Ciulla: Clinical Chemistry
2026 | Comprehensive
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Questions, Answers &
Laboratory Exam Review
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Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
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,1. Which of the following lamps provides a continuous A. Tungsten-filament
spectrum of radiant energy in the visible, near IR, and near
UV regions of the spectrum?
A. Tungsten-filament
B. Hydrogen
C. Deuterium
D. Mercury Vapor
2. Which of the following isolates light within a narrow B. Monochromator
region of the spectrum?
A. Photomultiplier tube
B. Monochromator
C. Photovoltaic cell
D. Detector
3. Which of the following is not descriptive of a C. Cannot be used with a chopper
photomultiplier tube?
A. Emits electrons proportionally to initial light absorbed
B. Must be shielded from stray light
C. Cannot be used with a chopper
D. Amplifies the initial signal received
4. Which of the following is false about a photomultiplier D. Is composed of an iron plate and a layer of selenium
tube?
A. Converts radiant energy (light) to electrical energy
(current)
B. Amplifies the current significantly
C. Has a very rapid response time
D. Is composed of an iron plate and a layer of selenium
5. Which type of photodetector employs a linear D. Photodiode array
arrangement that allows it to respond to a specific
wavelength resulting in complete UV/visible spectrum
analysis?
A. Photomultiplier tube
B. Phototube
C. Barrier layer cell
D. Photodiode array
6. When performing spectrophotometer quality assurance D. Wavelength accuracy
checks, what is the holmium oxide glass filter used to
assess?
A. Linearity
B. Stray light
C. Absorbance accuracy
D. Wavelength accuracy
7. In spectrophotometric analysis, what is the purpose of D. Correct for color contribution of the
the reagent blank? reagents
A. Correct for interfering chromogens
B. Correct for lipemia
C. Correct for protein
D. Correct for color contribution of the reagents
8. In regard to bichromatic analysis, which A. Absorbance is measured at the spectral absorbance peak for a blank and the
of the following is false? sample using the same wavelength.
A. Absorbance is measured at the spectral absorbance
peak for a blank and the sample using the same
wavelength.
B. Eliminates background interferences
C. Sample concentration determined from difference in two
measured absorbances
D. Functions as a reference blank for each sample
,9. The bandpass of a spectrophotometer is 10 nm. If an C. 535-545 nm
installment is set at 540 nm, the wavelengths that are
permitted to impinge on the sample will be within what
wavelength range?
A. 530-540 nm
B. 530-550 nm
C. 535-545 nm
D. 540-550 nm
10. Which of the following formulas is an expression of the A. Au X (Cs/As) = Cu
Beer-Lambert law that is routinely applied to
spectrophotometric analysis?
A. Au X (Cs/As) = Cu
B. Cu X (Cs/As) = Au
C. As X (Cs/Cu) = Au
D. A = 2 - log %T
1 1 . In spectrophotometry, which of the following is a C. A = 2 - log %T
mathematical expression of the relationship between
absorbance and transmittance?
A. A = abc
B. (Au/Cu) = (As/Cs)
C. A = 2 - log %T
D. A = log %T
12. Which of the following is not a problem inherent in D. Need to maintain a constant and specific temperature
turbidimetry?
A. Variation in particle size of samples
B. Variation in particle size of standards
C. Rate of aggregation or settling of particles
D. Need to maintain a constant and specific temperature
13. Which of the following may be associated with C. Unabsorbed, reflected light detected by photodetector
reflectance spectrophotometry as it relates to the dry
reagent slide technique?
A. Light projected to the slide at 180-degree angle
B. Dye concentration directly proportional to reflectance
C. Unabsorbed, reflected light detected by photodetector
D. Reflectance values are linearly proportional to
transmission values
14. Fluorometers are designed so that the path of the D. Prevent excitation light from reaching the detector
exciting light is at a right angle to the path of the emitted
light. What is the purpose of this design?
A. Prevent loss of emitted light
B. Prevent loss of the excitation light
C. Focus emitted and excitation light upon the detector
D. Prevent excitation light from reaching the detector
15. Which of the following represents a primary advantage A. Increased specificity and increased sensitivity
of performing fluorometric over absorption spectroscopic
methods of analysis?
A. Increased specificity and increased sensitivity
B. Increased specificity and decreased sensitivity
C. Purity of reagents used not as critical
D. Ease of performing assays
16. Which of the following may be associated A. Plane-polarized light is used for sample excitation.
with fluorescence polarization?
A. Plane-polarized light is used for sample excitation.
B. Small molecular complexes show a greater amount of
polarization.
C. It is a heterogeneous technique employed in
fluorophore-ligand immunoassays.
D. Polarized light detected is directly proportional to
concentration of ligand in sample.
, 17. Which of the following may be associated A. Light emission produced due to enzymatic oxidation of a substrate
with bioluminescence?
A. Light emission produced due to enzymatic oxidation of
a substrate
B. Less sensitive than direct fluorescent assays
C. Electron excitation caused by radiant energy
D. Employs a radioactive label
18. Nephelometry is based on the measurement of light B. Scattered by particles in suspension
that is
A. Absorbed by particles in suspension
B. Scattered by particles in suspension
C. Produced by fluorescence
D. Produced by excitation of ground-state
atoms
19. Which of the following instruments is used in the C. Scintillation counter
clinical laboratory or in reference laboratories to detect
beta and gamma emissions?
A. Fluorometer
B. Nephelometer
C. Scintillation counter
D. Spectrophotometer
20. Which of the following best describes C. Chemical energy excites electrons that
chemiluminescence? emit light upon return to ground state
A. Electron excitation caused by radiant energy
B. Enzymatic oxidation of a substrate produces light
emission
C. Chemical energy excites electrons that emit light upon
return to ground state
D. Employs a fluorescent label that produces light
21. In assaying an analyte with a single-beam atomic D. Intensity of the beam from the hollow cathode lamp after it has passed through
absorption spectrophotometer, what is the instrument the analyte-containing flame
actually measuring?
A. Intensity of light emitted by the analyte on its return to
the ground state
B. Intensity of light that the analyte absorbs from the
hollow-cathode lamp
C. Intensity of light that the analyte absorbs from the flame
D. Intensity of the beam from the hollow cathode lamp
after it has passed through the analyte-containing flame
22. What is the function of the flame in atomic C. Bring the metal analyte to its ground state
absorption spectroscopy?
A. Absorb the energy emitted from the metal analyte in
returning to ground state
B. Supply the thermal energy needed to excite the metal
analyte
C. Bring the metal analyte to its ground state
D. Supply the light that is absorbed by the metal analyte
23. Most atomic absorption spectrophotometers D. Measurement of light emitted by the analyte
incorporate a beam chopper and a tuned amplifier. The
purpose of these components is to avoid errors that would
be caused by
A. Variations in flame temperature
B. Deterioration of the hollow-cathode lamp
C. Stray light from the hollow-cathode lamp
D. Measurement of light emitted by the analyte
24. In potentiometry, which of the following is considered A. Hydrogen electrode
the standard electrode?
A. Hydrogen electrode
B. Calcium electrode
C. Potassium electrode
D. Copper electrode
2026 | Comprehensive
Study Guide, Practice
Questions, Answers &
Laboratory Exam Review
| Complete Ethics Study
Guide
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales
Included
,1. Which of the following lamps provides a continuous A. Tungsten-filament
spectrum of radiant energy in the visible, near IR, and near
UV regions of the spectrum?
A. Tungsten-filament
B. Hydrogen
C. Deuterium
D. Mercury Vapor
2. Which of the following isolates light within a narrow B. Monochromator
region of the spectrum?
A. Photomultiplier tube
B. Monochromator
C. Photovoltaic cell
D. Detector
3. Which of the following is not descriptive of a C. Cannot be used with a chopper
photomultiplier tube?
A. Emits electrons proportionally to initial light absorbed
B. Must be shielded from stray light
C. Cannot be used with a chopper
D. Amplifies the initial signal received
4. Which of the following is false about a photomultiplier D. Is composed of an iron plate and a layer of selenium
tube?
A. Converts radiant energy (light) to electrical energy
(current)
B. Amplifies the current significantly
C. Has a very rapid response time
D. Is composed of an iron plate and a layer of selenium
5. Which type of photodetector employs a linear D. Photodiode array
arrangement that allows it to respond to a specific
wavelength resulting in complete UV/visible spectrum
analysis?
A. Photomultiplier tube
B. Phototube
C. Barrier layer cell
D. Photodiode array
6. When performing spectrophotometer quality assurance D. Wavelength accuracy
checks, what is the holmium oxide glass filter used to
assess?
A. Linearity
B. Stray light
C. Absorbance accuracy
D. Wavelength accuracy
7. In spectrophotometric analysis, what is the purpose of D. Correct for color contribution of the
the reagent blank? reagents
A. Correct for interfering chromogens
B. Correct for lipemia
C. Correct for protein
D. Correct for color contribution of the reagents
8. In regard to bichromatic analysis, which A. Absorbance is measured at the spectral absorbance peak for a blank and the
of the following is false? sample using the same wavelength.
A. Absorbance is measured at the spectral absorbance
peak for a blank and the sample using the same
wavelength.
B. Eliminates background interferences
C. Sample concentration determined from difference in two
measured absorbances
D. Functions as a reference blank for each sample
,9. The bandpass of a spectrophotometer is 10 nm. If an C. 535-545 nm
installment is set at 540 nm, the wavelengths that are
permitted to impinge on the sample will be within what
wavelength range?
A. 530-540 nm
B. 530-550 nm
C. 535-545 nm
D. 540-550 nm
10. Which of the following formulas is an expression of the A. Au X (Cs/As) = Cu
Beer-Lambert law that is routinely applied to
spectrophotometric analysis?
A. Au X (Cs/As) = Cu
B. Cu X (Cs/As) = Au
C. As X (Cs/Cu) = Au
D. A = 2 - log %T
1 1 . In spectrophotometry, which of the following is a C. A = 2 - log %T
mathematical expression of the relationship between
absorbance and transmittance?
A. A = abc
B. (Au/Cu) = (As/Cs)
C. A = 2 - log %T
D. A = log %T
12. Which of the following is not a problem inherent in D. Need to maintain a constant and specific temperature
turbidimetry?
A. Variation in particle size of samples
B. Variation in particle size of standards
C. Rate of aggregation or settling of particles
D. Need to maintain a constant and specific temperature
13. Which of the following may be associated with C. Unabsorbed, reflected light detected by photodetector
reflectance spectrophotometry as it relates to the dry
reagent slide technique?
A. Light projected to the slide at 180-degree angle
B. Dye concentration directly proportional to reflectance
C. Unabsorbed, reflected light detected by photodetector
D. Reflectance values are linearly proportional to
transmission values
14. Fluorometers are designed so that the path of the D. Prevent excitation light from reaching the detector
exciting light is at a right angle to the path of the emitted
light. What is the purpose of this design?
A. Prevent loss of emitted light
B. Prevent loss of the excitation light
C. Focus emitted and excitation light upon the detector
D. Prevent excitation light from reaching the detector
15. Which of the following represents a primary advantage A. Increased specificity and increased sensitivity
of performing fluorometric over absorption spectroscopic
methods of analysis?
A. Increased specificity and increased sensitivity
B. Increased specificity and decreased sensitivity
C. Purity of reagents used not as critical
D. Ease of performing assays
16. Which of the following may be associated A. Plane-polarized light is used for sample excitation.
with fluorescence polarization?
A. Plane-polarized light is used for sample excitation.
B. Small molecular complexes show a greater amount of
polarization.
C. It is a heterogeneous technique employed in
fluorophore-ligand immunoassays.
D. Polarized light detected is directly proportional to
concentration of ligand in sample.
, 17. Which of the following may be associated A. Light emission produced due to enzymatic oxidation of a substrate
with bioluminescence?
A. Light emission produced due to enzymatic oxidation of
a substrate
B. Less sensitive than direct fluorescent assays
C. Electron excitation caused by radiant energy
D. Employs a radioactive label
18. Nephelometry is based on the measurement of light B. Scattered by particles in suspension
that is
A. Absorbed by particles in suspension
B. Scattered by particles in suspension
C. Produced by fluorescence
D. Produced by excitation of ground-state
atoms
19. Which of the following instruments is used in the C. Scintillation counter
clinical laboratory or in reference laboratories to detect
beta and gamma emissions?
A. Fluorometer
B. Nephelometer
C. Scintillation counter
D. Spectrophotometer
20. Which of the following best describes C. Chemical energy excites electrons that
chemiluminescence? emit light upon return to ground state
A. Electron excitation caused by radiant energy
B. Enzymatic oxidation of a substrate produces light
emission
C. Chemical energy excites electrons that emit light upon
return to ground state
D. Employs a fluorescent label that produces light
21. In assaying an analyte with a single-beam atomic D. Intensity of the beam from the hollow cathode lamp after it has passed through
absorption spectrophotometer, what is the instrument the analyte-containing flame
actually measuring?
A. Intensity of light emitted by the analyte on its return to
the ground state
B. Intensity of light that the analyte absorbs from the
hollow-cathode lamp
C. Intensity of light that the analyte absorbs from the flame
D. Intensity of the beam from the hollow cathode lamp
after it has passed through the analyte-containing flame
22. What is the function of the flame in atomic C. Bring the metal analyte to its ground state
absorption spectroscopy?
A. Absorb the energy emitted from the metal analyte in
returning to ground state
B. Supply the thermal energy needed to excite the metal
analyte
C. Bring the metal analyte to its ground state
D. Supply the light that is absorbed by the metal analyte
23. Most atomic absorption spectrophotometers D. Measurement of light emitted by the analyte
incorporate a beam chopper and a tuned amplifier. The
purpose of these components is to avoid errors that would
be caused by
A. Variations in flame temperature
B. Deterioration of the hollow-cathode lamp
C. Stray light from the hollow-cathode lamp
D. Measurement of light emitted by the analyte
24. In potentiometry, which of the following is considered A. Hydrogen electrode
the standard electrode?
A. Hydrogen electrode
B. Calcium electrode
C. Potassium electrode
D. Copper electrode
