Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Autoimmune diseases result from a breakdown in immune cell self-tolerance mechanisms, leading to the immune system mistakenly attacking healthy body tissues. While deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals or exposure to environmental toxins can impact overall health, they are not direct causes of autoimmune diseases. Deficiency in essential vitamins and minerals may weaken the immune system, making it more susceptible to various health issues but does not directly cause autoimmune diseases. Exposure to environmental toxins can trigger immune responses, but autoimmune diseases specifically stem from the breakdown of self-tolerance mechanisms within immune cells. Therefore, the correct answer is a breakdown in immune cell self-tolerance mechanisms.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Colligative properties of solutions depend on the number of solute particles in solution. These properties, such as boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, vapor pressure lowering, and osmotic pressure, are proportional to the number of solute particles present in the solution. The chemical identity of the solute or the concentration of the solvent does not influence colligative properties, making choices A and C incorrect. Therefore, the correct answer is D, the number of solute particles in solution.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The milky-white fluid transported by the lymphatic vessels is called chyle. Chyle is formed in the small intestine during the digestion of fatty foods and contains a mixture of lymph and emulsified fats. Plasma is the liquid component of blood, not lymphatic fluid. Blood refers to the fluid that circulates in the cardiovascular system, not lymphatic fluid. Mucus is a slimy substance secreted by mucous membranes, not the fluid transported by lymphatic vessels.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: An atom is the smallest unit of matter that retains the chemical properties of an element. It consists of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons that orbit the nucleus. The number of protons in the nucleus defines the atomic number of the element, and the number of neutrons determines the isotope of the element. While electrons, protons, and neutrons are fundamental particles, an atom as a whole is the smallest part of an element that maintains its unique identity. Electrons are negatively charged particles orbiting the nucleus, protons are positively charged particles in the nucleus, and neutrons are neutral particles in the nucleus. Therefore, the correct answer is 'D: Atom.'

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Osmosis (Option B) is the correct process by which the body reabsorbs water from the large intestine. Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. In the large intestine, water is reabsorbed through osmosis to maintain the body's fluid balance. Dehydration (Option A) refers to the condition of having insufficient water in the body, not the process of water reabsorption in the large intestine. Filtration (Option C) is a process where a liquid or gas passes through a filter to separate the components, not the primary mechanism for water reabsorption in the large intestine. Secretion (Option D) is the release of substances from cells, but it is not the process by which the body reabsorbs water from the large intestine.