Tablet Production Process MCQs With Answer

Tablet Production Process MCQs With Answer

This quiz compilation is designed for M.Pharm students studying MIP 203T – Pharmaceutical Production Technology. It focuses on the tablet manufacturing process, covering formulation principles, granulation techniques, compression dynamics, coating, in-process controls, and common manufacturing problems. Each question is intended to test both theoretical understanding and practical considerations encountered in industrial tablet production, including equipment selection, excipient functionality, process parameters and troubleshooting. Use these MCQs to assess mastery, prepare for exams, and identify areas requiring deeper study in tablet technology and scale-up.

Q1. Which of the following is the primary purpose of granulation in tablet manufacturing?

• To enhance the tablet’s color and appearance
• To improve powder flow and compressibility
• To increase the API’s solubility
• To reduce excipient costs

Correct Answer: (To improve powder flow and compressibility)

Q2. In wet granulation, which parameter most directly affects granule size distribution?

• Type of lubricant used
• Amount and rate of binder solution addition
• Tablet press compression force
• Final coating solvent

Correct Answer: (Amount and rate of binder solution addition)

Q3. Which excipient is primarily used as a disintegrant in immediate release tablets?

• Magnesium stearate
• Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)
• Croscarmellose sodium
• Lactose monohydrate

Correct Answer: (Croscarmellose sodium)

Q4. What is the main role of magnesium stearate in tablet formulations?

• To act as a binder
• To serve as a diluent
• To function as a lubricant
• To provide disintegration

Correct Answer: (To function as a lubricant)

Q5. Which tablet defect is most commonly caused by excessive lubrication or overmixing with lubricant?

• Chipping
• Capping
• Laminar tearing
• Sticking

Correct Answer: (Sticking)

Q6. During direct compression, which property of the powder blend is most critical?

• Particle size alone
• Color uniformity
• Compactibility and flowability
• Thermal stability

Correct Answer: (Compactibility and flowability)

Q7. Which in-process test is used to monitor consistency of tablet weight during production?

• Disintegration test
• Weight variation test
• Friability test
• Assay by HPLC

Correct Answer: (Weight variation test)

Q8. Which of the following describes the function of a roller compactor in dry granulation?

• It adds a liquid binder to form granules
• It compresses powder into ribbons or flakes for milling
• It coats tablets with polymeric film
• It measures powder flow by angle of repose

Correct Answer: (It compresses powder into ribbons or flakes for milling)

Q9. Which coating technique is preferred when protecting moisture-sensitive API and avoiding aqueous solvents?

• Pant coating with aqueous solution
• Pellistor coating
• Organic solvent film coating
• Sugar coating

Correct Answer: (Organic solvent film coating)

Q10. What is friability a measure of in tablets?

• Ability to disintegrate in gastric fluid
• Resistance to abrasion and mechanical stress
• Rate of active ingredient release
• Extent of moisture uptake

Correct Answer: (Resistance to abrasion and mechanical stress)

Q11. Which phenomenon is most likely to cause capping in compression tableting?

• Insufficient binder strength in granules
• Excessive tablet hardness
• Optimal lubrication level
• Excessive machine speed only

Correct Answer: (Insufficient binder strength in granules)

Q12. What is the principal disadvantage of using high levels of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) in a formulation?

• It increases tablet disintegration time significantly
• It may reduce dissolution rate for poorly soluble drugs due to strong binding
• It is highly hygroscopic and always causes chemical degradation
• It acts as a strong lubricant, preventing compression

Correct Answer: (It may reduce dissolution rate for poorly soluble drugs due to strong binding)

Q13. Which parameter on a rotary tablet press is adjusted to control tablet thickness without changing weight significantly?

• Feeder speed
• Main compression roll speed
• Pre-compression force
• Lower punch depth/upper punch position

Correct Answer: (Lower punch depth/upper punch position)

Q14. What is the primary cause of mottling on coated tablets?

• Poor dissolution of the API
• Incompatible pigments or uneven coating deposition
• Excessive compression force during tableting
• Use of too much disintegrant

Correct Answer: (Incompatible pigments or uneven coating deposition)

Q15. In scale-up from lab to production, which dimensionless parameter is most useful for maintaining similar shear in high-shear granulation?

• Péclet number
• Reynolds number
• Tip speed or impeller tip speed
• Biot number

Correct Answer: (Tip speed or impeller tip speed)

Q16. Which analytical method is commonly used for assay and content uniformity testing of tablets?

• Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• Laser diffraction
• Karl Fischer titration

Correct Answer: (High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC))

Q17. Which of the following is the best definition of tablet hardness?

• The force required to break a tablet by compression
• The percentage weight loss in friability test
• The time taken for a tablet to disintegrate
• The degree of tablet porosity measured by mercury intrusion

Correct Answer: (The force required to break a tablet by compression)

Q18. What is the major risk of over-drying granules after wet granulation?

• Increased microbial growth
• Loss of mechanical strength and increased friability
• Improved flowability and compaction
• Excessive lubrication

Correct Answer: (Loss of mechanical strength and increased friability)

Q19. Which lubricant property is most detrimental when present in excess in a tablet blend?

• Hydrophilicity
• Hydrophobicity causing reduced tablet strength and dissolution
• High melting point
• Color instability

Correct Answer: (Hydrophobicity causing reduced tablet strength and dissolution)

Q20. For immediate-release tablets, which dissolution profile attribute is most commonly used to predict in vivo performance during formulation development?

• Initial burst release only
• Percentage drug released at specific timepoints (e.g., Q1 at 30 min)
• Total residue after 48 hours
• pH of the coating solvent

Correct Answer: (Percentage drug released at specific timepoints (e.g., Q1 at 30 min))

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