Question 1

Which of the following best describes the primary function of the digestive system?

Accepted Answer

To break down food into nutrients that can be absorbed and delivered to cells

Question 2

Which layer of the GI tract is responsible for peristalsis and segmentation?

Accepted Answer

Muscularis externa

Question 3

A patient has difficulty absorbing vitamin B12. Which cell type is most likely malfunctioning?

Accepted Answer

Parietal cells

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a function of the liver related to digestion?

Accepted Answer

Secretion of digestive enzymes into the duodenum

Question 5

During the pharyngeal phase of deglutition, what prevents food from entering the respiratory tract?

Accepted Answer

Downward movement of the epiglottis

Question 6

Which enzyme is secreted by chief cells and is activated in the presence of hydrochloric acid?

Accepted Answer

Pepsinogen

Question 7

Which of the following structures increases the surface area for absorption in the small intestine?

Accepted Answer

Villi and microvilli

Question 8

A blockage in the common bile duct would most directly affect the digestion of which nutrient?

Accepted Answer

Lipids

Question 9

Which phase of gastric secretion is primarily initiated by the sight, smell, or thought of food?

Accepted Answer

Cephalic phase

Question 10

Which of the following best explains why fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are absorbed differently than water-soluble vitamins?

Accepted Answer

They are packaged into micelles with bile salts before absorption

Question 11

Which of the following is a correct sequence of events for the chemical digestion and absorption of lipids?

Accepted Answer

Emulsification by bile salts → digestion by pancreatic lipase → formation of micelles → absorption into lacteals

Question 12

Which of the following statements about the large intestine is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

It forms and expels feces

Question 13

A patient presents with a deficiency in the absorption of vitamin B12. Which of the following best explains the underlying cause?

Accepted Answer

Absence of intrinsic factor from parietal cells

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the role of the enteric nervous system in the digestive tract?

Accepted Answer

It coordinates local reflexes for motility and secretion

Question 15

If the pyloric sphincter fails to open properly, which of the following is most likely to occur?

Accepted Answer

Chyme will accumulate in the stomach, delaying gastric emptying

Question 16

Which of the following best describes the function of the greater omentum?

Accepted Answer

It provides protection, fat storage, and immune support in the abdomen

Question 17

Which of the following is a function of the brush border enzymes in the small intestine?

Accepted Answer

Completing the digestion of carbohydrates and peptides at the microvilli surface

Question 18

A patient with a damaged ileum would have the most difficulty absorbing which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Vitamin B12

Question 19

Which of the following best explains why segmentation is important in the small intestine?

Accepted Answer

It mixes chyme with digestive juices and increases contact with absorptive surfaces

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the process of peristalsis?

Accepted Answer

Alternating contractions of circular and longitudinal muscles to propel contents forward

The Digestive System: Structure, Function, and Physiology

Study Guide - Practice Questions