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
Which vessels carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart?
- APulmonary arteries
- BBronchial arteries
- CPulmonary veins
- DVenae cavae
2.Human anatomyHard
A blow to the side of the head at the pterion causes an extradural haematoma. Which vessel is usually torn?
- AMiddle meningeal artery
- BMiddle cerebral artery
- CBridging cerebral veins
- DSuperficial temporal artery
3.Human physiologyMedium
What is the main stimulus for breathing in a healthy person?
- AA fall in arterial O₂
- BA rise in blood glucose
- CA fall in blood pH caused by lactate only
- DA rise in arterial CO₂
4.Human physiologyHard
In pernicious anaemia, autoimmune destruction of gastric parietal cells leads to anaemia because:
- APepsin is lost, so haemoglobin cannot be made
- BGastrin is lost, so the bone marrow is no longer stimulated
- CAcid is lost, so iron is never absorbed in any form
- DIntrinsic factor is lost, so vitamin B12 is not absorbed
5.Biology for nursing entrance examsMedium
Why can DNA profiling (fingerprinting) identify individual people?
- AEach person's genes code for different amino acids
- BEvery person has a different number of chromosomes in their cells
- CDNA in blood differs from DNA in skin
- DRepeated non-coding DNA regions vary in length between people
6.Biology for nursing entrance examsHard
Parts of a protein chain coil into alpha helices and fold into beta sheets, held by hydrogen bonds. Which level of protein structure is this?
- ATertiary structure
- BSecondary structure
- CPrimary structure
- DQuaternary structure
7.Chemistry for nursing entrance examsMedium
Water climbs up a narrow glass tube. Which property mainly causes this?
- AAdhesion of water to the glass
- BWater's high boiling point
- CLow density of water
- DEvaporation of water from the tube
8.Chemistry for nursing entrance examsHard
A compound is 40% carbon, 6.7% hydrogen and 53.3% oxygen by mass (C = 12, H = 1, O = 16). What is its empirical formula?
- ACHO
- BC₂HO
- CCH₂O
- DCH₄O
3Solutions
1.Human anatomy
Answer: C · Pulmonary veins
Why this is the answer
Four pulmonary veins drain oxygenated blood into the left atrium. They are the main exception to the rule that veins carry deoxygenated blood.
2.Human anatomy
Answer: A · Middle meningeal artery
Why this is the answer
The middle meningeal artery lies under the pterion, where the skull is thin. Its rupture bleeds between bone and dura. Bridging veins cause subdural haematomas.
A · Middle meningeal artery
3.Human physiology
Answer: D · A rise in arterial CO₂
Why this is the answer
Central chemoreceptors respond to CO₂ (through the pH of the cerebrospinal fluid). Low O₂ adds strongly to the drive only when PaO₂ falls well below normal, for example at high altitude.
D · A rise in arterial CO₂
4.Human physiology
Answer: D · Intrinsic factor is lost, so vitamin B12 is not absorbed
Why this is the answer
Parietal cells secrete intrinsic factor, needed for B12 absorption in the terminal ileum. B12 deficiency impairs DNA synthesis and causes megaloblastic anaemia.
D · Intrinsic factor is lost, so vitamin B12 is not absorbed
5.Biology for nursing entrance exams
Answer: D · Repeated non-coding DNA regions vary in length between people
Why this is the answer
DNA profiling looks at regions with short repeated sequences. The number of repeats varies greatly between people, so the pattern of fragment sizes is almost unique to each person, except identical twins.
D · Repeated non-coding DNA regions vary in length between people
6.Biology for nursing entrance exams
Answer: B · Secondary structure
Why this is the answer
Primary structure is the amino acid sequence. Secondary structure is local folding into helices and sheets by hydrogen bonds. Tertiary is the whole 3D shape of one chain, and quaternary is several chains together, as in haemoglobin.
7.Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Answer: A · Adhesion of water to the glass
Why this is the answer
Water molecules are attracted to the polar glass surface (adhesion) and pull the column up, while cohesion holds the column together. This is capillary action.
A · Adhesion of water to the glass
8.Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Answer: C · CH₂O
Why this is the answer
In 100 g: C = 40 ÷ 12 ≈ 3.33 mol, H = 6.7 ÷ 1 = 6.7 mol, O = 53.3 ÷ 16 ≈ 3.33 mol. Dividing by 3.33 gives 1 : 2 : 1, so CH₂O.
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