MICROBIOLOGY EXAM 3 RIO SALADO
CERTIFICATION TEST PAPER 2026 COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS GRADED A PLUS
◉ Which of the following is an antiseptic that may be inactivated by
some skin bacteria?
Answer: Hydrogen peroxide
◉ What is the premise behind pasteurization?
Answer: It makes products safer to consume.
◉ Which of the following would be used to sterilize glassware that
will be used in a microbiology lab?
Answer: Autoclave
◉ Antibiotics such as Streptomycin and Erythromycin stop bacterial
infections because they prevent the bacterial cell from doing which
of the following?
Answer: Assembling polypeptides
◉ Which of the following is a difference between penicillin and a
vancomycin?
,Answer: Penicillin interferes with an enzyme involved in cell wall
synthesis, whereas vancomycin does not
◉ Semisynthetic antibiotics differ from natural antibiotics because
of which of the following?
Answer: Natural antibiotics are derived from nature
◉ Which of the following is the difference between soaps and quats?
Answer: Quats can kill microbes
◉ Why should meat be thawed in the refrigerator?
Answer: it will decrease the possibility of bacteria growth as it thaws
◉ Antibiotic "A" and antibiotic "B" are both effective at suppressing
an infection in a patient, however together, they have an even more
significant effect. This is due to which of the following?
Answer: Synergistic interactions
◉ What is the difference between commercial sterilization and
sterilization using a sterilant?
Answer: A sterilant would be used on a surface
,◉ Polymyxin E is useful against gram-negative bacteria because of
which of the following?
Answer: It breaks down the outer membrane
◉ Which test can determine if a disinfectant is contaminated?
Answer: In-use test
◉ Dry heat and moist heat differ because of which of the following?
Answer: Moist heat penetrates cells more effectively
◉ Using a narrow-spectrum antibiotic is better than a broad-
spectrum antibiotic because of which of the following?
Answer: Narrow-spectrum antibiotics will have less of a chance of
killing normal microbiota
◉ A person is hiking and runs out of drinking water. They find a
stream and decide to use the chlorine tablets they brought to
sanitize the water. This would be a good way to make the water safe
to drink because of which of the following?
Answer: The chlorine will break up the molecules of the microbes in
the water
, ◉ When a phlebotomist cleans an area of the skin with alcohol
before drawing blood on a patient, their goal is to do which of the
following?
Answer: Lower the number of bacteria on the skin
◉ Why is washing your hands with (non-antibacterial) soap and
water an effective way to reduce bacteria?
Answer: It is degerming your hands
◉ Which of the following would target Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
Answer: Isoniazid
◉ Mouthwash, antibacterial soap, and Lysol are all related because
of which of the following?
Answer: They contain phenolic compounds
◉ Which of the following would be the least selectively toxic
treatment for a bacterial infection?
Answer: Polymyxin B
◉ Which of the following would be used to control microbial counts
in a liquid that could not be exposed to heat?
Answer: Filtration
CERTIFICATION TEST PAPER 2026 COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS GRADED A PLUS
◉ Which of the following is an antiseptic that may be inactivated by
some skin bacteria?
Answer: Hydrogen peroxide
◉ What is the premise behind pasteurization?
Answer: It makes products safer to consume.
◉ Which of the following would be used to sterilize glassware that
will be used in a microbiology lab?
Answer: Autoclave
◉ Antibiotics such as Streptomycin and Erythromycin stop bacterial
infections because they prevent the bacterial cell from doing which
of the following?
Answer: Assembling polypeptides
◉ Which of the following is a difference between penicillin and a
vancomycin?
,Answer: Penicillin interferes with an enzyme involved in cell wall
synthesis, whereas vancomycin does not
◉ Semisynthetic antibiotics differ from natural antibiotics because
of which of the following?
Answer: Natural antibiotics are derived from nature
◉ Which of the following is the difference between soaps and quats?
Answer: Quats can kill microbes
◉ Why should meat be thawed in the refrigerator?
Answer: it will decrease the possibility of bacteria growth as it thaws
◉ Antibiotic "A" and antibiotic "B" are both effective at suppressing
an infection in a patient, however together, they have an even more
significant effect. This is due to which of the following?
Answer: Synergistic interactions
◉ What is the difference between commercial sterilization and
sterilization using a sterilant?
Answer: A sterilant would be used on a surface
,◉ Polymyxin E is useful against gram-negative bacteria because of
which of the following?
Answer: It breaks down the outer membrane
◉ Which test can determine if a disinfectant is contaminated?
Answer: In-use test
◉ Dry heat and moist heat differ because of which of the following?
Answer: Moist heat penetrates cells more effectively
◉ Using a narrow-spectrum antibiotic is better than a broad-
spectrum antibiotic because of which of the following?
Answer: Narrow-spectrum antibiotics will have less of a chance of
killing normal microbiota
◉ A person is hiking and runs out of drinking water. They find a
stream and decide to use the chlorine tablets they brought to
sanitize the water. This would be a good way to make the water safe
to drink because of which of the following?
Answer: The chlorine will break up the molecules of the microbes in
the water
, ◉ When a phlebotomist cleans an area of the skin with alcohol
before drawing blood on a patient, their goal is to do which of the
following?
Answer: Lower the number of bacteria on the skin
◉ Why is washing your hands with (non-antibacterial) soap and
water an effective way to reduce bacteria?
Answer: It is degerming your hands
◉ Which of the following would target Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
Answer: Isoniazid
◉ Mouthwash, antibacterial soap, and Lysol are all related because
of which of the following?
Answer: They contain phenolic compounds
◉ Which of the following would be the least selectively toxic
treatment for a bacterial infection?
Answer: Polymyxin B
◉ Which of the following would be used to control microbial counts
in a liquid that could not be exposed to heat?
Answer: Filtration
