Which piece of equipment is used to sterilize objects by steam under pressure and/or heat?

• A. Incubator
• B. Centrifuge
• C. Water bath
• D. Autoclave

Answer: (D)

Sterilization with steam under pressure relies on using heat and pressure together to destroy all microorganisms, including tough spores. An autoclave is built to do exactly that: it seals items in a chamber and exposes them to saturated steam at high pressure, raising the effective boiling temperature and delivering rapid, thorough sterilization. This combination is what makes it reliable for sterilizing tools, glassware, and medical equipment.

Other equipment have different purposes: an incubator creates a controlled, warm environment to promote microbial growth, not to kill it; a centrifuge uses spinning to separate substances, not to sterilize; a water bath heats samples to a set temperature but doesn’t apply the pressure needed for sterilization.