Which term describes inspecting or looking at different parts of the body?

• A. Palpation
• B. Inspection
• C. Auscultation
• D. Percussion

Answer: (B)

Inspection involves visually examining the patient, looking at different parts of the body. It’s the initial step in the physical exam and covers what you can see at a glance—general appearance, posture, gait, skin color and texture, symmetry, and signs of distress. This is exactly what the question is asking: describing the act of inspecting or looking at the body.

Palpation uses touch to assess texture, temperature, moisture, tenderness, and organ size. Auscultation involves listening to internal sounds with a stethoscope (heart, lungs, bowel). Percussion is tapping to sound out underlying structures and densities.