Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Practice Exam

Which of the following is considered a physical agent that can cause tissue damage?

1. Radiation

2. Electricity

3. Chemicals

4. Viruses

The correct answer is: Electricity

The correct choice represents a physical agent known to cause tissue damage through the application of electrical energy. Electricity can lead to severe injuries such as burns or even cardiac arrest when it passes through the body, disrupting normal physiological functions and causing thermal and mechanical damage to tissues. In a clinical context, understanding the effects of electrical injury is critical, particularly in procedures that involve electrical devices or in situations where patients may be exposed to electrical sources. The other options refer to different categories of agents that cause harm. Radiation, while it can cause physical harm, is typically classified more as an energy form rather than a physical agent in this context. Chemicals are substances that can cause damage typically through biochemical mechanisms rather than direct physical alteration of tissue. Viruses are biological agents that cause harm through infection and immune response, rather than physical interaction that leads to immediate tissue damage.