Kaplan Prep - Fluid and Electrolyte Balance - Problem Set 1

Question 1

Rank the following tissue types from highest to lowest in regard to their water content: adipose, blood, bone and skeletal muscle.

Answer 1

Blood contains the most water, skeletal muscle contains second most, bone contains third most and adipose contains the least.

Blood > skeletal muscle > bone> adipose

Question 2

Why do female bodies contain less water than male bodies?

Answer 2

Female bodies contain more body fat and less skeletal muscle than male bodies and therefore contain less water.

Question 3

Why do infant bodies contain more water than aged bodies?

Answer 3

Infant bodies contain less fat and bone than aged bodies and therefore contain more water.

Question 4

What property of water makes it so useful in human body physiology?

Answer 4

Water is able to dissolve so many types of substances which allows our cells to metabolize the carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food, digest our food, transport waste and control body temperature.

Question 5

Define intracellular fluid

Answer 5

Intracellular fluid is all fluid within cells

Question 6

Define extracellular fluid.

Answer 6

Extracellular fluid is the fluid in blood plasma and interstitial spaces.

Question 7

Compare the water content of the intracellular, interstitial and plasma compartments.

Answer 7

Relative water content: 
Intracellular fluid 60%, 
interstitial fluid 32%, 
plasma 8%.
Intracellular fluid > interstitial fluid > plasma

Question 8

Equimolar solutions of which of the following substances would have the greatest osmolarity?
KCI ; AlCl3; Glucose

Answer 8

AlCl3 would have the greatest osmolarity.

Question 9

Equimolar solutions of which of the following substances would have the lowest osmolarity?
KCI; AlCl3; Glucose

Answer 9

Glucose would have the lowest osmolarity.

AlCl3 > KCl > glucose

Question 10

Which fluid (intracellular, blood plasma or interstitial) contains the greater concentration of HCO3- (bicarbonate)?

Answer 10

Interstitial fluid contains the greater concentration of HCO3- (bicarbonate)

Question 11

Which fluid (intracellular, blood plasma or interstitial) contains the greater concentration of HPO4-2 (hydrogen phosphate)?

Answer 11

intracellular fluid contains the greater concentration of HPO4-2 (hydrogen phosphate)

Question 12

Which fluid (intracellular, blood plasma, or interstitial) contains the greater concentration of protein?

Answer 12

blood plasma contains the greater concentration of protein.

Question 13

What causes movement of water from blood plasma to interstitial fluid?

Answer 13

Movement of water from blood plasma to interstitial fluid is due to hydrostatic pressure

Question 14

What causes movement of water from interstitial fluid to blood plasma?

Answer 14

Movement of water from interstitial fluid to blood plasma is due to osmotic pressure

Question 15

What causes movement of water from the interstitial fluid to intracellular fluid?

Answer 15

Movement of water from the interstitial fluid to intracellular fluid is due to osmotic pressure.

Question 16

Describe the movements of how nutrients flow (food) in regards to the GI tract and the bloodstream

Answer 16

Nutrients flow from the GI tract into the blood system

Question 17

Describe the movements of waste solutes in regards to the blood and the kidneys.

Answer 17

Waste solutes flow from the blood system to the kidneys

Question 18

Describe the movement of oxygen and blood in relation to the lungs.

Answer 18

Oxygen flows into the blood via the lungs

Question 19

Describe the movement of how nutrients (food) flow in regards to the bloodstream and the cells

Answer 19

nutrients flow from the blood system into the cells

Question 20

Describe the movement of how oxygen flow in regards to the bloodstream and the cells

Answer 20

Oxygen (O2) flows from the blood system into the cells

Question 21

Describe the movement of wastes and CO2 in regards to the cells and the bloodstream

Answer 21

Wastes and CO2 flow from the cells into the blood system.

Question 22

What volume of water must be ingested daily to maintain water balance?

Answer 22

Humans must ingest or produce about 2500 ml of water each day to maintain water balance.

Question 23

What volume of this water is lost by urine excretion?

Answer 23

Humans also lose about 1500 ml by urine excretion.

Question 24

What volume of this water is lost by urine excretion?

Answer 24

Humans also lose about 1500 ml by urine excretion.

Question 25

What are the 2 factors that regulate water balance and what gland controls each of them?

Answer 25

Water intake and output are closely regulated by the hypothalamic thirst mechanism and ADH (anti-diuretic hormone) which is secreted by the posterior pituitary.

Question 26

Describe how each of the water balance regulation mechanisms responds to a decrease in plasma volume.

Answer 26

A decrease in plasma volume activates the thirst center which stimulates the need to drink. At the same time ADH is released, causing the kidneys to conserve water by releasing more concentrated urine

Question 27

Describe how each of the water balance regulation mechanisms responds to an increase in plasma Na+ concentration.

Answer 27

An increase in plasma Na+ concentration activates the thirst center which stimulates the need to drink. At the same time ADH is released, causing the kidneys to conserve water by releasing more concentrated urine.

Question 28

Describe the order in which water is lost from the body compartments during dehydration.

Answer 28

In dehydration, water is first lost from the plasma and interstitial compartment which then causes an osmotic flow of water from the intracellular compartment.

Question 29

Describe the treatment for water intoxication.

Answer 29

Correction of water intoxication involves intravenous treatment with hypertonic NaCl solution (saline).

Question 30

How does intravenous treatment with hypertonic saline work to correct water intoxication?

Answer 30

It pulls the excess water out of the cells.

Question 31

What is edema?

Answer 31

Edema is tissue swelling due to excess accumulation of fluid in the interstitial compartment.

Question 32

What is the most serious effect edema has on the body?

Answer 32

The most serious effect is that of the diminished efficiency of the circulatory system.

Question 33

Regarding Edema, what CAUSES the diminished efficiency of the circulatory system?

Answer 33

It is caused by the lower blood pressure and blood volume due to the loss of water from the blood serum compartment.