ATI LPN
Upper Gastrointestinal System NCLEX Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
The main function of the human digestive system is to
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The digestive system processes organic molecules (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) into smaller units that can be absorbed and enter cells for energy, growth, or repair. Waste removal is excretory. Glucose breakdown occurs in cells, not digestion. Amino acid conversion is synthetic, not digestive.
Question 2 of 5
Digestion takes place in a long tube-like canal called the alimentary canal, or the digestive tract. Food travels through these organs in the following order:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct digestive order is mouth, gullet (esophagus), stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, making A correct. B reverses small/large intestine, C misplaces esophagus, and D misorders stomach and gullet.
Question 3 of 5
If sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is not released as part of the pancreatic juice, the pH of the
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes acidic chyme in the small intestine; without it, the small intestine remains acidic, making D correct.
Question 4 of 5
Which of the following is an effect of gastric secretions on digestion?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Gastric secretions include pepsin, which breaks proteins into peptides, making D correct.
Question 5 of 5
Which of the following enzymes digest proteins?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pepsin digests proteins in the stomach, making C correct.