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EPA 608 NEC 2023

EPA 608 Core Practice Test 17

This practice test dives into the science behind the EPA 608 rules: how CFC and HCFC molecules break apart in the stratosphere, how a single chlorine atom can destroy thousands of ozone molecules, and how ODP differs from GWP. It also covers recovery, recycling, reclaiming, and cylinder safety, so you get a full picture of the Core exam.

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The EPA 608 certification is required by law for any technician who purchases or handles refrigerants. It covers safe handling, leak detection, recovery, and environmental regulations.

Type I covers small appliances (≤5 lbs refrigerant), Type II covers high-pressure systems, Type III covers low-pressure systems, and Universal covers all three. Most HVAC technicians pursue Universal certification.

You must score at least 70% on each section of the exam. The Universal exam has four parts: core, Type I, Type II, and Type III.

Core Exam Tip: Remember that only chlorine- or bromine-containing refrigerants have any ODP at all. If a refrigerant has no chlorine or bromine, its ODP is zero, even if its GWP is high.

25

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25 min

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70%

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EPA 608 Core Practice Test 17 — Question List

Question 1: What does the ozone layer in the stratosphere do?

It traps heat close to the ground
It creates rain clouds
It has no known effect on the earth
It blocks most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation

Question 2: When a CFC molecule drifts up into the stratosphere, what causes it to break apart?

Cold temperatures alone
Lightning strikes
Air pressure changes
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun

Question 3: When UV radiation breaks apart a CFC molecule, which atom is released that goes on to destroy ozone?

A carbon atom
A chlorine atom
A hydrogen atom
A fluorine atom

Question 4: In the ozone destruction cycle, a chlorine atom reacts with an ozone molecule (O3) to form chlorine monoxide (ClO) and oxygen (O2). What happens next in the cycle?

The chlorine atom is permanently destroyed
The ClO reacts with a free oxygen atom, releasing the chlorine atom again
The cycle stops completely after one reaction
The ClO turns into a harmless CFC molecule again

Question 5: Why is chlorine described as acting like a "catalyst" in ozone destruction?

Because it makes the reaction happen only once
Because it converts ozone into new CFCs
Because it is released again after each reaction and can destroy more ozone molecules
Because it reacts only with oxygen, never with ozone

Question 6: About how many ozone molecules can a single chlorine atom destroy before it is finally removed from the stratosphere?

Up to 100,000
Exactly 1
About 50
An unlimited, uncountable number

Question 7: CFC and HCFC molecules that leak from equipment must travel where before they can damage the ozone layer?

Down into the soil
Into ocean water
Up into the stratosphere
Into underground pipes

Question 8: R-11, a CFC refrigerant, has an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of 1.0. What does this number mean?

R-11 has no effect on ozone at all
R-11 has the lowest possible ODP
R-11 is an HFC refrigerant
R-11 is used as the baseline reference for measuring ODP of other refrigerants

Question 9: R-22 is an HCFC refrigerant. Roughly what is its Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)?

About 0.055
1.0, the same as R-11
2088
0, exactly the same as an HFC

Question 10: Why do HFC refrigerants like R-134a have an ODP of zero?

They evaporate too quickly to reach the stratosphere
They are heavier than air
They do not contain chlorine or bromine atoms
They were banned before reaching the atmosphere

Question 11: An HFC refrigerant has an ODP of 0 but a high GWP. What does this tell a technician?

The refrigerant is completely harmless in every way
The refrigerant does not harm the ozone layer, but it does contribute to global warming
The refrigerant is actually a CFC in disguise
GWP and ODP always match each other

Question 12: Which US law specifically targets phasing down high-GWP HFC refrigerants, separate from the ozone-focused Clean Air Act rules?

The Montreal Protocol
Section 608 itself
The Clean Water Act
The AIM Act

Question 13: Which international treaty specifically targets ozone-depleting substances, leading to the venting rules technicians follow today?

The AIM Act
The Paris Agreement
The Montreal Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol

Question 14: In what year was the Montreal Protocol, the international agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances, signed?

1987
1970
1995
2010

Question 15: Since what date has knowingly venting CFC or HCFC refrigerant been illegal?

November 15, 1995
July 1, 1992
January 1, 1987
January 1, 2000

Question 16: Since what date has knowingly venting HFC refrigerant been illegal?

July 1, 1992
November 15, 1990
It is not illegal to vent HFCs
November 15, 1995

Question 17: A technician pulls refrigerant out of a system and stores it in a cylinder, with no cleaning done. What is this process called?

Reclaiming
Recycling
Evacuation
Recovery

Question 18: What does recycling refrigerant involve that plain recovery does not?

Sending it to a certified lab for chemical analysis
Cleaning the refrigerant on-site, such as removing oil, moisture, acid, and particles
Selling it to a new owner
Nothing, recycling and recovery are identical

Question 19: A distributor wants to legally resell used refrigerant to a customer who has never owned it before. What must be done to that refrigerant first?

It just needs to be recovered into a clean cylinder
It must be relabeled with a new refrigerant name
It must be reclaimed to AHRI Standard 700 purity, verified by chemical analysis
Nothing, used refrigerant can always be resold as-is

Question 20: A 60-pound comfort cooling system is leaking refrigerant. At what yearly leak rate is repair required under the substantial leak rule?

15% or more per year
35% or more per year
5% or more per year
Any leak, no matter how small

Question 21: A commercial process refrigeration system with 200 pounds of charge is leaking. At what yearly rate does the substantial leak rule kick in?

15% or more per year
35% or more per year
50% or more per year
10% or more per year

Question 22: How many days does an owner have to fix, retrofit, or retire an appliance after a substantial leak is discovered?

10 days
60 days
30 days
180 days

Question 23: A customer wants to buy 3 pounds of refrigerant in one purchase. What must the seller do?

Document the sale, since it is 2 pounds or more
Nothing, only sales over 50 pounds need documentation
Refuse the sale entirely
Report it to the fire department

Question 24: What color combination is the standard convention for a refrigerant recovery cylinder?

Gray body with a yellow shoulder
All white
Bright red all over
Green body with a blue shoulder

Question 25: R-32 is being used as a lower-GWP replacement for R-410A in some new equipment. How does its GWP compare?

R-32's GWP (about 675) is much lower than R-410A's GWP (about 2088)
R-32's GWP is higher than R-410A's
They have the exact same GWP
R-32 has an ODP of 1.0, unlike R-410A

Study Tip: The EPA 608 exam is closed book. Memorize: recovery is required before opening any refrigerant system. Venting refrigerant is illegal. Know the ODP and GWP values for R-22, R-410A, R-134a, R-32, and R-454B.

EXAM CARD EPA 608

Questions25

Time limit25 min

Pass score70%

RegulationEPA Section 608

DifficultyIntermediate

Last reviewedJun 2026

Timer starts immediately. Progress is auto-saved.

Source: EPA Section 608 (40 CFR Part 82)