MICROBIOLOGY A SYSTEMS APPROACH 6TH
EDITION COMPREHENSIVE EXAM STUDY GUIDE
2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
◉ The process that destroys or removes all microorganisms and
microbial forms, including bacterial endospores, on inanimate
objects is Answer: sterilization.
◉ The use of a physical or chemical process to destroy vegetative
pathogens on inanimate objects is Answer: disinfection.
◉ The use of chemical agents directly on exposed body surfaces to
destroy or inhibit vegetative pathogens is Answer: antisepsis.
◉ Scrubbing or immersing the skin in chemicals to reduce the
numbers of microbes on the skin is Answer: degermation.
◉ Which type of control agents would be used to achieve sterility?
Answer: sporicide
◉ The easiest microbial forms to kill or inhibit are Answer:
vegetative bacteria and fungi.
,◉ The method of removing vegetative microbial life forms and
debris to reduce contamination to safe levels is termed Answer:
sanitization.
◉ The method of removing vegetative life forms from living surfaces
is termed Answer: antisepsis.
◉ The removal of all life forms from inanimate objects is termed
Answer: sterilization.
◉ The alcohol wipe used on a patient's skin before an injection is an
example of Answer: antisepsis.
◉ Which is correct regarding the rate of microbial death?
A. Cells die at increasingly greater rates.
B. Only older cells die in a culture.
C. Cells in a culture die at a constant rate.
D. Upon contact with the control agent, all cells die at one time.
E. Cells become metabolically inactive but are never killed. Answer:
C. Cells in a culture die at a constant rate.
◉ 13. Which of the following factors will influence the action of
microbial agents?
, A. the number of microorganisms
B. the type of microorganisms present
C. temperature and pH
D. mode and dosage of the agent
E. All of the choices will influence the action. Answer: E. All of the
choices will influence the action.
◉ Microbial death occurs when there is Answer: no reproduction.
◉ a target of antimicrobial agents except Answer: cytoplasm.
◉ Surfactants work by Answer: disrupting membrane integrity.
◉ Some microbial control agents are able to _____ cell proteins by
breaking bonds that maintain the native state, the three-dimensional
configuration of the proteins. Answer: denature
◉ Agents that can denature microbial proteins include all of the
following except Answer: X rays.
◉ Which of the following does not affect microbial nucleic acids?
Answer: moist heat
EDITION COMPREHENSIVE EXAM STUDY GUIDE
2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
◉ The process that destroys or removes all microorganisms and
microbial forms, including bacterial endospores, on inanimate
objects is Answer: sterilization.
◉ The use of a physical or chemical process to destroy vegetative
pathogens on inanimate objects is Answer: disinfection.
◉ The use of chemical agents directly on exposed body surfaces to
destroy or inhibit vegetative pathogens is Answer: antisepsis.
◉ Scrubbing or immersing the skin in chemicals to reduce the
numbers of microbes on the skin is Answer: degermation.
◉ Which type of control agents would be used to achieve sterility?
Answer: sporicide
◉ The easiest microbial forms to kill or inhibit are Answer:
vegetative bacteria and fungi.
,◉ The method of removing vegetative microbial life forms and
debris to reduce contamination to safe levels is termed Answer:
sanitization.
◉ The method of removing vegetative life forms from living surfaces
is termed Answer: antisepsis.
◉ The removal of all life forms from inanimate objects is termed
Answer: sterilization.
◉ The alcohol wipe used on a patient's skin before an injection is an
example of Answer: antisepsis.
◉ Which is correct regarding the rate of microbial death?
A. Cells die at increasingly greater rates.
B. Only older cells die in a culture.
C. Cells in a culture die at a constant rate.
D. Upon contact with the control agent, all cells die at one time.
E. Cells become metabolically inactive but are never killed. Answer:
C. Cells in a culture die at a constant rate.
◉ 13. Which of the following factors will influence the action of
microbial agents?
, A. the number of microorganisms
B. the type of microorganisms present
C. temperature and pH
D. mode and dosage of the agent
E. All of the choices will influence the action. Answer: E. All of the
choices will influence the action.
◉ Microbial death occurs when there is Answer: no reproduction.
◉ a target of antimicrobial agents except Answer: cytoplasm.
◉ Surfactants work by Answer: disrupting membrane integrity.
◉ Some microbial control agents are able to _____ cell proteins by
breaking bonds that maintain the native state, the three-dimensional
configuration of the proteins. Answer: denature
◉ Agents that can denature microbial proteins include all of the
following except Answer: X rays.
◉ Which of the following does not affect microbial nucleic acids?
Answer: moist heat
