Biology · Unit 10 · Quick reference
Nursing Entrance Exam Review(TEAS 7 & HESI A2)
Grades 11–12+ · College8 pages
Reading, math, science (anatomy & physiology, biology, chemistry, physics) and English, with a side-by-side look at both exams. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ATI or Elsevier; TEAS and HESI are their owners’ trademarks.
1The two exams2Reading: ideas3Reading: sources4Numbers5Algebra & ratios6Measurement7Geometry & data8Scientific reasoning9A&P: organization10A&P: control11A&P: heart & lungs12A&P: digestion13Biology14Chemistry15Physics16Conventions17Grammar18Language & vocab19Practice
1The Two Exams at a Glanceconfirm with your program
| TEAS 7 (ATI) | HESI A2 (Elsevier) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sections | 4, always in this order: Reading, Math, Science, English & Language Usage | chosen by each program from Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, Math, A&P, Biology, Chemistry (Physics in some) |
| Questions | 170 (150 scored + 20 unscored pretest) | 55 per English or math section, 30 per science section (5 unscored pilot items in each) |
| Time | 209 min, sections timed separately; optional 10-min break after Math | ≈ 60 min Reading; 50 Vocabulary, Grammar, Math; 25 each science; total often 4–5 h |
| Scoring | one score per section and a total; no penalty for guessing | percent correct per section; each program sets its own minimum |
| Item types | multiple choice, select all that apply, fill in the blank, ordered response, hot spot | mostly multiple choice, some fill-in |
| Calculator | on-screen calculator in Math | on-screen basic calculator if the program allows it |
| Section | Items | Min | What it covers (scored items) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 45 | 55 | key ideas & details 15 · craft & structure 9 · integration of knowledge & ideas 15 |
| Math | 38 | 57 | numbers & algebra 18 · measurement & data 16 |
| Science | 50 | 60 | anatomy & physiology 18 · biology 9 · chemistry 8 · scientific reasoning 9 |
| English & Language Usage | 37 | 37 | conventions of standard English 12 · knowledge of language 11 · vocabulary 10 |
HESI-only sections
- Vocabulary & General Knowledge: everyday and health-care words (§18).
- Grammar: its own section (§16, §17).
- Physics: some programs (§15).
- Learning Style, Personality Profile: unscored questionnaires.
Where each subject lives
- TEAS: vocabulary and grammar sit inside English & Language Usage; A&P, biology, chemistry and scientific reasoning share one Science section. HESI tests each as its own section.
Test-day habits
- Pace: TEAS allows ≈ 1.2 min per Reading or Science item, ≈ 1.5 per Math item, 1 per English item.
- Answer every item: a blank is always wrong.
2Reading: Key Ideas & Craftwhat it says and how
| Skill | Ask yourself |
|---|---|
| Main idea | What one point does every paragraph support? Often in the first or last sentence. |
| Supporting details | Which facts, examples or numbers back the main idea? |
| Inference | What must be true from the text, though it is never stated? |
| Summary | Main idea + key points, in your words, no opinions |
| Sequence | What happens first, next, last? Watch for then, after, before, finally. |
| Following directions | Do each step in order, exactly as written |
| Structure | Signal words |
|---|---|
| Chronological | first, then, in 1900, later |
| Cause and effect | because, so, as a result, therefore |
| Compare / contrast | like, both / however, unlike, whereas |
| Problem and solution | the problem, one answer, to fix this |
| Description | looks, sounds, is made of |
PIE + E
An author writes to Persuade, Inform or Entertain (Traditional PIE), or to Express feelings.
Craft terms
- Fact
- can be checked: “The clinic opens at 7 a.m.”
- Opinion
- a judgment: “The clinic has the friendliest staff.”
- Point of view
- first person (I, we), second (you), third (he, she, they)
- Tone
- the author’s attitude: objective, critical, hopeful, urgent, sarcastic
- Bias
- one-sided slant: loaded words, missing other views
3Reading: Sources, Evidence & Graphicsweigh it, read the chart
Integration of knowledge & ideas
- Primary source
- first-hand: a diary, a lab report, a photo, an interview
- Secondary source
- about a primary source: a textbook, a review article, an encyclopedia
- Evidence
- data, examples, expert testimony; strong evidence is relevant, current and from a reliable source
- Argument
- claim + reasons + evidence; check whether the evidence really supports the claim
- Comparing texts
- same topic: what do both say, where do they differ, which is better supported?
A short passage (original)
Hand washing became standard in hospitals only after doctors such as Ignaz Semmelweis in the 1840s showed that it cut deaths among new mothers. His colleagues resisted at first; years passed before the practice spread.
Reading the chart Worked
Busiest day: Friday (21); quietest: Wednesday (9)
Total = 12 + 18 + 9 + 15 + 21 = 75; mean = 75 ÷ 5 = 15
Wed → Thu: (15 − 9) ÷ 9 ≈ 67 % increase
Three questions on it Worked
Main idea: hand washing proved its worth but was slow to be accepted
Inference: some doctors doubted that unseen causes could spread illnessnot stated, but implied
“Resisted” most nearly means opposedcontext clue
4Numbers & Operationsfractions, decimals, percents
Order of operations
- Parentheses → Exponents → Multiply / Divide (left to right) → Add / Subtract (left to right).
EX18 − 4 × (5 − 2)² ÷ 6 = 18 − 4 × 9 ÷ 6 = 18 − 6 = 12
| Task | Example |
|---|---|
| Round | 7.846 → 7.8 (tenths), 7.85 (hundredths) |
| Signed numbers | −8 − (−3) = −5; (−6)(−4) = 24; −20 ÷ 5 = −4 |
| Compare | 0.6 > 0.58 > 47 ≈ 0.571 |
| Absolute value | |−9| = 9 |
| Operation | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Add / subtract | common denominator | 23 + 34 = 8 + 912 = 1712 = 1512 |
| Multiply | tops × tops, bottoms × bottoms | 35 × 109 = 3045 = 23 |
| Divide | multiply by the reciprocal | 212 ÷ 34 = 52 × 43 = 103 = 313 |
| I | V | X | L | C | D | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 10 | 50 | 100 | 500 | 1000 |
A smaller numeral before a larger one subtracts: IV = 4, IX = 9, XL = 40, XC = 90. XLIV = 44; XIX = 19; MMXXVI = 2026.
| Fraction | Decimal | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | 0.125 | 12.5 % |
| 15 | 0.2 | 20 % |
| 14 | 0.25 | 25 % |
| 13 | 0.333… | 3313 % |
| 38 | 0.375 | 37.5 % |
| 23 | 0.666… | 6623 % |
Decimal → percent: move the point 2 places right (0.06 = 6 %). Fraction → decimal: divide top by bottom.
5Algebra, Ratios & Word Problemsset it up, then solve
Solve for x Worked
3x − 7 = 2x + 5 → x = 12subtract 2x, add 7
2(x + 4) = 5x − 7 → 2x + 8 = 5x − 7 → x = 5distribute first
−3x + 4 > 19 → −3x > 15 → x < −5dividing by a negative flips the sign
Percent equation
35 % of 240 = 0.35 × 240 = 84; 18 is what % of 72? 18 ÷ 72 = 25 %; 45 is 60 % of what? 45 ÷ 0.6 = 75.
part = percent × whole
| Words | Symbol |
|---|---|
| sum, more than, increased by | + |
| difference, less than, decreased by | − |
| product, of, times | × |
| quotient, per, ratio | ÷ |
| is, equals, results in | = |
“5 less than x” is x − 5 (order flips). Example: 3 more than twice a number is 27 → 2n + 3 = 27 → n = 12.
Percent change
80 → 92: 1280 = +15 %; 250 → 200: −50250 = −20 %.
% change = new − oldold × 100
Proportions: cross-multiply Worked
38 = x56 → 8x = 168 → x = 21
Staff-to-patient ratio 2 : 7 with 63 patients: 27 = x63 → 18 staff
A liquid has 250 mg per 5 mL; 400 mg is in 400 × 5250 = 8 mLmath practice only
Is over of
For percent problems: isof = %100. “18 is what % of 72” → 1872 = x100 → x = 25.
6Measurement & Conversionsmetric, household, time
| Prefix | kilo- (k) | hecto- (h) | deka- (da) | base | deci- (d) | centi- (c) | milli- (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| × base | 1,000 | 100 | 10 | g, L, m | 0.1 | 0.01 | 0.001 |
Each step right multiplies by 10. Also micro- (mc or µ) = 0.000001: 1 mg = 1,000 mcg. 1 mL = 1 cm³ (cc).
King Henry (Traditional)
“King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk”: kilo, hecto, deka, base, deci, centi, milli.
Dimensional analysis Worked
154 lb × 1 kg2.2 lb = 70 kgunits cancel
5 ft 6 in = 66 in × 2.54 = 167.6 cm
3 tbsp = 9 tsp ≈ 45 mL; 2.5 L = 2,500 mL
750 mg = 0.75 g; 0.4 mg = 400 mcg
| Household / US | Equals | ≈ Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon (tsp) | 5 mL | |
| 1 tablespoon (tbsp) | 3 tsp | 15 mL |
| 1 fluid ounce (fl oz) | 2 tbsp | 30 mL |
| 1 cup | 8 fl oz | 240 mL |
| 1 pint; 1 quart | 2 cups; 2 pints | ≈ 473 mL; ≈ 946 mL |
| 1 gallon | 4 quarts | ≈ 3.79 L |
| 1 pound (lb) | 16 oz | ≈ 454 g (2.2 lb ≈ 1 kg) |
| 1 inch | 2.54 cm (exact) |
Temperature
Water freezes at 0 °C = 32 °F and boils at 100 °C = 212 °F. Body ≈ 37 °C = 98.6 °F. 101.3 °F = 38.5 °C; 25 °C = 77 °F.
°F = 95°C + 32
°C = 59(°F − 32)
Military time (HESI math)
Four digits, no a.m./p.m.: 12:30 a.m. = 0030, 7:05 a.m. = 0705, noon = 1200. After noon add 12 to the hour: 4:15 p.m. = 1615, 9:30 p.m. = 2130. Midnight = 0000.
7Geometry, Data & Statisticsshapes, averages, graphs
| Shape | Perimeter | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangle l × w | 2l + 2w | lw |
| Square side s | 4s | s² |
| Triangle | add the sides | 12bh |
| Circle radius r | C = 2πr = πd | πr² |
| Trapezoid | add the sides | 12(b₁ + b₂)h |
| Solid | Volume |
|---|---|
| Box l × w × h | lwh |
| Cube side s | s³ |
| Cylinder | πr²h |
| Sphere | 43πr³ |
| Cone; pyramid | 13 × base area × h |
Right triangle: a² + b² = c²; legs 6 and 8 → hypotenuse 10.
Center and spread
- Mean
- sum ÷ count
- Median
- middle value in order (average the two middles if the count is even)
- Mode
- most frequent value
- Range
- largest − smallest
One data set Worked
4, 7, 7, 9, 13: mean 405 = 8, median 7, mode 7, range 9
Add 20: mean 606 = 10, median 7 + 92 = 8an outlier moves the mean more
8Scientific Reasoninghow science tests ideas
The scientific method
- Observe and ask a question.
- Form a hypothesis: a testable “if…, then…” prediction.
- Experiment, changing one variable at a time.
- Analyze the data; draw a conclusion.
- Report so others can repeat it.
Terms
- Independent variable
- what the experimenter changes
- Dependent variable
- what is measured in response
- Controlled variables
- kept the same in every trial
- Control group
- gets no treatment; the baseline for comparison
Name the variables Worked
Plants under 4, 8 or 12 hours of light; height measured after 3 weeks
independent: hours of light; dependent: height
controlled: plant type, water, soil, pot, temperature
Data
- Accurate
- close to the true value
- Precise
- repeated results close to each other
- Quantitative / qualitative
- numbers / descriptions
- Scientific notation
- 0.00052 = 5.2 × 10⁻⁴; 3,400,000 = 3.4 × 10⁶
| Tool | Measures | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Balance | mass | g, kg |
| Graduated cylinder | liquid volume (read the meniscus at eye level) | mL |
| Thermometer | temperature | °C, K |
| Ruler; meter stick | length | mm, cm, m |
| Microscope | small objects | × power |
Microscope total power = ocular × objective: 10× × 40× = 400×.
9A&P: Body Organizationthe map of the body
Levels
- Chemical → cell → tissue → organ → organ system → organism.
- Anatomical position: standing, facing forward, palms forward; left and right are the patient’s.
| Plane | Divides |
|---|---|
| Sagittal (midsagittal) | left / right |
| Frontal (coronal) | front / back |
| Transverse | top / bottom |
| Term | Means | Opposite |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | toward the head | inferior |
| Anterior (ventral) | front | posterior (dorsal) |
| Medial | toward the midline | lateral |
| Proximal | nearer the limb’s attachment | distal |
| Superficial | toward the surface | deep |
The elbow is proximal to the wrist; the sternum is medial to the arms.
| Cavity | Holds |
|---|---|
| Cranial; spinal | brain; spinal cord |
| Thoracic | lungs, heart |
| Abdominal | stomach, intestines, liver, spleen |
| Pelvic | bladder, rectum, reproductive organs |
The diaphragm separates thoracic from abdominal.
| Tissue | Job | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Epithelial | covers, lines, secretes | skin surface, gut lining |
| Connective | supports, binds, stores | bone, tendon, fat, blood |
| Muscle | contracts | skeletal, cardiac, smooth |
| Nervous | signals | brain, nerves |
Homeostasis
- Negative feedback reverses a change (most systems): body temperature, blood glucose.
- Positive feedback amplifies until an end point: labor contractions, blood clotting.
| Vital sign | Typical adult |
|---|---|
| Temperature | ≈ 37 °C (98.6 °F) |
| Heart rate | 60–100 /min |
| Breathing rate | 12–20 /min |
| Blood pressure | < 120/80 mm Hg |
| Blood pH | 7.35–7.45 |
10A&P: Support, Movement & Controlskin, bones, muscles, nerves, hormones
| Layer | Contents |
|---|---|
| Epidermis | keratinized cells, melanin; no blood vessels |
| Dermis | collagen, vessels, nerves, sweat and oil glands, hair follicles |
| Hypodermis | fat and loose connective tissue |
Skin protects, holds in water, regulates temperature and makes vitamin D.
| Sense | Key parts |
|---|---|
| Sight | cornea and lens focus light on the retina: rods (dim light), cones (color); optic nerve |
| Hearing | outer ear → eardrum → ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes) → cochlea |
| Balance | inner ear: semicircular canals |
| Smell; taste | olfactory receptors; taste buds |
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bones | 206 in an adult: 80 axial (skull, spine, ribs, sternum), 126 appendicular (limbs, girdles) |
| Jobs | support, protection, movement, mineral (Ca) storage, blood-cell making (red marrow) |
| Joints | ball-and-socket (hip), hinge (elbow, knee), pivot (neck) |
| Connectors | ligament: bone to bone; tendon: muscle to bone |
| Muscle | Look | Control | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skeletal | striated | voluntary | attached to bones |
| Cardiac | striated, intercalated discs | involuntary | heart |
| Smooth | not striated | involuntary | gut, vessels, bladder |
Contraction: Ca²⁺ and ATP let actin and myosin filaments slide past each other.
Insulin lets sugar in
Insulin moves glucose into cells (blood sugar falls); glucagon is sent when the glucose is gone (blood sugar rises).
| Part | Role |
|---|---|
| CNS | brain and spinal cord |
| PNS | nerves outside the CNS |
| Cerebrum | thought, senses, voluntary movement |
| Cerebellum | balance and coordination |
| Brainstem (medulla) | breathing, heart rate, blood pressure |
| Sympathetic | “fight or flight”: ↑ heart rate, dilates pupils |
| Parasympathetic | “rest and digest”: ↓ heart rate, ↑ digestion |
| Gland | Hormone → effect |
|---|---|
| Pituitary | GH (growth), TSH, ACTH; ADH (keeps water), oxytocin |
| Thyroid | T₃, T₄ (metabolic rate) |
| Parathyroid | PTH (raises blood Ca²⁺) |
| Adrenal | cortisol, aldosterone (keeps Na⁺), epinephrine |
| Pancreas | insulin (lowers glucose), glucagon (raises it) |
| Ovaries; testes | estrogen, progesterone; testosterone |
11A&P: Heart, Blood, Defense & Breathingtransport and gas exchange
| Blood part | Job |
|---|---|
| Plasma (≈ 55 %) | water, proteins, nutrients, wastes |
| Red cells | carry O₂ on hemoglobin |
| White cells | defense (neutrophils most common) |
| Platelets | clotting |
Type O⁻ red cells can go to anyone (universal donor); AB⁺ can receive any type (universal recipient).
Path of blood
- Body → venae cavae → right atrium → tricuspid → right ventricle → pulmonary valve → pulmonary arteries → lungs.
- Lungs → pulmonary veins → left atrium → mitral (bicuspid) → left ventricle → aortic valve → aorta → body.
Vessels
- Arteries
- carry blood away from the heart (thick walls)
- Veins
- carry blood back (valves, thinner walls)
- Capillaries
- one cell thick; exchange with tissues
- Exception
- pulmonary arteries carry oxygen-poor blood; pulmonary veins carry oxygen-rich
| Type | Antigens on red cells | Antibodies in plasma | Can receive |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | A | anti-B | A, O |
| B | B | anti-A | B, O |
| AB | A and B | neither | A, B, AB, O |
| O | neither | anti-A and anti-B | O |
Rh⁻ people receive Rh⁻ blood; Rh⁺ can receive either.
Valves: Try Pulling My Arm
Blood passes the valves in this order: Tricuspid, Pulmonary, Mitral (bicuspid), Aortic (original).
Immune and lymphatic
- Innate
- skin, mucus, fever, inflammation, phagocytes: fast, general
- Adaptive
- B cells make antibodies; T cells kill infected cells and direct the response; memory makes the 2nd response faster
- Lymphatic
- lymph nodes filter lymph; spleen filters blood; thymus trains T cells; returns fluid to the blood
Respiratory path
- Nose → pharynx → larynx → trachea → bronchi → bronchioles → alveoli (gas exchange by diffusion).
- Inhale: diaphragm contracts and flattens, chest volume ↑, pressure ↓, air flows in. Exhale: it relaxes.
- Breathing rate is set mainly by blood CO₂ (sensed in the brainstem).
12A&P: Digestion, Excretion & Reproductionnutrients in, wastes out
| Organ | Job |
|---|---|
| Mouth | chewing; salivary amylase starts starch digestion |
| Esophagus | peristalsis to the stomach |
| Stomach | acid (HCl) and pepsin start protein digestion |
| Small intestine | most digestion and absorption (villi): duodenum, jejunum, ileum |
| Liver; gallbladder | makes bile; stores bile (fat emulsifier) |
| Pancreas | enzymes for all nutrients; bicarbonate |
| Large intestine | absorbs water; forms feces |
Reproductive system
- Male
- testes make sperm and testosterone; sperm pass through the epididymis, vas deferens and urethra
- Female
- ovaries release an egg and make estrogen and progesterone; the egg travels the uterine (fallopian) tube to the uterus
- Fertilization
- usually in the uterine tube; the embryo implants in the uterine wall
- Cycle
- about 28 days; ovulation near day 14, triggered by an LH surge
Urinary system
- Kidneys → ureters → bladder → urethra.
- Each kidney has ≈ 1 million nephrons: filtration (glomerulus) → reabsorption (water, glucose, salts) → secretion → urine.
- Kidneys balance water, salts and pH, remove urea, and release renin and erythropoietin (red-cell signal).
| System | Main organs | One-line job |
|---|---|---|
| Integumentary | skin, hair, nails | protects |
| Skeletal | bones, joints | supports |
| Muscular | muscles | moves |
| Nervous | brain, cord, nerves | signals fast |
| Endocrine | glands | signals by hormones |
| Cardiovascular | heart, vessels | transports |
| Lymphatic / immune | nodes, spleen, thymus | defends |
| Respiratory | lungs, airways | exchanges gases |
| Digestive | GI tract, liver | breaks down food |
| Urinary | kidneys, bladder | filters blood |
| Reproductive | gonads | makes offspring |
13Biologycells, molecules, genes, energy
| Molecule | Built from | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | monosaccharides (glucose) | quick energy; cellulose in plant walls |
| Lipids | fatty acids + glycerol | stored energy, membranes, hormones |
| Proteins | amino acids (20 kinds) | enzymes, structure, transport, antibodies |
| Nucleic acids | nucleotides | DNA stores and RNA uses genetic information |
Enzymes are proteins that speed reactions by lowering activation energy; heat or wrong pH denatures them.
DNA → RNA → protein
- DNA bases pair A–T and C–G; RNA uses U instead of T (A–U).
- Transcription (nucleus): DNA → mRNA. Translation (ribosome): mRNA codons → amino acids.
EXDNA template TACGGT → mRNA AUGCCA; its DNA partner strand is ATGCCA.
| Organelle | Job |
|---|---|
| Nucleus | holds DNA |
| Ribosome | makes proteins |
| Mitochondrion | makes ATP (cellular respiration) |
| ER; Golgi | make and process; package and ship |
| Cell membrane | controls what enters and leaves |
| Chloroplast; cell wall | photosynthesis; rigid support (plants) |
Prokaryotes (bacteria) have no nucleus; eukaryotes (plants, animals, fungi, protists) do. A virus is not a cell.
Energy
- Respiration: C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O₂ → 6 CO₂ + 6 H₂O + ATP (mitochondria).
- Photosynthesis: 6 CO₂ + 6 H₂O + light → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O₂ (chloroplasts).
Microbes
- Bacteria
- cells with no nucleus; antibiotics work on many
- Viruses
- not cells; need a host cell
- Fungi; protists
- yeast, molds; amoebas, algae
| Mitosis | Meiosis | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | growth, repair | eggs and sperm |
| Divisions | 1 | 2 |
| Daughter cells | 2, identical, diploid (2n) | 4, different, haploid (n) |
| Human cells | 46 chromosomes | 23 chromosomes |
Phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase (PMAT), then cytokinesis.
Genetics Worked
Alleles: B (dominant) masks b (recessive); BB, bb homozygous, Bb heterozygous
Bb × Bb: BB : Bb : bb = 1 : 2 : 1genotypes
dominant : recessive look = 3 : 1; bb = 25 %phenotypes
Bb × bb: 50 % show the recessive trait
14Chemistryatoms, bonds, reactions, solutions
| Particle | Charge | Mass | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proton | +1 | 1 amu | nucleus |
| Neutron | 0 | 1 amu | nucleus |
| Electron | −1 | ≈ 0 | shells |
Isotopes: same protons, different neutrons (carbon-12, carbon-14). Ion: an atom that gained (−) or lost (+) electrons.
More to know
- Acid + base
- → salt + water (neutralization)
- Nuclear decay
- alpha (He nucleus), beta (electron), gamma (energy). Half-life: 80 g, half-life 5 days → 10 g after 15 days
- Boyle’s law
- P₁V₁ = P₂V₂: 3 L at 2 atm → 6 L at 1 atm
Periodic table
- Periods
- rows; elements in a row have the same number of electron shells
- Groups
- columns; same valence electrons, similar behavior (group 1 alkali metals, 17 halogens, 18 noble gases)
- Metals / nonmetals
- left and center / upper right
| Reaction | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Synthesis | A + B → AB |
| Decomposition | AB → A + B |
| Single replacement | A + BC → AC + B |
| Double replacement | AB + CD → AD + CB |
| Combustion | fuel + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O |
| Bond | How | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ionic | electrons transferred, metal + nonmetal | NaCl |
| Covalent | electrons shared, nonmetals | H₂O, CO₂ |
| Hydrogen bond | weak attraction between polar molecules | water to water, DNA strands |
Balance and count Worked
CH₄ + 2 O₂ → CO₂ + 2 H₂Osame atoms each side
Molar mass H₂O = 2(1.008) + 16.00 = 18.02 g/mol; 36 g ≈ 2 mol1 mol = 6.02 × 10²³ particles
0.5 mol in 250 mL: molarity = 0.5 ÷ 0.25 = 2 M
15Physics (HESI, Some Programs)motion, energy, waves, circuits
| Quantity | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | v = d ÷ t | 100 m in 20 s → 5 m/s |
| Acceleration | a = (vf − vi) ÷ t | 0 → 12 m/s in 4 s → 3 m/s² |
| Force (Newton 2) | F = ma | 10 kg × 2 m/s² = 20 N |
| Kinetic energy | KE = 12mv² | 2 kg at 3 m/s → 9 J |
| Potential energy | PE = mgh | 2 kg up 5 m → 98 J |
| Wave speed | v = fλ | 680 Hz × 0.5 m = 340 m/s |
| Ohm’s law | V = IR | 12 V across 4 Ω → 3 A |
Newton’s laws
- 1 An object keeps its motion unless a net force acts (inertia).
- 2 F = ma: more force, more acceleration; more mass, less.
- 3 Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
Ideas
- Energy
- is conserved: it changes form (PE ⇄ KE, chemical → heat) but is not created or destroyed
- Waves
- transverse (light) or longitudinal (sound); sound needs a medium, light does not
- Heat flow
- conduction (touch), convection (fluid motion), radiation (no medium)
16English: Conventionspunctuation, sentences, common errors
| Mark | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Comma | items in a series; before and, but, or joining two sentences; after an intro phrase | After lunch, Ana checked the chart, and Ben restocked gloves. |
| Semicolon | joins two complete sentences without a conjunction | The shift ended; the reports were done. |
| Colon | introduces a list or explanation after a complete sentence | Bring three things: ID, a pencil and water. |
| Apostrophe | possession; contractions | the patient’s chart; the nurses’ station; it’s = it is |
| Quotation marks | exact words; periods and commas go inside (US) | “Wash first,” she said. |
| Type | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Simple | one independent clause |
| Compound | two independent clauses + comma + FANBOYS, or a semicolon |
| Complex | independent + dependent clause (because, when, although) |
| Compound-complex | two independent + at least one dependent |
FANBOYS (Traditional)
The coordinating conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.
Common errors
- Fragment
- “Because the lab closed.” Fix: add an independent clause.
- Run-on / comma splice
- “I studied, I passed.” Fix: period, semicolon, or comma + and.
- Agreement
- singular subject, singular verb: “Each of the students has a badge.”
17Grammar Toolkit (HESI)parts of speech, usage
| Part | Job | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | person, place, thing, idea | nurse, clinic, health |
| Pronoun | replaces a noun | she, it, who |
| Verb | action or state | run, is |
| Adjective | describes a noun | quick test |
| Adverb | describes a verb, adjective or adverb | very quickly |
| Preposition | shows relation | under, during |
| Conjunction | joins | and, because |
| Interjection | exclaims | Oh! |
| Pair | Use |
|---|---|
| affect / effect | affect is usually the verb; effect the noun |
| accept / except | receive / leave out |
| its / it’s | possessive / it is |
| their / there / they’re | belonging / place / they are |
| then / than | time / comparison |
| fewer / less | countable / amounts |
| lie / lay | recline / put something down |
| who / whom | he (subject) / him (object) |
| Base | Past | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| go | went | gone |
| see | saw | seen |
| lie (recline) | lay | lain |
| lay (put) | laid | laid |
Who = he, whom = him
Answer the question with he or him: “(Who/Whom) called?” → he called → who. “To (who/whom)?” → to him → whom.
18English: Language Use & Vocabularyclear words, word parts
| Prefix | Means | Root | Means | Suffix | Means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a-, an- | without | cardi/o | heart | -itis | inflammation |
| brady-; tachy- | slow; fast | derm/o | skin | -ectomy | removal |
| dys- | bad, difficult | gastr/o | stomach | -ology | study of |
| hyper-; hypo- | above; below | hem/o, hemat/o | blood | -algia | pain |
| inter-; intra- | between; within | hepat/o | liver | -emia | blood condition |
| peri- | around | nephr/o, ren/o | kidney | -megaly | enlargement |
| post-; pre- | after; before | neur/o | nerve | -otomy | cutting into |
| sub- | under | oste/o | bone | -scopy | looking inside |
| poly- | many | pulmon/o | lung | -osis | abnormal condition |
Combine them: tachycardia = fast heart; hepatitis = liver inflammation; nephrectomy = kidney removal.
| Word | Meaning | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| acute | sudden, severe, short | chronic | lasting a long time |
| benign | mild; not cancer | malignant | dangerous; spreading |
| dilate | widen | constrict | narrow |
| exacerbate | make worse | alleviate | ease |
| intermittent | stopping and starting | impending | about to happen |
| lethargic | sluggish, drowsy | diaphoretic | sweating heavily |
| febrile | feverish | edema | swelling with fluid |
| supine; prone | face up; face down | lateral | to the side |
| ambulate | walk | void | empty the bladder |
| adverse | unwanted, damaging | compliance | following instructions |
| Purpose | Transitions |
|---|---|
| Add | also, furthermore, in addition |
| Contrast | however, although, on the other hand |
| Cause / effect | because, therefore, as a result |
| Example | for example, such as |
| Sequence | first, next, finally |
| Conclude | in summary, overall |
Knowledge of language
- Formal vs informal
- reports and essays: no slang or contractions
- Concise
- “due to the fact that” → “because”; cut repeated words
- Active voice
- “The nurse recorded the data” (clearer than passive “The data were recorded”)
- Parallelism
- “reading, writing and speaking,” not “and to speak”
| Clue type | Signal | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | is, means, or | Edema, or swelling, … |
| Synonym | also, likewise | lethargic, sluggish |
| Antonym | but, unlike | not acute but chronic |
| Example | such as, including | analgesics such as aspirin |
19Practice Setoriginal problems, answers checked
| # | Problem | Answer | # | Problem | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (Math) 214 + 123 | 31112 | 9 | (Science) mRNA from DNA template ACGTTA | UGCAAU |
| 2 | (Math) 24 is what percent of 160? | 15 % | 10 | (Science) Chambers that pump to the lungs and to the body | right ventricle; left ventricle |
| 3 | (Math) Solve 4(x − 3) = 2x + 6 | x = 9 | 11 | (Science) pH 4 vs pH 6: which is more acidic, and how many times? | pH 4, 100 × |
| 4 | (Math) 1.5 L in mL; 98.6 °F in °C | 1,500 mL; 37 °C | 12 | (Science) Balance: _H₂ + _O₂ → _H₂O | 2, 1, 2 |
| 5 | (Math) Median of 3, 11, 6, 8, 2, 10 | 7 | 13 | (English) Fix: “Me and her went to the lab.” | She and I went to the lab. |
| 6 | (Math) 0845 in 12-hour time; XXIV | 8:45 a.m.; 24 | 14 | (English) “brady-” + “cardia” means | slow heart rate |
| 7 | (Math) Area of a circle with diameter 10 (to 0.1) | 78.5 | 15 | (English) Which is correct: “fewer/less patients”? | fewer (countable) |
| 8 | (Reading) “Night shifts are the best shifts.” Fact or opinion? | opinion (a judgment) | 16 | (Science) Bone count of the adult axial skeleton | 80 |