Circulatory System - Competency-Based Question Bank (with Answers)

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Case Study 1: Patient with breathlessness, fatigue, and low hemoglobin.

Identify the condition.
- Answer: Anaemia.
Function of hemoglobin.
- Answer: To bind with Oxygen (forming Oxyhaemoglobin) and transport it to the tissues.
Designing: Diet plan.
- Answer: Spinach, Jaggery, Liver/Red Meat, Pomegranate.
Analysis: Why fatigue?
- Answer: Less Hb -> Less Oxygen transport -> Less Aerobic Respiration -> Less ATP (energy) production.
RBC adaptation.
- Answer: Biconcave shape increases surface area for gas exchange and allows flexibility to pass through capillaries. Lack of nucleus/mitochondria provides more space for Hb.

Case Study 2: Blood pressure 150/95 mmHg. 6. Normal range.

Answer: 120/80 mmHg.

Systolic vs Diastolic.
- Answer: Systolic: Pressure when ventricles contract. Diastolic: Pressure when ventricles relax.
Creating: Lifestyle changes.
- Answer: Reduce salt intake, regular exercise, weight management, stress reduction.
Critical Thinking: Why "silent killer"?
- Answer: Often has no noticeable symptoms until it causes severe damage like a stroke or heart attack.
Elasticity of arteries.
- Answer: Allows arteries to expand during systole and recoil during diastole, smoothing out the blood flow and maintaining pressure.

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Directions: (a) Both A/R true, R explains A; (b) Both true, R doesn't explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

Assertion (A): Left ventricle has a thicker wall. Reason (R): It pumps blood to the entire body.
- Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
Assertion (A): Arteries have valves. Reason (R): Blood flows under high pressure.
- Answer: (d) A is false but R is true. (Veins have valves, not arteries).
Assertion (A): SA node is the pacemaker. Reason (R): It generates the electrical impulse.
- Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
Assertion (A): O blood group is universal donor. Reason (R): It has no antigens on RBCs.
- Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
Assertion (A): Lymph is colourless. Reason (R): It lacks RBCs and Hb.
- Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

Designing: Path of blood flowchart.
- Answer: Vena Cava -> Right Atrium -> Right Ventricle -> Pulmonary Artery -> Lungs -> Pulmonary Veins -> Left Atrium -> Left Ventricle -> Aorta.
Creating: Phagocyte poster.
- Answer: "Wanted: Phagocyte. Alias: The Eater. Method: Squeezing through walls (Diapedesis) and swallowing enemies (Phagocytosis)."
Analysis: Artery vs Vein.
- Answer: Arteries: Thick muscular walls, narrow lumen, no valves. Veins: Thin walls, wide lumen, have valves. Veins collapse because they have less muscle and lower internal pressure.
Designing: Blood compatibility table.
- Answer: [A: receives A/O, B: receives B/O, AB: receives All, O: receives O].
Visualisation: Heart diagram labels.
- Answer: [Description of heart interior with 4 chambers and valves].
Application: Heart rate in exercise.
- Answer: To supply more Oxygen and Glucose to the working muscles and remove CO2/Heat faster.
Creating: Double Circulation metaphor.
- Answer: Like a mail truck that goes to the sorting center (Lungs) and then returns to the main hub (Heart) before delivering to the houses (Body).
Analysis: Hepatic Portal Vein.
- Answer: To transport absorbed nutrients (Glucose/Amino acids) from the intestine directly to the liver for processing/detoxification before they enter systemic circulation.
Designing: First-aid for bleeding.
- Answer: Apply firm pressure. This allows platelets to clump and the clotting cascade to form a fibrin mesh.
Creating: Platelet autobiography.
- Answer: "I am small but mighty. When there's a leak, I'm the first responder to plug the hole."

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

Double Circulation.
- Answer: Blood passes through the heart twice for one complete body circuit (Pulmonary and Systemic). Essential for high metabolic rates.
Scenario: Hole in septum.
- Answer: Mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, reducing the efficiency of Oxygen delivery to tissues.
Critical Thinking: Higher RBC in mountains.
- Answer: To compensate for lower Oxygen levels in the atmosphere (Acclimatization).
Application: Erythroblastosis fetalis.
- Answer: Rh- mother with Rh+ fetus. Mother develops anti-Rh antibodies which can attack the RBCs of a second Rh+ fetus.
Serum vs Plasma.
- Answer: Plasma: Liquid part of blood with clotting factors. Serum: Plasma minus clotting factors.
Diagram Based: ECG waves.
- Answer: P-wave: Atrial depolarization (contraction). QRS complex: Ventricular depolarization (contraction).
Lymphatic System function.
- Answer: Drainage of excess tissue fluid, absorption of fats, and immune defense.
Analysis: Spleen graveyard.
- Answer: Old and worn-out RBCs are broken down here by macrophages.
Competency: Clotting mechanism.
- Answer: Thromboplastin + Calcium -> Prothrombin to Thrombin -> Fibrinogen to Fibrin (insoluble threads).
Case: Orthostatic hypotension.
- Answer: Gravity pulls blood to legs; the heart must beat faster/vessels constrict to maintain brain blood flow.
Creating: Caffeine hypothesis.
- Answer: Caffeine stimulates the nervous system/adrenal glands, increasing heart rate.
Designing: Open vs Closed system aid.
- Answer: Open: Blood bathes organs directly. Closed: Blood stays inside vessels.
Application: Atherosclerosis and heart attack.
- Answer: Plaque narrows coronary arteries, reducing blood/oxygen flow to heart muscle.
Critical Thinking: Capillary thickness.
- Answer: One-cell thick wall allows for rapid diffusion of gases and nutrients.
Analysis: Lub-Dub sounds.
- Answer: 'Lub': Closure of Atrio-ventricular valves. 'Dub': Closure of Semi-lunar valves.

Section E: Advanced Competency

Scenario: Heart beat after nerves cut.
- Answer: Yes, it will beat because the impulse is generated within the heart muscle (SA Node).
Designing: Stethoscope model.
- Answer: Funnel picks up vibrations; tube transmits them directly to the ear.
Application: Tissue Fluid formation.
- Answer: High hydrostatic pressure at the arterial end of capillaries forces fluid out into the spaces between cells.
Creating: Lymph vs Blood table.
- Answer: [Blood: RBCs, high protein, high pressure. Lymph: No RBCs, low protein, low pressure].
Case Study: Thrombocytopenia.
- Answer: Internal or excessive external bleeding due to failure of clotting.
Calcium and Vitamin K.
- Answer: Calcium is a cofactor for clotting enzymes; Vitamin K is needed by the liver to synthesize prothrombin.
Critical Thinking: Elastic artery wall.
- Answer: To absorb the pressure surge from the heart and maintain a steady flow during diastole.
Analysis: Pulmonary Artery vs Vein.
- Answer: Artery carries deoxygenated blood to lungs; Vein carries oxygenated blood to heart.
Designing: BP variation graph.
- Answer: Highest in Aorta/Arteries, drops significantly in Arterioles/Capillaries, lowest in Veins.
Creating: Nanobot cleaner.
- Answer: Would use chemical sensors to detect cholesterol/calcium deposits.

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Case Study 1: Patient with breathlessness, fatigue, and low hemoglobin.

Identify the condition.

Answer: Anaemia.

Function of hemoglobin.

Answer: To bind with Oxygen (forming Oxyhaemoglobin) and transport it to the tissues.

Designing: Diet plan.

Answer: Spinach, Jaggery, Liver/Red Meat, Pomegranate.

Analysis: Why fatigue?

Answer: Less Hb -> Less Oxygen transport -> Less Aerobic Respiration -> Less ATP (energy) production.

RBC adaptation.

Answer: Biconcave shape increases surface area for gas exchange and allows flexibility to pass through capillaries. Lack of nucleus/mitochondria provides more space for Hb.

Case Study 2: Blood pressure 150/95 mmHg. 6. Normal range.

Answer: 120/80 mmHg.

Systolic vs Diastolic.

Answer: Systolic: Pressure when ventricles contract. Diastolic: Pressure when ventricles relax.

Creating: Lifestyle changes.

Answer: Reduce salt intake, regular exercise, weight management, stress reduction.

Critical Thinking: Why "silent killer"?

Answer: Often has no noticeable symptoms until it causes severe damage like a stroke or heart attack.

Elasticity of arteries.

Answer: Allows arteries to expand during systole and recoil during diastole, smoothing out the blood flow and maintaining pressure.

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Directions: (a) Both A/R true, R explains A; (b) Both true, R doesn't explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

Assertion (A): Left ventricle has a thicker wall. Reason (R): It pumps blood to the entire body.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Assertion (A): Arteries have valves. Reason (R): Blood flows under high pressure.

Answer: (d) A is false but R is true. (Veins have valves, not arteries).

Assertion (A): SA node is the pacemaker. Reason (R): It generates the electrical impulse.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Assertion (A): O blood group is universal donor. Reason (R): It has no antigens on RBCs.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Assertion (A): Lymph is colourless. Reason (R): It lacks RBCs and Hb.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

Designing: Path of blood flowchart.

Answer: Vena Cava -> Right Atrium -> Right Ventricle -> Pulmonary Artery -> Lungs -> Pulmonary Veins -> Left Atrium -> Left Ventricle -> Aorta.

Creating: Phagocyte poster.

Answer: "Wanted: Phagocyte. Alias: The Eater. Method: Squeezing through walls (Diapedesis) and swallowing enemies (Phagocytosis)."

Analysis: Artery vs Vein.

Answer: Arteries: Thick muscular walls, narrow lumen, no valves. Veins: Thin walls, wide lumen, have valves. Veins collapse because they have less muscle and lower internal pressure.

Designing: Blood compatibility table.

Answer: [A: receives A/O, B: receives B/O, AB: receives All, O: receives O].

Visualisation: Heart diagram labels.

Answer: [Description of heart interior with 4 chambers and valves].

Application: Heart rate in exercise.

Answer: To supply more Oxygen and Glucose to the working muscles and remove CO2/Heat faster.

Creating: Double Circulation metaphor.

Answer: Like a mail truck that goes to the sorting center (Lungs) and then returns to the main hub (Heart) before delivering to the houses (Body).

Analysis: Hepatic Portal Vein.

Answer: To transport absorbed nutrients (Glucose/Amino acids) from the intestine directly to the liver for processing/detoxification before they enter systemic circulation.

Designing: First-aid for bleeding.

Answer: Apply firm pressure. This allows platelets to clump and the clotting cascade to form a fibrin mesh.

Creating: Platelet autobiography.

Answer: "I am small but mighty. When there's a leak, I'm the first responder to plug the hole."

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

Double Circulation.

Answer: Blood passes through the heart twice for one complete body circuit (Pulmonary and Systemic). Essential for high metabolic rates.

Scenario: Hole in septum.

Answer: Mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, reducing the efficiency of Oxygen delivery to tissues.

Critical Thinking: Higher RBC in mountains.

Answer: To compensate for lower Oxygen levels in the atmosphere (Acclimatization).

Application: Erythroblastosis fetalis.

Answer: Rh- mother with Rh+ fetus. Mother develops anti-Rh antibodies which can attack the RBCs of a second Rh+ fetus.

Serum vs Plasma.

Answer: Plasma: Liquid part of blood with clotting factors. Serum: Plasma minus clotting factors.

Diagram Based: ECG waves.

Answer: P-wave: Atrial depolarization (contraction). QRS complex: Ventricular depolarization (contraction).

Lymphatic System function.

Answer: Drainage of excess tissue fluid, absorption of fats, and immune defense.

Analysis: Spleen graveyard.

Answer: Old and worn-out RBCs are broken down here by macrophages.

Competency: Clotting mechanism.

Answer: Thromboplastin + Calcium -> Prothrombin to Thrombin -> Fibrinogen to Fibrin (insoluble threads).

Case: Orthostatic hypotension.

Answer: Gravity pulls blood to legs; the heart must beat faster/vessels constrict to maintain brain blood flow.

Creating: Caffeine hypothesis.

Answer: Caffeine stimulates the nervous system/adrenal glands, increasing heart rate.

Designing: Open vs Closed system aid.

Answer: Open: Blood bathes organs directly. Closed: Blood stays inside vessels.

Application: Atherosclerosis and heart attack.

Answer: Plaque narrows coronary arteries, reducing blood/oxygen flow to heart muscle.

Critical Thinking: Capillary thickness.

Answer: One-cell thick wall allows for rapid diffusion of gases and nutrients.

Analysis: Lub-Dub sounds.

Answer: 'Lub': Closure of Atrio-ventricular valves. 'Dub': Closure of Semi-lunar valves.

Section E: Advanced Competency

Scenario: Heart beat after nerves cut.

Answer: Yes, it will beat because the impulse is generated within the heart muscle (SA Node).

Designing: Stethoscope model.

Answer: Funnel picks up vibrations; tube transmits them directly to the ear.

Application: Tissue Fluid formation.

Answer: High hydrostatic pressure at the arterial end of capillaries forces fluid out into the spaces between cells.

Creating: Lymph vs Blood table.

Answer: [Blood: RBCs, high protein, high pressure. Lymph: No RBCs, low protein, low pressure].

Case Study: Thrombocytopenia.

Answer: Internal or excessive external bleeding due to failure of clotting.

Calcium and Vitamin K.

Answer: Calcium is a cofactor for clotting enzymes; Vitamin K is needed by the liver to synthesize prothrombin.

Critical Thinking: Elastic artery wall.

Answer: To absorb the pressure surge from the heart and maintain a steady flow during diastole.

Analysis: Pulmonary Artery vs Vein.

Answer: Artery carries deoxygenated blood to lungs; Vein carries oxygenated blood to heart.

Designing: BP variation graph.

Answer: Highest in Aorta/Arteries, drops significantly in Arterioles/Capillaries, lowest in Veins.

Creating: Nanobot cleaner.

Answer: Would use chemical sensors to detect cholesterol/calcium deposits.

Circulatory System

Circulatory System - Competency-Based Question Bank (with Answers)

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

Section E: Advanced Competency

On this page

Circulatory System

Circulatory System - Competency-Based Question Bank (with Answers)

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

Section E: Advanced Competency

On this page