Biology 220: Microbiology
Chapter 11 Practice Exam
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Part I – Multiple Choice
1. A microbial agent that lowers the surface tension of cell membranes is known as a
a. surfactant
b. sterilant
c. decontaminant
d. disinfectant
2. The destruction of vegetative pathogens on inanimate objects is known as
a. decontamination
b. disinfection
c. sanitization
d. sterilization
3. The removal or destruction of all viable microbes is called
a. disinfection
b. antiseptic
c. decontamination
d. sterilization
4. The destruction, removal, or reduction in number of undesirable microbes is known as
a. decontamination
b. disinfection
c. sanitization
d. sterilization
5. A cleansing technique that removes microorganisms and debris from inanimate surfaces is called
a. decontamination
b. disinfection
c. sanitization
d. degermation
6. A cleansing technique that removes microorganisms and debris from living tissue is called
a. degermation
b. disinfection
c. sterilization
d. decontamination
7. A chemical that kills bacteria is a
a. bactericide
b. virucide
c. fungicide
d. sporicide
8. A chemical that kills endospores is a
a. bactericide
b. virucide
c. fungicide
d. sporicide
9. A chemical that kills viruses is a
a. bactericide
b. virucide
c. fungicide
d. sporicide
10. A chemical that kills fungi is a
a. bactericide
b. virucide
c. fungicide
d. sporicide
11. ____________ refers to the process of mechanically removing microbes from the skin.
a. disinfecting
b. sterilizing
c. degermation
d. denaturation
12. The cellular targets of physical and chemical agents fall into four general categories. Which of the
following is not a category?
a. cell wall
b. cell membrane
c. proteins
d. atp production
13. ___________ is defined as the shortest length of time required to kill all test microbes at a specified
temperature.
a. death time
b. thermal death time
c. thermal time
d. time of thermal death
14. As a general rule, __________ temperatures allow _______ exposure times and ________
temperatures require ___________ exposure times.
a. shorter; higher/ longer; lower
b. higher; shorter/ lower; longer
c. higher; longer/ lower; shorter
d. shorter; lower/ longer; higher
15. Which of the following is not a way in which moist heat is employed to control microbes?
a. heat
b. pressurized steam
c. nonpressurized steam
d. pasteurization
16. Normal atmospheric pressure is
a. 1 psi
b. 5 psi
c. 10 psi
d. 15 psi
17. At normal atmospheric pressure, water will boil at
a. 80 °C
b. 100 °C
c. 112 °C
d. 210 °C
18. An autoclave is most comparable to which of the following household items?
a. pressure cooker
b. gas grill
c. vacuum cleaner
d. microwave
19. _________________ is a technique in which heat is applied to liquids to kill potential agents of
infection and spoilage, while at the same time retaining the liquids flavor and food value.
a. pasteurization
b. tyndallization
c. incineration
d. radiation
20. _________________ is a process used in case a substance cannot be subjected to the high temperature
of the autoclave.
a. pasteurization
b. tyndallization
c. incineration
d. radiation
21. _________________ is defined as energy emitted from atomic activities and dispersed at high
velocity through matter or space.
a. pasteurization
b. tyndallization
c. incineration
d. radiation
22. Solutions containing pure water as the solvent are termed __________, whereas those dissolved in
pure alcohol or water alcohol mixtures are termed ___________.
a. tinctures; aqueous
b. septic; aseptic
c. aqueous; tinctures
d. aseptic; septic
23. Which of the following is not a halogen?
a. hydrogen
b. chlorine
c. iodine
d. bromine
24. Which of the following halogens are more commonly used due to hazards and health risks of the
others?
a. chlorine; bromine
b. chlorine; iodine
c. iodine; bromine
d. hydrogen; helium
25. Which of the does not describe a halogen?
a. microbicidal
b. microbistatic
c. fungicidal
d. sporicidal
Part II – True or False
26. The growth of microorganisms in the tissues is called sepsis.
27. Techniques that prevent the entry of microorganisms into sterile tissues is called asepsis.
28. The removal of a protein from its natural habitat is known as denaturization.
29. The permanent loss of reproductive capability, even under optimum growth conditions, has become
the accepted microbiological definition of death.
30. Microbial control methods involve the use of physical or chemical agents to eliminate or reduce the
numbers of microorganisms.
31. Antiseptic agents are described according to their ability to destroy or inhibit microbial growth.
32. An antimicrobial agent is applied to living tissue to destroy or inhibit microbial growth.
33. A disinfectant agent is used on inanimate objects to destroy vegetative pathogens but not bacterial
endospores.
34. Microbial death is defined as the permanent loss of reproductive capability in microorganisms.
35. Sterilization reduces microbial numbers of inanimate objects to safe levels by physical or chemical
means.
36. As a general rule, chilling, freezing, and desiccation should not be construed as methods of
disinfection or sterilization because their antimicrobial effects are erratic and uncertain, and one cannot be
sure that pathogens subjected to them have been killed.
37. Moist heat is not as versatile or as widely used as dry heat.
38. Physical methods of microbial control include radiation, heat, cold, drying, and filtration.
39. Cold is the most widely used method of microbial control.
40. Boiling water and pasteurization of beverages disinfect but do not sterilize materials.
Part III – Matching
41. 3% serves a variety of needs: skin/wound cleansing
42. 0.6-1.0 chlorine/million parts water to ensure safe drinking water
43. treat wounds, disinfect equipment, household bleach
44. alternative to treat water supplies
45. 2% iodine & 2.4% sodium iodide; used topically before surgery/burned & infected skin
46. 2% iodine and sodium iodide solution in 70% alcohol; used in skin antisepsis
47. disinfects drains/ cesspools/ animal quarters
48. common household version of a phenolic
49. obstetric antiseptic/ neonatal wash/ wound degermer/ mucous membrane irrigant/ eye preservative
50. germicidal; inexpensive; 70-95% solutions are skin/equipmt degermers
a. chlorination
b. Lysol
c. ethyl alcohol
d. iodine tinctures
e. phenolics
f. chlorohexidine
g. hydrogen peroxide
h. aqueous iodine
i. chloramines
j. hypochlorites