Teas Exam Must Know Questions

Nervous System Anatomy and Physiology

Major Divisions of the Nervous System: * The nervous system is divided into two primary parts: * Central Nervous System (CNS): Comprised of the brain and spinal cord. * Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Consists of the nerves and ganglia outside of the brain and spinal cord.
Neuron Communication and Structure: * Myelin Sheath: This is a lipid-rich insulating layer that surrounds the axons of many neurons. Its primary function is to provide insulation, which increases the speed at which electrical impulses (action potentials) travel along the nerve cell. * Repolarization Process: Repolarization is the stage of an action potential where the cell membrane potential is restored to a negative state. This is achieved when voltage-gated potassium channels open, allowing potassium ions ( $K^+$ ) to exit the neuron.

Respiratory and Cardiovascular Systems

Respiratory Structures and Functions: * Larynx: This structure houses the vocal cords, which are essential for producing speech. It is often referred to as the voice box. * Pleura: The pleura is a thin, double-layered connective tissue sheath that covers and protects the lungs. It helps reduce friction during breathing. * Epiglottis: A flap made of elastic cartilage located at the base of the tongue. Its function is to prevent food and liquid from entering the trachea during swallowing by covering the glottis. * Alveoli and Gas Exchange: The alveoli are the primary sites for gas exchange in the lungs. Diseases such as emphysema damage the walls of the alveoli, significantly disrupting the efficient exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Circulatory Pathways and Tissue: * Pulmonary Circuit: This circuit carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and returns oxygenated blood back to the heart. The Pulmonary Vein is a key component of this circuit, as it carries oxygen-rich blood from the lungs back to the left atrium of the heart. * Endocardium: This is the innermost layer of tissue that lines the interior surfaces of the heart chambers and covers the heart valves.

Biochemistry and Cellular Biology

Biological Macromolecules and Enzymes: * Proteins: This class of biological molecules includes enzymes, which act as catalysts for biochemical reactions. * Amylase: This is a specific pancreatic secretion (also found in saliva) that catalyzes the breakdown of starch into simpler disaccharides.
Cellular Structures and Genetics: * Lysosomes: These organelles are the sites of intracellular digestion, containing hydrolytic enzymes that break down waste materials and cellular debris. * Chromatin: This substance, consisting of DNA and proteins, contains a human's hereditary information within the cell nucleus. * Totipotent Cells: These are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to develop into any kind of cell in the body, including extraembryonic tissues.
RNA vs. DNA: * RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) contains the nitrogenous base Uracil, which is not found in DNA. Conversely, DNA contains Thymine, which is absent in RNA.

Human Anatomy and Integumentary System

Skeletal and Muscular Connections: * Tendons: These are tough bands of fibrous connective tissue that typically connect skeletal muscles to bone, enabling the transmission of force. * Crural Region: This anatomical region refers to the lower leg, specifically the area where the tibia (shinbone) and fibula are located.
Integumentary Functions: * Melanin: A pigment produced by melanocytes in the skin that protects the body from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. * Sweat Glands and Excretion: During the process of protein breakdown and ammonia formation, the body produces Urea, which is one of the substances excreted through sweat glands.
Body Cavities: * The Ventral Cavity is the larger anterior body cavity, which is further divided into the thoracic cavity and the abdominopelvic cavity.

Chemistry and Physics Principles

Acid-Base Balance and pH: * Blood Buffering: When blood pH rises (becoming more alkaline), Carbonic Acid ( $H_2CO_3$ ) acts as a buffer by donating hydrogen ions ( $H^+$ ) to lower the pH back to homeostasis. * The pH Scale: The pH scale is logarithmic. This means a substance with a pH of $3$ is precisely $10$ times more acidic than a substance with a pH of $4$ .
Properties and States of Matter: * Triple Point: In a phase diagram, the triple point is the specific temperature and pressure at which the solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of a substance exist simultaneously in equilibrium. * Solid to Liquid Transition: When a solid melts into a liquid, the particles become less ordered and gain more kinetic energy/mobility. * Water Properties: Water is a versatile solvent known for its ability to dissolve polar and ionic compounds due to its polarity. * Diffusion: Most carbon dioxide ( $CO_2$ ) moves from the blood into the lungs' alveoli via a concentration gradient diffusion process.
Chemical Reactions: * Catalysts: The use of a catalyst in a chemical reaction lowers the activation energy, resulting in the reaction completing in less time without the catalyst being consumed.

Endocrinology and Immunology

Hormonal Regulation: * Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH): The release of ADH causes a physiological response of increased water reabsorption in the collecting ducts of the kidneys, which helps maintain fluid balance.
The Menstrual Cycle: * Fertility Window: In a typical menstrual cycle, a woman is most fertile around days $12$ to $14$ . This corresponds with the ovulation phase, triggered by a peak in the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) surge.
Immune System and Pathology: * Helper T-cells: These immune cells play a central role by stimulating other immune cells (like B-cells and cytotoxic T-cells) to attack and destroy foreign pathogens. * Psoriasis: This is classified as a noninfectious (autoimmune) disease, unlike those caused by transmissible pathogens. * Viral Pathogens: Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses. Therefore, if a doctor refuses to prescribe antibiotics for a cold or sore throat, it is because the underlying pathogen is a virus.

Genetics and Atomic Physics

Mendelian Genetics: * In a cross where Red flowers ( $R$ ) are dominant over white ( $r$ ), crossing a heterozygous red plant ( $Rr$ ) with a white flower plant ( $rr$ ) involves the following Punnett square: * Parent 1: $R$ and $r$ * Parent 2: $r$ and $r$ * Offspring: Two $Rr$ (red) and two $rr$ (white). * The expected phenotype ratio is $2$ red : $2$ white (or $1:1$ ).
Atomic Physics (Proton Emission): * Let $A$ represent the atomic mass and $Z$ represent the atomic number. * If an atom emits a proton, the atomic number decreases by one ( $Z - 1$ ) because the number of protons defines the element. The atomic mass also decreases by one ( $A - 1$ ) because a proton contributes approximately one atomic mass unit.

Scientific Method and Measurement

Scientific Procedures: * Publishing Findings: It is vital for new scientific findings to be published so that other members of the scientific community can validate, replicate, or disprove the results. * Hypothesis Testing: Experiments cannot definitively prove a hypothesis; they can only fail to disprove it (falsify it). Therefore, a hypothesis that has not been falsified is considered provisional.
Measurement and Laboratory Tools: * Mass Units: The milligram ( $\text{mg}$ ) is a standard unit used to indicate mass. * Density Measurement: To find the density of a small, irregular solid through displacement, one needs a graduated cylinder, water, and a weighing balance (to find mass). * Spectrophotometer: This tool is used to measure the turbidity of a liquid by detecting the amount of light transmission through a sample.