1Formulas and methods
Biology for nursing entrance exams
Method
- Name the topic of the question: cell parts, transport, division, DNA and protein synthesis, inheritance, biomolecules, microorganisms or experimental design.
- Recall the key rule: A–T and G–C, diffusion from high to low, water moves towards more solute, mitosis keeps and meiosis halves the chromosome number.
- For crosses, write the parents’ genotypes, list the gametes and fill a Punnett square before counting.
- For experiments, label the independent, dependent and controlled variables, and ask whether the evidence supports or only suggests the conclusion.
- Check each option against the question asked, not just whether it is a true statement.
Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Method
- Identify what is given and asked: particles, a formula, a state change, a concentration, a pH or a mass.
- Use the periodic table: the atomic number gives protons, the group gives valence electrons and the usual ion charge.
- Balance equations with coefficients only, element by element, oxygen and hydrogen last.
- For amounts, go mass → moles → mole ratio → moles → mass, and for solutions use M = mol/L and C₁V₁ = C₂V₂.
- Remember that pH is logarithmic: one unit is a factor of 10.
2Practice problems
1.Human anatomyMedium
The hepatic portal vein is formed by the union of which two veins?
- ASuperior mesenteric vein and splenic vein
- BHepatic vein and splenic vein
- CSuperior mesenteric vein and left renal vein
- DInferior vena cava and renal vein
2.Human anatomyHard
A stroke affecting the left middle cerebral artery in a right-handed person most likely causes:
- ARight-sided weakness and aphasia
- BRight-sided weakness and left visual neglect
- CLeft-sided weakness and aphasia
- DIsolated loss of balance
3.Human physiologyMedium
In skeletal muscle, where does most of the calcium for contraction come from?
- AThe extracellular fluid
- BThe nucleus
- CThe sarcoplasmic reticulum
- DThe mitochondria
4.Human physiologyHard
A pulmonary embolus blocks blood flow to a well-ventilated region of lung. How does the ventilation–perfusion (V/Q) ratio of that region change?
- AIt becomes zero, acting as a shunt
- BIt becomes very high, acting as dead space
- CIt becomes low, like in pneumonia
- DIt stays normal because ventilation falls too
5.Biology for nursing entrance examsMedium
What is the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic?
- AAn epidemic is caused only by bacteria
- BA pandemic affects only one town
- CAn epidemic affects the whole world at once
- DA pandemic spreads across many countries or continents
6.Biology for nursing entrance examsHard
Scientists put a human gene into bacteria to make a protein. Why do they use a DNA copy made from the mature mRNA instead of the gene taken straight from human DNA?
- ABacteria cannot remove introns
- BBacteria have no ribosomes
- CBacteria cannot read human codons
- DHuman DNA has no start codons
7.Chemistry for nursing entrance examsMedium
An atom of chlorine-37 has 17 protons. How many neutrons does it have?
- A20
- B54
- C37
- D17
8.Chemistry for nursing entrance examsHard
Why does drinking seawater make dehydration worse?
- ASeawater contains no water molecules the body can use
- BSeawater is hypotonic, so water rushes into cells and makes them burst
- CSeawater is isotonic, so it cannot be absorbed
- DSeawater is hypertonic, so the body loses extra water getting rid of the salt
3Solutions
1.Human anatomy
Answer: A · Superior mesenteric vein and splenic vein
Why this is the answer
The portal vein forms behind the neck of the pancreas from the superior mesenteric and splenic veins. It carries nutrient-rich blood to the liver.
A · Superior mesenteric vein and splenic vein
2.Human anatomy
Answer: A · Right-sided weakness and aphasia
Why this is the answer
The left MCA supplies the left motor cortex (face and arm of the right side) and Broca's and Wernicke's areas, so right hemiparesis with aphasia is typical.
A · Right-sided weakness and aphasia
3.Human physiology
Answer: C · The sarcoplasmic reticulum
Why this is the answer
Depolarisation of the T-tubules opens ryanodine receptors in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, releasing stored calcium into the cytoplasm.
C · The sarcoplasmic reticulum
4.Human physiology
Answer: B · It becomes very high, acting as dead space
Why this is the answer
Ventilation without perfusion gives a very high V/Q ratio (dead space). A shunt, such as in pneumonia, is the opposite: perfusion without ventilation.
B · It becomes very high, acting as dead space
5.Biology for nursing entrance exams
Answer: D · A pandemic spreads across many countries or continents
Why this is the answer
An epidemic is a sharp rise in cases in a particular region or population. A pandemic is an epidemic that has spread over a very wide area, across several countries or continents.
D · A pandemic spreads across many countries or continents
6.Biology for nursing entrance exams
Answer: A · Bacteria cannot remove introns
Why this is the answer
Human genes contain introns, which bacteria cannot splice out. A copy made from mature mRNA (cDNA) contains only the exons, so the bacteria can translate it correctly using the universal genetic code.
A · Bacteria cannot remove introns
7.Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Answer: A · 20
Why this is the answer
The mass number 37 counts protons plus neutrons, so neutrons = 37 − 17 = 20.
8.Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Answer: D · Seawater is hypertonic, so the body loses extra water getting rid of the salt
Why this is the answer
Seawater has a much higher salt concentration than body fluids. The kidneys must use more water to excrete the extra salt than the seawater supplied, so the body ends up losing water.
D · Seawater is hypertonic, so the body loses extra water getting rid of the salt
This is independent practice material. ExamProblems is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organisation that runs this exam, and the exam name is used only to describe the content. ATI TEAS is a trademark of Assessment Technologies Institute, LLC (ATI), which is not affiliated with ExamProblems and does not endorse it or vouch for its accuracy.