The term apnea describes which condition?

• A. Absence of breathing
• B. No breathing problem
• C. Slow breathing
• D. Irregular breathing

Answer: (A)

Apnea means a temporary stop in breathing. It describes periods where there is no air flowing despite the body's effort to breathe, such as what happens in sleep apnea. That makes it the best fit for the term.

The other ideas describe different breathing patterns: slow breathing is called bradypnea, which is a reduced rate but not a complete stop; irregular breathing refers to an inconsistent pattern rather than a full cessation; and saying there’s no breathing problem conflicts with the definition of apnea, which centers on the presence of breathing pauses.