Final answer:
Instrument sterilization refers to the process of killing all microorganisms on instruments, often using high heat, pressure, or chemical sterilants.
Step-by-step explanation:
Instrument sterilization is defined as the process of killing all microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores, on instruments. It is a crucial procedure in medical, laboratory, and food industry settings to ensure that items are completely free of potentially infectious agents. Sterilization can be achieved through physical methods, such as exposure to high heat or pressure, as well as chemical methods using sterilants. This process is different from sanitization, which involves reducing microbes to safe levels, or disinfection, which reduces the number of microorganisms but may not eliminate them all.