EPA 608 UNIVERSAL 2026/2027 BANK QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED VERIFIED
ANSWERS / EXAM QUESTIONS WILL COME FROM HERE (100% CORRECT
ANSWERS/ A+ GRADED
Question 1
Which of the following gases help form the earth's protective shield in the upper atmosphere?
A) Carbon Dioxide
B) Stratospheric Ozone
C) Tropospheric Ozone
D) Methane
E) Nitrogen Dioxide
Correct Answer: B) Stratospheric Ozone
Rationale: Ozone in the stratosphere (the "ozone layer") acts as a protective shield for
Earth by absorbing the majority of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This is
distinct from ground-level or tropospheric ozone, which is considered a pollutant and a
component of smog.
Question 2
In a refrigerant system, the device that changes a low-pressure vapor into a high-pressure vapor
is the:
A) Evaporator
B) Condenser
C) Compressor
D) Expansion valve
E) Liquid receiver
Correct Answer: C) compressor
Rationale: The compressor is the heart of the vapor-compression cycle. Its primary job is to
take low-pressure, low-temperature superheated vapor from the evaporator and compress
it into a high-pressure, high-temperature superheated vapor before sending it to the
condenser.
Question 3
Data shows that chlorine in the stratosphere comes mainly from CFCs rather than natural sources
like volcanoes. What evidence supports this?
A) Volcanoes do not produce chlorine gas.
B) Chlorine from volcanoes is dissolved in water and washed out by rain before reaching the
stratosphere.
C) The rise in stratospheric chlorine matches the rise in fluorine, which has different natural
sources.
D) Air samples over erupting volcanoes show very low chlorine compared to CFC emissions.
E) Both C and D are correct.
Correct Answer: E) Both C and D are correct.
Rationale: Scientific measurements confirm that volcanoes contribute only a small fraction
, 2
of stratospheric chlorine. The primary evidence is that the increase in stratospheric
chlorine levels correlates directly with the increase in CFC emissions and the presence of
fluorine, which is a signature of man-made refrigerants.
Question 4
Which specific atom of the CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) molecule is responsible for the destruction
of the ozone layer?
A) Carbon
B) Fluorine
C) Chlorine
D) Hydrogen
E) Oxygen
Correct Answer: C) chlorine
Rationale: When CFCs reach the stratosphere, UV radiation breaks the molecule apart,
releasing a chlorine atom. This chlorine atom acts as a catalyst, breaking ozone (O3)
molecules apart into oxygen (O2) and chlorine monoxide, without being consumed in the
process itself.
Question 5
The ozone layer protects the earth and its inhabitants primarily from:
A) Infrared radiation
B) Gamma rays
C) Ultraviolet radiation from the sun
D) Cosmic background radiation
E) X-rays
Correct Answer: C) ultraviolet radiation from the sun
Rationale: The stratospheric ozone layer filters out the majority of harmful UV-B radiation.
Without this protection, life on Earth would face significantly higher rates of skin cancer,
cataracts, and damage to marine ecosystems.
Question 6
When working with any solvent, cleaner, or refrigerant chemical, which documentation should a
technician review for safety information?
A) The owner's manual for the appliance
B) The shipping manifest
C) Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS/SDS)
D) The EPA 608 certification card
E) The local building code book
Correct Answer: C) material safety data sheets
Rationale: Safety Data Sheets (SDS), formerly known as MSDS, provide critical
, 3
information regarding the chemical properties, physical hazards, health hazards, and
safety precautions required when handling specific substances.
Question 7
Under the Clean Air Act, an award of up to what amount may be paid to a person supplying
information that leads to a penalty against a technician who is intentionally venting refrigerant?
A) $1,000
B) $5,000
C) $10,000
D) $25,000
E) $50,000
Correct Answer: C) 10,000
Rationale: To encourage compliance, the EPA provides a financial incentive for
whistleblowers. If a person provides information that leads to a successful enforcement
action and fine for intentional venting, they may receive an award of up to $10,000.
Question 8
What is the primary objective of the Montreal Protocol?
A) To set global standards for energy efficiency in HVAC units
B) To provide a treaty among nations to control the production of CFCs and HCFCs
C) To mandate the use of R-410A in all new residential units
D) To eliminate the use of nitrogen in leak testing
E) To regulate the disposal of copper tubing
Correct Answer: B) a treaty among nations that controls production of CFCs and HCFCs
Rationale: The Montreal Protocol is an international environmental agreement that
established a timeline for the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), including
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).
Question 9
Which of the following refrigerants is classified as an HCFC?
A) R-12
B) R-134a
C) R-22
D) R-410A
E) R-500
Correct Answer: C) R-22
Rationale: R-22 (monochlorodifluoromethane) contains hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine,
making it a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). CFCs like R-12 contain no hydrogen, and
HFCs like R-134a contain no chlorine.
, 4
Question 10
A serious health result of the thinning of the ozone layer is:
A) Increased risk of respiratory infections
B) Increases in human skin cancer
C) Vitamin D deficiency
D) Increased risk of hearing loss
E) Higher incidence of heart disease
Correct Answer: B) increases in human skin cancer
Rationale: Increased exposure to UV-B radiation due to ozone depletion directly correlates
to higher instances of DNA damage in skin cells, leading to various forms of skin cancer
(melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma).
Question 11
Of the refrigerants listed below, which has the lowest Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)?
A) R-11
B) R-12
C) R-113
D) R-22
E) R-502
Correct Answer: D) R-22
Rationale: CFCs (R-11, R-12, R-113) have the highest ODP (rated as 1.0). HCFCs like R-22
have a much lower ODP (approximately 0.05) because the hydrogen in the molecule makes
them less stable in the lower atmosphere, meaning more of it breaks down before reaching
the stratosphere.
Question 12
To determine the maximum allowable pressure to use when pressure-testing a system for leaks, a
technician should check:
A) The pressure rating on the recovery cylinder
B) The design pressure on the equipment nameplate
C) The ASHRAE safety classification table
D) The color of the manifold gauge set
E) The boiling point of the refrigerant being used
Correct Answer: B) the design pressure on the equipment nameplate
Rationale: To prevent catastrophic failure or explosion during testing, you must never
exceed the low-side design pressure specified by the manufacturer on the equipment’s data
plate.
Question 13
How is Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) defined?
A) The time it takes for a refrigerant to leak out of a system
ANSWERS / EXAM QUESTIONS WILL COME FROM HERE (100% CORRECT
ANSWERS/ A+ GRADED
Question 1
Which of the following gases help form the earth's protective shield in the upper atmosphere?
A) Carbon Dioxide
B) Stratospheric Ozone
C) Tropospheric Ozone
D) Methane
E) Nitrogen Dioxide
Correct Answer: B) Stratospheric Ozone
Rationale: Ozone in the stratosphere (the "ozone layer") acts as a protective shield for
Earth by absorbing the majority of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This is
distinct from ground-level or tropospheric ozone, which is considered a pollutant and a
component of smog.
Question 2
In a refrigerant system, the device that changes a low-pressure vapor into a high-pressure vapor
is the:
A) Evaporator
B) Condenser
C) Compressor
D) Expansion valve
E) Liquid receiver
Correct Answer: C) compressor
Rationale: The compressor is the heart of the vapor-compression cycle. Its primary job is to
take low-pressure, low-temperature superheated vapor from the evaporator and compress
it into a high-pressure, high-temperature superheated vapor before sending it to the
condenser.
Question 3
Data shows that chlorine in the stratosphere comes mainly from CFCs rather than natural sources
like volcanoes. What evidence supports this?
A) Volcanoes do not produce chlorine gas.
B) Chlorine from volcanoes is dissolved in water and washed out by rain before reaching the
stratosphere.
C) The rise in stratospheric chlorine matches the rise in fluorine, which has different natural
sources.
D) Air samples over erupting volcanoes show very low chlorine compared to CFC emissions.
E) Both C and D are correct.
Correct Answer: E) Both C and D are correct.
Rationale: Scientific measurements confirm that volcanoes contribute only a small fraction
, 2
of stratospheric chlorine. The primary evidence is that the increase in stratospheric
chlorine levels correlates directly with the increase in CFC emissions and the presence of
fluorine, which is a signature of man-made refrigerants.
Question 4
Which specific atom of the CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) molecule is responsible for the destruction
of the ozone layer?
A) Carbon
B) Fluorine
C) Chlorine
D) Hydrogen
E) Oxygen
Correct Answer: C) chlorine
Rationale: When CFCs reach the stratosphere, UV radiation breaks the molecule apart,
releasing a chlorine atom. This chlorine atom acts as a catalyst, breaking ozone (O3)
molecules apart into oxygen (O2) and chlorine monoxide, without being consumed in the
process itself.
Question 5
The ozone layer protects the earth and its inhabitants primarily from:
A) Infrared radiation
B) Gamma rays
C) Ultraviolet radiation from the sun
D) Cosmic background radiation
E) X-rays
Correct Answer: C) ultraviolet radiation from the sun
Rationale: The stratospheric ozone layer filters out the majority of harmful UV-B radiation.
Without this protection, life on Earth would face significantly higher rates of skin cancer,
cataracts, and damage to marine ecosystems.
Question 6
When working with any solvent, cleaner, or refrigerant chemical, which documentation should a
technician review for safety information?
A) The owner's manual for the appliance
B) The shipping manifest
C) Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS/SDS)
D) The EPA 608 certification card
E) The local building code book
Correct Answer: C) material safety data sheets
Rationale: Safety Data Sheets (SDS), formerly known as MSDS, provide critical
, 3
information regarding the chemical properties, physical hazards, health hazards, and
safety precautions required when handling specific substances.
Question 7
Under the Clean Air Act, an award of up to what amount may be paid to a person supplying
information that leads to a penalty against a technician who is intentionally venting refrigerant?
A) $1,000
B) $5,000
C) $10,000
D) $25,000
E) $50,000
Correct Answer: C) 10,000
Rationale: To encourage compliance, the EPA provides a financial incentive for
whistleblowers. If a person provides information that leads to a successful enforcement
action and fine for intentional venting, they may receive an award of up to $10,000.
Question 8
What is the primary objective of the Montreal Protocol?
A) To set global standards for energy efficiency in HVAC units
B) To provide a treaty among nations to control the production of CFCs and HCFCs
C) To mandate the use of R-410A in all new residential units
D) To eliminate the use of nitrogen in leak testing
E) To regulate the disposal of copper tubing
Correct Answer: B) a treaty among nations that controls production of CFCs and HCFCs
Rationale: The Montreal Protocol is an international environmental agreement that
established a timeline for the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), including
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).
Question 9
Which of the following refrigerants is classified as an HCFC?
A) R-12
B) R-134a
C) R-22
D) R-410A
E) R-500
Correct Answer: C) R-22
Rationale: R-22 (monochlorodifluoromethane) contains hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine,
making it a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). CFCs like R-12 contain no hydrogen, and
HFCs like R-134a contain no chlorine.
, 4
Question 10
A serious health result of the thinning of the ozone layer is:
A) Increased risk of respiratory infections
B) Increases in human skin cancer
C) Vitamin D deficiency
D) Increased risk of hearing loss
E) Higher incidence of heart disease
Correct Answer: B) increases in human skin cancer
Rationale: Increased exposure to UV-B radiation due to ozone depletion directly correlates
to higher instances of DNA damage in skin cells, leading to various forms of skin cancer
(melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma).
Question 11
Of the refrigerants listed below, which has the lowest Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)?
A) R-11
B) R-12
C) R-113
D) R-22
E) R-502
Correct Answer: D) R-22
Rationale: CFCs (R-11, R-12, R-113) have the highest ODP (rated as 1.0). HCFCs like R-22
have a much lower ODP (approximately 0.05) because the hydrogen in the molecule makes
them less stable in the lower atmosphere, meaning more of it breaks down before reaching
the stratosphere.
Question 12
To determine the maximum allowable pressure to use when pressure-testing a system for leaks, a
technician should check:
A) The pressure rating on the recovery cylinder
B) The design pressure on the equipment nameplate
C) The ASHRAE safety classification table
D) The color of the manifold gauge set
E) The boiling point of the refrigerant being used
Correct Answer: B) the design pressure on the equipment nameplate
Rationale: To prevent catastrophic failure or explosion during testing, you must never
exceed the low-side design pressure specified by the manufacturer on the equipment’s data
plate.
Question 13
How is Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) defined?
A) The time it takes for a refrigerant to leak out of a system
