Digestive System and Abdomen Practice Questions

63 multiple-choice questions on Digestive system and abdomen for paramedic and EMT students, from Chapter 8 (Anatomy and Physiology). Read each question, pick your answer, then tap Show answer to check it and read the explanation.

63 practice questions

1. Which organ lies mainly in the right upper quadrant?

   1. A. Sigmoid colon
   2. B. Liver
   3. C. Appendix
   4. D. Spleen
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Liver

   The liver and gallbladder are in the RUQ.

2. The spleen is located in the:

   1. A. LUQ
   2. B. RUQ
   3. C. RLQ
   4. D. LLQ
   Show answer

   Answer: A. LUQ

   Suspect a splenic injury with left lower rib fractures or left shoulder pain (Kehr sign).

3. The appendix is located in the:

   1. A. LUQ
   2. B. Epigastrium
   3. C. LLQ
   4. D. RLQ
   Show answer

   Answer: D. RLQ

   Appendicitis pain often starts around the umbilicus and moves to the RLQ.

4. Which organs are retroperitoneal?

   1. A. Liver and gallbladder
   2. B. Small intestine and appendix
   3. C. Stomach and spleen
   4. D. Kidneys and pancreas
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Kidneys and pancreas

   Bleeding behind the peritoneum can be hidden and cause flank bruising (Grey Turner sign).

5. Peristalsis is:

   1. A. Chemical breakdown of dietary fats
   2. B. Wavelike muscle contractions
   3. C. Production and release of bile
   4. D. Absorption of water in the colon
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Wavelike muscle contractions

   Smooth muscle in the GI tract wall produces peristalsis. They move food through the GI tract.

6. The esophagus lies:

   1. A. Behind the trachea
   2. B. In the abdomen only
   3. C. Beside the heart
   4. D. In front of the trachea
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   Answer: A. Behind the trachea

   This is why pressing on the cricoid (Sellick maneuver) was once used to compress the esophagus.

7. Which structure controls the passage of stomach contents into the duodenum?

   1. A. Ileocecal valve
   2. B. Pyloric sphincter
   3. C. Cardiac sphincter
   4. D. Sphincter of Oddi
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Pyloric sphincter

   The pyloric sphincter controls the stomach's outflow, and the cardiac (lower esophageal) sphincter controls its inflow. The sphincter of Oddi controls the flow of bile and pancreatic juice into the duodenum, not the outflow of the stomach.

8. Most nutrient absorption takes place in the:

   1. A. Small intestine
   2. B. Stomach
   3. C. Large intestine
   4. D. Esophagus
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Small intestine

   Villi in the small intestine greatly increase the surface area for absorption.

9. The large intestine mainly absorbs:

   1. A. Amino acids from protein
   2. B. Glucose and simple sugars
   3. C. Water and electrolytes
   4. D. Fats and fat-soluble vitamins
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Water and electrolytes

   This is why severe diarrhea causes dehydration.

10. Bile is produced by the:

    1. A. Gallbladder
    2. B. Stomach
    3. C. Pancreas
    4. D. Liver
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Liver

    The liver makes bile and the gallbladder stores it.

11. The gallbladder stores bile, which helps:

    1. A. Emulsify fats
    2. B. Digest proteins
    3. C. Activate pepsin
    4. D. Absorb water
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Emulsify fats

    Fatty meals trigger gallbladder contraction, which is why cholecystitis pain often follows them. Pepsin is activated by stomach acid, not by bile.

12. The exocrine function of the pancreas is to:

    1. A. Store and concentrate bile
    2. B. Produce insulin and glucagon
    3. C. Absorb fats from the duodenum
    4. D. Secrete digestive enzymes
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Secrete digestive enzymes

    Insulin and glucagon are endocrine functions. Digestive enzymes are exocrine.

13. Which is a key function of the liver?

    1. A. Storing concentrated urine
    2. B. Absorbing water from stool
    3. C. Making clotting factors
    4. D. Producing insulin and glucagon
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Making clotting factors

    Liver failure causes bleeding problems, jaundice, and buildup of toxins. It also detoxifies many substances.

14. The primary functions of the digestive system are:

    1. A. Digestion, absorption, and elimination
    2. B. Producing hormones and blood cells
    3. C. Gas exchange and pH control
    4. D. Filtering blood and making urine
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Digestion, absorption, and elimination

    It also has significant immune and endocrine roles. Ingestion is the first step.

15. Mechanical digestion begins in the:

    1. A. Stomach, through churning
    2. B. Small intestine, through segmentation
    3. C. Mouth, through chewing
    4. D. Esophagus, through peristalsis
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Mouth, through chewing

    Saliva begins chemical digestion at the same time.

16. Salivary amylase begins the digestion of:

    1. A. Fats and lipids
    2. B. Proteins
    3. C. Carbohydrates
    4. D. Vitamins and minerals
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Carbohydrates

    Chemical digestion starts in the mouth.

17. When using a curved (Macintosh) blade, the tip is placed in the vallecula to indirectly lift the:

    1. A. Thyroid cartilage forward
    2. B. Epiglottis off the glottis
    3. C. Cricoid ring upward
    4. D. Uvula and soft palate
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Epiglottis off the glottis

    The epiglottis covers the glottis during swallowing. The curved blade sits in the vallecula, the space between the tongue base and the epiglottis, and tension on the hyoepiglottic ligament lifts the epiglottis to expose the cords. A straight blade lifts the epiglottis directly. The thyroid cartilage, cricoid, and uvula are not lifted.

18. The esophagus transports food by:

    1. A. Peristalsis
    2. B. Negative suction pressure
    3. C. Ciliary beating
    4. D. Gravity alone
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Peristalsis

    It passes through the diaphragm at the hiatus. Peristaltic waves of smooth muscle push food down.

19. The lower esophageal sphincter prevents:

    1. A. Normal esophageal peristalsis
    2. B. Vomiting under any circumstance
    3. C. Food from entering the stomach
    4. D. Reflux of stomach contents
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Reflux of stomach contents

    Its weakness causes GERD.

20. The stomach's main digestive secretions are:

    1. A. Hydrochloric acid and pepsin
    2. B. Insulin and glucagon
    3. C. Bile and salivary amylase
    4. D. Pancreatic lipase and trypsin
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Hydrochloric acid and pepsin

    Pepsin begins protein digestion.

21. The stomach's mucous lining serves to:

    1. A. Absorb most dietary nutrients
    2. B. Absorb vitamin B12 directly
    3. C. Churn food into chyme
    4. D. Protect the wall from acid
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Protect the wall from acid

    Breakdown of this barrier causes ulcers. Vitamin B12 is absorbed in the ileum, and churning is done by the muscle layers of the stomach wall, not its mucus.

22. Average adult stomach capacity is approximately:

    1. A. About 100 mL
    2. B. 1 to 1.5 L
    3. C. About 50 mL
    4. D. About 5 L
    Show answer

    Answer: B. 1 to 1.5 L

    This matters for aspiration risk.

23. Chyme refers to:

    1. A. Formed stool in the colon
    2. B. Concentrated bile from the gallbladder
    3. C. Partly chewed food in the mouth
    4. D. The semiliquid mix leaving the stomach
    Show answer

    Answer: D. The semiliquid mix leaving the stomach

    The pyloric sphincter controls its release.

24. The three parts of the small intestine are the:

    1. A. Cecum, colon, rectum
    2. B. Duodenum, jejunum, and ileum
    3. C. Ascending, transverse, descending
    4. D. Pylorus, fundus, antrum
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Duodenum, jejunum, and ileum

    The duodenum receives bile and pancreatic enzymes.

25. Villi and microvilli in the small intestine serve to:

    1. A. Produce hydrochloric acid
    2. B. Store excess nutrients
    3. C. Propel food through peristalsis
    4. D. Increase absorptive surface area
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Increase absorptive surface area

    The absorptive surface is enormous.

26. The small intestine in an adult is approximately:

    1. A. 6 meters long
    2. B. 15 meters long
    3. C. 1 meter long
    4. D. 30 cm long
    Show answer

    Answer: A. 6 meters long

    Most digestion and absorption occur there.

27. The ileocecal valve separates the:

    1. A. Esophagus and stomach
    2. B. Ileum and colon
    3. C. Colon and rectum
    4. D. Stomach and duodenum
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Ileum and colon

    It prevents backflow into the ileum. It separates the ileum of the small intestine from the cecum of the large intestine.

28. A patient with a new ileostomy is at greater risk of dehydration than one with a colostomy. Why?

    1. A. The ileum absorbs more water than the colon normally does
    2. B. The stomach empties more slowly after an ileostomy
    3. C. The colon, which absorbs much of the water, is bypassed
    4. D. Bile production increases and causes watery output
    Show answer

    Answer: C. The colon, which absorbs much of the water, is bypassed

    The large intestine absorbs much of the remaining water and electrolytes and forms solid stool. An ileostomy diverts output before the colon, so it is liquid and high-volume, and dehydration and electrolyte loss are common. A colostomy keeps some colon in use. Stomach emptying and bile are not the cause.

29. The order of the colon is:

    1. A. Descending, transverse, ascending, sigmoid
    2. B. Transverse, ascending, descending, sigmoid
    3. C. Ascending, transverse, descending, sigmoid
    4. D. Sigmoid, descending, transverse, ascending
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Ascending, transverse, descending, sigmoid

    It frames the abdomen. The sigmoid colon empties into the rectum.

30. The appendix is attached to the:

    1. A. Cecum
    2. B. Duodenum
    3. C. Sigmoid colon
    4. D. Stomach
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Cecum

    It contains lymphatic tissue.

31. The liver's functions include all EXCEPT:

    1. A. Producing bile
    2. B. Producing insulin
    3. C. Storing glycogen
    4. D. Detoxifying substances
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Producing insulin

    Insulin comes from the pancreas.

32. The liver produces which plasma proteins?

    1. A. Antibodies (immunoglobulins)
    2. B. Insulin and glucagon
    3. C. Hemoglobin and myoglobin
    4. D. Albumin and clotting factors
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Albumin and clotting factors

    Liver failure causes bleeding and edema.

33. A patient with a blocked common bile duct has jaundice and pale, clay-colored stools. The pale stool occurs because:

    1. A. Red cell breakdown has slowed
    2. B. Bile cannot reach the intestine
    3. C. Bile is overproduced and bleaches stool
    4. D. The colon absorbs too much water
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Bile cannot reach the intestine

    Bile, made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, contains pigments that color stool and salts that emulsify fats. When the duct is blocked, bile backs up into the blood (jaundice) and does not reach the gut (pale stool, poor fat digestion). Red cell breakdown continues normally and supplies the pigment, and bile does not bleach stool; its absence leaves it pale. Colonic water absorption does not change stool color in this way.

34. The gallbladder:

    1. A. Produces digestive enzymes
    2. B. Produces bile from blood
    3. C. Stores and concentrates bile
    4. D. Filters old red blood cells
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Stores and concentrates bile

    Gallstones may obstruct the ducts. It releases bile when fat enters the duodenum.

35. The pancreas secretes enzymes that digest:

    1. A. Fats and fat-soluble vitamins
    2. B. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
    3. C. Proteins and dietary fiber
    4. D. Starches and simple sugars
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats

    It also secretes bicarbonate to neutralize acid.

36. Pancreatitis causes severe pain because:

    1. A. Excess insulin irritates nearby nerves
    2. B. Activated enzymes digest the pancreas
    3. C. Abdominal muscles spasm around it
    4. D. Gastric acid leaks into the gland
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Activated enzymes digest the pancreas

    Pain often radiates to the back. The enzymes also irritate surrounding structures. Insulin is a hormone and does not irritate nerves, and gastric acid does not enter the pancreas; the injury comes from its own digestive enzymes.

37. The peritoneum is:

    1. A. A muscle layer of the abdominal wall
    2. B. The membrane lining the abdominal cavity
    3. C. A ligament anchoring the liver
    4. D. A large vessel supplying the gut
    Show answer

    Answer: B. The membrane lining the abdominal cavity

    Its irritation produces rigidity and guarding. It also covers many abdominal organs.

38. Peritonitis refers to:

    1. A. Inflammation of the peritoneum
    2. B. Inflammation of the liver
    3. C. Ulceration of the stomach
    4. D. Infection of the kidney
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Inflammation of the peritoneum

    The abdomen becomes rigid and tender. It often follows perforation or infection.

39. Hollow abdominal organs include the:

    1. A. Pancreas and both kidneys
    2. B. Stomach, bowel, and bladder
    3. C. Liver and adrenal glands
    4. D. Liver, spleen, and pancreas
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Stomach, bowel, and bladder

    Rupture spills contents and causes peritonitis. The gallbladder is also a hollow organ.

40. Solid abdominal organs include the:

    1. A. Liver, spleen, and kidneys
    2. B. Stomach, colon, and bladder
    3. C. Small and large intestine
    4. D. Bladder and gallbladder
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Liver, spleen, and kidneys

    Injury to them causes significant bleeding. The pancreas is also a solid organ.

41. Referred pain from the gallbladder is often felt in the:

    1. A. Groin and inner thigh
    2. B. Left shoulder
    3. C. Left flank and back
    4. D. Right shoulder
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Right shoulder

    Shared nerve pathways explain it. Pain may also be felt at the right scapula.

42. Referred pain from the spleen is often felt in the:

    1. A. Right shoulder
    2. B. Left shoulder
    3. C. Periumbilical area
    4. D. Right scapula
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Left shoulder

    It suggests diaphragmatic irritation from blood. This is known as Kehr sign.

43. Visceral pain is typically described as:

    1. A. Sharp and well localized
    2. B. Tearing and radiating to back
    3. C. Dull and poorly localized
    4. D. Burning at a single point
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Dull and poorly localized

    Parietal pain is sharper and better localized. It is often crampy.

44. The mesentery functions to:

    1. A. Produce digestive enzymes
    2. B. Digest and absorb dietary fat
    3. C. Suspend bowel and carry vessels
    4. D. Store and release bile
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Suspend bowel and carry vessels

    Mesenteric ischemia causes severe pain with a soft abdomen early on. It suspends the intestines and carries their blood supply.

45. Gastrointestinal bleeding above the ligament of Treitz typically produces:

    1. A. Hematemesis and melena
    2. B. Hemoptysis with frothy sputum
    3. C. Bright red rectal bleeding
    4. D. Bilious vomiting without blood
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Hematemesis and melena

    Lower GI bleeding is usually bright red per rectum. Upper GI bleeding produces vomiting of blood or coffee-ground material and black, tarry stools. Hemoptysis is blood coughed up from the lungs, and bilious vomiting without blood suggests an obstruction rather than bleeding.

46. The gag reflex is mediated by cranial nerves:

    1. A. XI and XII
    2. B. V and VII
    3. C. IX and X
    4. D. III and IV
    Show answer

    Answer: C. IX and X

    Loss of it increases aspiration risk.

47. Nutrients absorbed from the intestine travel first to the:

    1. A. The liver, via the portal vein
    2. B. The heart, via the vena cava
    3. C. The kidneys, via the renal artery
    4. D. The lungs, via the pulmonary artery
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The liver, via the portal vein

    The liver processes them before systemic release.

48. Vomiting is coordinated by a center in the:

    1. A. Spinal cord
    2. B. Cerebellum
    3. C. Medulla
    4. D. Frontal lobe
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Medulla

    Multiple stimuli can trigger it.

49. The primary risk of vomiting in a patient with altered mental status is:

    1. A. Dehydration from fluid loss
    2. B. Aspiration of gastric contents
    3. C. Esophageal tearing from retching
    4. D. Electrolyte imbalance
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Aspiration of gastric contents

    Position the patient and have suction ready.

50. Hepatitis refers to:

    1. A. Liver inflammation
    2. B. Stomach lining inflammation
    3. C. Pancreatic inflammation
    4. D. Gallbladder inflammation
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Liver inflammation

    Viral types A, B, and C differ in transmission. Causes include infection, toxins, and others.

51. Cirrhosis causes:

    1. A. Acute swelling that resolves within days
    2. B. Blockage of bile flow by gallstones
    3. C. Increased albumin production
    4. D. Scarring that impairs liver function
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Scarring that impairs liver function

    Esophageal varices may result and bleed massively. It also obstructs portal blood flow. Cirrhosis is chronic, permanent scarring, not a short-lived swelling, and gallstone blockage is a separate biliary disease.

52. Ascites refers to:

    1. A. Bright red blood in the stool
    2. B. Enlargement of the liver
    3. C. Fluid in the peritoneal cavity
    4. D. Free air in the peritoneal cavity
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Fluid in the peritoneal cavity

    Liver disease and heart failure are common causes.

53. A bowel obstruction produces:

    1. A. Watery diarrhea without pain
    2. B. Increased stool output and gas
    3. C. Localized right lower quadrant pain and fever
    4. D. Distention, vomiting, and no flatus
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Distention, vomiting, and no flatus

    Fluid sequesters in the bowel, causing hypovolemia. Cramping pain is typical. Localized right lower quadrant pain with fever points to appendicitis.

54. The abdominal aorta lies:

    1. A. Within the pelvis, behind the bladder
    2. B. Retroperitoneally, left of midline
    3. C. Behind the liver, right of midline
    4. D. Anterior to the stomach and colon
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Retroperitoneally, left of midline

    A pulsatile mass suggests aneurysm.

55. Which quadrant contains most of the stomach?

    1. A. Left upper
    2. B. Left lower
    3. C. Right lower
    4. D. Right upper
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Left upper

    The epigastric region also covers part of it.

56. Absorption of vitamin B12 requires:

    1. A. Lipase from the pancreas
    2. B. Bile salts from the gallbladder
    3. C. Intrinsic factor from the stomach
    4. D. Vitamin C from the diet
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Intrinsic factor from the stomach

    Deficiency causes anemia.

57. The abdomen is separated from the thorax by the:

    1. A. Peritoneum
    2. B. Mesentery
    3. C. Pleura
    4. D. Diaphragm
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Diaphragm

    Penetrating wounds below the nipple line may involve both.

58. Which structure in the abdomen is most likely to be injured in blunt trauma?

    1. A. Gallbladder and appendix
    2. B. Spleen and liver
    3. C. Rectum and sigmoid colon
    4. D. Stomach and esophagus
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Spleen and liver

    Both are solid, vascular, and relatively fixed.

59. Hunger and satiety are regulated by the:

    1. A. The pancreas via insulin
    2. B. The stomach acting alone
    3. C. The liver's glycogen stores
    4. D. The hypothalamus
    Show answer

    Answer: D. The hypothalamus

    Multiple hormones participate. It integrates input from hormones and the GI tract.

60. Digestion of protein begins in the:

    1. A. Small intestine
    2. B. Mouth
    3. C. Large intestine
    4. D. Stomach
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Stomach

    Pepsin acts in the acidic environment.

61. Digestion of fat occurs mainly in the:

    1. A. Small intestine
    2. B. Mouth
    3. C. Stomach
    4. D. Large intestine
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Small intestine

    Fat delays gastric emptying. Bile and pancreatic lipase act there.

62. The enteric nervous system:

    1. A. Is part of the central nervous system
    2. B. Is purely sensory with no motor role
    3. C. Is the GI wall's own nerve network
    4. D. Controls only stomach emptying
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Is the GI wall's own nerve network

    It is sometimes called the gut's own brain. It controls motility and secretion.

63. Diarrhea leads to dehydration because:

    1. A. Intestinal absorption of water increases
    2. B. Colonic water absorption is bypassed
    3. C. Diarrhea raises insensible losses
    4. D. The kidneys retain too much sodium
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Colonic water absorption is bypassed

    Infants are affected most rapidly. Water and electrolytes normally absorbed in the colon are lost. Insensible losses occur through the skin and breath; diarrhea losses are measurable losses through the gut.