doing once you have a diagnostic score. A single overall percentage tells you whether you are close; it does not tell you which domain is dragging. Working a weak chapter in isolation, and re-testing it in isolation, is the fastest way to move a score that has stalled — and it is why the mock exams in CoStudy report by domain rather than as one number.

Free Cardiovascular System (Heart and Blood Vessels) practice questions

6 questions drawn from this chapter, with the full rationale shown — the controlling principle behind the right answer, and why each wrong option tempts and fails.

The largest organ of the body is:

  1. Liver
  2. Lung
  3. Heart
  4. Skin (integumentary system) — protects, regulates temperature, sensory input, vitamin D synthesis
  5. Intestines

Answer: D — Skin (integumentary system) — protects, regulates temperature, sensory input, vitamin D synthesis

Skin: largest organ by area (~2 m²) and weight (~16% body weight). Layers: epidermis, dermis, hypodermis (subcutaneous). Functions: barrier, thermoregulation, sensation, vitamin D synthesis, excretion. Integumentary system.

A person with type O⁻ blood is considered:

  1. Universal recipient
  2. Compatible only with type AB
  3. Universal donor (RBCs)
  4. Unable to donate to anyone

Answer: C — Universal donor (RBCs)

C) O⁻ has no A, B, or Rh antigens, so RBCs are accepted by any ABO/Rh recipient. A) AB⁺ is universal recipient (opposite). B/D) Incorrect by ABO/Rh logic.

The cerebral cortex's frontal lobe is most associated with:

  1. Visual processing
  2. Hearing
  3. Executive function, voluntary movement, and decision-making
  4. Balance

Answer: C — Executive function, voluntary movement, and decision-making

The frontal lobe handles executive function, planning, motor control (primary motor cortex), and personality. Occipital = vision; temporal = hearing; cerebellum = balance.

Which valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle?

  1. Tricuspid valve
  2. Pulmonary semilunar valve
  3. Aortic semilunar valve
  4. Mitral (bicuspid) valve

Answer: D — Mitral (bicuspid) valve

D) Mitral/bicuspid sits on the left AV. A) Tricuspid is the right AV valve (off-by-one trick). B/C) Are semilunar valves at the ventricular outflows, not between atrium and ventricle.

Which blood vessel type carries blood away from the heart?

  1. Lymph vessels
  2. Veins
  3. Capillaries
  4. Arteries

Answer: D — Arteries

Arteries carry blood from the heart (oxygenated except pulmonary artery). Veins return blood to the heart. Capillaries are tiny exchange vessels.

Pulmonary circulation carries blood from the heart to:

  1. The kidneys and back
  2. The lungs and back, for gas exchange
  3. The brain and back
  4. The liver alone

Answer: B — The lungs and back, for gas exchange

B) Right ventricle → pulmonary artery → lungs → pulmonary veins → left atrium. A/C/D) Systemic-circulation destinations.

Cardiovascular System (Heart and Blood Vessels) flashcards

4 cards from the 5 in this chapter.

Liver's main functions?

Detoxification, bile production (digests fats), nutrient processing, protein synthesis (albumin, clotting factors), glucose storage (glycogen).

Digestive system path?

Mouth → esophagus → stomach → small intestine → large intestine → rectum → anus. Plus accessory organs (liver, pancreas, gallbladder).

Pancreas roles?

Endocrine (insulin/glucagon — blood sugar). Exocrine (digestive enzymes into small intestine).

Where most nutrient absorption happens?

Small intestine — villi/microvilli increase surface area massively.

Practise the full chapter

These are a sample. The full Cardiovascular System (Heart and Blood Vessels) chapter runs 16 items with per-chapter progress tracking, on the web and in the iOS app.

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