• Orientation of Human Anatomy
• Cardiovascular System
• Respiratory System
• Nervous System
• Digestive System
• Skeletal System
• Muscular System
• Endocrine System
• Immune System
• Integumentary System
• Urinary System
• Reproductive System

• The Cell
• Macromolecules
• Cell Division
• DNA, RNA & Genetics
• Classification & Microorganisms

• Atomic Structure
• Chemical Bonds
• States of Matter
• Solutions, Acids and Bases
• Chemical Reactions

• The Scientific Method
• Variables
• Hypotheses, Theories & Laws
• Reliability & Validity
• Interpreting Data
• Measurement & Tools

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TEAS® Science Study Guide

General Orientation of Human Anatomy

Before any organ system, learn the vocabulary anatomy uses to describe where things are. TEAS questions rely on these terms constantly — often without defining them.

The anatomical position
All directional terms assume the body is standing upright, facing forward, arms at the sides, palms forward. Left and right always mean the body’s left and right, not yours as you look at it.

Directional terms
Learn these in pairs. Each one is the opposite of its partner.

• Superior (above) / Inferior (below) — The heart is superior to the stomach.
• Anterior or ventral (front) / Posterior or dorsal (back) — The sternum is anterior to the spine.
• Medial (toward the midline) / Lateral (away from the midline) — The nose is medial to the ears.
• Proximal (closer to the trunk) / Distal (farther from the trunk) — The elbow is proximal to the wrist.
• Superficial (toward the surface) / Deep (away from the surface) — Skin is superficial to muscle.

Proximal and distal apply to limbs. Medial and lateral refer to the body’s midline.

The three body planes

• Sagittal — Divides the body into left and right. (A midsagittal cut splits it into equal halves.)
• Frontal (coronal) — Divides the body into front and back.
• Transverse (horizontal) — Divides the body into top and bottom.

Body cavities

• Cranial — Brain.
• Spinal (vertebral) — Spinal cord.
• Thoracic — Heart and lungs. Separated from the abdominal cavity by the diaphragm.
• Abdominal — Stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys.
• Pelvic — Bladder, reproductive organs.

The cranial and spinal cavities together form the dorsal cavity; the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities form the ventral cavity.

Levels of organization
Cells → tissues → organs → organ systems → organism

Each level is built from the one before it. There are four tissue types: epithelial (covers and lines), connective (supports and binds), muscle (contracts), and nervous (transmits signals).

What the TEAS asks most

• Which plane divides the body into left and right? Sagittal.
• Is the knee proximal or distal to the hip? Distal.
• Which cavity holds the heart and lungs? Thoracic.
• What separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities? The diaphragm.
• What comes between tissues and organ systems? Organs.

Orientation of Human Anatomy Review Quiz