HESI A2 practice test

HESI A2 Anatomy and Physiology Practice Test

Body systems and the terms that describe them. Here are 10 HESI A2 anatomy and physiology questions, each with the answer and the reason.

Updated 2026-11-14 by the Tigertest team. Based on the HESI A2 section outlines (math, reading, vocabulary, grammar, biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology). Physics is not included. Not affiliated with Elsevier.

1. 1.

   Which sequence lists the levels of structural organization in the body from simplest to most complex?

   • A.

     Cell, chemical, tissue, organ, organ system

   • B.

     Chemical, cell, tissue, organ, organ system

   • C.

     Chemical, tissue, cell, organ, organ system

   • D.

     Cell, tissue, chemical, organ system, organ

   Answer: B.

   Atoms and molecules (chemical level) form cells, cells form tissues, tissues form organs, and organs work together as organ systems. Starting with the cell skips the chemical level that cells are built from.

2. 2.

   A surgeon describes a cut that divides the body into equal right and left halves. Which plane is this?

   • A.

     Midsagittal plane

   • B.

     Frontal (coronal) plane

   • C.

     Transverse plane

   • D.

     Oblique plane

   Answer: A.

   A midsagittal (median) plane runs vertically down the midline and creates equal right and left halves. A frontal (coronal) plane is also vertical but separates the body into anterior and posterior parts.

3. 3.

   Which of the four primary tissue types covers body surfaces, lines hollow organs, and forms glands?

   • A.

     Epithelial tissue

   • B.

     Connective tissue

   • C.

     Nervous tissue

   • D.

     Smooth muscle tissue

   Answer: A.

   Epithelial tissue forms sheets that cover surfaces, line cavities and vessels, and makes up glands. Connective tissue, such as bone, blood, and fat, mainly supports and binds other tissues rather than lining surfaces.

4. 4.

   The adult skeleton has 206 bones. Which of these bones belongs to the appendicular skeleton rather than the axial skeleton?

   • A.

     Sternum

   • B.

     Scapula

   • C.

     Sacrum

   • D.

     Hyoid bone

   Answer: B.

   The appendicular skeleton includes the limbs plus the pectoral and pelvic girdles, and the scapula is part of the pectoral girdle. The sacrum may seem appendicular because the hip bones attach to it, but it is part of the vertebral column and therefore axial.

5. 5.

   According to the sliding filament theory, what happens inside a sarcomere when a skeletal muscle contracts?

   • A.

     Myosin heads pull actin toward the center

   • B.

     Actin and myosin filaments shorten in length

   • C.

     The Z discs move farther apart

   • D.

     Calcium is pumped out of the cytoplasm

   Answer: A.

   Myosin heads bind actin and pull the thin filaments toward the center of the sarcomere, so the Z discs move closer together. The filaments themselves do not shorten; they slide past one another.

6. 6.

   Which brain region coordinates balance, posture, and smooth, precise voluntary movements?

   • A.

     Cerebellum

   • B.

     Hypothalamus

   • C.

     Medulla oblongata

   • D.

     Frontal lobe

   Answer: A.

   The cerebellum compares intended movements with actual ones to keep motion smooth and maintain balance. The frontal lobe of the cerebrum starts voluntary movement but does not fine-tune coordination.

7. 7.

   Which gland secretes a hormone that raises blood calcium levels by stimulating osteoclast activity?

   • A.

     Thyroid gland

   • B.

     Parathyroid glands

   • C.

     Adrenal cortex

   • D.

     Posterior pituitary

   Answer: B.

   Parathyroid hormone (PTH) raises blood calcium by increasing bone resorption, kidney reabsorption of calcium, and vitamin D activation. The thyroid gland makes calcitonin, which lowers blood calcium.

8. 8.

   Which structure in the right atrium is called the natural pacemaker of the heart?

   • A.

     Atrioventricular node

   • B.

     Bundle of His

   • C.

     Purkinje fibers

   • D.

     Sinoatrial node

   Answer: D.

   The sinoatrial (SA) node fires impulses at the fastest intrinsic rate, about 60 to 100 per minute, so it sets the heart rhythm. The atrioventricular node delays and relays the impulse but only takes over as pacemaker if the SA node fails.

9. 9.

   Most nutrient absorption takes place in which organ, whose villi and microvilli greatly increase its surface area?

   • A.

     Stomach

   • B.

     Large intestine (colon)

   • C.

     Small intestine

   • D.

     Esophagus

   Answer: C.

   The small intestine receives bile from the liver and enzymes from the pancreas, then absorbs most nutrients through its villi. The large intestine mainly absorbs water and electrolytes, not most nutrients.

10. 10.

    Where in the female reproductive system does fertilization of an egg by a sperm normally occur?

    • A.

      Uterus

    • B.

      Fallopian tube

    • C.

      Ovarian follicle

    • D.

      Cervix

    Answer: B.

    Fertilization normally occurs in the ampulla of the fallopian (uterine) tube, and the zygote then travels to the uterus. The uterus is where the embryo implants, not where fertilization takes place.