The hardness range of tablets is usually

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

ISRO Pharmacist Previous Year Question paper 2021

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 3-7 kg

Rationale:

The hardness of tablets is a critical parameter in the pharmaceutical industry. It refers to the force required to break a tablet diametrically, which is essential for ensuring the tablet's durability during packaging, shipping, and handling.
The typical hardness range for tablets is 3-7 kg. This range ensures that the tablets are neither too soft (which could lead to crumbling) nor too hard (which could make them difficult to dissolve once ingested).
Tablet hardness is measured using a hardness tester, and maintaining the appropriate hardness is crucial for the tablet's effectiveness and patient compliance.

Explanation of Other Options:

1-2 kg

Rationale: Tablets with a hardness of 1-2 kg are generally too soft. Such tablets may not withstand the mechanical stresses during packaging and transport, leading to breakage and loss of dosage accuracy.

0.5-1 kg

Rationale: This range is even lower than 1-2 kg and would result in tablets that are extremely fragile. These tablets are likely to crumble easily, causing issues with dosage uniformity and patient safety.

None of the above

Rationale: This option is incorrect because the correct hardness range for tablets is specified and recognized within pharmaceutical standards, which is 3-7 kg.

Conclusion:

Among the given options, the hardness range of 3-7 kg is the correct and standardized range for pharmaceutical tablets. This range ensures that the tablets are robust enough to withstand mechanical stresses while still being able to dissolve appropriately in the body.