HESI A2 Study Guide: Comprehensive Prep for Your Nursing Exam

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Enzymes function by lowering the activation energy required for a reaction to occur, not by raising it. This catalytic property allows enzymes to accelerate reactions without being consumed in the process. Enzymes are biological catalysts that are typically proteins and have specific active sites where substrates bind and reactions take place. The statement that enzymes raise the activation energy needed is incorrect as their role is to lower this energy barrier. Therefore, the correct answer is B.

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.