HESI A2 Study Guide: Comprehensive Prep for Your Nursing Exam

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Binary fission is the correct answer. Bacteria reproduce asexually through binary fission, where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Mitosis and meiosis are processes that occur in eukaryotic cells, not bacteria. Cytokinesis is the physical division of the cytoplasm that follows nuclear division, which is a part of the cell cycle in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells but not specific to bacterial reproduction.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Strep throat is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes. Unlike mumps, which is a viral infection, AIDS caused by the HIV virus, and the common cold usually caused by rhinoviruses, strep throat is specifically a bacterial infection that can be treated with antibiotics.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The flagellum is a whip-like appendage found in certain cells like sperm cells and some bacteria, enabling them to move through their environments. It plays a crucial role in locomotion by allowing cells to swim or propel themselves in liquids, aiding in their movement and navigation.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Sex cells, also known as gametes, undergo the process of meiosis to reproduce. Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in the formation of four genetically diverse haploid cells from a diploid cell. This reduction is essential for sexual reproduction to ensure genetic diversity in the offspring.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In a hypertonic solution, the concentration of solutes is higher compared to the cell's interior. This causes water to move out of the cell to balance the solute concentrations, resulting in the cell shrinking. Therefore, the correct answer is that the solute concentration is higher in a hypertonic solution than inside the cell.