Airway management: oxygen concentrator: practice question

A Anaesthesia question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anaesthesia · Airway management: oxygen concentrator

Sample item

Which statement about a pressure swing adsorption oxygen concentrator is correct?

AZeolite beds adsorb nitrogen, giving 90 to 95 percent oxygen with argon the main remainderBIt liquefies air and separates oxygen by its boiling pointCIt generates 100 percent oxygen by electrolysis of waterDIt works without an electrical supply, using cylinder pressure

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Zeolite beds adsorb nitrogen, giving 90 to 95 percent oxygen with argon the main remainder

Concentrators compress room air and pass it through zeolite beds that adsorb nitrogen. Oxygen of about 90 to 95 percent is delivered, the rest being mainly argon, and it requires a continuous power supply. Cryogenic fractional distillation is used for bulk liquid oxygen.

Option by option

A. Zeolite beds adsorb nitrogen, giving 90 to 95 percent oxygen with argon the main remainder (correct)
Correct. Nitrogen is removed by zeolite, leaving oxygen with argon.
B. It liquefies air and separates oxygen by its boiling point
Liquefaction and distillation is the industrial plant method.
C. It generates 100 percent oxygen by electrolysis of water
It does not use electrolysis and cannot give 100 percent oxygen.
D. It works without an electrical supply, using cylinder pressure
It needs electricity to run the compressor and valves.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is A, Zeolite beds adsorb nitrogen, giving 90 to 95 percent oxygen with argon the main remainder. Concentrators compress room air and pass it through zeolite beds that adsorb nitrogen.

Why is "It liquefies air and separates oxygen by its boiling point" not the answer?

Liquefaction and distillation is the industrial plant method.

Why is "It generates 100 percent oxygen by electrolysis of water" not the answer?

It does not use electrolysis and cannot give 100 percent oxygen.

Why is "It works without an electrical supply, using cylinder pressure" not the answer?

It needs electricity to run the compressor and valves.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Airway management: oxygen concentrator in Anaesthesia. Oxygen of about 90 to 95 percent is delivered, the rest being mainly argon, and it requires a continuous power supply. Cryogenic fractional distillation is used for bulk liquid oxygen.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Airway management: oxygen concentrator?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.