Free Practice Quiz Question List

3 Specimen Processing and Centrifugation Online Quiz Questions

Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 3 Specimen Processing and Centrifugation, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.

20 questions

True or false

1 point

True or false: Serum is obtained after blood has clotted, whereas plasma is collected with an anticoagulant and retains clotting factors.

A
True
B
False

Choose one

1 point

During inspection, you find a cracked specimen tube. What should you do before centrifugation?

A
Use it if the crack is small and the tube fits the rotor.
B
Do not use it; select an undamaged, compatible tube.
C
Wrap it in absorbent material and use it only at low speed.
D
Use it only if the centrifuge lid is closed.

Written response

1 point

Which abbreviation names the centrifugation setting preferred over RPM because it specifies the force applied to the specimen?

Fill in the blank

1 point

To balance a centrifuge with two tubes of equal mass, place them one another.

Choose one

1 point

A blood specimen is collected in a serum tube. What should happen before centrifugation?

A
Centrifuge it immediately so clotting occurs during the spin.
B
Add an anticoagulant, then treat it as a serum specimen.
C
Allow it to clot before centrifugation, following the test instructions.
D
Shake it vigorously before centrifugation.

Choose all

1 point

Before starting a centrifuge, which actions are appropriate? Select all that apply.

A
Confirm that tubes, buckets, and rotor components are compatible.
B
Begin the run with a visibly unbalanced rotor if the run is brief.
C
Keep the bowl and tubes dry and ensure the rotor is properly seated.
D
Use safety cups or a sealed rotor when required by the risk assessment and equipment instructions.
E
Open the centrifuge lid briefly during operation to check the load.

True or false

1 point

True or false: Using the same RPM in two rotors with different radii will produce the same relative centrifugal force.

A
True
B
False

Written response

1 point

What type of containment should secure the primary specimen container during transport to help contain leaks?

Choose one

1 point

A correctly labeled specimen arrives in the correct container, but there is not enough material for the requested test. What is the appropriate response?

A
Increase the centrifuge speed to obtain more specimen.
B
Follow the laboratory's test-specific acceptance and reporting procedures.
C
Add fluid to the tube until the requested volume is reached.
D
Transfer the specimen to a different tube and relabel it.

Fill in the blank

1 point

In the RCF relationship, the rotational radius $r$ is measured in .

Choose all

1 point

You have separated a specimen, but the appropriate storage condition is not obvious. Which actions are appropriate? Select all that apply.

A
Use the temperature and storage period specified for the test.
B
Refrigerate every separated specimen, regardless of the test.
C
Choose a storage temperature based on the centrifuge setting.
D
Contact the responsible laboratory if the instructions are unclear.

Open ended

1 point

A centrifuge begins vibrating and making an unusual noise during a run. What should you do, and when may you investigate the problem?

Choose one

1 point

At specimen collection, which practice helps preserve the link between the specimen and the requested tests?

A
Label the container after centrifugation to avoid handling it at collection.
B
Use the tube type to identify the patient if the label is incomplete.
C
Label the container at collection and verify that the label matches the requisition.
D
Proceed if the requisition and container have different identifiers, then correct the mismatch later.

True or false

1 point

True or false: The centrifuge lid should remain closed while the centrifuge is operating.

A
True
B
False

Choose one

1 point

A specimen container's label conflicts with the requisition. What is the appropriate action before processing?

A
Change the container label to match the requisition.
B
Report the discrepancy and follow the laboratory's identification and acceptance procedures.
C
Process the specimen, then ask the requester to confirm its identity.
D
Use the collection time to decide which identification is correct.

Choose one

1 point

A specimen is ready for transport, but its required storage temperature is not known. What should you do?

A
Refrigerate every specimen during transport.
B
Keep every specimen at room temperature until testing.
C
Check the test-specific transport and temperature requirements.
D
Freeze every specimen if transport will take longer than an hour.

Choose one

1 point

Which statement correctly distinguishes serum from plasma in a blood specimen?

A
Serum is obtained from anticoagulated blood; plasma is obtained after blood clots.
B
Serum is obtained after blood clots; plasma is obtained from anticoagulated blood.
C
Serum and plasma are interchangeable names for the liquid from a blood specimen.
D
Plasma is obtained only after the red blood cells have clotted.

Choose one

1 point

You have an even number of centrifuge positions to load. Which approach best balances the load?

A
Place tubes of equal mass opposite one another and load positions symmetrically.
B
Place the fullest tubes together so their contents settle evenly.
C
Use any tube as a balance tube, even if its contents are incompatible.
D
Run the rotor briefly to check whether the load is balanced.

Written response

1 point

Use $\mathrm{RCF}=1.118\times10^{-5}\times r\times\mathrm{RPM}^2$ to calculate the RCF for a rotational radius of $8.0$ cm and a speed of $3000$ RPM. Enter the numerical RCF value in × g.

Written response

1 point

During specimen transport, what should suitable secondary containment help contain if the primary container leaks?