Certified Anesthesia Technician (CAT)
Practice Exam Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2025|2026 Q&A
1. Which of the following gases is commonly used as a carrier gas in
anesthesia?
A. Carbon dioxide
B. Nitrous oxide
C. Oxygen
D. Helium
Rationale: Oxygen is the primary carrier gas that supports combustion and
cellular respiration during anesthesia.
2. What is the purpose of a scavenging system in an anesthesia machine?
A. Deliver oxygen to the patient
,B. Remove waste anesthetic gases
C. Monitor tidal volume
D. Control gas flow rate
Rationale: Scavenging systems collect and remove waste anesthetic gases
to protect healthcare workers from exposure.
3. Which color is typically associated with nitrous oxide cylinders in the U.S.?
A. Green
B. Blue
C. Yellow
D. Black
Rationale: Nitrous oxide cylinders are color-coded blue for easy
identification.
4. What does the vaporizer do in the anesthesia machine?
A. Monitors patient’s vital signs
B. Converts liquid anesthetic agents into vapor
C. Controls oxygen pressure
D. Filters inspired gases
Rationale: Vaporizers convert volatile liquid anesthetic agents into vapor
for delivery to the patient.
5. Which of the following is an inhalation anesthetic agent?
A. Propofol
B. Sevoflurane
C. Fentanyl
,D. Midazolam
Rationale: Sevoflurane is a volatile inhalation anesthetic commonly used
for induction and maintenance.
6. The circle breathing system is designed to:
A. Prevent rebreathing of carbon dioxide
B. Deliver room air only
C. Increase anesthetic gas concentration
D. Maintain high fresh gas flow
Rationale: The circle system removes CO₂ via a soda lime canister, allowing
gas rebreathing without CO₂ retention.
7. Which device monitors the concentration of oxygen in the breathing
circuit?
A. Capnometer
B. Spirometer
C. Oxygen analyzer
D. Pulse oximeter
Rationale: The oxygen analyzer ensures the correct oxygen concentration
is delivered to the patient.
8. A pulse oximeter measures:
A. Respiratory rate
B. Oxygen saturation (SpO₂)
C. End-tidal CO₂
D. Blood pressure
, Rationale: The pulse oximeter measures arterial oxygen saturation by
m m m m m m m m
m analyzing light absorption through tissue.
m m m m
9. Which muscle relaxant is depolarizing?
m m m m
A. Succinylcholine
B. Rocuronium
C. Vecuronium
D. Cisatracurium
Rationale: Succinylcholine causes depolarization at the neuromuscular
m m m m m m
m junction before producing paralysis.
m m m
10. What is the function of the CO₂ absorber canister?
m m m m m m m m
A. Increases anesthetic concentration
m m
B. Removes carbon dioxide from exhaled gases
m m m m m
C. Filters bacteria
m
D. Delivers fresh gas m m
Rationale: The canister uses soda lime to chemically remove CO₂ from
m m m m m m m m m m
the exhaled gases.
m m m
11. Which part of the anesthesia machine reduces the high pressure
m m m m m m m m m
from gas cylinders?
m m m
A. Pressure regulator m
B. Flowmeter
C. Vaporizer
D. Scavenging system m
Practice Exam Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2025|2026 Q&A
1. Which of the following gases is commonly used as a carrier gas in
anesthesia?
A. Carbon dioxide
B. Nitrous oxide
C. Oxygen
D. Helium
Rationale: Oxygen is the primary carrier gas that supports combustion and
cellular respiration during anesthesia.
2. What is the purpose of a scavenging system in an anesthesia machine?
A. Deliver oxygen to the patient
,B. Remove waste anesthetic gases
C. Monitor tidal volume
D. Control gas flow rate
Rationale: Scavenging systems collect and remove waste anesthetic gases
to protect healthcare workers from exposure.
3. Which color is typically associated with nitrous oxide cylinders in the U.S.?
A. Green
B. Blue
C. Yellow
D. Black
Rationale: Nitrous oxide cylinders are color-coded blue for easy
identification.
4. What does the vaporizer do in the anesthesia machine?
A. Monitors patient’s vital signs
B. Converts liquid anesthetic agents into vapor
C. Controls oxygen pressure
D. Filters inspired gases
Rationale: Vaporizers convert volatile liquid anesthetic agents into vapor
for delivery to the patient.
5. Which of the following is an inhalation anesthetic agent?
A. Propofol
B. Sevoflurane
C. Fentanyl
,D. Midazolam
Rationale: Sevoflurane is a volatile inhalation anesthetic commonly used
for induction and maintenance.
6. The circle breathing system is designed to:
A. Prevent rebreathing of carbon dioxide
B. Deliver room air only
C. Increase anesthetic gas concentration
D. Maintain high fresh gas flow
Rationale: The circle system removes CO₂ via a soda lime canister, allowing
gas rebreathing without CO₂ retention.
7. Which device monitors the concentration of oxygen in the breathing
circuit?
A. Capnometer
B. Spirometer
C. Oxygen analyzer
D. Pulse oximeter
Rationale: The oxygen analyzer ensures the correct oxygen concentration
is delivered to the patient.
8. A pulse oximeter measures:
A. Respiratory rate
B. Oxygen saturation (SpO₂)
C. End-tidal CO₂
D. Blood pressure
, Rationale: The pulse oximeter measures arterial oxygen saturation by
m m m m m m m m
m analyzing light absorption through tissue.
m m m m
9. Which muscle relaxant is depolarizing?
m m m m
A. Succinylcholine
B. Rocuronium
C. Vecuronium
D. Cisatracurium
Rationale: Succinylcholine causes depolarization at the neuromuscular
m m m m m m
m junction before producing paralysis.
m m m
10. What is the function of the CO₂ absorber canister?
m m m m m m m m
A. Increases anesthetic concentration
m m
B. Removes carbon dioxide from exhaled gases
m m m m m
C. Filters bacteria
m
D. Delivers fresh gas m m
Rationale: The canister uses soda lime to chemically remove CO₂ from
m m m m m m m m m m
the exhaled gases.
m m m
11. Which part of the anesthesia machine reduces the high pressure
m m m m m m m m m
from gas cylinders?
m m m
A. Pressure regulator m
B. Flowmeter
C. Vaporizer
D. Scavenging system m
