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FCPS Part 1 General Physiology MCQs
General physiology questions test body fluid compartments, membrane transport, resting and action potentials, muscle contraction, temperature regulation and the physiology of exercise and pregnancy.
Below are 5 free single-best-answer questions drawn from the most frequently examined general physiology concepts, each with the answer and a rationale for every option. The full bank has 94 general physiology concepts, each asked several different ways.
Free general physiology questions
Question 1
Erectile failure after pelvic radiotherapy: which autonomic fibres are damaged?
- A. Somatic motor fibres
- B. Sympathetic afferent fibres
- C. Sympathetic preganglionic fibres
- D. Sympathetic postganglionic fibres
- E. Parasympathetic fibres
Show answer
Answer: E. Parasympathetic fibres
Pelvic splanchnic parasympathetic fibres (S2–S4) release nitric oxide, dilating penile arteries, and also drive detrusor contraction. Damage causes erectile dysfunction or urinary retention.
Why not the others: Sympathetic preganglionic: emission and ejaculation. Sympathetic postganglionic: emission, vasoconstriction. Somatic motor: bulbospongiosus and voluntary sphincter. Sympathetic afferent: visceral pain from upper pelvic organs. Dorsal column: proprioception.
High-yield: Point and pee are parasympathetic (S2–S4); shoot is sympathetic (L1–L2).
Question 2
End-diastolic volume is set mainly by:
- A. Myocardial contractility
- B. Stroke volume
- C. Afterload
- D. Venous return
- E. Heart rate
Show answer
Answer: D. Venous return
Preload is the end-diastolic stretch of myocardial fibres, best reflected by end-diastolic volume. It is set by venous return.
Why not the others: CVP and PAOP are pressure surrogates distorted by compliance, PEEP and valve disease. EF is load-dependent, not a pure index of contractility. ESV reflects contractility and afterload.
High-yield: Preload = EDV; pressures only estimate it.
Question 3
Prominent U waves on ECG suggest:
- A. Hypercalcaemia
- B. Hypokalaemia
- C. Hypermagnesaemia
- D. Hypocalcaemia
- E. Hyperkalaemia
Show answer
Answer: B. Hypokalaemia
Low extracellular K+ delays ventricular repolarisation, giving flattened or inverted T waves, ST depression and prominent U waves.
Why not the others: Hyperkalaemia: peaked T, wide QRS. Hypocalcaemia: long QT. Hypercalcaemia: short QT. Sodium has no specific ECG signature.
High-yield: U waves = hypokalaemia.
Question 4
Carrier-mediated, energy-independent, downhill transport that shows saturation kinetics (Vmax):
- A. Simple diffusion
- B. Primary active transport
- C. Facilitated diffusion
- D. Osmosis
- E. Secondary active transport
Show answer
Answer: C. Facilitated diffusion
A carrier protein moves the solute down its gradient without energy, but the carriers can saturate, so flux reaches a maximum. Simple diffusion has no carrier and rises in proportion to the gradient.
Why not the others: Simple diffusion: linear with gradient, no saturation. Primary active transport: needs ATP and works uphill. Secondary active transport: uphill via a sodium gradient. Osmosis: movement of water only. Endocytosis: vesicle uptake of large molecules.
High-yield: Carrier plus downhill plus saturable = facilitated diffusion; uphill needs energy.
Question 5
Fluid of choice to replace pure free-water loss in diabetes insipidus:
- A. 3% saline
- B. 0.9% sodium chloride
- C. 5% dextrose
- D. Ringer's lactate
- E. 1.2% sodium bicarbonate
Show answer
Answer: C. 5% dextrose
5% dextrose is isotonic in the bag but becomes free water once the glucose is metabolised, so it distributes across total body water. It replaces water without adding sodium.
Why not the others: Ringer's lactate: contains sodium. 3% saline: for hyponatraemia. 0.9% saline: adds sodium not lost. Bicarbonate: for acidosis. Hartmann's: contains sodium. Colloid: expands plasma.
High-yield: Pure water deficit = 5% dextrose; correct hypernatraemia slowly.
Keep going with general physiology
Anaesgen brings every concept back on a spaced-repetition schedule timed to your exam date, as a different question each time, with full mock papers for Paper 1 and 2.
Get full access Try the 5 sample questionsHigh-yield general physiology one-liners
The most-tested general physiology concepts, as a clue and the answer it points to:
- Erection, detrusor contraction, S2–S4 pelvic splanchnic → parasympathetic.
- Preload = EDV, set by venous return.
- Scolded by boss, shouts at family; emotion moved to safer target → displacement.
- U wave ± flat/inverted T → hypokalaemia.
- Carrier, downhill, no energy, saturable, GLUT → facilitated diffusion.
- Pure water loss, hypernatraemia → 5% dextrose.
- Sensitivity resets, constant stimulus, falling firing, dark or light change → adaptation.
- Osmolarity up, thirst, concentrated urine, low free water clearance → ADH.
- Cylindrical lens, multiple focal points, unequal curvature → astigmatism.
- Slow burning pain, unmyelinated, postganglionic → C fibres.
- Parasympathetic, S2–S4, nitric oxide → erection; sympathetic → emission.
- Episodic headache, palpitations, sweating, high VMA/metanephrines → phaeochromocytoma.
- Sawtooth F waves, atrial rate 300, fixed AV block → atrial flutter.
- AF, lost atrial kick → output falls 20-30%.
- Elective surgery, smoking, minimum meaningful stop → 4 weeks.
- Inhibits ADH, causes dilute polyuria → alcohol.
- Hyperkalaemia, depolarised membrane, Na⁺ channels inactivated → flaccid weakness.
- Tetany, Chvostek, Trousseau, prolonged QT, MH myoplasmic surge → calcium.
- Sympathectomy, rapid protamine, falling perfusion pressure (dead space) → hypotension.
- Oxytocin, ADH at V₁ → Gq, PLC → IP₃-DAG.
Other FCPS Part 1 subjects
AnatomyPharmacologyPathologyBiochemistry & GeneticsCardiovascularNeurophysiologyMicrobiologyHaematologyImmunologyEndocrineRespiratoryEmbryologyObstetrics & GynaeRenal & Acid-BaseHistologyGI & LiverPhysicsBiostatistics
New to the exam? Read the FCPS Part 1 exam guide: dates, format and a 12-week study plan.