Which term means 'to make impure'?

• A. Exudate
• B. Contaminate
• C. Contusion
• D. Capillary Action

Answer: (B)

To contaminate means to make something impure by introducing unwanted substances. This captures the act of compromising cleanliness or safety, which is why it fits the meaning of “to make impure.” In a medical setting, preventing contamination is crucial to keep sterile instruments, wounds, and samples uncontaminated. Exudate is the fluid that leaks from vessels or tissues during inflammation, not an action that makes something impure. Contusion is a bruise from blunt trauma, and capillary action is the movement of liquid through narrow spaces due to adhesion and cohesion—both unrelated to impurity.