Final answer:
An autoclave is used to sterilize instruments that penetrate the skin or come in contact with normally sterile areas of the body using moist-heat sterilization.
Step-by-step explanation:
An autoclave is used to sterilize instruments that penetrate the skin or come in contact with normally sterile areas of the body. Autoclaves rely on moist-heat sterilization, which raises temperatures above the boiling point of water to kill vegetative cells, viruses, and endospores without damaging the items. This method is considered the most effective way to sterilize medical items.