Final answer:
Sterilization is the physical-chemical procedure used to destroy all microbial life, including highly resistant bacterial endospores.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sterilization is the physical-chemical procedure used to destroy all microbial life, including highly resistant bacterial endospores. It is the most extreme form of microbial control and aims to completely remove or kill all vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses. Sterilization can be achieved through physical means such as heat, pressure, or filtration, or through chemical means using sterilants.