Name the three phases of hemostasis.

Prepare for the Anatomy and Physiology II Milestone 1 Test with engaging questions, in-depth explanations, and focused study resources. Start your journey to excel in your exam!

Multiple Choice

Name the three phases of hemostasis.

Three phases work in sequence to stop bleeding: vascular spasm, platelet plug formation, and coagulation. When a vessel is injured, the smooth muscle in the vessel wall contracts quickly to narrow the opening and reduce blood flow. Next, platelets adhere to exposed underlying tissue at the injury site, become activated, release signaling molecules, and recruit more platelets to form a temporary platelet plug. Finally, a coagulation cascade activates, converting fibrinogen into fibrin strands that weave through the platelet plug to form a stable, cross-linked clot that seals the break. Later, fibrinolysis can dissolve the clot as the tissue heals. The other options mix processes that aren’t part of these immediate steps—like inflammation, clot breakdown, or healing phases—so they don’t describe the three classic phases of hemostasis.

Three phases work in sequence to stop bleeding: vascular spasm, platelet plug formation, and coagulation. When a vessel is injured, the smooth muscle in the vessel wall contracts quickly to narrow the opening and reduce blood flow. Next, platelets adhere to exposed underlying tissue at the injury site, become activated, release signaling molecules, and recruit more platelets to form a temporary platelet plug. Finally, a coagulation cascade activates, converting fibrinogen into fibrin strands that weave through the platelet plug to form a stable, cross-linked clot that seals the break. Later, fibrinolysis can dissolve the clot as the tissue heals. The other options mix processes that aren’t part of these immediate steps—like inflammation, clot breakdown, or healing phases—so they don’t describe the three classic phases of hemostasis.

More practice questions